Tag Archives: Arouna Kone

What will January bring for Roberto?

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Other and tagged with , , , ,

Just over a year ago, on New Year’s Eve,  Wigan Athletic drew 2-2 at Stoke. The  point they gained kept them in 18th place in the Premier League. They had 15 points from 19 games. Jordi Gomez and Ronnie Stam had been in good form and Latics had survived an horrendous run of fixtures with their pride relatively intact. Despite their low league position there was just one new signing in the January transfer window and they went on to lose all four league games in January, plus an ignominious defeat in the FA Cup at Swindon of League 2. Fortunately their new signing, Jean Beausejour, was to later prove himself to be a key player in the fight to avoid relegation.

This season things are going a little better. Wigan already have 15 points from 16 games, but face a home tie with Arsenal and away games at Norwich, Everton and Aston Villa before the 2012 calendar year ends. Interestingly enough, Roberto Martinez speaks of strengthening his squad during the January transfer window. Free agent, Roger Espinoza, is already lined up and he promises to add a touch of steel to midfield – a second Hendry Thomas maybe? The American/Honduran is coming from a Kansas City side that topped the standings in the Eastern Conference of the MLS. Like other players coming from leagues that are not as competitive as the Premier League it will probably take him some time to adapt to the technical and athletic demands that will be placed upon him. One for the future probably.

We heard this week that ex-Swansea  midfield player, Ferrie Bodde, is being given a trial at Wigan. Bodde has had an horrendous past four years with serious knee injuries, being released by Swansea in summer after completing his contract. Bodde has never played in the Premier League. He has played only four first team games at Swansea since 2008.

Given the financial constraints that Roberto Martinez works under he is unlikely to be able to add any “ready-made” Premier League players to his squad in the transfer window. During Steve Bruce’s era at Wigan he was able to call on a backbone of highly experienced Premier League players – Emile Heskey, Mario Melchiot and Michael Brown, for example. The salaries paid to such players would not be sanctioned under the current financial regime at the club. Martinez is therefore more likely to be scouting around places like Scotland, Spain and Latin America for any January signings. La Liga is likely to be one of Martinez’ main markets since it is one of Europe’s strongest leagues and bargains can be found. Both Arouna Kone and Ivan Ramis have adapted quickly to the Premier League after coming from Levante and Mallorca, although one feels that the best is yet to come from them.

Speaking of Kone, his absence for the African Nations Cup in January is a concern. His country, Ivory Coast, have a difficult group, being drawn with Algeria, Togo and Tunisia. If his team qualifies for the knockout phase it will mean Kone being absent well into the month of February. Kone has become an important player for Wigan, with his ability to hold on to the ball and intelligent passing. His natural replacement would be Mauro Boselli, but he has been left out in the cold so often this season. Once again on Saturday, Martinez chose to bring him off the bench with only a handful of minutes remaining. There is a possibility that Martinez will give Boselli an extended run during Kone’s absence, but one cannot rule out his departure from Wigan in January. More likely that Martinez is looking for another central striker in the January transfer window.

So a midfield player is definitely lined up and there is a need for another striker. What other positions will Martinez be looking to supplement during the transfer window? The current squad remains the best Wigan have ever had, with competition for places in all positions. The position of most concern is that of goalkeeper. If Ali Al Habsi were to get injured then the choice would be between the 40 year old Mike Pollitt and youngster Lee Nicholls. Martinez might well be on the lookout for another goalkeeper who could provide the same kind of competition to Al-Habsi that players in other positions at the club are facing.

Let’s hope that January 2013 will be a successful month for Wigan Athletic, both in their league and cup performances and in their recruitment of new players. If any of the new signings in January makes the kind of difference that  Beausejour made, then Latics will be in a much better position to avoid getting drawn into the relegation mire. Whatever happens on the playing side there surely has to be an  an improvement on the results and performances of January 2012.

Is par for the course still good enough?

Posted by JJ (Tony) in News, Other, Specials and tagged with , , , ,

Last November, Wigan Athletic were bottom of the Premier League with just 5 points from 11 matches. At present, they lie in 14th place with 11 points, averaging a point per match? If they were to maintain that point rate  through the season, they would end on 38 points, usually enough to stay up. But is staying up sufficient for Wigan Athletic supporters and its management anymore?

Lets look back on the season so far. The team has won 3 league matches out of 11. With the exception of Ivan Ramis and Arouna Kone, this is the same nucleus that won 7 out of their last 9 games last season against stronger opposition. So why have they not done better?

It cannot be put down to Ramis and Kone. Apart from his difficult Premier League baptism against Chelsea, Ramis has been solid, getting better game by game. Despite speaking almost no English he has become the de facto captain in the absence of Caldwell. Given that he was previously captain of RCD Mallorca for several years, it is no surprise. Kone has made an excellent adaptation to English football. Strong, speedy, skilful and unselfish he has already 4 league goals – Moses only scored 6 in the whole of last season. Both are excellent signings. Moreover Martinez has moved on with his tactical formation without the maverick Moses (exciting,  but frustrating) to be able to play with two big strikers and a mobile playmaker.

Over these past years one has seen Wigan Athletic teams that have been either disorganised or short of a real game plan. That cannot be said of the current team, who play within a well-created tactical system that can pose problems for even the finest of Premier League teams. Moreover, the players know their roles and show a high degree of commitment. Roberto Martinez talks about this being the best squad he has had – and given the budget he has to work under, he has done a marvelous job at recruiting the players at his disposal.

So why are Wigan Athletic not at least in mid-table position at this stage? You could blame referees or say they have had some bad luck and there is validity in such arguments. However, so could many other clubs stuck in the lower reaches of the table. Losing at home to Chelsea with their wealth of talent is not going to be a surprise, but home losses to potentially mid-table teams like Fulham and West Bromwich is hard to take. Both matches were characterized by giving away soft goals and a lack of finishing. The old failings continue to haunt. Player-for-player, neither Fulham nor West Brom is superior to what Latics have, except maybe Berbatov for the Londoners. However, what both those teams have is a deep-rooted self confidence, which Wigan Athletic just don’t seem to have.

Roberto Martinez has put together a team that could beat any team in the division on their day – a remarkable achievement. His players are largely international journeymen or players who have come in from weaker leagues. Nevertheless they have the skills to compete with the best. Whether he can instill that kind of self-belief in his players, like those in the higher-placed teams continues to be his challenge. He has done everything else really well – a superb tactical system, motivated players – but is it within his powers to convince his players that they can be as good as those earning two or three times their salaries in the Premier League? Without that, Wigan Athletic are going to be involved in yet another relegation dog fight.