Tag Archives: boyce

YEOVIL PREVIEW – will the tide turn?

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Previews, Other and tagged with , , , ,
Yeovil's Huish Park ground.

Yeovil’s Huish Park ground.

You can say what you like about Owen Coyle and his ‘Bolton-style football’, but you can’t deny that he is building a team that is growing match-by-match into a highly competitive outfit.

They are physically and mentally determined and have the ability to grind out results . It is not pretty, but if it gets the results Latics need to get back up into the Premier League then few supporters will complain.

Last year Latics conceded fifteen headed goals – more than any other in the Premier League. But that will not happen this year with big central defenders like Leon Barnett, Thomas Rogne and Ryan Shotton around.

Moreover the trio pose a danger in the opposition penalty box – Barnett has already scored three, Shotton also has one too and Rogne has been unlucky to be denied by the woodwork. Add to them good headers of the ball like Emmerson Boyce, Grant Holt and Chris McCann and you can see why Latics are dangerous from set pieces.

Wigan Athletic  have never played Yeovil before and now is a good time to play them as they are bottom of the Championship table. What better chance for Latics to pick up three points?

Coyle will rotate his squad following the defeat at Kazan. Thankfully Emmerson Boyce will return at right back. His passing skills were missed in Russia where Ryan Shotton had a miserable 57% pass completion rate. Shotton is much better at centre back and he will compete with Thomas Rogne for a place in today’s lineup.

James Perch will move back into the back four, where he has provided defensive stability in the problematic  left back position. Midfield is not his best position. Coyle will have another difficult decision in who to play in midfield. Roger Espinoza was the ‘Man of the Match’ in Kazan and deserves another outing. He will have to compete with James McArthur, Chris McCann and Ben Watson for a place.

Up front Coyle might well choose the more mobile Marc-Antoine Fortune to start, with Grant Holt coming on later as an impact player.

This being an away  match that is very ‘winnable’ he could well go for two wingers, rather than use Jordi Gomez on the right. Marc Albrighton is on loan for 28 days and Coyle will need to give him ample opportunity soon if he is to assess the young Brummie with a  view to permanent signing. Albrighton could line up on the right, with Callum McManaman on the left.

Latics have so far been unlucky with shots and headers hitting the woodwork on too many occasions.

The tide is due to turn some time. It could well happen today.

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Swansea City 2 Wigan Athletic 1: That sinking feeling

Posted by Ned in Match Reports, News, Other and tagged with , , , , , , ,

Without doing a terrible amount wrong, Wigan Athletic has found itself sinking into the all-too-familiar lower depths of the Premier League. We might be telling a very different tale if Arouna Koné’s headed equaliser had not been incorrectly disallowed for offside, but in the end those small margins told and it was another tight loss. There have been several of them in recent weeks against beatable teams — Fulham, Sunderland, and now Swansea — in which the side showed positives but failed to get the result. The good news is that fellow basement dwellers Southampton, Reading, Aston Villa, Norwich City and QPR look a weaker set of competition than last year’s pack.

Of the aforementioned strugglers, Norwich were the only team to secure three points this weekend with a shock 1-0 victory over Arsenal. Chris Hughton’s side deserve full credit for an excellent performance, but it is no coincidence they got the result following an international break. Like Swansea, Norwich looked fresh and full of zip — both squads have few internationals and benefitted from two weeks of focused training. Like Arsenal, a majority of Wigan’s starting XI had played two matches in the previous week, spread across the far corners of the world. Between Al-Habsi, Figueroa, Beausejour, Caldwell, McArthur, McCarthy and Koné (who admittedly did not play but had an eventful week nonetheless) — Latics players covered four continents and hundreds of thousands of miles before this fixture. Thank goodness Barbados wasn’t playing. Maynor Figueroa, whose Honduran national team secured qualification after thumping Canada 8-1, certainly looked like he was in a different time zone.

A detailed analysis of post-international results will follow next time there is an international break. But in the meantime, it seems fair to raise the question why Roberto is not leaning a little more heavily on his squad for these fixtures based on recent post-international break results?

The Good: 

Despite a sharp-looking home performance from Swansea, Latics kept them out in the first half, and looked the more incisive team on the counter. James McArthur showed some touches of real class and vision. Arouna Koné was very good, despite seeing relatively little of the ball. After Latics conceded and bodies were pushed forward, Shaun Maloney was excellent, getting on the ball, making things happen.

The Bad: 

Figueroa had a bad day. The marking for the second goal was non-existent — they appeared to stand still as Michu ran in to score. The team didn’t show real urgency or ambition until it was 2-0. All of which was a shame against a team that demonstrated their attacking threat but were defensively wobbly throughout. Opportunity lost.

Player Ratings: 

Ali Al-Habsi: 7 — Caught flat-footed on the first goal, but there was not much he could do about either. Made one or two decent saves before then.

Ivan Ramis: 6 — Solid until he lost sight of Michu for the second goal.

Gary Caldwell: 6 — Solid until Hernandez got the better of him for the first goal.

Maynor Figueroa: 5 — Not solid. Looked out of sorts, substituted to accomodate an attacking tactical change.

Emmerson Boyce: 6.5 — Brilliant improvised goal, but didn’t have an easy afternoon with Routledge in fine form.

Jean Beausejour: 7 — Cracking cross for Koné, which would have been the equaliser but for an errant offside call. Also played a delightful ball in for Koné, which the Ivorian couldn’t make the best of. Need him to get forward more often.

James McArthur: 7.5 — Some real quality from the Scot, who always puts the miles in defensively but rarely gets a chance to show his skill.

James McCarthy: 6 — Not his strongest performance.

Shaun Maloney: 7 — Always trying to make things happen. But his finishing should have been better with both a first half opportunity and a disappointing second half free-kick.

Franco Di Santo: 6 — Only got one chance and telegraphed it.

Arouna Koné: 7 — Strong performance that deserved a goal. His strength and pace are impressive, but he showed he can dribble and head the ball as well. The complete striker — just needs a bit more service and luck now. Took a heavy touch on a lovely Beausejour cross, mind.

Subs:

Ben Watson: N/A — His introduction saw a formation change, which resulted in more bodies forward and sustained pressure on the Swansea rearguard. It also left Latics’ defense a bit exposed.

Jordi Gomez: N/A — Went backwards too many times, to the support’s frustration. Played so well in the corresponding fixture last year, maybe he should have been brought on sooner — before goals were needed urgently. Urgency is not his strong suit.

Mauro Boselli: N/A — No service, barely touched the ball.

Is it time to break up a winning team?

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

With just four points from the opening six matches, this is Wigan Athletic’s worst start to a Premier League season. There was a win at Southampton, a home draw with Stoke, losses at home to Chelsea and Fulham and losses away at Manchester United and Sunderland. Despite our pre-season optimism, Latics are back in the dog fight zone, needing to scrap it out yet again. Where do we go from here? Is it time for the team that beat Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United within the space of a few weeks to be dismantled and rebuilt?

We started the season with optimism largely because of the fantastic achievements of the “great escape team”, but also because it looked like we had more strength in depth than ever before. Two excellent performances in the League Cup attest to that, with the “fringe” players staking their claims, although they have not yet come into fruition. Interesting to note how Liverpool have been bold enough to bring in exciting, if unproven, youngsters to arrest the lack of performance by too many of their senior professionals. Their 5-2 win at Norwich this weekend attests to the virtue of trying something new if the formula  is not working.

So is it time for fresh blood to be brought in or should Martinez stick with those players who performed miracles in keeping us up last season? So far Martinez has shown loyalty to those players, following the maxim of “Don’t break up a winning team”.

Callum McManaman first made an appearance in the Premier League under Steve Bruce in May 2009, as a substitute against Portsmouth. Since then he has been started in cup ties but has been limited to a handful of substitute appearances in the Premier League. Throughout his time at Wigan he has been the outstanding performer for the reserve team and did well on loan at Blackpool in first part of last season. He has been capped four times for England at under 20 level. He showed us his excellent technique with a beautifully taken goal in the recent League Cup game at Nottingham Forest. It was the kind of finishing rarely seen from a Wigan Athletic player in recent years. Mauro Boselli has scored three opportunist goals in the League Cup, his second against West Ham showing a touch of class and arrogance. Eager to keep himself sharp he asked the manager to give him a couple games for the under 21 team, first scoring a late equalizer and then a winner. Ryo Miyaichi is an exciting young player, with electrifying pace. All three have been limited to substitute appearances so far. Ronnie Stam is an excellent attacking wing back, if not as strong defensively as Emmerson Boyce. He has not even been appearing on the bench. All these players merit strong consideration for a place in the starting lineup.

So is it time for a real shake-up – to bring in fresh blood who can energise the team? Martinez’ approach over these years has tended to be cautious, packing the midfield when the team is not doing well. On Saturday Wigan Athletic played with a lone centre forward: a conservative line-up. Jordi Gomez was once again chosen to play in the nominal right wing position. Far too often Gomez is played in a wide role that does not suit his game. He usually ends up either turning inside or passing the ball backwards. More on that here. To be frank, I think it is unfair on Gomez to have him play wide on the right. A couple of years ago we would regularly see Hugo Rodallega being played wide on the left, a position for which he was unsuited. Rodallega was a central striker, never a winger. The end result was a loss of form by the player.

To be fair on Martinez there have been injury problems that have disrupted the rhythm of his first choice lineup. Antolin Alcaraz has only played twice, while Jean Beausejour and James McArthur have struggled to reach full fitness. Alcaraz’s absence was crucial in last season’s poor start as well. The Paraguayan is not only a good defender, but his understanding with the other centre backs is not to be under estimated. Add to that the absence of Franco Di Santo, a bright light at the beginning of the season, missing the Fulham and West Ham matches, coming on as a substitute on Saturday. Moreover there has been a dip in form by senior professionals, Gary Caldwell and Emmerson Boyce. Neither has performed anywhere near the levels they displayed near the end of last season. Arouna Kone has come in and showed his willingness to make a success of that difficult lone centre forward position. He has scored two goals so far and got into good positions on other occasions, if some of his finishing has been disappointing. Ivan Ramis is gradually settling in to the centre of defence after a nightmare start in the opening game against Chelsea. His terrific goal at West Ham last week will surely boost his confidence.

Martinez has a dilemma. He has players knocking on the door who merit an opportunity. On the other hand he does not want to tamper with what had been a winning formula. Having Alcaraz, Beausejour and McArthur fully fit again would certainly help matters. However, underperforming players need to get the message that they are not automatically selected. A shake-up, even if it is a little one, might benefit the team.

Manchester United 4 Wigan Athletic 0 – A disaster rerun

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

At times the second half of this  match seemed like a rerun of those intermittent disasters that we have witnessed  over the past three years. Playing at Old Trafford after an international break; against a team keen to get revenge after the 1-0 result in April; with a weak referee — all these factors appeared a recipe for disaster. And so it proved.

Antolin Alcaraz had been ruled out of consideration due of injury, so Latics put out the same lineup that played against Stoke two weeks ago — Ramis, Caldwell and Figueroa comprising the back three.

Whenever Wigan Athletic play at Old Trafford one almost expects penalties and red cards to flow. The penalty only took three minutes to come, Welbeck faking contact  as Al Habsi challenged. The Omani keeper made a good save from Hernandez’s penalty, Figueroa doing well to stop Nani taking advantage from the rebound. Latics continued to be put under pressure but managed to make some headway. Ramis headed narrowly wide and a cross from Beausejour found its way to Kone at the far post but he was unable to get his shot on target. It was to be 0-0 at half time and United had begun to look a little frustrated.

As is often the case it was the first goal that changed the match irreversibly. It came in the 51st minute. Nani was put through by a beautiful ball by Carrick, delivering  the kind of  low cross-shot that goalkeepers hate. It was fumbled by Al Habsi, the ball falling to the feet of Scholes who scored easily.

United’s debutant full back, Buttner, seemed to have the freedom of the park on Wigan’s right. He miscued a shot in the 63rd minute but it went straight to Hernandez who put it in. Buttner had been played onside by Boyce, who had failed to get in line with his defence. United’s new signing was to have even more fortune in the 66th minute after he made a determined run past Boyce, McCarthy and Ramis to get to the by line. The normally excellent  Al Habsi will have nightmares over the way he fluffed Buttner’s shot, allowing it to go in from such a tight angle. The rout was to be completed in the 82nd minute when McCarthy made a casual pass across the edge of the penalty box to Ramis, who just did not react. The ball was picked up by the debutant Powell, who had all the time in the world to put in a good shot from outside the box to Al Habsi’s right. On a good day one sensed that the Omani would have saved it.

In the last 3 minutes Welbeck made an appalling “red card’ tackle on Di Santo. Unfortunately, justice was not done and he received a yellow. It was fortunate that the young Argentinian was not seriously injured by the tackle. The Argentine had also been clattered from behind in the box earlier in the second half, but not penalty was given.

The Good

Despite an horrendous penalty decision against them in the first three minutes Latics held firm during the first half. They managed to keep their discipline and spirit despite refereeing that consistently favoured the home side. Some of Paul Scholes’ tackling during the game has subsequently been described as “thunderous” by certain elements of the media. “Dangerous” might be a more appropriate word.

In the end, each team received two yellow cards. One feared worse for Wigan.

The Bad

All four goals were gifts. Once that first goal went in the match was only going to head in one direction. Latics looked tired and bedraggled in the second half.

From a Wigan Athletic supporter’s point of view this was a match best forgotten. Let’s keep the faith and look forward to a fresh start against Fulham at the DW this coming weekend.

Player Ratings

Ali Al Habsi: 5 – a terrific penalty save, but not a good afternoon for the normally excellent keeper.

Emmerson Boyce: 5 – despite a wonderful jinking run and effort in the first half, it was an afternoon to forget for this player who has been a revelation over the past months.

Ivan Ramis: 5 – together with Boyce, was unable to stem the flow of opposition attacks on the right hand side of defence.

Gary Caldwell: 5 – not up to his usual high standard.

Maynor Figueroa: 6 – the best of an overrun backline.

Jean Beausejour: 6 – played some dangerous crosses into the box but did not look fully fit and went off after 69 minutes to be replaced by David Jones.

James McCarthy: 5 – the Jimmy Macs were unable to wrest the midfield initiative from the experienced United trio of Carrick, Giggs and Scholes. Both gave the ball away on occasion a little too casually.

James McArthur – see above.

Shaun Maloney: 5 – taken off after 59 minutes for Jordi Gomez.

Franco Di Santo: 7 – worked hard and never gave up.

Arouna Kone: 5 – his first half chance was not easy, but it would have changed the game if he had taken it.

Substitutes

Jordi Gomez – ineffective.

David Jones – once more failed to impress after coming on for the last 20 minutes.

WIGAN ATHLETIC 3 WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 2 – CHAMPAGNE FOOTBALL IN A PARTY ATMOSPHERE

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

What a pleasant way to end a season – champagne football played by Latics, with an appreciative home crowd lapping it up. How strange that after 8 minutes with the home crowd celebrating an upcoming 8th year in the Premier League, Matt Jarvis should dampen the party atmosphere by scoring a peach of a goal. Receiving a ball from Steven Ward he cut in from the left and put a peach of a shot beyond Ali Al Habsi’s reach.

Latics came back in the 12th minute with an opportunist goal from Franco Di Santo, kicking the ball between the legs of a Wolves defender into the left hand corner, after James McCarthy had dispossessed Stephen Hunt in midfield. The Jimmy Macs and Shaun Maloney were running the midfield and it came as no surprise when Emmerson Boyce scored two minutes later with a towering header from a Jean Beausejour corner. Latics dominated the remainder of the first half with their excellent movement and silky skills, but could not further add to their tally.

Wolves came out with more resolve in the second half and the Wigan defence had to be on its toes. Al Habsi produced an excellent save from Kevin Doyle, but Gary Caldwell was ruling the roost at the back. Wigan continued to produce waves of classy football, with Shaun Maloney orchestrating the play, giving the Wolves defence a torrid time. The lively Albert Crusat came on for Victor Moses after 58 minutes and Hugo Rodallega for Franco Di Santo after 79 minutes. Within the first minute of coming on it was Rodallega who headed the ball for Boyce to hit a screamer of a half volley into the net. Jordi Gomez came on for Shaun Maloney after 82 minutes.  In the 84th minute Boyce went through the Wolves defence with the chance of a hat trick. However, he unselfishly tried to square the ball to Rodallaga and the chance was lost. Steven Fletcher got a consolation goal for Wolves on 86 minutes, after Adrian Lopez – in for the injured Antolin Alcaraz – got caught in possession on the edge of his penalty area. In another sweeping move Rodallaga was unlucky to see his shot hit the post in the final minute of added time. The final whistle signaled a pitch invasion by delighted fans.

The Good

The scoreline did not truly reflect the gulf between the two teams. This was champagne football from Latics, with Shaun Maloney being at the core of practically all of our best attacking moves. The Latics fans have been fantastic over the past few months, in sharp contrast to the doom and gloom that pervaded the earlier part of the season. The belief shown by the fans has galvanised a team previously lacking self confidence.

 It is not only the prospect of an 8th season in the Premier League that makes me look forward to the resumption in August. More than that it is the prospect of Latics playing this brand of football and not being afraid of the rich and bloated clubs who dominate the league. We have to shed the image of “Little Wigan” and move up a notch in our own estimation. If Bob and Dave both stay for a few years longer we will not be perennially looking to avoid relegation, but towards being in the top half of the table, seeking a Europa league place.

The Bad

After being outstanding in recent games Antolin Alcaraz suffered a thigh injury in training. Estimated time of recovery is 6 weeks so let’s hope all will be well for him at the start of next season. He was missed in defence.

Player Ratings


Ali Al Habsi: 8 – Did all he could to keep Wolves out.  A top class ‘keeper.

Emmerson Boyce: 9 – This defensively minded player has become a real attacking option in the right wing back position. Has scored three cracking goals in recent matches.

Adrian Lopez: 6 – Tried hard to impose himself physically, but looked nervy. His lack of match fitness and practice probably contributed to him losing the ball for Wolves’ second goal.

Gary Caldwell: 9 – Superb at the back once again.

Maynor Figueroa: 8 – Excellent yet again.

Jean Beausejour: 8 – Played more of an attacking role than usual. Put in some lovely crosses that might have led to more goals.

James McCarthy: 8 – Excellent yet again.

James McArthur: 8 – Probably our most under rated player. Excellent performance.

Shaun Maloney: 9 – A brilliant performance from the Little Magician.

Victor Moses: 6 – Ineffective, taken off after 58 minutes. Maybe unsettled by transfer talk?

Franco Di Santo: 8 – Must be one of the best in the Premier League in his skilful hold-up play. Scored an opportunist goal.

Substitutes

Albert Crusat: 8 – Made a major impact as a substitute, coming close to scoring on at least three occasions. Promises well for the future.

Hugo Rodallega – Has been a great servant for Wigan Athletic. What shame he was unlucky in the last minute, hitting the post as his Latics career was coming to a close.

Jordi Gomez – Worked hard and put through some nice passes. This has been his best season at the club and he has managed to silence many of his critics.