Tag Archives: Gary Caldwell

Progress report – Gary Caldwell

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

 

Caldwell2In early April the doom and gloom that was prevailing at Wigan Athletic was suddenly lifted. For so many months Wigan Athletic seemingly had no direction and leadership. But within a short amount of time Latics had a new chairman and a new manager, both young and hungry for success. Even if relegation were to happen there was now a sign of light at the end of the tunnel.

The new chairman had opted for a manager who believed in playing football the “Wigan way”. Moreover he intimated that the new manager would stay in the position long-term.

The 23 year old David Sharpe and the 32 year old Gary Caldwell were to launch the “new era” at the club.

It was a lovely mild spring evening on April 10th  when Caldwell made his managerial debut at Craven Cottage, which had rarely been a happy hunting ground for Wigan Athletic. The match against Fulham turned out to be an entertaining 2-2 draw and Latics were well worth their point. A win was just beyond their reach and relegation crept even closer. But the bright side was that, after just two days of training, Caldwell had got the team moving towards a brand of football reminiscent of the club’s best of times in the Premier League.

Latics went on to lose three of their next four matches and were relegated to League 1. However, few fans could blame Caldwell, who had inherited a team packed with journeymen and loanees. Relegation was a calamity, but there remained genuine hope that the new of Sharpe/Caldwell duo could put the club back on track after so sadly losing its way.

The last game of the season had been a miserable 3-0 defeat at Brentford, but Caldwell was to make a statement by bringing on the 18 year old Louis Robles and the 19 year old Jordan Flores for their first senior appearances after 64 minutes.  Moreover soon after his appointment Caldwell had brought 21 year old Tim Chow back to the club after he had been released by Malky Mackay. Chow has been given his debut at Millwall and gone on to score against Brighton in a 2-1 home win. Was this an indication that Caldwell would be using home-grown talent as a basis for the future?

Since that last match on May 2nd, so much has changed. Caldwell and Sharpe were clearly determined to jettison so many of the players of the previous era, whose Championship-level salaries could not be supported on a League 1 budget. Just a handful now remain.

Let’s take a look at Caldwell’s progress in the season so far. The grades go on a scale from A (excellent) to E (poor), with pluses and minuses indicating the top and bottom of the range (A+ being best possible, E- worst).

Success in the Transfer Market:  A-

Caldwell has done a remarkable job in moving on so many players from the previous era to make room for “hungry” new players to come in. The loanees returned to their clubs and none of the seven players at the ends of their contracts were to stay at the club. Nine players were sold, mostly at bargain-basement prices, and another four sent out on loan.

Latics now have an active first team squad of 29 players. It includes three “home grown” players, with five players remaining from last season’s senior squad. There are seven loanees and two players – Will Grigg and Reece James – for whom they have paid transfer fees around the £1m mark. The remainder were procured for bargain fees or at the ends of their previous contracts.

Caldwell’s squad has its share of experienced professionals, but it is packed with young players of potential. The £1.5 m received for the transfers of James McClean to West Bromwich Albion, together with the accumulation of smaller fees received for other players compensates for outgoing transfer fees. However, despite the continued presence of those five players on Championship-level salaries, Caldwell has drastically reduced the wage bill. Moreover four of those five have contracts that terminate in June 2016.

Caldwell has recruited 21 players since the beginning of May – a remarkable feat. Moreover he has brought in experienced players who have played in the Championship and Premier League, together with capable younger ones who can help form a foundation for the future. Having recruited such a large number of new players it was practically inevitable that he would have had to take a gamble on some who have had injury problems in the past years. However, only one of those is on a contract beyond June 2016, it terminating a year later.

The main frustration last season was with the players’ apparent unwillingness to fight for the cause. At times so many of them just did not seem to care. However, Caldwell’s squad has a different mentality – a fighting spirit and an unwillingness to give up when even two goals behind. It is a testament to his ability in finding the “right type “of player.

Public Relations: – A

Caldwell is a bright and eloquent young manager, seemingly unbowed by the prospect of being peppered with awkward questions, whether it be in an open fan forum or from the media. He is not only eloquent, but bold in enunciating his philosophy of football. For a 32 year old manager in his first job he is impressive.

Caldwell clearly believes that what he is doing is the right way forward for Wigan Athletic, even if he recognises that it remains a work in progress. It is through his belief that he has the strength of character to stand up there and put his head in the firing line.

Results so far: – B

Latics are currently in 10th place in League 1 after 12 matches. At home their record is W3 D3 L0, with an away record of W1 D2 L3. They were knocked out of the League Cup by Bury, but remain in the Johnstone Paints Trophy.

Given the high proportion of new players in the squad it is not surprising that results up to this point have not reached most fans’ expectations.

There has been a welcome change in an upturn in home form, but the away results have been disappointing.

Results over the next couple of months are likely to remain unpredictable, with the players needing more time to gel as a team.

Latics need to be in at least a mid-table position by the end of December if they are going to make a push towards promotion.

The Balance and Quality of the Playing Squad: – A

Caldwell has done well in making sure that there are at least two players competing for every position. On paper the squad is strong enough to gain automatic promotion.

All of his permanent signings are British, except for the Finnish goalkeeper Jaaskelainen who has been in England a long time. He has loan players from Guinea-Bissau, Holland and Slovenia.

The squad is particularly well stocked in the area of midfield. There are a more than a handful of players who can play the of a twin striker role, although there are fewer suited to a lone centre forward role.

With probably the largest squad in the division Latics will be well positioned compared with other clubs in mid-season when the injuries start to reel in. But the downside is that with a squad so large Caldwell will have to adopt a rotation policy to give all those players game time. The alternative is to have disgruntled players, as with what happened last year under Uwe Rosler.

The squad is bristling with the highest proportion of young players we have seen at Wigan for some years. There is a lot of talent, which augurs well for the future, but the team continues to suffer through their inconsistencies. There is an old adage that young players need time, but can Caldwell offer them that, given the pressure to achieve promotion?

Tactics and Team Selection: – B-

Not surprisingly, given injury problems and the need to rotate a large squad, Caldwell has used 30 players so far, including Jonjoe Kenny who has now returned to Everton.

The critics will say that Caldwell does not know his most favoured starting eleven. However, given the number of injuries suffered by his players it is doubtful if he would have ever been able to do field his strongest eleven , even if he did know it. Then again he would still need to shuffle his pack on a regular basis due to the size of his squad.

Caldwell is a rookie manager learning the job. Like any newcomer on the scene he has made mistakes, but his long-term view and his belief that his players can achieve is to be commended.

Some fans will say that Caldwell lacks courage in his approach and affords the other teams too much respect. They urge him to attack the opposition from the start. They will say that the slow build-up from the back involving passing between defenders allows the other team time to regroup. Moreover the result of defenders trying to pass the ball among themselves too often leads to the opposition intercepting the ball or a pass back to the goalkeeper and a punt upfield conceding possession.

They will say that possession means nothing, that it is goals that count. Some look back to the days of 4-4-2 with twin strikers of the ilk of Ellington and Roberts terrifying opposition defences. In away games Caldwell has constantly lined up with a lone centre forward who has been unable to make an impact given poor service and support from midfield. Moreover the defence has leaked too many goals that were preventable, being particularly vulnerable to crosses and set pieces. They cite the stunning late turnarounds, when Latics have been trailing and have come back in the final quarter “guns a blazing”. Could they not have done that from the start?

However, there are parallels to the Martinez area, when similar issues were so often raised, especially in the early days. Like Martinez, Caldwell clearly has a strong belief in his approach. In flashes Latics’ football under the Scot has been a joy to watch. What is missing is consistency. Possession football can wear the opposition down, leaving them vulnerable in the final quarter of the game. However, no matter what the style of football you need a solid defence, a midfield that can push forward to create chances and forwards who are capable of converting them to goals.

Caldwell can hardly be accused of tactical rigidity or being cautious in the use of substitutes. He has used 3-5-2, 3-4-3, 4-4-2 and even 4-2-4 in the closing part of the game. He has typically used his bench earlier in the game than his recent predecessors. What has hurt Caldwell most up to this point has been the absence of key defenders and forwards through injuries and suspensions, together with so many numbing refereeing decisions that have gone against his team.

On Saturday the Bury manager was upset with the referee for sending off one of his players after he had committed two professional fouls, each deserving of a yellow card. For once the tactical fouling of the opposition was punished by a referee. Sadly the norms of arbitrage in League 1 are worryingly low and too many cynical challenges go unpunished.

Wigan Athletic are a big name in the division and other teams will try to raise their game to beat them. Latics will come across teams who will employ whatever means necessary to stop their more talented players. However, the “big name” aspect can also cause teams to wilt when Latics really attack them. What is lacking is the collective confidence in the Latics squad to do that from the start. So often midfielders will take the easy option with a pass backwards or across the pitch. They are playing for their places and are afraid to make mistakes.

Playing 4-2-4 is so exciting to watch, but in the modern game it is a last resort. No manager is going to go into a match with that formation, let alone a rookie like Caldwell. However, when your team is behind and the opposition is tired near the end of the 90 minutes it is a viable option.

Areas to work on

Caldwell has done well to put together a squad that matches that of any other in the division. Providing he gets the best out of his players, promotion back to the Championship remains a possibility.

In order to succeed in League 1 a club needs quality players who are not easily deterred and ready to fight for the 50-50 ball at all times. It is something that Caldwell has clearly been instilling into his players, more than half of whom had never previously played in League 1. Many are still adjusting to the pace and physicality of the play in a division where tackles are tolerated that would draw red or yellow cards in the Championship or Premier League.

Caldwell needs to reduce his squad size to alleviate the need for constant rotation of his lineups. Although arguments can be made that injuries have played a big part, using 30 players up to this point is excessive. He needs to identify the players who make up his core lineup and play them together on a regular basis, injuries permitting. Moreover chopping and changing between different tactical formations is not helping players gel as a unit. The players have not only had to adapt to his preferred style of play, but also frequent changes in shape.

Caldwell deserves commending for giving youth a chance, but there is some validity in  the phrase “kids don’t win promotion”. When he has the bulk of his most capable and experienced players at his disposal he must use the youngsters more sparingly.

Caldwell and his squad need more time. It is simply too much to expect a group of players recently put together to gel into a fully functional unit at this stage. However, Caldwell clearly believes that with time it will come together. The question is – how much time will it take?

The hope is that maybe a couple of months from now Caldwell’s team will ramp up its gears, taking the game to the opposition from the start. It is the collective confidence that is lacking, but having played high-flying teams like Bury and Walsall in recent matches the players will surely have learned there are no teams to fear in the division.

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Avoiding another mauling – Millwall Preview

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Previews and tagged with , , , ,
"But it's a man's game". Neil Harris, Millwall manager.

“But it’s a man’s game”. Neil Harris, Millwall manager.

“That’s totally out of our control. We never throw in the towel at this club. In the first half there was one team trying to play football and one team out to rough us up.”

So said Gary Caldwell in April after Latics had been mauled by Millwall’s players and their crowd. Millwall manager, Neil Harris had a different view:

“That was a Millwall performance. I don’t condone melees but if you need a spark down at The Den you have to look after your own. I can see an argument for all three red cards. But it’s a man’s game. I can’t ask for commitment, passion, tackles, and then criticise one of my players for it.”

Latics had gone into that match at the New Den in mid-April, not having won for six matches. However, as the match started they soon settled into a possession style of football that frustrated the fiercely partisan home support. The crowd prompted their team to “get stuck in” and they did so with a series of professional fouls, in an attempt to knock Latics off their game. However, Latics managed to stay relatively calm, retaining the majority of possession until the half time whistle had blown with the score 0-0.

Up to that point the referee had resisted the baying of the crowd. Sadly he did not in the second half with Martyn Waghorn being sent off for a silly retaliation after 54 minutes. Ten men Wigan were unable to hold out, with Millwall scoring 20 minutes later. Jason Pearce and Ed Upson of Millwall were sent off after 80 minutes, a poor refereeing decision, and Latics conceded another near the end. The foul count revealed sixteen committed by Millwall to seven by Latics, with the home side receiving four yellow cards to Wigan’s two. However, what would the statistics have looked like had looked like if a stronger, more competent referee had been in charge?

Caldwell had surely known what to expect in that visit to South Bermondsey. In the 0-0 draw at the DW earlier in October the Lions had committed nineteen fouls to Wigan’s eleven, receiving three yellow cards to the home team’s none.

One wonders what kind of advice Caldwell will be giving his team tomorrow when Millwall are once again the visitors to the DW Stadium. Neil Harris is still in charge and Millwall have improved after a rocky start to the season, standing a point behind Latics in eleventh place. Surprisingly it is their home record that has disappointed – they have won three and drawn one of their four away games.

Latics come into the game following a similar physical battering at Oldham. Once again a Wigan player was unable to withstand intimidatory tactics from the opposition, leading to him retaliating and being sent off. Jordan Flores was by no means the only Latics player to have been systematically fouled.

Going down to ten men led to the match turning in the opponents’ favour, with Wigan apparently stunned by what had happened on both occasions. There are fans who were critical that Caldwell did not seem to have a plan on Saturday to help his team cope, following the sending off. He did make a substitution three minutes after Flores’ expulsion, but it was a like-for-like with Sanmi Odelusi replacing Jordy Hiwula.

Can Latics handle intimidatory tactics by the opposition? Can they match the other teams physically? Will referees give some degree of protection to their creative players? The statistics make interesting reading.

In their four home league games Latics have committed an average of 15 fouls, compared to 11 by the opposition. They have received 8 yellow cards, the opposition 4.

In their five league away games Wigan’s average foul count is 10, compared with 12 for the opposition. They have received 2 red cards and 7 yellows, the opposition 11 yellows.

In total Wigan have committed five fouls more than the opposition, with the same number of yellow cards, but with two red cards to zero.

The stats suggest that Caldwell’s side is not lacking in aggression, particularly at home.

However, there are fans who are not comfortable with Caldwell’s adherence to a Martinez-esque style of possession football, preferring a more direct style of play leading to more shots on goal. Once again the stats provide an insight.

At the DW Stadium Latics have averaged 58% possession, with 52% away from home. The only team to dominate Latics for possession was Chesterfield. In home games, in terms of shots (shots on target in brackets), Latics have had 48(22) compared with the opponents’ 34(10). Away from home the figures are 50(23) for Latics and 53(21) for the opposition.

Some will argue that too much of Wigan’s possession consists of sterile passing across the defensive line. It allows the opposition to regroup, eliminating the surprise aspect of Wigan’s play. Moreover it has too often led to mistakes being made at the back that have either led to goals or threatened to do so.

However, others will say that the defenders holding on to the ball gives the midfield and forwards some respite, an important factor given the physical demands of League 1. They will also cite that it is an integral part of a possession style of football that allows Latics to probe the opposition defences for openings.

The stats show that Latics have not only had more possession, but also taken more marginally more shots, with more on target, than the opposition.

Wigan Athletic have a salary bill that dwarfs that of the majority of clubs in the division. They have players of proven quality together with an exciting group of youngsters which augurs well for the future. It is a squad that should grow in stature as the season progresses, providing injuries keep to a minimum.

Despite the pressure of promotion upon him, Caldwell has given youth its chance in a way that no other Latics manager has done in recent memory. However, younger players tend to be less consistent than their more experienced counterparts and also more likely to be wound up by cynical opponents. Caldwell will be hoping to bring back from injury his more experienced players, to  provide the backbone of the team. Craig Morgan and Kevin McNaughton at the back, Francisco Junior in midfield and Craig Davies, Will Grigg and Haris Vuckic in attack are all key players in Caldwell’s system.

Like Wigan, Millwall too have seen a lot of comings and goings over summer. Seventeen players have left, with seven coming in. Their squad now includes more players who have come through their academy.

However, Wigan’s record against Millwall over the years reads W7 D8 L12, even if one of those wins included an FA Cup semi-final victory. With Harris remaining in charge Latics can expect a physical encounter. Self-discipline will be important.

Caldwell will want to play two strikers up front. Grigg was an unused substitute on Saturday, but Caldwell may well be tempted to put the striker in despite his elbow injury. Perhaps Davies will also appear. If not we might expect a cameo appearance from Grant Holt.

Tomorrow’s game is unlikely to be pretty. Latics must not allow themselves to be mauled again and the foul count for both sides could be high. Caldwell will be looking for a win ahead of the visit of high flying Walsall at the weekend.

Will injuries haunt Caldwell?

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Reflections and tagged with , , , ,
Roberto Martinez had bad luck with injuries in his final season at Wigan. Will Gary Caldwell prove more fortunate in his promotion push?

Roberto Martinez had bad luck with injuries in his final season at Wigan. Will Gary Caldwell prove more fortunate in his promotion push?

Antolin Alcaraz and Ivan Ramis are now playing for UD Las Palmas and Eibar in the Primera Division of La Liga. Both were fine centre backs in their time, strong in defence and comfortable on the ball.  In fact they were the kinds of players that Roberto Martinez liked to have in the centre of his defence.

Ramis was signed from Real Mallorca in the summer of 2012, to supplement the centre of defence of a team that had beaten the best in England in the final months of the previous season.  Alcaraz had starred in that run, playing in a backline of three with Gary Caldwell and Maynor Figueroa. Ramis had a fine record in La Liga and looked an excellent signing by Martinez. The squad that Martinez had built up was probably the strongest Wigan Athletic had had in their history. Our hopes were high as the season approached.

The Paraguayan and Spaniard played together in the centre of defence for the first three games of the season, a 2-0 home loss to Chelsea being followed by an away win by the same margin at Southampton and a resounding 4-1 League Cup victory at Nottingham Forest. But that was to be the last match in which they featured together. Alcaraz had picked up an injury and did not return to first team action until February. In his absence Ramis stablished himself as a regular, solid in defence, with excellent distribution.  Sadly Ramis’ season was to end in January when he picked up an anterior cruciate knee injury at Fulham.

Injuries to key players were to be the main factor in Wigan Athletic’s relegation from the Premier League that season. Indeed by the time the FA Cup Final came in May, Martinez was deprived of not only Ramis, but also of fellow central defenders Gary Caldwell and Maynor Figueroa and wing back Jean Beausejour. Midfielders Roger Espinoza and James McArthur were to be employed as wing backs, with a back three of Alcaraz, Emmerson Boyce and Paul Scharner. But, not surprisingly, the energy dissipated in that fabulous victory was to be lacking three days later when the 4-1 defeat at Arsenal sent Latics to the Championship.

Neither Alcaraz nor Ramis was able to reach their peak form again in the future. Martinez was to take Alcaraz with him to Everton, but the big Paraguayan was to struggle with injury and poor form, his release at the end of last season proving no surprise. Following a long period of recuperation Ramis had some good moments under Owen Coyle and Uwe Rosler, but niggling injuries were to constantly plague him. He was subsequently released by Malky Mackay in January 2015 to join Levante in La Liga.

Both UD Las Palmas and Eibar would have known of the two players’ injury issues prior to signing them this summer. Each signed a one year deal.  They are clearly calculated gambles by newly promoted clubs looking for experienced central defenders to do a short term job for them in a highly competitive league. Up to this point Alcaraz has played in all five league games for UD and Ramis in the first four for Eibar.

Gary Caldwell’s acquisition of Kevin McNaughton was also a calculated gamble. McNaughton has been a fine player in his time in the Premier League and Championship, but injury meant he only made 9 appearances for Bolton Wanderers last season. The 32 year old had fallen out of favour with Neil Lennon who had been critical of the player’s fitness. McNaughton’s his misery was compounded by a fractured fibula at the beginning of March in a match against Reading. It had been his first start since October. McNaughton is on a one year contract at Wigan.

Given the return to Everton of Jonjoe Kenny following a two month loan, Caldwell will be hoping that McNaughton will make a swift recovery from the hamstring injury that has kept him out since the Gillingham game a month ago. In the meantime he will either look for an out-of-contract or loan signing to provide further cover at right back/wing back, although midfielders Tim Chow and Max Power have experience in that position.

Caldwell took a bigger gamble in signing the 29 year old Craig Davies from Bolton on a two year contract. The big striker has had his fill of injury problems in his career, but none more than last season when he was restricted to just three starts from the turn of the year following a succession of hamstring problems.

After a series of excellent displays Davies missed the Fleetwood match with a hamstring injury. However, Caldwell explained to Wigan Today that:

“We knew his history when we signed him, and I have to say the fitness coaches and the physios have done magnificent with him. The actual injury he has now is on the other leg and is very minor for a hamstring injury. We’re looking after him very well and I’m sure he’ll be back stronger than ever.”

At his best, Davies is surely among the top central strikers in League 1. The question is whether he can overcome his hamstring problems and stay fit.

Other than McNaughton and Davies, Latics were also without Will Grigg, Francisco Junior, Craig Morgan and Haris Vuckic and for the Fleetwood game.

Grigg has torn ligaments in his elbow and missed the Fleetwood match after previously being away for international duty.  Morgan damaged his shoulder against Crewe on August 29th and Vuckic injured his ankle at Port Vale.

Junior has not played for a month due to a muscle injury, having been substituted at half time at Gillingham.

All of the six would surely challenge for a place in the starting line-up were they fit.

Injuries can make or break a club’s season, as Martinez found out in 2012-13.

It is to be hoped that Caldwell will have more good fortune in this regard than his ex-boss. Given their recent history Davies and McNaughton will have a challenge on their hands to regain their fitness and maintain it over the course the season. Caldwell and his coaches know that and will carefully monitor the two players’ fitness.

In the meantime Caldwell will be hoping that there will be no long term injuries to key players this season. Latics have had more than their fair share of those over recent years. Maybe the pendulum will turn in their favour this time around?

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Caldwell’s belief

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Specials and tagged with ,
He's a believer

He’s a believer

Dave Whelan preferred rolling contracts for managers. It was therefore no surprise when his grandson and successor, David Sharpe gave one to Gary Caldwell in early April stating that:

‘That shows how much I believe in Gary. It’s definitely not just for the next five games, he’s got a free hit at it really. If he keeps us up it’s a miracle and if we go down it’s expected by everybody in this room but Gary will back himself to keep us up. This is a long-term thing and we’re looking forward to the future with him that gets us back to our identity on and off the pitch and brings the positive times back to this football club.’

But what is a rolling contract? The Financial Times defines it as:

“A contract that continues until an agreed period of notice (amount of time before you are told that you no longer have a job), rather than until a particular date.”

Caldwell’s “rolling contract” can hardly make him feel secure, but the rookie manager exudes a level of confidence and self-belief that suggests he can deal with his situation, even if it was the downfall of his recent predecessors. It appears that previous managers were given pay-offs to sweeten the bitter pill of being dismissed, but given his contractual situation Caldwell cannot automatically expect that.

Caldwell’s optimism about the future of his newly formed team and his belief in a style of play is reminiscent of his ex-boss Roberto Martinez. He is not only eloquent but bold in enunciating his philosophy of football. For a 32 year old manager in his first job he is impressive.

Caldwell’s players are not on rolling contracts. They at least have the security of fixed term contracts. But Caldwell and his recruitment team have been careful with the contracts they have handed out. The over thirties David Perkins, Kevin McNaughton and Jussi Jaaskellainen, were given one year contracts, the youngsters receiving more long term versions.

The club has therefore already covered itself for the worst case scenario of not achieving promotion within these final two years with parachute payments. Were Latics to still be in League One two years from now their salaries budget would be likely to be no more than £3m, compared with around £10m at the present. Further evidence to suggest it is being run on sound, businesslike principles. Far from the norm of so many football clubs in England.

Like any new manager Caldwell has his critics. There are those who never liked him as a player and still don’t as a manager. There are others who don’t like the return to what they consider the tiki-taka approach of Martinez. Some say that Latics are run by a naïve young duo, Caldwell and Sharpe, and question their credibility. Is Caldwell expecting too much from players used to a more direct style of play at their previous clubs to adapt to “tiki taca”? It is results that matter more than anything else at football clubs and Caldwell has won only four of thirteen matches under his charge.

However, the majority of Wigan Athletic supporters stand clearly behind Caldwell. He has restored belief after a period of devastation at the club. Some will question some of his tactical decisions early on in his reign, his preference for three at the back rather than four, his reluctance to employ a twin strike force away from home. But most will forgive the inconsistency that has dogged the opening games, having seen glimpses of what might be.

At this point Latics are in a mid-table position with a record of W3 D1 L3. However, the W2 D1 L0 home record contrasts sharply with the away stats of W1 D0 L3. Latics have not conceded a league goal at home and there is already talk of the DW Stadium becoming a fortress, not to be scaled by visiting teams. Given the woeful home performances of last season, fans can now at least start to look forward to watching their team at the DW. The performance against Scunthorpe was spectacular, and even if those against Doncaster and Crewe were more mundane, they showed that the team can roll up its sleeves and stop the other team from scoring.

Caldwell and his staff have done a remarkable job in recruiting no less than twenty new players, with only the vestiges of those from those of the Rosler era remaining. His immediate target is to inculcate a winning mentality into a club which had lost its way over the previous twelve months. Those new players are not tainted by the lack of self-belief that plagued so many of the squad last season. However, fans will be hoping that the club will enable the new players to settle in much better than those brought in by Rosler last season. It is too early to say if the players Caldwell has brought in are good enough to achieve promotion, but the sheer scale of the reengineering of the playing staff remains impressive.

Not surprisingly a squad of strangers is taking time to gel on the pitch, even if the dressing room might now be a happier place to be. Moreover Caldwell has a young squad, from which some inconsistency in performance is to be expected. Were the majority of those younger players to make the grade this season, helping the club win promotion, they would surely form the backbone of the team for years to come. But nurturing young players within the parameters of promotion bid is asking a lot.

Caldwell’s belief in style of play is not only commendable, but also helps the players to work towards common ends. He is certainly asking a lot from players who have come from clubs where football was played in a different way to come to Wigan and adapt to his style of play. However, he clearly has the belief that they can do it.

Caldwell might have been expected to stick to a consistent formation in each game, giving the players time to adjust to it, to gel. But that has not been the case, the players so often having to switch to different tactical formations. Last Saturday’s substitution of two players after just 40 minutes of play was a shock to many of us and it looked like a young manager making changes too early in the game, leaving himself short of alternatives in the second half. One of the changes was due to injury, but the other was made to enable the team to change to a different shape. It had worked the previous week at Chesterfield so Caldwell boldly tried it again, even if a seasoned manager would have waited at least another twenty minutes to do so.

Caldwell is clearly looking long term, not only in expecting his players to embrace his philosophy of football, but also requiring them to be capable of rapid adjustment to tactical changes.

With a rolling contract Caldwell has minimal job security. However, he continues to have high expectations and has the belief that the players can achieve his targets. Like any football managers he has his detractors, but he has an infectious enthusiasm for the game and a love for the club.

A mid-table position is by no means bad at this stage, while the players continue to gel as a team. The question is how long it will take. Will it happen quickly enough for promotion to be a reality in the current season?

Craig Davies – journeyman or saviour?

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Player profiles and tagged with , , , , , , ,

Davies

“He’s a big, strong boy who is also quick. He is different to what we’ve got and he’ll certainly cause defences some problems.”

The words of Mickey Adams, who certainly had some belief in Craig Davies as a footballer. He had signed the big man for Brighton in February 2009. Some 11 months later, after scoring just one goal in 10 league starts and 11 appearances off the bench, Davies was dispatched on loan to Port Vale, where once again he would be under the tutelage of Adams. Davies made an instant impression at Vale Park and ended his goal drought in his fourth game for his new club.

When Davies came on after 78 minutes against Bury on Tuesday night he did not receive an overwarm welcome from the crowd. Being an ex-Bolton player and the replacement for Grigg did not help his case. Moreover he had not impressed in the 35 minutes he was given as a substitute at Coventry. Some fans condemned him as being lazy. Another categorised him as a “journeyman” who has had as many clubs as Leon Clarke.

But on signing the big Welshman Gary Caldwell had said that “Craig’s a powerful striker who has a proven track record in this division. He’s an experienced player who will inspire those around him and we are absolutely delighted he has chosen to be with us.” Moreover he had later enthused about a Davies-Grigg striking partnership.

So who is the real Craig Davies – the inspirational central striker who can make a real difference to Wigan Athletic this season – or the journeyman who does not make enough effort on the pitch? Is he the 23 goal striker who was instrumental in helping Chesterfield win League 2 or the player who struggled for goals at Brighton?

Davies had begun his Wigan Athletic career as a 77th minute substitute in the pre-season match with Partick Thistle at Firhill. He immediately added a physical presence, although playing wide on the left. Gary Caldwell was being cautious in bringing Davies into play, given the constant injury problems he had last season.

It was therefore a surprise to see Davies start up front with Will Grigg in the match at Dundee just three days later. This time Davies played in the right hand twin striker role and was a real handful for the Dundee defence. He only played for the first 30 minutes, but during that time he had formed a positive impression, his interchange of passes with Grigg provoking a penalty.

So what kind of role will Davies play for Latics this season? When will he be fully fit and in contention for a place in the starting lineup?

Caldwell will continue to give Davies time to get himself in optimal physical condition. In the meantime he will use him as an impact substitute, either for a tiring Grigg or alongside him as a main striker. Up to this point Caldwell has tended to opt for a lone centre forward system, but he is nevertheless pragmatic enough to go for the twin striker scenario when needs arise. Grigg would surely benefit from the presence of Davies, who will ruffle the feathers of any defence, drawing defenders away.

However, there is more to Davies’ game than playing the target man and creating space for others in the penalty box. In his career he has scored 88 goals from 237 starts in league games. He had played for 12 clubs before joining Latics, hence the “journeyman” tag.

Davies will be keen to show that he is much more than just a journeyman. His signing was a gamble by Caldwell, given his career path and his injury issues at Bolton. But if Davies can get fully fit he will have the power and speed to cause a serious threat to opposition defences.

If nothing else Davies will provide Caldwell the option of going direct when the patient building up of play has failed to produce the desired results. Fit and at his best he is a force to be reckoned with.

Only time will tell if Caldwell’s signing of Davies was one of desperation, or of inspiration.