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Is Ryan Lowe’s squad good enough to challenge for promotion?

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Reflections, Specials and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Courtesy of TheMastermindsite.com

It is a long time since Wigan Athletic fans enjoyed the first game of the season so much. Latics beat Northampton 3-1, but the margin could easily have been greater. In a lacklustre first quarter, with Wigan lacking cohesion, it looked like it would take the players some time to gel, to effectively function as a unit. However, Fraser Murray’s brilliantly taken 29th minute goal was to rapidly accelerate the process. As the game proceeded the players seemed to thrive in their well-defined roles, providing a synergy that had been absent early on. They thoroughly deserved the warm applause they received from the home fans at the final whistle.

 Lowe has based his summer recruitment on adapting the squad he inherited into one that can operate effectively in his preferred 3-1-4-2 system. It is a system where wing backs play a key role and it was highlighted by the fine performances of Murray and Joe Hungbo. Lowe had made it clear that he needed wing backs, rather than full backs. It looked like Steven Sessegnon, a specialist full back, was on his way out, but he was impressive in a new position on the left of the back three. He will be staying after all. However, Lowe considers Josh Robinson a full back and therefore unwanted. The player signed by Shaun Maloney from Arsenal in January has been practically invisible to us fans. Isaac Mabaya (20), signed on loan from Liverpool, certainly looked confident in the wing back position when he came on in the second half, for his debut in senior football. However, he was beaten to the ball for Northampton’s goal and he will need time to adjust to the demands of first team football.

Having wing backs means that natural wingers will have few opportunities unless the manager changes the shape. Dion Rankin appears to be on his way to Leyton Orient. Jonny Smith remains, although he was less than impressive as a wing back following Lowe’s arrival. Smith’s previous role as an inverted winger has no place in the manager’s style of play. Callum McManaman’s re-signing was a surprise as he too is a winger. However, both players have the capability of changing the course of a match through moments of individual brilliance. K’Marni Miller (19) was unavailable through injury on Saturday. He is an exciting prospect as a left wing back and Lowe recently gave him a new two- year contract. He will challenge Hungbo for that position.

With twin strikers being part of Lowe’s system, it was crucial that he brought in reinforcements. The exciting, talented, but raw, Maleace Asamoah (22) remains. The manager has done well to provide a wide range of attacking options by bringing in Dara Costelloe (23), Paul Mullin (31) and Christian Saydee (23). Costello looked comfortable in the orthodox centre forward role on Saturday, with Saydee behind or to the side of him receiving long balls and feeding his teammates in a manner reminiscent of Emile Heskey. Given feedback from Portsmouth supporters it was no surprise to see the powerfully-built forward have such a good game in that role. The downside is that Saydee’s career goalscoring record is akin to of another excellent target man for Latics, Marc-Antoine Fortune. Paul Mullin has a superb goalscoring record, although has not been convincing at League 1 level. But Mullin could be a key signing if he can get into gear.  All four strikers have different attributes and Lowe can mix-and-match them as he pleases. It gives so many different options. Chris Sze (23) has had a career dogged by injury and a has yet to make his mark at senior level, but the player that Maloney said had as much technical ability as any in the squad remains at the club Lowe is certainly not short of midfield options. Tyrese Francois played in the defensive midfield role in front of the back three on Saturday and looked comfortable in the role. Baba Adeeko is excellent defensively in that position. Matt Smith played superbly there for Maloney, so capably helping the back three with the high press. At times, Smith’s incisive passing could have been more effectively employed further up field. Despite some injury problems over the past couple of seasons he does not have a career record of injuries. He played 45 games for Doncaster the season before joining Wigan. Lowe insists that Smith has a role to play.

On Saturday, Lowe played Jensen Weir (23) and Tobias Brenan (19) in the central midfield positions. Weir underperformed has last season, but Lowe has kept faith in him. He had his best game for the club on Saturday, scoring an opportunist goal with a bullet header. Brenan made a very positive debut, showing composure, despite nervousness. Lowe has sent Ronan Darcy on loan to Chesterfield after declaring that a #10 does not fit in his system. Harry McHugh (22) was surprisingly offered a new contract: Lowe surely sees him as a late developer. New loan signings Callum Wright (25) and Ryan Trevitt (22) will compete for places.

Last season’s defensive record last season was excellent. Sam Tickle showed himself as a shot-stopper of a quality way above League 1 and the back three were excellent in front of him. The trio of Carragher-Kerr-Aimson were formidable. However, Maloney’s style of football was based on a solid defence, but with forwards and midfielders also playing an important defensive role. Lowe has intimated that there will be an attacking approach in home matches, as it was on Saturday. However, away from home he will more cautious His record at Preston last season showed 35 goals scored at home and 21 away.

The signing of Morgan Fox (31) on a two-year contract is a positive statement from Lowe and the club. Fox has over 300 EFL appearances in his career, largely in the Championship. He is a left centre back. Will Aimson was mainly playing there since Lowe’s arrival, although he can play in any of the three centre back positions. With Steven Sessegnon, Jon Mellish and Luke Robinson also able to play in the left centre back position there will be stiff competition for the defensive positions, providing all those players stay at the club. Will there will be some departures (along with Josh Robinson) in order to balance the books?

There was speculation through recent weeks regarding the possible sale of Sam Tickle. However, Latics fans breathed a sigh of relief when Lowe stated categorically that the goalkeeper will not be leaving. Tickle is an outstanding young keeper in all areas except his distribution. Were it not for this weakness he would surely have been snapped up by a bigger club over the summer. Together with James Carragher he is the club’s most prized asset.

Up to this stage Lowe has done a fine job in rebalancing the squad to fit his preferred playing formation. His work is not yet finished and he will need to make more adjustments to ensure that staffing costs do not exceed the budget set by Mike Danson. Looking at the current squad there is certainly enough quality to finish in the top half of the table, barring major injuries. Injuries proved a major obstacle to Shaun Maloney in his tenure at Wigan. Lowe will be hoping he can keep them at a minimum as he seeks a top eight position, which would be by no means unlikely.

Wigan Athletic: what profile of manager is needed to take Shaun Maloney’s legacy forward?

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

I was gobsmacked when I read the communique on the Wigan Athletic website about Shaun Maloney’s dismissal. My gut reaction was: how can they treat a man so badly, given the huge amount he has done over the last couple of years to keep the club afloat? The stories we have heard about him going way beyond the bounds of his role to help the club he has loved have been so heart-warming. It was a hellish two-year tenure for the FA Cup final hero who came back to help get the football side at the club back on track. He was constantly buffeted and stretched, but maintained a dignity that rose above it all.

The communique did, at least, recognise some of Maloney’s achievements:

“Shaun was appointed Wigan Athletic Manager in January 2023 during what would be an extremely turbulent period in the Club’s history. Whilst he could not prevent the Club’s relegation from the EFL Championship, Shaun ensured that the Club returned to the third tier with fighting spirit.

Furthermore, through a change of ownership in the summer of 2023, Shaun stuck by the Club and helped us overcome an eight-point deduction and a squad overhaul to retain our 2023/24 League One status comfortably with matches to spare.

During his tenure, Shaun and his young team have provided the Club and its supporters with some proud moments, including an Emirates FA Cup Third Round tie with Manchester United, as well as three memorable victories over rivals Bolton Wanderers, just to name a few.

Shaun has also helped develop a number of our young players, some of whom have moved on to further their careers to the mutual benefit of the Football Club.”

The manager’s sudden departure from Wigan Athletic has come at a critical time of the season. Latics sit 6 points above the League 1 relegation zone with 13 matches left. Why did Mike Danson decide to dispense with the service of Maloney and his assistant, Max Rogers, with such odd timing?

It has been a particularly frustrating season for us Latics fans. As can be expected fans’ frustrations have been vented at the manager and the owner of the club. Some of the more vocal fans constantly attacked Maloney’s style of football as being sterile and over-defensive. Others suggested that Danson is a rugby man, unwilling to put the money in to enable the football club to regain its place in the Championship.  The distilled view from such fans was that Maloney was not the man to ultimately provide success on the pitch. However, the manager had to shed key players due to Danson’s sustainability focus, replacing them with inferior players on lower salaries, who are just not good enough. Did the unrest among this portion of the fan base contribute to Danson’s decision?

“However, it cannot be overlooked that the current League One campaign has clearly not progressed as anticipated. Home results and performances, in particular, have been disappointing and below the standard at which our supporters expect. For this reason, the Board felt that it was time for a change.” (communique)

Wigan’s home form this season puts them in 17th place in the division with a record of W5D4L8. However, it is the lack of goals this season at “The Brick” that has rankled the fans. In 17 home games they have scored just 16 goals, the lowest in the division. However, they have only conceded 20. So many games this season have been dull and uninspiring, offering minimal entertainment to paying customers.

But then again this was always going to be a transition season, as the budget constraints kicked in. Maloney was forced to bring in bargain basement signings and a host of loan players over the summer. The permanent signings were focused on players in their early 20s whose asset values could increase, given good coaching. The exception was the signing of Will Aimson, an experienced centre back, to replace the outgoing Charlie Hughes. However, there was a need to bring in loan players as has been the custom over previous years. They were all young players in a squad that already lacking experience. In January, Maloney was given the opportunity to jettison some underperforming loan players to bring in experienced loanees, Owen Dale (25) and Ollie Norburn (32). Fees were paid for the experienced Jon Mellish (27), Joe Hungbo (25), Ronan Darcy (24) plus Josh Robinson (20) from Arsenal U21s.

Over the course of the season so far Latics have used 28 players in League 1 matches.  Fans expected part of the fees received for the outgoing transfers of Charlie Hughes and Thelo Aasgaard (total around £6m-£7m), to bring in new players. Fees paid out in summer and January have not been disclosed, but can be estimated around £1m-£2m.

The departure of leading scorer Aasgaard was a blow for Maloney and the results from January have been disappointing. However, it has taken time for the new players from January to settle in, although recently the team has started to gel better, with Maloney making less changes in his starting lineups. It was ironic to see Maloney dismissed as he seemed to be making better progress with a hard-fought draw at 2nd placed Wycombe and a first half display against 4th placed Huddersfield that was the best of the season. It was no surprise that their performance was “flat” against the third promotion hopeful, Reading. What was a surprise was the timing of Maloney’s sacking, given the scenario. Was it because the Board already had another candidate lined up to take over at short notice to hopefully guide them to safety?

One can only hope that the Board are shrewd in their appointment. Whoever comes in will have players signed by Maloney on permanent contracts. They were signed to play the possession-based football that Maloney believes in. A shrewd appointment would be to bring in someone who can build on the good things that the Scot did, rather than one with a diametrically opposed philosophy of football.

One can only look back to Dave Whelan’s appointment of “long ball” Owen Coyle to replace Robert Martinez to know how disastrous some recruitment decisions can be.