Tag Archives: Roger Espinoza

What next for Roger?

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

espinoza

A top performer for his country in the Brazil World Cup, he scores outstanding goals, makes assists and was part of a famous FA Cup winning lineup. He works like a Trojan on the field, is dedicated to the cause and has infectious enthusiasm. Those attributes make him a favourite with the fans at his club.

But the 27 year old Roger Espinoza has clearly never been a favourite with his managers since arriving at Wigan in December 2012 from Sporting Kansas City, where a fan described his play as a mixture of cruching tackling and combative running. With one more year of his contract remaining will he be auctioned off to another club, or will Uwe Rosler finally give him the extent that he has never been given before?

The love story between Wigan Athletic and Honduras seems to be coming to an end. Espinoza was the fourth Honduran to join Latics, following on from Maynor Figueroa, Wilson Palacios and Hendry Thomas. A fifth – the ‘forgotten man’ Juan Carlos Garcia – arrived last summer, but was shunned by both Owen Coyle and Uwe Rosler throughout the season. Garcia came on as a 62nd minute substitute in the recent friendly at Rochdale. But he was not included in the squad that went to Germany last week and joined Grant Holt in the under 21 team that played at Blackburn on Saturday. With the signings of two new left backs it appears that Garcia’s days at Wigan are numbered.

Although he was born in Honduras, Espinoza is an American citizen. He moved to Denver at the age of 12. He made his name playing for the Ohio State University team that reached the final of the College Cup, scoring an early goal but his team went on to lose 2-1 to Wake Forest. From university he joined Sporting Kansas City in 2008, gaining his US citizenship that same year.  Espinoza was given the opportunity to opt for the US national team, but chose to play for the country of his birth.

Being bilingual Espinoza has been a valuable asset within the squad, providing the link between the Spanish and English speakers. When he first joined Latics he had had practically no break from football as the MLS season had not long finished. Moreover he had a hectic summer representing the Honduran team in the London Olympics, where he got himself instant fame with a goal in the match against Brazil.

Espinoza was to make 16 appearances for Latics in the second part of that 2012-13 season, a significant number for a player with no previous experience in the Premier League. He made a significant contribution to the FA Cup triumph, playing in the wins against Macclesfield and Huddersfield.  In the absence of Figueroa through injury Espinoza was pressed into service as a wing back in the FA Cup Final and performed well.

Given his relatively quick adaptation to English football it looked like Espinoza was going to be a regular name on Wigan’s team sheet. However, the arrival of Owen Coyle was to change that. Espinoza’s appearances were to be few and short, more often than not coming off the bench. On occasions when he made the starting lineup he was invariably substituted early in the second half.

An abiding memory for me is the visit to Charlton in late October. In the 70th minute, Coyle had both Espinoza and Marc-Antoine Fortune warming up on the sidelines. Coyle was soon to point the finger to beckon at least one of them on. Espinoza’s body language said “Who me?” probably assuming it was the big forward who was to go on. The Honduran did go on, with Fortune following four minutes later.

The arrival of Uwe Rosler in December did not seem to help Espinoza’s claim for a regular spot. Despite not being a regular he put in a trio of ‘Man of the Match’  performances in January but was to go for hernia surgery in mid-March, surprisingly returning to play a little over a month later. Had it been the hernia problem that had limited his outings under both Coyle and Rosler?

Espinoza’s critics will say that he plays like a headless chicken, reckless in his tackling and lacking in skill. His fans will utterly refute that. They will admit that he plays at a frenetic pace, but in addition to being a ball-winner he puts in incisive passes and crosses and scores goals. Sometimes his eagerness to win the ball back can leave holes for the opposition to exploit. If he were more disciplined he would be a better option in many ways, but then again taking that impetuosity away from him would nullify his style of play. The question is whether Espinoza can learn to discipline himself sufficiently to fit into the system that Rosler uses.

Espinoza can play in any position across midfield and at wing back. For Honduras he has been playing in left midfield. His best position is probably as a box-to-box player in the left centre of midfield.

At 27, Espinoza is nearing his peak. Providing he stays at the club and stays fit he can have an important role to play in Latics’ promotion push. His best is yet to come.

 

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Wigan Athletic v Swansea City Preview

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

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Following a nail-biting win at West Bromwich, Wigan Athletic entertain Swansea City at the DW Stadium on Tuesday evening. Since the Welsh team’s return to the top flight, Latics have been unable to beat them. The Swans won their last match at the DW with two beautifully taken goals from Gylfi Sigurdsson in March 2012.

Wigan desperately need to win this game, but can expect to meet resistance from a stubborn Swansea outfit. Michael Laudrup has kept up the good work of Brendan Rodgers and Roberto Martinez at the Welsh club. They continue to play that silky kind of football the Latics boss put in place there, but under Laudrup they can also play with a more pragmatic and direct approach.

The Swans have had some difficult recent fixtures against top teams and have not won for the last seven league matches. However, they still remain in 9th place and will be hungry to get a good result.

Both Latics and Swansea go into this game without key players due to hamstring injuries. Jean Beausejour is a major loss for Wigan, an unsung player  who covers huge distances each game, covering his defence and stretching the opposition defences by receiving the ball wide. He has provided an amazing 7 assists this year, putting him on a par with attacking midfield players like David Silva and Santi Cazorla.

Miguel Perez, better known as Michu, is unavailable for the visitors, probably for the remainder of the season.  Previously a midfield player, Swansea have converted him into a striker to such effect that he has scored 17 league goals in his first season in England.

Latics fans will be hoping that Antolin Alcaraz will be able to make his return  following the hamstring injury he picked up at West Ham. He has been badly missed in the Latics rearguard over the past couple of weeks.

Roberto Martinez’ dilemma will be who to play on the left of his defence. With both Maynor Figueroa and Jean Beausejour unavailable, he does not have a natural replacement.  Roger Espinoza substituted for Beausejour in that position on Saturday. Espinoza is always brimming with enthusiasm and he has no mean level of skill, but the left of defence is not his forte.

One wonders if David Jones might be available to take over now that his loan spell with Blackburn has been completed? Jones has played in the position before and his height can be useful when defending set pieces.

Given  the absence of an orthodox left back, Martinez will probably opt for a back three and wing backs.  If Alcaraz is back he will join Paul Scharner, plus one other in central defence. Young Roman Golobart came on in the second half at West Bromwich, although he looked nervous in that pressure cooker atmosphere.   Emmerson  Boyce could play in the centre of defence, allowing Ronnie Stam to return as right wing back. Stam continues to promise as an attacker, but his defensive work can leave much to be desired.

Gary Caldwell should not be forgotten. Although said to be continuing to struggle with his hip injury, the captain made a return at West Ham, only to be consigned to the bench for the past couple of games. He might well be back before the end of the season, but one wonders if he will be risked against a pacey Swansea side.

Given the congested fixture list coming up, Martinez might use more of his squad players. Ben Watson made a return on Saturday, following the broken leg he suffered in November. Martinez used him in a hybrid role, part holding midfield and part central defender. Watson did not do badly, but his lack of pace was exposed when the midlanders broke away for their first goal.

If Martinez does opt to play someone in that position he might go with the more speedy James McCarthy. Moreover he might not want to risk Watson for a second game in three days, following his long lay-off.

Martinez will be wary of burnout for young Callum McManaman and it can be expected that Franco Di Santo will either start or come on at a key stage in the match.

Robert Martinez is hopeful of winning his 150th Premier League game at Wigan on Tuesday. His challenge will be in finding the right lineup and in getting the best out of his players with Wembley coming up on Saturday.

This is not an easy match and the nerves will be jangling. The support and patience of the home crowd will be crucial. It could go down to the wire.

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Wigan Athletic v Southampton – A New Blueprint For Survival ?

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

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Laticslogo

Love it or hate it, the Spanish national team play a brand of football that brings results. Not only do they have a generation of outstanding players, but they dominate possession in such a way that the opposition is starved of the ball. At times in the second half in the Britannia Stadium on Tuesday night, watching Wigan was a bit like watching Spain. Stoke could not get hold of the ball, humble Wigan Athletic making a much more  expensively assembled squad of players look ordinary. Tiki-taka,  the modern day version of ‘total football’ was the order of the day, Wigan  retaining possession through constant short passing and movement . 

Roberto Martinez is a brave and innovative manager, if nothing else. He believes in playing stylish football, despite the precarious situations the club has been in during his tenure. There are fans who don’t like his footballing philosophy and would prefer the kind of football of the era of Steve Bruce and others before him. He is not easily swayed by public opinion, but bright and thoughtful in his approach. His achievement in keeping Wigan in the Premier League for the past three years on a relatively low budget – nevertheless playing good football – should not be underrated.

Good results against teams in the lower reaches of the table are vital if Wigan are to stay in the Premier League. Tomorrow’s game against Southampton is not ‘make or break’ but could have a major impact upon the remainder of the season. Only 3 points separate the teams and a win for Wigan would bring the Saints back into the relegation mire. Following a slow start to the season Southampton have picked up and they had lifted themselves out of the relegation zone by time Nigel Adkins was sacked. Adkins had done a wonderful job to take them so far and the ex-Latics goalkeeper had his team playing good football. Only time will tell if Southampton’s decision to replace Adkins with Mauricio Pocchetino will prove best for their club.

What kind of approach will Martinez use for this match? On paper the lineup he put forward against Stoke looked conservative, playing with just one mainline striker. For the first 50 minutes they were poor, giving away  two soft goals and showing no bite in attack. Packing the midfield with an extra player, Roger Espinoza, had not produced results. Then all at once it clicked – the midfield players got further forward and Wigan scored two cracking goals. Espinoza had looked uncomfortable in the first half, but in the second period he was a revelation. He seemed to be everywhere, a midfield general, a catalyst making things happen.

Martinez will be tempted to stick with that same approach against Southampton. In order for it to work the midfield players have to go that extra yard and get into the box to support  the central striker.  If it were to be tried and proved successful  against Southampton it might become  the blueprint for not only survival, but also for the future. Martinez might be tempted to put in new signing Paul Scharner at right centre back in place of the inexperienced Roman Golobart.

Southampton come to their first ever competitive match in Wigan on the back of a fine performance at Old Trafford, where they really took the game to the home side, being unlucky to lose 2-1. Their talismanic striker, Rickie Lambert, has already scored 10 goals and will need careful watching. However, Wigan are certainly capable of beating them, as they did at St Mary’s in August.  Prediction: a win for Latics.

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Macclesfield Town 0 Wigan Athletic 1 – Professional display sees off non-leaguers

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Reports, Other and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Jordi Gomez puts Wigan 1-0 up.

Jordi Gomez puts Wigan 1-0 up.

Wigan Athletic’s second string put them into the  5th round of the FA Cup for only the second time since the club was formed in 1932. A professional performance saw them grind out a 1-0 victory, courtesy of a Jordi Gomez penalty after Callum McManaman had been clumsily scythed down in the box.

The crowd of 5,849 packed Macclesfield’s small Moss Rose ground to the rafters, reminiscent of a bygone era when the clubs were adversaries in the Cheshire League. How times have changed since those epic tussles between those two well-matched clubs in the 1960s. Curiously the football played by the non-league side yesterday more than matched that of Premier League opponents, ranked 82 places above them. Wigan had to hang in there with resolute defending as the Silkmen launched their second half assault.

The second string have been fascinating to watch in cup matches this season. On previous occasions they have been reinforced with a smattering of first choice players, but only Maynor Figueroa was in the starting lineup this time around. The  pragmatic approach of the second string has contrasted sharply with that of the Premier League XI. In this match there was an absence of the flowing football that characterises the senior team. Although it made for a drab spectacle Wigan looked defensively strong and resolutely defended their lead for 83 minutes after the penalty had put them in front.

This time they did not have Mauro Boselli to score goals for them, the Argentinian seemingly going on another loan move to Italy. He was replaced by Nouha Dicko who almost scored in the second half, after being put through by an incisive pass by Gomez, the goalkeeper making a good save.

A word of mention for Maynor Figueroa. The admirable Honduran has not had a rest from football for some 18 months. He played with his national  team in the Olympics over the summer and has started in all but one of Wigan’s Premier League games this season. It was no surprise that he was the senior professional who stepped forward to lend a hand in this match.  Captain for the night, he looked a class above anyone else on the pitch.

The Good

A win is a win, albeit against non-league opponents. This match was a potential banana skin, but the players worked hard to make sure the unthinkable did not happen.

Roberto Martinez views cup matches as an opportunity for players to stake a claim in the senior squad. Once again Callum McManaman looked the part. Although he rarely plays more than a few minutes as a substitute in the Premier League he has recently signed a new three year contract. One wonders when Martinez will jump in at the deep end and start the young forward in a league match. Roman Golobart teamed up well with Maynor Figueroa in the centre of defence and looks a powerful presence. If Martinez does not get an experienced central defender in what remains of the transfer window then Golobart will push for a first team spot, together with Adrian Lopez who made a welcome return from injury.

Fraser Fyvie is gradually making his mark, after being given a settling in period. The 19 year old is not without experience, having played 58 games  in the SPL for Aberdeen prior to joining Wigan in summer.  It was a pity an injury caused him to go off after 53 minutes. Roger Espinoza made a promising Premier League debut against Sunderland last weekend, but was unable to really stamp his mark on this match. It was good to take a first look at the big Spanish goalkeeper, Joel Robles, on-loan from Atletico Madrid.

 The Bad

More injuries for Wigan with Fraser Fyvie and Nouha Dicko going off in the second half.

 Player Ratings 

Joel Robles: 6 – looked comfortable, though Macc’s poor finishing rarely tested him.

Ronnie Stam: 6 – clearly worked hard on the defensive side of his game, following recent criticism.

Roman Golobart: 7 – teamed up well with Figueroa in the centre of defence.

Maynor Figueroa: 8 – a captain’s display.

Jordan Mustoe: 5 – a rare start for the young defender. Was kept busy by attackers on his side of the pitch, but hung in there.

Fraser Fyvie: 6 – starting to look like the player who had so much hype in Scotland. Clearly one for the future.

Roger Espinoza: 5 – disappointing after his exciting first team debut last week.

Jordi Gomez: 6 – put through the pass that led to the early penalty that he converted. Nicely set up Dicko at the beginning of the second half.

Nouha Dicko: 6 – looked lively. A pity he had to go off injured when he was establishing himself in the game.

Angelo Henriquez: 6 – showed some nice touches, but must have learned how hard it can be being the lone centre forward in the Martinez system.

Callum McManaman: 7 – looked dangerous in the first half.

Substitutes:

David Jones – a capable replacement for Fyvie after 53 minutes.

Adrian Lopez – made a welcome from injury, coming on for  Dicko after 66 minutes.

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