Tag Archives: wigan athletic

The Best of James McArthur 2013-14 [video]

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

With a new season less than a week away for Wigan Athletic we wanted to take a final look at some special moments from the season just passed. .

James McArthur is a class act. He is admired by fans for his never-say-die spirit and during a game he covers almost every blade of grass on the pitch. He is at the epicentre of the engine room that makes the side tick. An FA Cup Final winner, James played in Roberto Martinez’ team that blew away the likes of Man U, Arsenal and Liverpool a couple of years ago. His passing game is second to none at the club.

The video below is kindly shared with us by a talented and true Latic fanatic through YouTube and captures some of the Scot’s best moments in the 2013-14 season.


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The Paderborn game is important for injury-hit Latics

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Previews and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,
The Benteler Arena, Paderborn.

The Benteler Arena, Paderborn.

On Friday Wigan Athletic travel to face SC Paderborn, newly promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history. In May, Paderborn clinched second place in the Bundesliga second division with a 2-1 win in the last game of the season at home to Aelen.

As with Latics entering the Premier League in 2005, the skeptics are not expecting Paderborn to survive for long in the higher league. Paderborn play in the Benteler Arena, which has a capacity of 15,300. They will be keen to prove their critics wrong by holding their own in the Bundesliga.

Over recent seasons Wigan Athletic have had more than their fair share of injuries and Uwe Rosler will be keen to get his squad in good physical shape for the opening Championship match against Reading on August 9th. Although they are convalescing well from major injuries, neither Chris McCann nor Ben Watson is going to be available over the coming weeks. Shaun Maloney has not played a single minute in the five pre-season matches up to this point and James McArthur’s only action has been coming on as a 72nd minute substitute at Dusseldorf. On top of that, Marc-Antoine Fortune, Rob Kiernan, James McClean and Andrew Taylor have picked up injuries in the pre-season preparations.

However, apart from the injuries, Rosler has managed to share out the playing time among the rest of the squad. Most of the senior players have amassed between 220-250 minutes of playing time in the pre-season games with Havelse, Walsall, Besiktas, Rochdale and Fortuna Dusseldorf. With so many midfield players unavailable the 21 year old Fraser Fyvie and 20 year old Tim Chow have stepped up to the plate and have amassed 375 and 369 minutes of playing time respectively. Another young player, James Tavernier, has played 332 minutes. Of the senior pros Leon Barnett has had the most playing time, 290 minutes. The three goalkeepers have shared the playing time, with Ali Al-Habsi having slightly more than Scott Carson or Lee Nicholls.

The last pre-season match typically provides indicators as to the manager’s preferred starting XI from the players available. Rosler will be keen to get his most experienced players ready for the beginning of the league season, but will have to tread lightly in the case of James McArthur, who is still trying to overcome an injury suffered at the end of last season. Rosler will look for experience in midfield and Don Cowie is likely to be a starter. Fraser Fyvie has come in from the cold and it will be hard for Rosler to leave him out of the starting lineup, given his good recent performances.

In defence the injury worry is Andrew Taylor, likely to be the preferred left back against Reading. Given the inexperience of Aaron Taylor-Sinclair, Roger Espinoza might be retained as a left wing back. There are good options in the rest of the defence. Ivan Ramis has played in all five pre-season matches, with 272 minutes of game time. Rosler will be hoping to get the Spaniard to the level of fitness he had before that cruciate knee injury at Fulham. He is likely to line up in the centre of defence with Emmerson Boyce. Leon Barnett and Thomas Rogne have both played in all five games and will challenge for a place, together with Rob Kiernan, if he is fit. The solid and dependable James Perch is likely to start at right back, with the more attacking option of James Tavernier available later in the game.

It could be anyone’s guess who will start in goal. Latics are blessed with two experienced and highly capable ‘keepers in Ali Al-Habsi and Scott Carson, with the huge potential of Lee Nicholls breathing down their necks.

Up front we can expect Oriel Riera to play as the target man. Callum McManaman has been getting fitter and fitter and the 90 minutes he put in at Dusseldorf is something he has not been able to do for a long time. McManaman is typically played on the flanks, but might well find himself in a more central role, effectively as a second striker. Latics have been so short of players with the ability to finish, but Riera and McManaman are players who can show the kind of coolness and poise needed to put the ball in the back of the net. Martyn Waghorn scored two goals against Besiktas and will challenge for a starting spot.

Following a poor defensive display at Dusseldorf, Latics will be keen to tighten up at Paderborn. Once again Rosler will employ his high pressing, high intensity tactic in the hope that Latics can sustain it throughout the match.

The Paderborn match is an important one for Rosler in that he needs to get his key available players as match fit as possible. Paderborn will provide tough opposition, but Rosler will be looking at the performances of individual players more than at the result of the game. Last year Owen Coyle’s squad enjoyed success in terms of results in their US tour, but were to be palpably short of match fitness as the season progressed. Rosler and his conditioning team are clearly demanding more of the players and despite the current injury situation, they will are unlikely to be deterred. The success of the high tempo style that Rosler seeks is dependent on the players’ physical abilities to meet its demands.

It promises to be a fascinating contest and an indication of what we can expect over the coming weeks.

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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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Gary Caldwell – Icon or Calamity?

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

Caldwell

The news that Gary Caldwell has signed another contract for Wigan Athletic has been greeted with mixed reviews by fans on the social media and forums.

For the majority Caldwell is an icon who has gained their respect through his sheer positivity and dedication to the club and some even see him as a future Latics manager. For a vocal minority he is ‘Calamity Caldwell’, whose spectacular mistakes have outweighed the good things he has done, as they see it.

Caldwell’s new contract as a player/coach is only for a year, but it provides Uwe Rosler with further cover in the centre of defence, where competition for places will be intense. Rosler already has Leon Barnett, Emmerson Boyce, Rob Kiernan and Thomas Rogne at his disposal plus Ivan Ramis, if he remains at he club. However, Rosler often operated a back line of three central defenders last season, so although Caldwell is unlikely to be a regular starter he will be an important member of the squad.

When Caldwell’s contract finished this summer there were many who thought he would never play for the club again. How much longer could he defy the odds and continue to play following two sessions of major hip surgery less than three years apart? It was a surprise to many that Caldwell back in action at the end of last season, following eight months out of action following his hip surgery.  His return had been delayed by receiving calf and Achilles injuries after getting back into training.

Caldwell was to reappear as an 86th minute substitute for the injured Ivan Ramis in the FA Cup semi final against Arsenal. Given his lack of match fitness he did remarkably well in those closing minutes of regular time, plus the 30 minutes of extra time. The penalty shootout that was to follow was going to be a tough one for Latics with so few recognized penalty takers remaining on the pitch. Caldwell stepped up to take the first, but his effort was saved and brave Latics were to lose the shootout. Once again public opinion was divided for and against the Scot, but most fans admired the way in which he stepped up to take the responsibility for that first kick, even though it did not prove successful.

Caldwell played further games against Birmingham and Blackburn before the Championship playoff semi final confrontations against QPR. The Scot acquitted himself well in the home draw and continued to do so until the 73rd  minute in the return match at Loftus Road. With Latics 1-0 up he lunged into a tackle just inside the box and Junior Hoilett went down for a fateful penalty which was to swing the game in favour of the home team and kill Wigan’s dream of a return to the Premier League.

Caldwell freely admits that his career at Wigan has had its ups and downs. However, he has spent four and a half years with Latics:  a longer stay than at any of his previous clubs. He said recently that “I’m proud to have been part of a great club, a real family club and one I feel a real part of. I’ve had a lot of highs and a lot of lows, but I feel like I’m part of the club and I really enjoy being here.” Rosler clearly rates Caldwell highly as a positive force within the club and his involvement in coaching is something that could prove mutually beneficial for both the club  and the player.

Ups and downs Caldwell has certainly had, not only at Wigan, but throughout his career. He is the kind of player who will put his body in the firing line. This has meant he has made some amazing blocks of goalbound shots, but then the flipside can be when the ball deflects off him and puts his goalkeeper and fellow defenders off guard.

In May 2009 Caldwell was voted the Scottish League Football Writer’s Player of the Year. The Daily Mail quoted the 27 year old Caldwell as saying ‘I think I can still improve. I feel as fit as I’ve ever felt. They do say that, nearer to 30, as a centre-back the experience you’ve gained over the years can help you…..I feel I’ve got better every year and that’s what you have to do.’ Caldwell was to reach 30 in April of the 2011-12 season, when Latics had a string of amazing results against the elite clubs of the Premier League. His performances during that month were outstanding and helped Wigan keep their place in the Premier League. His goal at Liverpool is one that will stick in fans’ memories for years to come.

Caldwell had signed for Wigan on a four and a half year contract in January 2010. During that time his performances  have ranged from the excellent to the other extreme that might be called calamitous. He is the kind of player who polarizes fans. In his early days at Celtic, after arriving on a free transfer from Hibernian, he was given a hard time by a section of the Parkhead crowd who said he was not “Celtic class”. He won the nickname of “Heid” and the fans would sing a song about him. It took him time to win them over. A TalkCeltic.net forum in May 2009 asked fans if they thought Caldwell was Celtic class. The responses reveal how much he won over the majority of them.

In December 2011 Wigan Athletic were in the doldrums. Fans were getting frustrated and there was some strong talk passing around the fan forums and social media. Latics were at rock bottom and really looked like they were going to go down. People were targeting certain players, suggesting they were not good enough for the Premier League. Among those was the captain, Gary Caldwell. By the end of the season Wigan Athletic were 7 points above the relegation zone and Caldwell was voted fans player of the year.  Caldwell’s form was the barometer for the performance of the team. Put simply, when Caldwell played well, so did Latics.

Gary Caldwell has proved that he has the determination to succeed, despite the criticism he has received at various times in his career. It remains to be seen whether his body can cope with the demands of  a season playing in the physical Championship division. However, Rosler clearly believes he can continue to be a member of his playing squad and if Caldwell makes a success of his coaching role then he might well be involved with the club for years to come.

Like him or loathe him, he is not one to be ignored. Moreover he has an ability to persevere and win over critics.

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Don Cowie – a Cardiff City fan’s view

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Fan Views and tagged with , , , , , ,

 

 

Cowie

With a shortage of midfield players available for the start of the season Uwe Rosler has moved wisely and snapped up Don Cowie from Cardiff City. Cowie’s contract had expired and Cardiff had made a new offer, but Cowie chose to join Latics.

On signing Cowie, Rosler remarked that “Don also played over 20 games last season in the Premier League; he’s 31 but he’s an extremely professional person and I’ve known about him for quite some time. From his training regime to the way he lives and breathes football he has the attributes to allow him to play football until his late 30’s. I think he knows the position, he has the ability to play a high-pressing game and an attacking forward game and I think he will add experience, reliability, a technical ability where all our players have to be so I look forward to working with him.

The 31 year old Cowie was born in Inverness and made his debut for Ross County as a 17 year old after coming through their youth system. Cowie was to go on to become captain for the Dingwall club, making 160 appearances, before joining Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 2007. He adjusted quickly to the higher level of the SPL and was top scorer and Player of the Year in his first season at Inverness.

After two seasons at Inverness, Cowie signed for Watford in July 2009, under the management of Malky Mackay. He made 88 appearances for the Hornets, scoring 9 goals. When Mackay moved on to Cardiff he signed Cowie (and Andrew Taylor) for the Welsh club. From 2011-14 Cowie made 82 appearances for Cardiff, scoring 6 goals. Like Taylor, Cowie played in the League Cup final for the Bluebirds in 2012, when they were beaten on penalties by Liverpool. Cowie has been capped 10 times by Scotland.

In order to learn more about Taylor’s time at Cardiff we have one more reached out to Benjamin James of the View from the Ninian fan site.

Here’s over to Benjamin.

Don Cowie was often seen as Malky’s son at Cardiff; no matter how well he was playing, he always got a game. But I think that is unfair to Don Cowie. He came in on a free and was absolutely committed to Cardiff from day one.

A player who can play all along the midfield, his biggest asset is his fitness. He genuinely doesn’t stop running and leaves everything on the pitch. He does pitch in with assists and the odd goal but his work rate is phenomenal. When we got the prem, I didn’t expect him to feature much but he played a big role in some of our biggest wins; particularly in the home win over Man City.

I’m sad to see him go. Never one to shirk or hide away and has a great cross on him. Thought he would be a big player for us next year but, instead, he will be a big player for Wigan instead.


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