Tag Archives: wigan

Phasing out Martinez’s men?

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

Fraser Fyvie

“It’s not great. The manager’s just not given me any chance at all. Of course it’s demoralising. You go down there and a manager (Martinez) buys you and tries to mould you into the player that he wants you to be and then of course he went to Everton. The new manager (Owen Coyle) has come in and he’s got his own players, so there’s not much I can do apart from prove a point to him that I want to get in the Wigan side.”

The words of Fraser Fyvie quoted by the Scottish Herald, before he joined Yeovil Town on a three month loan deal today. The young  Scot had not even been made the bench, let alone started, in a league game this season.

Were Roger Espinoza  less tactful he too might say something similar.  A star in  an Honduras side that has secured qualification for Brazil, he has started in only two league matches for Latics this season.

Despite his international experience – 34 caps for his country at the age of 26 – Espinoza has not appeared in either of the Europa League games up to this point.  In the league matches where the Honduran made the starting line-up he was taken off after 65 minutes against Nottingham Forest and 55 minutes at Leicester.

The loan of Rob Kiernan to Southend was announced earlier this week. It is the central defender’s fourth loan  move since joining Latics in 2011.

Kiernan is 22 years old and does not yet have the right kind of experience to enable him to challenge for a first team place. He has made regular appearances for Latics’ under 21 team, but the lack of serious competition in the Central League would not have done much for his development. The under 21s  find themselves in a division of clubs from the third and fourth tier of English football. The gap between the level of football in the Central League and that of the Championship is huge.

Fyvie is only 20. Unlike Kiernan he has considerable  experience at a competitive level. He was signed as a 19 year old with more than 50 senior games prior experience under his belt for Aberdeen. Roberto Martinez used him sparingly last year, presumably giving him a year to adapt to English football. Fyvie has the potential to be a good player at Premier League level.

When Coyle signed Chris McCann, Fyvie probably saw the warning signs.  The squad was already overloaded with quality midfield players despite relegation from the Premier League. McCann himself has had few opportunities, despite his previous record of success in the division and might well prove to be a player of Premier League quality were the opportunity to arise.

Conspiracy theorists will say that Coyle is ridding himself of players he inherited.

Questions remain about the futures of long term injured players – Gary Caldwell, Ali Al Habsi and Ivan Ramis. Two of the three are ex-players of the year for Latics. The third – Ramis – might have received the same honour had his season not been curtailed by a cruciate knee ligament injury at Fulham in January.

One also wonders about Shaun Maloney.

A new manager typically brings in his own players. Coyle has done well in recruiting new players who can help Latics get back to the Premier League. That is quite distinct to preparing a squad that can get promotion and hold their own at that higher level.

Coyle runs the risk of losing players who have already proven themselves at Premier League level, let alone a potential talent like Fraser Fyvie.

One hopes that the conspiracy theorists are misguided.

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Wigan Athletic 3 Maribor 1 – champagne then flat beer

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

Ben Watson is congratulated after Latics’ second goal

Wigan Athletic put in a Jekyll and Hyde performance in beating Maribor.  At times we were reminded of that brand of champagne football that Roberto Martinez’s teams could sometimes conjure up.  But then again we saw that lethargic side of this current team’s make-up. Champagne it wasn’t – flat beer maybe.

Both teams had gone into the game knowing that Rubin Kazan had thrashed Zulte Waregem 4-0. The most important thing for Wigan was to get the three points, although Owen Coyle had been suggesting they might go further and produce a footballing feast. At times they did.

Unlike the first match in Belgium, Coyle put out his first choice players. Emmerson Boyce came in, pushing Ryan Shotton to centre back. Jean Beausejour replaced James McClean who was not fully fit, but made the bench.

Coyle’s starting line-up and formation was spot-on. James McArthur and Ben Watson played the midfield holding roles, with Jordi Gomez in his best position in the attacking midfield role. Callum McManaman and Jean Beausejour played wide, with Nick Powell in the lone centre forward role.

Latics dominated the first half playing calm, controlled possession football reminiscent of times gone by. Nick Powell ran through the Maribor defence in the 7th minute following a poor back pass, but goalkeeper Jasmin Handanovic made a good save.

Wigan took the lead after 22 minutes when an almost comic punch by Handanovic went backwards, allowing Powell an easy chance to head home. McArthur and Watson were controlling the game from central midfield, with Gomez and Beausejour linking up very well. Although well marked, Callum McManaman was a danger on the other wing,

Wigan’s second goal in the 34th  minute came from a fantastic curving cross from Beausejour, headed in by Ben Watson, who had made a great run from midfield.

Powell squandered a chance in the 36th minute when clean through, putting in an audacious chip that went wide. Roberto Martinez was sat there in the stands and would surely have loved that kind of arrogance that Powell had shown, even if the effort was unsuccessful.

In the 38th minute McManaman made a surging run with a good cross for Beausejour who could not control the bobbling ball and scuffed his shot. The same player went through again in the 44th minute and was unlucky with a cross shot that went wide of the far post.

After going in with a 2-0 lead at half time, with Maribor on the ropes, Latics could have won by a landslide. However, once again  they defended deeper and allowed the away team more possession. After 61 minutes the dangerous Jean-Philippe Mendy outpaced and outmuscled Shotton and Magno Tavares scored from the chaos that followed the Frenchman’s cut back.

The whole feel of the game had changed. Latics were edgy, although they were still creating chances at the other end. In the 61st minute a pass from McArthur found Beausejour whose superb low cross just needed a touch with an open goal ahead. Powell stretched but could only manage to hit the post with the ball being cleared.

In the 89th minute it took a spectacular save by Scott Carson to deny a powerful drive from Tavares as he pushed the powerful effort over the bar. Latics were living dangerously.

However, in the 91st minute, Powell who had been a real handful for the Slovenian team all night, got a deserved second goal dribbling through the defence before slotting home with his left foot.

The Good

The well balanced team that Coyle put out provided Latics with the width that they used to stretch Maribor’s defence. They started with six of last year’s squad in the lineup and the understanding between those players was the key to Wigan’s dominance of the match.

Wingers McManaman and Beausejour constantly threatened, until the former was taken off after 67 minutes. In the first half we saw calm, patient build ups with the ball passing through a very capable midfield trio. Even goalkeeper Carson played his part, making short passes, rather than hoofing the ball upfield as has been his wont on previous occasions.

With better finishing Latics could have won the match by at least five clear goals. Powell was guilty of wasting several chances, but his effort and technique cannot be faulted. He is already starting to look like a top quality centre forward, although it is not his natural position. There is no question that he is a future England player.

The Bad

Once more Latics took their feet off the gas in the second half, allowing the visitors back into the game. It has happened so many times this season. Some say that the root of the problem is a lack of fitness.

However, it is nothing new and happened under Martinez too. Apart from the epic cup run, Latics have not had a winning mentality. Constantly struggling against the elite clubs of the Premier League is not good for a team’s psyche. It is going to take some time for Latics to get back that winning mentality and not pay overdue respect to the opposition.

Maribor’s goal should have been avoided. Tavares was the only opposition player within yards of Mendy’s cutback, but nobody marked him.

Player Ratings

Scott Carson: 8 – not overworked but inspired confidence when he made interventions. His superb save in the closing moments kept Latics ahead.

Emmerson Boyce: 7 – solid in defence and linked up well with McManaman.

Ryan Shotton: 6 – exposed for the Maribor goal and not at his best.

Leon Barnett: 6 –  needs to build up more of an understanding with Shotton to be at his best.

James Perch: 6 – solid, but limited in attack.

Ben Watson: 8 – getting back to his best. Hardworking and cultured in his passing. It was good to see him getting into the penalty box for his well taken goal. Substituted after 77 minutes.

James McArthur: 9 – covered every blade of grass on the pitch, a midfield dynamo. It has not been an easy season for the Scot, adjusting to the Championship, but he is back to his best.

Jordi Gomez: 7 – much more effective in his natural role as the midfield playmaker. However, he will need to fight to keep that position with Shaun Maloney and Nick Powell also in the frame.

Callum McManaman: 7 – gradually getting back to form. Looked dangerous at times, although well policed by the Maribor defence. Substituted after 67 minutes.

Nick Powell: 8 – dangerous throughout. Spurned some chances but was a real headache for Maribor’s defence.

Jean Beausejour: 8 – a cultured attacking display from the Chilean. Set up great opportunities with his sublime crossing. Made an outstanding defensive intervention in his own penalty near the end with his defence all at sea.

Substitutes

James McClean: – poor. His lack of close control let him down on too many occasions.

Chris McCann: – came on for Watson after 77 minutes. A cultured midfield player who has received few opportunities so far.

Nouha Dicko: – brought on in stoppage time at the end of the match.

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Poyet and Wigan

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

The rumours are that Gus Poyet is lined up for the vacant position of Sunderland manager.

A few months ago Dave Whelan was looking for a new manager, but Poyet was still involved in wranglings over his controversial dismissal at Brighton. Where would Wigan Athletic be now if Poyet had taken over at the DW?

Poyet’s Brighton last season had been playing a kind of football akin to that of Wigan Athletic under Roberto Martinez. If Whelan had wanted to carry on the footballing tradition put in place by Martinez, Poyet was the most obvious choice.

Poyet had joined Brighton, struggling in League 1, in November 2009. Within no time the style of play had changed to something unseen before at the south coast club.  Moreover it brought excellent results. Poyet steered the club to safety in that first season, then to the League 1 title in 2010-11, when he was named ‘Manager of the Year’ in the division. Last year Brighton adjusted well and made a late run to reach the playoffs in the Championship, but were thwarted by Crystal Palace.

Why Poyet was sacked soon after remains a mystery, but his record was undeniably good. He had transformed a disjointed, struggling League 1 team into a formidable side who played with an emphasis on skill. Moves built up from the back, with the ball on the ground – not a common sight in the frantic Championship, let alone League 1.

Poyet’s name was one of many banded about by the media to replace Martinez,  but in the end it came down to either Owen Coyle or Steve McClaren, both experienced and capable managers who could do a job for the club. However, once their candidacy was made public the writing was already on the wall for Latics’ playing style, which had been developed over a period of four years at all levels within the club.

Latics were to choose a manager diametrically opposed to the previous one in terms of football philosophy and tactical approach. In contrast, Brighton sought to find someone who could continue to build on the work of Poyet. Oscar Garcia was to be their new appointment.

On his appointment Garcia said that “My obsession is to attack, to attack the opposition, to keep the ball and to have the ball as many times as possible”. They could have been the words of Roberto Martinez or Gus Poyet.

Looking at Garcia’s background it is not surprising that he espouses that philosophy. He was an attacking midfielder for Barcelona in the 1990’s, winning no fewer than 11 trophies in his time with them as a player. From 2010-12 he was in charge of Barcelona’s famous youth academy at La Masia, before going on to take Maccabi Tel Aviv to the Israeli title for the first time in ten years. Maccabi’s owner had wanted to change their philosophy to develop a more attractive style of football.

Neither Garcia at Brighton nor Coyle at Wigan has had an easy start to the season. Brighton and Latics  stand neck-and-neck just below mid-table at this point. Both clubs have had injury problems and have not yet  performed at their best.

It will be interesting to see who is higher in the table at the end of the season. Will it be the club who appointed someone to build on past success by maintaining a certain style of football or will it be the one for which the style is secondary to good results and promotion back to the Premier League?

It seems a long time since Roberto Martinez left Wigan. His Everton team are currently unbeaten and in fourth place in the Premier League. Moreover the quality of their football has noticeably improved in his short tenure there.

Martinez certainly had his up and downs at Wigan, but he proved that a club of relatively modest means can win the FA Cup – on merit, through playing attractive football.

Whether Martinez can maintain the good results at Everton remains to be seen. The Goodison club just don’t have the financial resources to consistently challenge the elite. However, he has certainly confounded his critics and made a good start.

Football would be boring if all teams played in the same way. People like Guardiola and Allardyce have widely different philosophies, but both have produced results out of what they have had available.

The question is not of choosing one style over another, but how to provide progression within a club. Surely Coyle would be wise to build on the good things that Martinez put in place, working on the weaknesses, rather than throwing out the baby with the bathwater. A better defence and a more direct and urgent approach in attack would help.

Only time will tell if Coyle is willing or able to do that. Who knows what would have happened had Poyet been appointed at Wigan in July?

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A good time to play Maribor

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

The DW Stadium will host an historic event on Thursday, with FK Maribor the visitors. Latics will be hosting  their first-ever Europa League match.  Wigan will come into the game in confident mood, following a resolute 0-0 draw against Zulte Waregem in Belgium. What are the chances of a Latics win?

The timing of the match looks good for Wigan, despite the continued absence of key players through injury. Since I wrote my initial posting about FK Maribor in early September they have been on a downward spiral, winning only one match since.

Maribor’s Croatian coach Ante Čačić has resigned by mutual consent following a bad run of results by the team that normally dominates the Slovenian League. Čačić had only joined Maribor in June, following his success in winning the double with Dynamo Zagreb in the Croatian League. He resigned following a home defeat to FC Koper on Saturday.

Under his management Maribor had started the season in style, winning their first six matches. Since then they have only won one of their last five league matches and crashed 5-2 at home to Rubin Kazan in the Europa League. However, they remain at the top of the league table, on goal difference ahead of Zavrč .

The scoreline in the defeat by the Russian team has clearly caused shock waves in Maribor. Although Maribor had cut Rubin’s lead to 3-2 after being two goals behind, they had been stretched by Rubin’s forwards, the Venezuelan Salomon Rendon in particular. Rubin were to add gloss to the scoreline by getting two counter-attacking goals in time added on, including one from Rendon.

Since the loss to the Russian team Maribor have lost two matches away and drawn one at home. They are also without a win in their last five European outings. They knocked APOEL of Nicosia out of the Champions League on goal difference after two draws, then went on to lose home and away to Viktoria Plzen.

Moreover Maribor have a poor record against English teams in the Europa League, having drawn one and lost three against them. Jean Beausejour played for Birmingham City in their home and away wins against the Slovenian team in the Europa League a couple of years ago. Maribor were to finish bottom of the group with one point.

Last year Maribor went through the qualifying rounds of the Champions League, beating Zeljeznicar Sarajevo of Bosnia and Dudelange of Luxembourg before losing home and away to Croatian champions, Dinamo Zagreb in the play-off round. They were placed in a difficult group in the Europa League, which was won by Lazio. Maribor finished bottom on four points, with a 3-0 home win against Panathinaikos and a 1-1 home draw with Tottenham.

Maribor are competing in their twentieth season in European competitions. By contrast Latic were the only one of the 48 clubs competing in the opening day  of the Europa League group stage who had never played in European competition before.

It is an exciting time for Wigan Athletic, who will be hoping that Maribor’s recent run of poor form will continue – at least for one more game.

There is going to be a wonderful atmosphere at the DW Stadium on Thursday night and Latics have every chance of chalking up a memorable home win.

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Youngsters to get their chance

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

What is the point of tonight’s match at the Etihad Stadium? Is there anything Wigan Athletic can gain from it, other than a share of gate revenue?

The League Cup meeting between Wigan Athletic and Manchester City was being built up as a repeat of the FA Cup final. Could David once again kill Goliath?

The media have now come to their senses. They now realize that Latics will be playing their third game in six days, let alone having been hit by injuries to both of their mainline central strikers and their playmaker.

The Citizens’ fan site Vital Manchester City reckons that Nick Powell will be the man to watch in the Latics side. The reality is that of all the players who might make the lineup tonight, Powell is one of the least likely. He played a full match against Ipswich on Sunday after playing for 83 minutes on his debut in Bruges last Thursday. To be fair to the fan site they do qualify their comments by stating that Powell “will need some shackling, if selected”.

Owen Coyle has rightly criticized the powers that be for their scheduling of the match. He has also said he will have to make “umpteen” changes, with a chance for some of the young players from the fringes of his squad.

In terms of the senior players, Coyle will not want to risk injuries with a difficult Championship fixture at Watford coming up on Saturday. On the other hand he will not want to run the risk of annihilation by putting out a team too short on experience.

His best option will be to look at putting in senior players who have not played major roles in the last two games. That rules out Scott Carson, Ryan Shotton, James Perch, James McArthur, James McClean, Nick Powell and Callum McManaman.

Even then Coyle will need to take a look at other players who made the lineup on Sunday, having to make a decision whether he is willing to risk them for another match only two days later. Emmerson Boyce was given a partial rest on Sunday, coming on as a substitute after 75 minutes. Ben Watson came on after 66 minutes in Belgium and played a full game on Sunday.

Senior players who clearly stand a chance of making the starting lineup include Stephen Crainey, Roger Espinoza, Fraser Fyvie, Jordi Gomez and Chris McCann. Juan Carlos Garcia is still adapting to his move from Honduras, but could be thrust in tonight at either left or centre back.

The names of “youngsters”  Lee Nicholls, Adam Buxton and Nouha Dicko have already been mentioned as possibilities for the lineup tonight. Nicholls is likely to replace Scott Carson in goal, with Buxton coming in at right back. Given the likely absence of other challengers Dicko could even end up in the centre forward position, where he has played before for the under-21 team.

Rob Kiernan is a promising young central defender, but Coyle might not want to expose him to dealing with the outstanding strikers that City can field. Jordan Mustoe deserves a chance at full back, as does Danny Redmond in midfield.

The emergence of the talented 19 year old Ross Barkley at Everton has had journalists praising Roberto Martinez for giving youth a chance. However, that was not always the case while he was at Wigan. The “youngsters” mentioned above are 21 to 22 years old. Their appearances with the senior side have been confined to cup matches against lower league opposition.

Coyle has a difficult task in putting together a team that can give Manchester City a contest tonight. At least three of the senior players he puts in the starting lineup are likely to be replaced in the second half, providing he does not have to make substitutions earlier due to injuries.

In the grander scheme of things the result of tonight’s match is of minor importance to Latics. The priorities are to get promotion out of the Championship and to put up a good show in the Europa League. However, Coyle will not want a whitewash that might damage morale within the club.

The most positive aspect is that opportunities will be given to young players – at long last!