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Zulte Waregem 0 Wigan Athletic 0 – an historic point gained

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

A gritty display helped Wigan Athletic gain a valuable point away from home in their first Europa League match.

Owen Coyle made seven changes to the lineup that faced Leicester last weekend. Latics started the game without a recognized centre forward and with a couple of centre backs – James Perch and Ryan Shotton – who had never played together before.

Stephen Crainey returned at left back. In midfield James McArthur played in the holding role in front of the back four, with Jordi Gomez to the right and Chris McCann to the left. Nick Powell was thrust into the unfamiliar role of centre forward, with Callum McManaman and James McClean on the wings.

Latics had made a bright start, with a rasping drive from James McArthur hitting the post in the 3rd minute. For the first 20 minutes they had their fair share of the ball, but from then on the home side asserted themselves in midfield. The Wigan defence had to work hard as Zulte Waregem pressed in the remainder of the first half.

Latics had a scare on 35 minutes when McClean headed on to his own crossbar. Soon after McCann was dispossessed outside the penalty box and Carson had to make a fine save from Conte.

The home team dominated the second half with over 70% of the possession. However, Wigan kept their shape, with the midfield dropping back to make a solid line in front of the penalty area.

Latics finally announced their attacking intentions by bringing on Marc-Antoine Fortune after  66 minutes, together with Ben Watson. Gomez and McManaman went off. Fortune was to have few opportunities as the home side continued in the ascendancy.

There were several close calls around the Wigan goal before James Perch had a snap shot well saved by goalkeeper Sammy Bossut.  Zulte Waregem continued to press throwing everything they could at the Latics defence, which somehow kept them out.

Nouha Dicko replaced Nick Powell after 82 minutes, only to have a penalty claim against him not long after. The Polish referee, who had been excellent all night, ignored the home team claims.

In the 86th minute McCann threw his body in the way of a shot that had ‘goal’ written all over it – a remarkable block. Somehow Latics survived the 90 minutes plus 3 minutes of time added on.

Zulte Waregem were disappointed with the result, but Coyle was clearly delighted. His patched-up team had played with real endeavour and worked so hard to get this historic result.

The Good

Following the shambles of the Leicester match Coyle changed his tactical system, playing with two wingers. This time around every player knew his role and was 100% involved in the game.

The new look centre of defence held up well, no doubt helped by a midfield that dropped back to shield them as needed. The two starting  wingers worked hard and covered a lot of ground. Only once was one of them able to  get behind the opposition defence – Callum McManaman putting in a dangerous cross in the first half – but both did more than their fair share of defensive duties.

It is rumoured that Coyle is close to getting a third central striker on loan. It was not an easy debut for Nick Powell, having to play in the centre, then later being pushed wide on the right. His natural position is the same as that of Shaun Maloney, in the hole between the midfield and the central striker. We may well see them alternate in that position as the season progresses.

The Bad

Rubin Kazan announced themselves with a 5-2 win at Maribor. Two of the five goals were scored in time added on, but the Russian team remains favourite to win the group.

Player ratings

Scott Carson: 7 – once again an important player. Very solid defensively and his distribution was much better than in previous games.

Emmerson Boyce: 6 – solid.

James Perch: 6 – restored to the centre back position and staked his claim.

Ryan Shotton: 6 – a solid debut.

Stephen Crainey: 6 – his distribution was much better. Still adjusting to the change from being at Blackpool.

James McArthur: 7 – fitted in well to the ‘McCarthy role’. Full of endeavour and unlucky with a superb shot early on.

Jordi Gomez: 6 – a few passes went astray but showed a lot of commitment and covered a lot of ground.

Chris McCann: 6 – gradually adjusting to Latics’ style of play. Some nice touches and solid in defence in the second half especially.

Callum McManaman: 6 – worked hard and played for the team. His more spectacular moments will come.

Nick Powell: 5 – played out of position and clearly not match fit. His best is yet to come.

James McClean: 6 – industrious and involved. With time his final pass should improve.

Substitutes:

Ben Watson: – pegged back into his own half most of the time. Worked hard.

Marc-Antoine Fortune:- isolated as Latics were pegged back in defence.

Nouha Dicko: – given a chance at last, albeit brief.

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Dreaming of the Europa League

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

uefa-europa-league-logo-vector-01

Jordi Gomez gets the ball on the edge of the box and puts through an exquisite pass for Callum McManaman. The young winger dribbles past the Millwall goalkeeper and slides the ball into the net. It is the middle of April and Wigan Athletic supporters are already starting to dream of their club playing in European competition.

Tomorrow that dream will come true as Latics play their first Europa League match against Zulte Waregem in Bruges.

It would have happened earlier if Latics had not gone on to beat Manchester City in the FA Cup Final. Had they lost they would have had to go through the qualifying rounds in order to reach the group stage.

If Latics had figured in the qualifying rounds they would have received €100,000 per round from UEFA . However, being in a qualifying round offers a minimum of two matches – but the group stage offers at least six.

The group stage also brings more financial incentives from UEFA. Through simply being there Latics will receive around €1.3m. Moreover they will receive €200,000 for every win and €100,000 for every draw. Winning the group would bring in a further €400,000, and being runners-up €200,000.

So if  Latics were to finish in the top two in their group they would receive well over €2 m in prize money, let alone their share of gate receipts.

Is it likely that a club now in the second tier of English football can finish in the top two of a Europa League group? Moreover what kinds of attendances can they expect compared for the group stage games compared with those of the Championship?

The past experience of Birmingham City provides food for thought.

In the 2011-12 season Birmingham competed in the Europa League after being relegated from the Premier League.

In February 2011 Birmingham qualified for the Europa League by winning the League Cup, beating Arsenal 2-1 at Wembley. Three months later they were to lose their final Premier League fixture at Tottenham, condemning them to relegation.

Despite their descent into the second tier of English football Birmingham were to perform well in the Europa League. After beating Nacional of Portugal in the play-off round they faced strong opposition in the group stage. The group was won by Club Brugge, on goal difference ahead of Braga, who qualified in second place. Birmingham were unlucky to finish a point behind in third place, after winning 3, drawing 1 and losing  2 matches. Maribor were the disappointing team in the group with only one point from their six games played.

Birmingham’s gates averaged 24,431 in the four Europa League games played at St Andrews, compared with 16,451 in the Championship division (where they were to finish in fourth place).

Birmingham’s experience suggests that Latics have a pretty decent chance of going beyond the group stage, into the round of 32. Moreover the attendances for the home matches should significantly exceed their average in the Championship, which currently stands at 14,969.

Some fans say that Wigan Athletic should focus on promotion from the Championship, that the Europa League should take a back seat. However, most cannot wait to see the games.

The Europa League offers Latics not only prestige, but also significant financial rewards.

It is another challenge for a club that has come so far. Who would bet against them going a stage further?

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How good is Grant Holt?

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

grant-holt_2635269b

The fans at Norwich loved Grant Holt. They did not want him to leave.

Owen Coyle’s signing of the big centre forward in July looked like the bargain buy of the summer. But why had Holt left a Premier League club where he was idolised to join an outfit that had been relegated to the Championship? Why were Norwich willing to accept a fee reported to be less than £2m for a player who had been so successful with them?

A couple of months ago most Latics supporters were excited about Holt’s signing. He had scored 78 goals in 168 appearances for the Canaries, helping them get back to back promotions. He was the goal-scoring, bustling centre forward who had come up the hard way, through the lower leagues. If anybody was going to get goals for Wigan Athletic in the fast and physical environment of the Championship division then it was Holt.

How times change. Already some are questioning his ability. At times Holt can look slow and cumbersome, more willing to get into physical tussles with defenders than focus on the footballing side of the game.

Some compare Holt with Arouna Kone, who sadly for the Latics faithful, departed to Everton for a fee well below his true market value.  Kone too was a big and strong central striker, but he was also mobile and skilful. Last season Kone started in 32 league games, scoring 11 goals, conceding 39 fouls and suffering 29. In comparison Holt started 28 times, getting 8 goals, whilst conceding 82 fouls and suffering 65.

The statistics emphasise the differing styles of the two central strikers. However, it would be a mistake to condemn Holt as merely a battering-ram centre forward. The big Cumbrian has a good football brain and can put delightful passes through for teammates. The style with which he dispatched the penalty against Middlesbrough – after Marc-Antoine Fortune has been pulled down in the box – was the hallmark of a player who has the technique to match his brawn.

Holt got off to a good start in the opening game at Barnsley, opportunistically deflecting a loose ball into the net. Up to this point he has scored two goals in four league games. He has been inches away from scoring more goals on several occasions. Although often double -marked he uses his strength and technique to hold up long balls until teammates arrive. Holt has already been denied at least three penalty decisions that a referee might have awarded were he not the player brought to the ground. At times his reputation as a physical player can act against him as far as refereeing decisions are concerned.

So why did Holt leave Norwich for Wigan? Although 32 years old, he joined Wigan on a three year contract. On signing for Latics he told BBC Radio Cumbria that “The Europa League was a massive pull for me. It’s something I’ve never done in my career and I’m hoping we can have a good spell in that.” Moreover Chris Hughton had adapted the direct style of play typical during Paul Lambert’s time  at Norwich.

Having a centre forward like Holt in your team is a double-edged sword. He certainly unsettles defences and does a superb job in holding up the ball, taking the pressure of his team. At the same time having him there as a target can tempt defenders into launching long balls, by-passing the midfield where Latics have so many technically-gifted players.

At 32 years of age Holt has almost certainly passed his peak. However, he is still going to score goals, especially if Latics play with two wide players. With Holt in the middle, Callum McManaman on the right and James McLean or Jean Beausejour on the left, Wigan have a well-balanced front three that will cause headaches for Championship defences.

Holt is a players’ player, who frequently sacrifices himself for the benefit of the team. It is this attribute, along with his goals, that helped him endear himself with the fans at Norwich. In March 2009 the FourFour Two magazine revealed that Holt covered an average of 4.8 km per match, more than any other player in Leagues 1 and 2.

The season has a long way to go. Holt is injured at the moment and Wigan are short in the area of central strikers, with only Marc-Antoine Fortune available in his absence. Given the physical nature of his game Holt is frequently going to pick up knocks. However, he managed to steer clear of major injuries in his three years at Norwich, appearing on a regular basis, largely in the starting lineup, sometimes coming on from the bench.

Providing he receives the necessary service and stays clear of major injuries, Grant Holt‘s name is going to regularly appear on the score sheet. He is physically and mentally resilient and his determination to succeed is going to rub off on his teammates.

Holt’s goals could well take Wigan Athletic back to the Premier League.

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Watch out for Callum

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

Manchester City v Wigan Athletic - FA Cup Final

Callum McManaman  deservedly won the  ‘Man of the Match’ award at the FA Cup Final, after a scintillating display.  He had run the expensively-assembled Manchester City defence ragged and in doing so he won over many of the armchair critics who had condemned him following the “Horror Tackle” episode.

When McManaman walked onto the Wembley turf he had only started seven times for Wigan in a Premier League match. Seeing what he could do and that Latics were staring relegation in the face, even neutrals were asking why he had not been given more opportunities much earlier in the season. Wigan Athletic fans still ponder on what might have happened if Roberto Martinez had put him before it got too late.

McManaman was 22 years old when he helped his team win the FA Cup. He had joined Latics as a 16 year old after Everton had released him. Steve Bruce gave him his Premier League debut as an 18 year old, as a substitute for the final 12 minutes of the last match of the 2008-09 season at home to Portsmouth.

After that he did not make a Premier League start for three seasons. In 2011-12 he made four appearances for the England under-20 team and went on a successful loan spell at Blackpool. However,  the winger could still not break through into the Premier League team, making just two appearances as a substitute.

Starved of Premier League action – other than late appearances as a substitute –  his first team appearances were typically in cup ties, where he did well. After scoring a cracker in the stunning 3-0 FA Cup win at Everton in March, McManaman was given his first Premier League start of the season at home to Newcastle. What followed was his controversial tackle on Newcastle’s Massadio Haidara that got huge media coverage.

It is to McManaman’s credit that he continued to be focused on his football despite the media hype. His well taken goal in the FA Cup semi final against Millwall once again showed what a match winner he could be. Given a run of consecutive games in the first team his game was coming on and his performance in the Cup Final was a revelation.

So why was Callum McManaman not brought into the starting lineup earlier in the season, when Latics’ play was looking predictable and short of a cutting edge? Did Martinez leave it too long?

Martinez fans would say that he nurtured the young player, weaning him into a more major role. There was a huge gulf between the level of play in the under 21 competition and the Premier League. Martinez had been waiting for the right time to bring McManaman in and his timing was just right

Critics would say that Martinez did not want to risk young players in the Premier League, given the pressure the team was under.  McManaman’s contemporaries Lee Nicholls, Daniel Redmond and Jordan Mustoe still have not made the starting lineup for the first team in a competitive match. Nicholls has at least made it to the bench this season as backup goalkeeper, but Redmond and Mustoe have to compete in the Central League with the likes of the Morecambe under 21 side.  Like McManaman they too will have to bide their time, but at 21-22 years of age they are not so young any more.

The recently concluded transfer window was kind to Wigan Athletic in more ways than one. The culmination was that they sold James McCarthy for a decent fee and got Nick Powell and Ryan Shotton on loan. The skilful Powell and the combative Shotton will have important roles to play.

However, it is not so much who came in, but who did not leave, that gives Wigan Athletic hope for promotion back to the Premier League. Shaun Maloney is a class above most players in the Championship. If Latics can keep the ball on the ground and feed him the ball he can cut open Championship defences.

When McManaman picked up an ankle injury at the end of last season it looked like a blow for Latics at the start of the current season. However, had he been fully fit and starring in Championship matches, the elite of the Premier League might well have moved in and taken him away. The red card he received at Bournemouth was ridiculous, but Latics wisely resisted appealing the three match suspension. To do so would have put the player back in the media spotlight. Moreover it gave him more time to get fully fit.

If Wigan Athletic are to gain promotion this year, you can bet that Callum McManaman will play a leading role, together with Shaun Maloney. They are the two who can best unlock opposition defences, making and scoring goals.

Callum McManaman remains a relatively inexperienced footballer. Some days are going to be better than others for him as he continues to mature professionally.

However, exciting times lie ahead for Latics with this talented player remaining on board.

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A look at Latics’ Europa League opposition – Part 3: Rubin Kazan

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

Wigan Athletic’s third match in the Europa League will be at home to Rubin Kazan on October 24th.  The return match is scheduled for November 7th .

Rubin are currently in 7th place in the Russian Premier League, but are unbeaten. They have won two and drawn five matches, conceding only three goals. Last season Rubin finished 6th, becoming one of four Russian teams qualifying for the Europa League.

Rubin performed well in the Europa League last year, winning their group, being unbeaten in the six matches. In doing so they beat Inter Milan 3-0 at home after drawing 2-2 at the San Siro. They stunned holders Atletico Madrid in the last 32 with a 2-0 win at the Vicente Calderon Stadium after losing 1-0 in the home leg.

Then followed a 2-0  home victory in extra time over another Spanish team, Levante, after drawing 0-0 in the first leg. The quarter final first leg at Stamford Bridge saw Chelsea beat them 3-1. Rubin fought hard in the return match played  in Moscow but a valiant 3-2 win was not enough and saw them eliminated.

Rubin Kazan was founded in 1958 under the name of Iskra. The club never played in the old Soviet Top League and languished in the lower regional leagues until they won promotion to the Russian First Division (the second tier) in 1992. They won the First Division eleven years later, being promoted to the Russian Premier League for the first time in 2003.

Since then they have performed well, winning the championship in 2008 and 2009 and the Russian Cup in 2011-12. They took four points off Barcelona in the group stage of the Champions League in 2009-10, including a 2-1 win at the Nou Camp.

Rubin – which means ruby – are based in Kazan, a city of over 1 million people in the Republic of Tatarstan. Kazan is around 460 miles south east of Moscow. It is the eastern-most city with a team competing in this year’s  Europa League group stage. Average daily high temperatures drop from 8º C in October to -1º C in November.

2129__rubin_kazan-home-kitRubin currently play at the Central Stadium, which is municipally owned, accommodating 30,133 spectators . They are shortly due to move the new Kazan Arena – capacity 45,105 – which will host the 2018 World Cup. Rubin’s home kit is ruby red. Around one half of their senior squad are Russians, the remainder foreign players from diverse backgrounds.

In order to reach the group stage of this season’s Europa League, Rubin had to go through three qualifying round. They not only knocked out Jagodina (Serbia), Randers (Denmark) and Molde (Norway), but won all six ties they played.

Rubin have substantial experience over the past ten years in both the Champions League and the Europa League, gaining notable results. They have a tight defence and a dangerous forward in the Venezuelan Salomón Rondón – signed in summer 2012 from Malaga for €10 million – who scored three goals in the games against Inter Milan last year.

Central stadium, Kazan

The Central Stadium, Kazan

Before the draw for the group stage was made Latics were hoping to avoid a trip to Russia. They are going to have to come to terms with the length of the journey and the visit to Tatarstan will be at the onset of winter, when low temperatures are a strong possibility.More than that they are going to meet a side that is going to be difficult to beat.

Group D of the Europa League – with Wigan, Zulte Waregem, NK Maribor and Rubin Kazan – might not have the glamour clubs of some of the other groups.

However, it is going to be very competitive with any one of the four teams having a decent chance of progressing to the next round. There are going to be no easy games.The top two teams in each of the 12 groups, together with 8 third placed teams from the Champions League, will compete in the Round of 32 which starts in February.

The Europa League is a big competition. Last year 193 clubs from 53 countries were involved.  In order to reach the final from the group stage Wigan would need to play 14 matches. When Fulham got there in 2009-10 season from the qualifying rounds they had to play 19  extra games. However, there are significant financial rewards for progressing through the various  stages of the competition.

It will be interesting to see how Owen Coyle approaches the Europa League matches, where the football is going to be a different style than in the fast and furious Championship. He has some players who have already played in the competition for their previous clubs, but for the majority of his squad it will be a learning experience.

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