Wigan Athletic Preview

[JC4LAB]

I agree..I just feel tactics may have changed this year to accomodate Santa and that Pederson & Benni together was a fine tuned partnersship which worked well last season...

[Flopsy]

I think Reid needs two or three more games to get Properly match fit (including the mental side of it)

Agree with we need a covering defensive midfielder to cover the back 4 and let our "Creative players" do their thing.

Bloody Leicester lost the Rugby yesterday as well - Grumpf grumpf grumpf

[OscarRaven]

Wheels have come off a bit thats all no need to panic....

Can I suggest we revert to 4-5-1, take out the luxury players whilst we re-tighten the nuts at the back.

Back to basics; Don't Concede. I actually don't think the problem is defence, which is a strange statement given we have shipped five goals. If Warnock and Emerton were allowed to defend instead of having to be our most creative players then I'm sure we would be more solid.

The problem is the complete lack of midfield: No tackling, no passing, not beating men on the wings, no crossing, ineffective set plays and not closing down the opposition.

[Uddersfelt Blue]

The problem is the complete lack of midfield: No tackling, no passing, not beating men on the wings, no crossing, ineffective set plays and not closing down the opposition.

Not much wrong then?

[den]

The officials where yet again clueless and awful - but they did not cost us the game.

Errr, - yes they did Captn. Don't let the facts get in the way of a good slagging off though.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Errr, - yes they did Captn. Don't let the facts get in the way of a good slagging off though.

I think the facts where Den we where bloody awful regardless of the officialdom.

[USABlue]

A few pepole have made mention of Reid, he can't be faulted too much he is still finding his feet. I found some encouragement in that, towards the end of the game, he started to make a few of his runs. Nothing like he is capable of but he did pick up the ball and start to go forward with it with strength and power as he used to. Something I found encouraging, signs he is on his way back.

[Manc Rover]

It was just a horrible day all round. Dreadful inept performance, terrible hangover and sat directly in front of the drummer just to add to the woes!

Roll on tomorrow night againt the Arsenal kids.

[Hasta]

Nelson did look far slower than normal. Don't know why but he made Marcus Bent look a worldbeater which, although he's an honest pro, we all know he isnt that good.

Thanks for making me smile about something from yesterday! Superb, Hasta!

The Marquee was indeed by far the best bit of the day. A Blues Bar built into the ground for away fans only.Along with £15 a ticket I hope Wigan stop up. Becomming a good away day (except for the result obviously).

Two days later and I'm still gutter. Off to back Pangbourne in the 1.20 to lighten my mood.

[Exiled in Toronto]

A couple of points not commented on elsewhere.

In the first half especially, Savage and Reid were permanently in each others way.

Emerton's sending off stemmed from an atrocious bit of control on his part that led to the first clash with the Wigan lad, which Emerton then followed up with a bit of afters. If he could control it, the situation would never have arisen. This to me summed up why we have so many bookings and sendings off: too many clumsy and stupid players, Emerton being both.

Fair do's to Wigan. I thought the first goal was excellent - one that none of our midfielders would have scored in a month of Sundays - and the third was pretty unstoppable.

Interesting that Brad, who I think has been having the season of his life, didn't come close to saving any of them. He has been covering up plenty of poor defending all season long - this is not a new problem.

[Hughesy]

Il probably get slated for this, but I think Ryan Nelsen has been very poor lately and was at fault for at least 3 of wigans goals at weekend.

A very promising start is beginning to turn to an average start. Time we started picking points up again unless we want to lose sight of City, Everton & Pompey.

[Nayef]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

A promising season down the toilet.

Don't look for excuses - you're only masking the huge cracks in the side. Had we played Burnley, they would have knocked the stuffing out of Rovers.

Blackburn Rovers 0 Burnley 3

...it's coming...watch this space...

[Ozz]

£3.50 return on the bus from Chorley.

Hydes Anvil pub next to bus station.

(Kuppers Kolsch on draught for the Koln fans...)

(Hydes original £1.80 a pint)

Swann And Railway on Wallgate

(Marstons Pedigree £1.60 a pint!)

Premiership football match barring 20 minutes

Santa Cruz :-)

Nelsen Warnock Emerton Savage Reid Benni MGP Bentley Reid :-(

Weather :-(

[joey_big_nose]

Il probably get slated for this, but I think Ryan Nelsen has been very poor lately and was at fault for at least 3 of wigans goals at weekend.

A very promising start is beginning to turn to an average start. Time we started picking points up again unless we want to lose sight of City, Everton & Pompey.

Very true. But we are utterly without alternatives at the moment. It can't be good for the team when the captain and previous start of the side is well under par.

[brfcs5359]

We started the season off well, had a three game dip, recovered, and are now in a 4 game dip, albeit it 's looking more like a deep trough after Wigan the proceeding 3 home games. Things change quickly in football.

These things happen as a culmination of events. We have players who can compete with the best but the reason these players play for us is inconsistency. Fulham things went against us. Utd things went against us and we were beaten. Beaten by Villa too after playing well by and large. A patchy win over Newcastle didn't provide shot in the arm and I think the inconsistency quickly transforms into lack of confidence loss of form.

West Ham was a woeful performance, West Ham are cr*p. I think Hughes team selection's have added to the problem. There's also obviously things happening behind the scene's feeding into this, resulting in strife and transfer requests.

All the players bar RSQ were deserved criticism. Rocki is a great player and what an example he sets in terms of effort and getting on with it.

Where next?

1. Improve the midfield. Dunny's omission was a mistake. Having two headless chickens in the middle made us look inept for long periods till Sav stepped on the gas. MGP is a liability.

2. Strengthen the defence.

Friedal

Kinish - Samba - Henchoz - Warnock

Bentley - Emerton - Dunn

Benni

Rocki - Roberts

[Steve]

Emerton in the middle...... Are you sure?

[DanLad]

Emerton in the middle...... Are you sure?

Interesting...

He's done it for Australia to rave reviews and he's supposed to be mega-fit. Maybe he's wasted at RB and we could make better use of his engine in midfield?

[tonygreenbank]

Can noone else acknowledge a side that comes back from a 3- 0 deficit to level? Surely that deserves some comment? Last 2 Wigan goals were offside which Wigan fans today agreed with. Our players have not become bad ones overnight and there are many more twists and turns before the season is out. The time to really worry is if the lads had not fought back into the match. Our discipinary record is still appalling and Brett deserves a heavy fine for that tackle as he let his teammates and the fans down but I still support the team. It is so easy to be negative. We have been in similar ruts many times before and come out of them.

[brfcs5359]

I believe Brett should play CM because,

The question at the moment isn't,

"Who should Rovers sign to play in the middle of the park";

it's,

"Given we've been bloody awful in the middle of the park with Savage, Mokeona, MGP, unfit Reid and centre-half Tugay, what else can Mark Hughes do to make the team more competitive, have better ball retention, more energy?:

A; Lets squeeze the middle (and sacrifice the wings for a few games) with Dunn, Brett and Bentley. Give ourselves ball retention, energy and midfielders who know how to get over the half way line (in possession of the ball LOL) and who can support our strikers. I fancy 2 up top with Benni playing in teh hole for a change but if not, a MH plays a 4 man midfield then rest Benni and play Savage (more energy) or Tugay (more ball retention)

And another question;

"Rovers have leaked stupid goals all season. Just like last season, far to many to finish above 8th. Accepted that Oujair is out, Nelsen way off his best, Samba not looking as good, Warnock swerving between MOM & shocker, and Brett a makeshift full back, what can MH do?"

Rest Nelsen and bring in Henchoz the hedgehog. Both as slow but at least Henchoz has concentration and committment giving the Admiral "a rest". Bring in Kinish to freshen things up. A more defensive player who CAN concentrate and who DOES talk to the others. Approach Reading about Nicky Shorey. We desperately need a set piece man who can bomb on and supply quality crosses from the wing as well.

It's only the CC v Arsenal, so give Roberts a game. He might upset the southern softies.

[Hasta]

It's only the CC v Arsenal

It's only the biggest game of the season so far, in what represents our best chance of success.

Do we not want a trip to the new Wembley?

[den]

Can noone else acknowledge a side that comes back from a 3- 0 deficit to level? Surely that deserves some comment? Last 2 Wigan goals were offside which Wigan fans today agreed with. Our players have not become bad ones overnight and there are many more twists and turns before the season is out. The time to really worry is if the lads had not fought back into the match. Our discipinary record is still appalling and Brett deserves a heavy fine for that tackle as he let his teammates and the fans down but I still support the team. It is so easy to be negative. We have been in similar ruts many times before and come out of them.

Yes, I can Mr G. I've been trying to point that out as well. The first half, Wigan looked like scoring very time they attacked. Second half, we looked like scoring every time we attacked. From 3 goals down, we could have won 5-3.

It wasn't GOOD, but it wasn't all bad.

[speeeeeeedie]

Errr, - yes they did Captn. Don't let the facts get in the way of a good slagging off though.

Den, I'm with Cap'n. Although they made some errors in the second half, going 3-0 down did us in. Shambolic defending and a lack of cohesiveness hurt us. It needs addressing sharpish. But watch us beat Arsenal.

[den]

Den, I'm with Cap'n. Although they made some errors in the second half, going 3-0 down did us in. Shambolic defending and a lack of cohesiveness hurt us. It needs addressing sharpish. But watch us beat Arsenal.

I don't understand this line of thought.

Having two offside goals allowed didn't result in us losing the game? Explain please!

[LDRover]

Sorry but if we'd got anything out of the game on Saturday it would've only papered over the cracks - we were utterly shambolic.

One can try and put a positive spin on it anyway you want but to concede 5 goals against a p*ss poor Wigan outfit is very bad indeed. In fact , before someone throws the offsides into the equation, it would've still been unacceptable had we only conceded 3.

A lot of sorting out to do and as I've said before I think there's some guilty of believing their own publicity.

[den]

Sorry but if we'd got anything out of the game on Saturday it would've only papered over the cracks - we were utterly shambolic.

One can try and put a positive spin on it anyway you want but to concede 5 goals against a p*ss poor Wigan outfit is very bad indeed. In fact , before someone throws the offsides into the equation, it would've still been unacceptable had we only conceded 3.

A lot of sorting out to do and as I've said before I think there's some guilty of believing their own publicity.

No-ones gonna do that are they.