Wigan Athletic Preview

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Bizarre and very poor result,I thought matters couldn't get any worse after the 0-4 Villa mauling.

Lets leave the final analysis to the poor souls who went.I still cant explain what the hell went wrong in the first half.....these last two results have slighty knocked the stuffing out of me

[brfc4ever]

the bottom line is as it's xmas, if we play like turkeys, we are gunna get stuffed!!

Good one. We sure got stuffed today

[Eddie]

Not acceptable. Something has to be sorted out. New defenders are needed, training needs to be changed, sometihng has to happen.

We need new players, the rot has set in and it's spreading. The squad needs to be overhauled this season so that they can work it out over the next 6 months and we can get a full year out of players who know each other next year.

Really annoyed.

[Rovermatt]

Steve Bruce's first win and Marcus Bent's first hat-trick in 7 years. Absolute, unadulterated rubbish.

[BiggusLaddus]

Sure enough, but the decisions prevented Blackburn to make good for those mistakes..

Balls.

At 3-3 Warnock giving the ball away handed over 3pts.

At 4-3 Samba and Santa Cruz both missed from 6 yrds.

And I'm not even commenting on that debacle of a first half.

Incompetence is not a mistake.

The really ###### thing is that Tuesday nights game against Arsenal is on my birthday. I've got the day off work and the house to myself and I still think my day is going to be ruined.

:angry2: :angry2:

Arseburgers.

[Martin]

Very frustrated.

The game was lost in the first half. You can not consisently go behind at this level and expect to get back into the game. Defence needs work.

We are about to lose touch with the pack chasing european football. Big onus on Tuesday night.

[joey_big_nose]

The wheels are off it would apppear. Only plus was Santa's sensational performance.

Whats going on. Our defence looked very solid two months ago, now its all over the place. Nelsen looks slow, Samba very shaky...

[dillo_dillo]

complete bore Ha!

[RoyRover]

Not so long ago you would have looked at our last three games and said that it was a guaranteed nine points. In the end we have only been able to get three from them and in my opinion this shows the difference between ourselves and not just the top teams in the league but also the likes of Portsmouth and Everton. They would have made the most of this chance to add nine points to their tally and make a clear statement to the rest of the league.

We have lost our way recently and even though the quality of the squad is as good as it has been for many years, it is still a long way off what is required if we are to consistent top six side. By all accounts the first half today was a total disaster. We did well to get back to 3-3 and I was delighted that Roque had ended his goal drought. But we shouldn't be in the position where we are 3-0 down to Wigan. Again we are the team that a manager gets their first win against and a striker to score his first hat-trick in seven tears against! Some serious work needs to be done and some quality players added to the squad if we are to get out of this rut, push on and see that our excellent start to the season doesn't go to waste.

[G Somerset Rover]

Steve Bruce's first win and Marcus Bent's first hat-trick in 7 years. Absolute, unadulterated rubbish.

Isn't suprising is it...Les Reid and Paul Sturrock to name just two who have now been joined by Bruce in that category.

[AggyBlue]

That was absolute crap.

Don't be fooled by our three goals, if it hadn't been for Rocky it would have been total humiliation.

I knew this would happen, Wigans flair players tore us to pieces.

What's with Reidy and Sav in midfield. Both workhorses with not an ounce of class between them.

I'm really pi$$ed off, I need to calm down

[Alex Rover]

Big test for Hughes over the Christmas period. Dunny needs to play whenever available.

[1864roverite]

Having had time to refelct my conclusion is

that defeat hurts more than the pain in my knee, it is going to have dire consequences for Rovers as we broach christmas and the busy period.

Arsenal home league Cup

Chelsea home FAPL

City Away FAPL

Derby Away FAPL

that is 4 very hard games coming up before the end of the year.

can we realistically see us beating Arsenal ? NO

can we dream of any Premiership pionts ? NO

Early FA Cup exit anyone?

[RoversFanUSA]

WTF!!! How the F do we lose 5-3 at wigan!?! I haven't seen the highlights but holy f'in ish. A hat trick+2, not ok with me,at ALL!

I'm so over the top mad right now and uttery discussed at these turn of events. Im gonna have a drink and try and calm down.

[Hasta]

Jesus Christ.

That was absolutely awful. The worst away performace I have ever seen. Don't be fooled by the 3 goals and 10 men. We were dross.

The first half we never actually had posession of the ball in or around their box. The midfield couldn't control the ball and, when they did, kept giving it away to Wigan. The first goal we parted like the red sea, the second we just kept falling over and couldn't clear it and I need to see the 3rd on TV as surely someone near post should be heading that away.

Second half we had a go and Wigan, unsuprisingly, looked dodgy at the back. As Emertons second yellow was off the ball I have no idea but his first one looked very harsh. Santa Cruz hat-trick was obviously a bonus but even he missed two more great chances. Still at least he showed the effort to get the chances.

Don't know if it's been mentioned earlier in the thread but why no Roberts? If he's dropped from the bench becuase of the transfer request then Hughes is cutting of his nose to spite all our faces.

And finally .....

For me this is the perfect game to help MGP get some form. He's had some good games and goals against them in the past and I think we should start with him.

We did start with him. He played all 94 minutes. he was absolutely awful. If we are the full game on Football First tonight I challenge anyone to watch his performance in the second half and tell me a positive. No challenges, no belief, no craft, no graft. Most of his passes went astray and he really, really was the worst of a very bad bunch. I liked him before. I've defended him to my mates but no more. Peter or Treacy couldnt have done any worse today. Whether it's a lack of confidence, a lack of willing or someone has shoved Kryptonite up his arse I don't care. Drop him.

[andrew92]

What's with Reidy and Sav in midfield. Both workhorses with not an ounce of class between them.

so who do you suggest in midfield then? mokoena? humm no hes also got no class, tugay cant play every game so we need a centre mid, and desperatley a left mid as pedersen was awful!, someone next to me was singing (on his own) you not fit to wear the shirt, now thats a tad ott but something is wrong and it needs sorting, but a few months ago you were singing there praises, it will change back its just when, and if its soon enough for us to push for europe,

[RevidgeBlue]

Just got back, I feel more resigned than angry, it was more of the same really after the last three home games.

Just to put this performance into context, Wigan had not won since September 1st, and got trounced 4-0 v Bolton last week. Yet we were 3-0 down after what, 24 minutes?

Where to start? A lot of players need to take stock after the last few performances and this performance in particular. Emerton, Warnock, Samba, Nelsen, Bentley, Pedersen and McCarthy aren't bad players. They're good players. Yet:

1) Neither central defender was anywhere to be seen for the first goal and both had shockers.

2) Nelsen gifted Wigan the second goal with a shocking piece of defending.

3) At 0-2 we were gifted a penalty that never was that could have got us back in the game but McCarthy displayed a lack of professionalism by missing it.

4) In the second half we somewhat unbelievably got back to 2-3,giving ourself a chance, then Emerton showed a complete lack of professionalism by getting himself sent off.

5) Even more unbelievably we somehow got back to 3-3 with ten men, and looked the more likely side at that stage then from a situation of no real danger Warnock gave the 4th goal away on a plate!

6) Santa Cruz tried and tried and tried to get us back in it with no support whatsoever from McCarthy.

7) Pedersen was awful again and all I've heard all week was how we are a one man side after we were beaten in Bentley's absence. Yet Bentley was almost as bad and I can hardly remember him touching the ball.

As I say we're not a bad side but something is going sadly wrong somewhere and it needs sorting out sooner rather than later. God help us if we perform like that against Arsenal.

[Plastic Head]

Booooooo boooooooooooo boooooooooooooooo

[gazsimm]

Roberts should of started today, ok he has handed in a transfer request but i don't blame him for doing that because he has been treated like crap by hughes.

How many more chances are we going to give Pederson and McCarthy, they are not producing the goods, so they should not be in the side.

All our good start to the season has been spoiled now and if Hughes does not take action soon, i think its going to get worse.

[tchocky]

Just read some Opta stats and player ratings.. It doesn't match the experiences of those on here who watched the game.

I didn't watch, but this link gives an interesting picture. Clearly we were horrific in the first half. We're not new to playing two different halves. But overall we were not much worse than Wigan..

[Paul]

I have seen worse than this................0-1 to Stockport County in the league cup under Harford or was it Woy? Can't remember right now.

There isn't much one can say, Rovers were woeful. Roque worked hard all match and truely got his reward, quite how I don't know. As for the rest? Well Brad couldn't really be faulted as he was horribly exposed by the rest of the team. I didn't see Emerton's second yellow but the first was very harsh, if it was even a foul, I thought the Wigan player ran into him.

There are some big question marks over some players. I have never thought much of McCarthy, his penalty and general attitude today stank. There is only one way he should be going - out of the door. It's no wonder Roberts feels so hard done by, Wigan are poor and it's conceivable Roberts and Santa could at least have got a draw. Mind you ANYONE else would have scored the penalty. I asked earlier in the week, and a few times before, what would Savage bring to the midfield? The answer today was nothing. If he's unhappy at not playing I can only say Hughes is right to drop him. Cheerio Robbie, thanks but that's it. Pedersen has been poor all season and he areally has to be dropped. Peter may not be PL standard but at least we will find out, we know MGP is not at the moment. Those three were the worst in an awful display. Bentley was not far behind in terms of failing to live up to his abilities.

The defence was awful for the whole game. We know they can play but I suspect with no midfield in front of them the confidence is shot. God knows what Warnock was up to. Nelsen looked slow and Samba is tired.

I commented before we don't need Anelka and midfield is more important. I just hope Hughes sees this, there is no point in splashing out on a striker when we can't do the basics

Tuesday night will either be magnificent or devastating. It's hard to know which but I'm glad we have a game and a chance to get this out of our system.

[Saltysellars]

Hughes needs to take a good look at what he has.

Nelsen has lost a yard of pace and is looking half the player he was at his peak- therefore making Samba poor as well.

Defensive errors from our full backs have cost us dear in the past two games. Emerton on Sunday and Warnock today. Emerton should be hanging his head in shame, we had got back on level terms and he gets himself sent off. With Ooijer out until 2008, we have no cover back there.

Interesting that Mokoena and Roberts weren't even in the 16.

McCarthy was diabolical again, and don't even get me started on Pedersen. All I'll say is that if I had underperformed in my job for as long as he has in his, then I'd be out of a job. Time to get rid.

If players want to spit their dummies out each time they don't play then I don't want them at the club. I want players who will give 110% every game not some over paid cry baby who takes his dummy home every time he doesn't start.

Tactics were awful today, it just seemed to be hoof it upto the front two and we'll see what we can do. No use of the wingers and surprise surprise, first time we got down the right we scored.

So annoyed-Wigan hadn't won since August!

[philipl]

Well chaps and capesses, this trhread is more entertaining than the utter boredom Sanchez v BFS are throwing up in Foolham v Newcastle on the television.

Will wait to see the game but I will say this- it was the 68th minute before Pedersen got a mention on the ESPN gamecast.

[Saltysellars]

"Interesting that Mokoena and Roberts weren't even in the 16".

Apologies, Mokoena was in the 16, but no sign of Big Jase. I think he'll be off come New Year as well!

[cn174]

Just read some Opta stats and player ratings.. It doesn't match the experiences of those on here who watched the game.

I didn't watch, but this link gives an interesting picture. Clearly we were horrific in the first half. We're not new to playing two different halves. But overall we were not much worse than Wigan..

I don't think Wigan were particularly good either...we just made them look good! We couldn't keep hold of possession to save our lives, our defending was terrible. Thank god Roque brought a bit of respectability to the score.