[Archived] Wigan Vs Blackburn Rovers

[Bing]

Agree totally with this. I don't like us getting beaten but we did that often enough, especially away from home, under previous managers, and it happens to even the best of teams, but going to Ewood had become a chore as you say, even when we won.

Agree entirely. We're a mid-table club. We're going to win some games and lose some games.

4 wins and 5 defeats since Boxing Day is a little bit indifferent but the games have been infinitely more enjoyable than the dross served up under Allardyce with no guarantee that the results would have been any better.

[CrazyIvan]

Diamond formation exploited by Wigan? ######. We couldn't defend. That's it.

[Eddie]

Diamond formation exploited by Wigan? ######. We couldn't defend. That's it.

No, no..don't be silly. Salgado stuck out of his leg because of the diamond. Samba forgot how to defend because of the diamond. Robinson rushed off his line and didn't get the ball because of the diamond. The back four forgot how to defend because of the diamond.

[Parsonblue]

No, no..don't be silly. Salgado stuck out of his leg because of the diamond. Samba forgot how to defend because of the diamond. Robinson rushed off his line and didn't get the ball because of the diamond. The back four forgot how to defend because of the diamond.

Strange that the manager put the defeat down to the shortcomings in midfield rather than pointing the finger at the goalkeeper and back four. Players running 20 or 30 yards into open space towards the edge of our area, unchallenged, suggests that the midfield diamond has a fairly obvious flaw in it.

[Eddie]

That wasn't the cause of any of the goals though.

[92er]

Why not use Josh Morris at LB and move Olson to left wing? Would Morris be any worse than Olson at LB? I think he'd be a bit better but even if I'm wrong it would preserve Olson as an attacking threat on the wing.

I strongly disagree that Sam was taking us backward. Kean may ultimately come good, or not. It is far too soon to tell. But if we lose Newcastle I'll be in a very foul mood.

It says something about Venkys when [allegedly] their own consultant (Jerome Anderson) also wanted to wait for summer to fire Sam but they overruled him.

1-Presumably the present manager wouldn't agree with the Morris option.

2-I think it was a fair crticism of Allardyce that he didn't build on last season's success. Nzonzi was barely used, Olsson also missed loads of games even when he had rcovered from injuries etc.

3-Yep.

[John]

Nzonzi has been injured was for most of the season - and Olsson was only fully fit, according to Sam, for the Bolton game (which he started).

[Kelbo]

That wasn't the cause of any of the goals though.

Eddie, you surprise me here, players were dragged out of position and the shape was lost, we were unable to defend as a unit!!!

Just watched Cardiff and Swansea, the Cardiff side whenever you looked defended and quickly responded to possession changes by getting into two lines of four, we never do that at the moment and those were the reason obbo came off his line as we were opened up far too easily, I reiterate what I said earlier, when a right sided midfielder is caught on the left and his run was then diagonal towards right full back to cover, that is awful and the whole shape of the team is lost!!

[philipl]

Strange that the manager put the defeat down to the shortcomings in midfield rather than pointing the finger at the goalkeeper and back four. Players running 20 or 30 yards into open space towards the edge of our area, unchallenged, suggests that the midfield diamond has a fairly obvious flaw in it.

Sadly that is how I saw it as well. There were gaps behind the midfielders which Wigan had the pace and strength to exploit putting the fullbacks under great pressure when they were often isolated as well. Both full backs have weaknesses (Salgado lacks pace and Olsson is questionable in terms of a defender's mind set) yet the support they needed for doubling up was too often too far upfield.

The way to play against the diamond formation is to play diagonal balls to fast runners and Wigan did that to great effect.

That was a game that needed 4-4-1-1 in my book and Wigan could have been shut out when we lost posession.

[Lancs Rover]

At least when Allardyce was in charge, the matches were good value for money. They seemed to last for AGES, even when we were winning.

Not so now, yesterday's game being an example.

On the subject of the manager's rationale for the defeat. He took the blame himself. I would assume that is why he blamed his tactics. Good management.

I am sure he knows what a bad tackle and bad positioning looks like. But for consumption of the public via the media, he isn't stupid enough to single out individuals and ruin their confidence. Like, erm, well, shhh, you know who. One of Sam's more obvious character flaws was his disinclination to take personal responsibility. That works up to a point, but when mediocrity set in, it made him look a bit foolish.

Anyway. So we lost a game. Wow. We will lose more before the end of the season.

Stick with the team, particularly Peds, Nelsen and Robinson, who came to salute the fans at the end of the game yesterday. It might be my overimagination, but those players actually did seem to appreciate our support.

[Steve Moss]

Stick with the team, particularly Peds, Nelsen and Robinson, who came to salute the fans at the end of the game yesterday. It might be my overimagination, but those players actually did seem to appreciate our support.

Three of our more intelligent players, though I sometimes think MGP is far too complacent.

[McRovers]

I think the pitch had a lot to do with it yesterday. Wigan's pitch is shared by the Rugby League side and is very poor at the best of times, with the rain as well it was simply awful. We couldn't play the ball down at all, it was a hit and hope game if ever I saw one. I thought the away support was brilliant yesterday, packed out away stand and a decent number of rovers fans in the Wigan stands by the looks of things too.

[cruz]

Tbf the under investment showed yesterday. We wouldn't find it hard to replace any of the team that started yesterday with better players. The back line was particularly shocking with Samba once again showing that his peak (2 years ago under Hughes for 3 months) is history.

[cn174]

I think the pitch had a lot to do with it yesterday. Wigan's pitch is shared by the Rugby League side and is very poor at the best of times, with the rain as well it was simply awful. We couldn't play the ball down at all, it was a hit and hope game if ever I saw one. I thought the away support was brilliant yesterday, packed out away stand and a decent number of rovers fans in the Wigan stands by the looks of things too.

There hasn't been a rugby game played at the DW since September, so its hardly to blame. Both teams played on the same pitch, don't forget Wigan like to pass the ball around as well.

Yes the pitch was bad, but that isn't why we lost - we lost because we defended like idiots.

[tony gale's mic]

He's gone, get over it

Did you go yesterday?

Ah another trademark idiotic post from yourself.

You seem to be as intent on discussing Sam as anyone else is - until you find you can't defend your moronic posts any further.

I didn't go yesterday, I will be going to the Newcastle game though. Is that really relevant to anything? Shall we totally ignore the posts from our American members since they can't go at all?

Tbf the under investment showed yesterday. We wouldn't find it hard to replace any of the team that started yesterday with better players. The back line was particularly shocking with Samba once again showing that his peak (2 years ago under Hughes for 3 months) is history.

So the under investment showed yesterday, despite us having a positive transfer budget for the first time in two seasons, but it wasn't apparent before this?!

[brfcs5359]

Watching it from the stands I thought we lost it because we failed to defend from the front. All our problems came from that plus personal mistakes by Selgado who gave away at least two goals. Roberts was dire but his and Benjanis laziness is drag the team down. Their performances were unacceptable.

When the ball is a bar of soap every defensive clearance is a dangerous forward pass. I thought we allowed Wigan to clear their lines to easily. As for the rest some were on form some were not.

I am sympathetic to the Venkys and Kean. This could be the dawn of a bright future but both have to be a lot more professional. Picking poor players leads to poor results and in the last 3 matches that is what has occurred. In the end managers bring the sack on themselves for the arrogance in team selection. Kean be warned.

Robinson 8, Selgado 0, Ollson 8, Samba 5, Nelson 7, Emerton 5, Jones 6, Pederson 7, Hoilet 5, Roberts 1, Benjani 2.

Subs Dunn 7, Nzonzi 6

[cruz]

Surely Robinsons kamikaze walkabout means he gets less than 8/10?

[AggyBlue]

Where's the Wigan thread gone?

[Guest linganzi]

At the end of the day only the result counts.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Yep--lets judge Kean on his record-----10 points out of 10 games.

Is it not 10 points - 9 EPL games ?

[HemelRover]

Where's the Wigan thread gone?

What he said.

Now, ive had to move 27 posts from the last 3 pages to the Steve Kean thread. Its all been good discussion, so keep it going there.

[Presty On Tour]

Just got home, certainly an eventful trip.

Arrived at our digs around 10:30am, the Macdonald Kihley Court hotel and what a nice place fairplay. Got freshened up and was just about to leave when i checked with my lady that she had the match tickets.

She said she didnt have them and i thought it's a wind up but she was very serious, she thought i had them. The bottom line was the tickets were left 300+ miles down the road!

Not to panic on the exterior but inside absolute distrought, i got hold of the Wigan TO and they said to phone the Rovers TO where I spoke to a lovely lady and explained the situation. She said she would see if there was anything she could do and would give me a ring back in a few minutes.

Ring ring and good news, you can pick up your tickets from the marquee at the DW. Whoever that lady is at Rovers, what a star!

Tickets in hand, missed the pubs in town unfortunately but put more than a few away in the marquee which was very much needed!

Checked the teams on the phone app, no Niko or Dunn and oh my god! Benjani and Roberts up front! Bar man, another set of vodkas please, make them doubles!

Into the stadium and the atmo is bouncing. Started well and more than deserved the 1st goal. My prediction was we could give them a real hidding now.

Their equaliser was unlucky as Robbo made an amazing save and didn't deserve the punishment off the rebound.

Halftime and after a struggle to get to the bogs for a ######. Don't know what happened with Samba and Robbo but jesus 2-1 down and the pitch was getting like a swamp. 3-1 and wtf was going on, totaly dejected. 3-2 and game on with plenty of time left, knew there was more goals to come. The pitch had now turned from a swamp to swimming pool and whoever the Wigan player was fancied a dive. Cheap penalty and 4 sodding 2.

Dunn got hacked in the box and the way the ref spun and pointed to the spot could be decribed as a lethal dance move, Julie would of been proud of that pointing. 4-3 and 10 minutes to rescue it but sloppy fouls and time wasting from the Latics spoiled the water party.

Tip of the hat to Pedersen, Nelsen, Dunn and Robbo for clapping the support, the rest had sunk down the tunnel.

Taxi for Prest, Food and then drinking in the hotel till i cant remember. Missed breakfast as we didn't wake up but the kind lady at reception said she couldn't let me drive back with nothing so phoned the chef and we had a few bacon sandwitches brought up to the room.

To sum up, A great trip, shame about the result but we made to many defensive mistakes. Roberts and Diouf are not good enough either imo.

I want to go home, i wanna go hooomee! Wigans a ###### hole, i wana go home!

[47er]

Is it not 10 points - 9 EPL games ?

Dunno! Jim said it was 10 from 10 and I believed him!

[philipl]

Wigan to work on replacing the pitch

[daveoftherovers]

A good day, considering we tried passing across the back 4 in a swamp (Twice in 10 mins, FFS!)

Anyway, something I did think was quite cool on the train on the way way back was a group of Rovers supporters singing the following to this:

P didi song sung on the train back from Wigan by The Rovers supporters

"We're coming home, we're coming home, let the rain, wash away, all the pain of today, I know my Ewood awaits, where we'll forgive all mistakes, We're coming home, we're coming home, we lost 4-3 but we're going home..."

Actual song is here: