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Match Preview: Wigan Athletic vs Aston Villa

2013-05-18T06:25:03Z

It was built as the big decider. If Wigan could hold onto the last day, then maybe, just maybe they could pip Aston Villa to the post with a home win. Personally I don’t think we would have done it, all our other major survival feats have all come away from home, so a home tie to save out game wasn’t right.

However it is all circumstantial now as Wigan Athletic will be a Championship club next season, an FA Cup winning Championship team though. That means more than staying up to me. Yes we lose out on a lot of money, but this club is making a name for itself, and we will be back in the Premier League; but it’s not every day you win the FA Cup though, especially in the Chelsea dominated years.

So what about this game at the weekend, does anyone care?

The players now maybe thinking about beaches they can disappear of to. While the mangers (Roberto Martinez) maybe thinking whether or not it is time to close the chapter of Wigan Athletic again in his life. So I don’t expect much, I hope I am wrong.

It would be great to see the passion and the desire this team can show when we have our tails up and dismantle a team. This is the chance for Latics to show what the Premier League will miss before we slip back to the Championship.

And what will they miss? An honest hard working club who has a great passing philosophy which is the envy of many football clubs, on song we can beat anybody, as shown by our shiny new trophy. It is also what Aston Villa felt before Christmas as Wigan turned on the class and beat them 3-0.

Can we do it again? Why not, there will be no Ivan Ramis but in his place we have Antolin Alcaraz. It is also possible that we could see the return of Adrain Lopez and Jean Beasuejour to the starting line-up. The two could really help to solidify the defence for the final game. It may be too little too late but let’s get some pride back.

One worry is Callum McManaman who we have yet to hear any word of. The winger was taken off on a stretcher against Arsenal and will miss the weekend's game. So who will come in to replace him? There are a few options open to Roberto Martinez. Personally I would look for another younger forward, Nouah Dicko.

With Angelo Henriquez on his way back to Manchester United and Franco Di Santo leaving in the summer, the chance for one of the other younger stars of the team to be given a chance maybe a good thing.

That though is the only doubt for Latics. Aston Villa though will be unchanged. Only Christian Benteke will miss the game, and had we been going into this game needing a win that would have been a great thing. But with nothing to play for it seems pointless.

The striker has been by far Aston Villa’s player this season, only piping Gabriel Agbonlahor to the post. The striker who has been on and off for the past few years has found new form under Paul Lambert and for me should be in line for an England call up.

Villa will be out to prove a point and on a day the Villains are dedicating to ex-captain Stylian Petrov expect their players to step up to the plate. For me I will stand and applaud the Villa captain in the 19^th minute as he continues his recovery from leukaemia.

Wigan Athletic’s last ever Premier League game for a while, a return in two seasons I can see on the cards. But for our last game let’s hope our lads make a good go of it and go out with a bang.

Injury Update: Macca to Miss Months

2013-05-17T12:00:15Z

Some Newcastle United fans will more than likely be thinking what a joy that retribution has been done. Which is too far and harsh, you should never wish an injury on any player. Yet ever since the incident with Massadio Haïdara he has been some incarnation of the devil to most Geordies.

Who Callum really is, is a hard working motivated younger player, who would chase around all day with a football in a field. He is dedicated to playing with an honest style. That is the simple truth and it has shone through in his games for the club this season. Yet after such an excellent few months, and the chance to represent England at under-21 level, Callum has picked up an injury. Lunging in the Arsenal box to get on the end of across as Wigan looked to get in front at the Emirates, Callum went down behind the goal before being taken off on a stretcher.

The news now is that it is ligament damage and he will be out for three months. That means he will be back in time for pre-season training, the tail end of it but enough so he will be able to start the season with the club.

Wigan is where he will be next season, with Callum being under contract for another three years it is unlikely that we will sell him at any price as he will be a valuable asset in helping us return to the Premier League next season.

A big year ahead then to come, but this season could have ended better for the 22 year old.

Success for Latics Achieved?

2013-05-16T18:30:17Z

It’s easy for me now to say that I would take the FA Cup win, it is something tangible that Wigan have won and I can taste the victory and the moment when that Ben Watson header his the back of the net. But would I now swap it for Premier League survival?

By getting relegated it could cost us somewhere in the region of £40 million a year. Yet with players to leave on frees in the summer, the FA Cup tournament money, and the parachute payments from the Premier League our financial future isn’t a problem; like many media outlets have reported Wigan are in no need to sell any players.

Instead what we can now do is go through a period of rebuilding. Many of the youth players coming through will now be given a chance to show they can handle playing for the Latics senior team. We could choose a full starting 11 with players 22 years old or younger and all of them I would say could handle themselves.

Was that imaginable ten years ago? Or even eighteen years ago? The short answer is a resounding no.

The growth and change at the club in that space of time has been magnificent and to live through it we are special people. We have seen eight years of sustained Premier League stay, two football league titles, two major finals reached, one Football League Trophy, and most recently one FA Cup. Is that not success?

No, okay how about making a profit last year with balanced books? That plays a massive part in the future of this club because as we now stand we are self-sufficient enough that we are on a level footing. That’s not to mention the new training and youth facilities which on their way and have been financed.

We do have debt, somewhere in the region of about £15 million running debt to the bank, yet all the many millions we once owed Whelan have been cut off, and the day he sells the club he will get some of it back.

So Wigan fans never fear. While the rest of the countries fans may smirk behind cover faces (although this article at Rocker Report proves there are some out there who aren’t) we can be proud of what we have achieved and how far we have come in the past eighteen years. The relegation maybe a bad mark on what has been a great record, but we are still around and will be for years to come.

Others fans are just jealous that we have become part of a select group of teams which have won the FA Cup. That will live forever, the success of a team is what people remember after you have gone.

FA Cup to be Paraded Monday 20TH May

2013-05-16T17:05:40Z

The parade will be starting around about 5pm (BST) with the players expected to board an open top bus and for this bus to go down Standishgate. They will disembark at Market Place where a stage will be there for the celebrations to begin.

The Council, Wigan Athletic football club and Wish FM are all working together on the project and it is surely going to be a fantastic time; the chance to revile in something that may only come once in a life time for us Latics fans.

They are advising fans to arrive for 4pm with pre-event entertainment to be provided by Wish FM. For the full details visit the clubs website here.

Wigan Athletics Player of April: Callum McManaman

2013-05-16T10:51:15Z

He was the clear winner and this seasons surprise package certainly had been that, how this young man could have changed our season had be played from the start? His pace and guile on the ball make him a potent threat to any defence, not a lot of players have managed to deal with him yet.

Good with both his left and right foot, showing this with his great left footed effort against Tottenham Hotspur, the winger can only go from strength to strength, and bagging the second in the FA Cup seni-final at Wembley. You could see how much it meant to the player.

One for the future and his call up to the under-21 squad is a worthy reward and I hope he will do Wigan proud. That is if the injury he sustained at Arsenal wasn’t too serious, being carried off on a stretcher is never nice. Hopefully it is nothing serious.

It has been a great return for the 22 year old this season. Scoring six times in 30 games for the club this season, that includes substitute appearances. A player very much for the future, and next season in the Championship he will be ripping it up.

Poll

Who Was Your Wigan Athletic Player of the Month for April?

Callum McManaman

6 votes

Shaun Maloney

3 votes

James McCarthy

0 votes

Paul Scharner

2 votes

11 votes | Poll has closed

Match Report: Arsenal 4-1 Wigan Athletic

2013-05-15T14:03:07Z

The same line up was chosen by Roberto Martinez has he hoped to keep the momentum going for Latics. Yet right from the off the Gunners were the stronger side. The wet slippery football pitch was suiting their fast pacey game of football, it was like slicing a piece of meat for Arsenal. Their knife was pretty sharp.

Inside ten minutes Latics were 1-0 down. Luckas Podolski heading home after a chipped in corner from Mikel Arteta. Paul Scharner and Joel Robles getting caught under the ball. That left the Germany forward to head in from close range and kill of the Wigan players with what little energy they had.

Did Latics have enough to muster a win now? Could they get themselves level?

Thankfully for us Arsenal had a dip in their eagerness to get forward quickly. Happy to get their noses in front early they were more happy to knock the ball about and probe around the Latics defence. Yet when Latics won teh ball we couldn't manage to make that pass which could create a chance.

Callum McManaman and Arouna Kone were very isolated up front and neither of them could work any space as the Arsenal defence doubled up on the pair when they got on the ball. It was Shaun Maloney though who would get into the space and look the more threatening.

Shown as he found a good yard or two and managed to chip a lovely ball over the Arsenal defence. It found Arouna Kone who was about to head home, before Laurent Koscielny acrobatically cleared the ball away.

Maloney continued to get on the ball and it would be Shaun who would get us back level. The midfielder trying to work some space was brought down by Arteta with only a few minutes of the half left to play. The free-kick was taken by Shaun and despatched into the goal, dipping and curving away from Wojciech Szczęsny.

1-1 could we do it in the second half?

We started quickly, Arouna Kone should have scored inside the first two minutes. The striker laying the ball off to Callum McManaman who burst into the box before laying it back to Kone. The Ivorian hitting the ball only for it to hit the top of the Arsenal keepers arm. The Wigan faithful lifted the noise level we could do this.

Then the ball was in the net James McCarthy getting it in, only for the midfielder to be ruled offside. A shot from a Wigan player was blocked and spun to McCarthy, the Ireland international midfielder was only a fraction offside. Had that gone it, then maybe we could have done it.

So with that Arsenal then ran us ragged Theo Walcott getting the first of the next three. The ball coming in wide from Santi Cazorla, Walcott with the easiest of tap ins.

Then was Podolski's second goal. A free kick by the Arsenal goalkeeper saw the ball cleared by Antoilin Alcaraz only for it to be headed back in and Scharner to be out of position. Through on goal went Lukas and so the ball was chipped over Joel into the goal. 3-1 that was it.

The Wigan heads dropped and all belief left us.

So it was no surprise when the fourth goal went in it killed us off completlyt. Aaron Ramsey's charging run down the left hand-side left everyone for dead for the midfielder blasted the ball past Joel in the Wigan goal.

That was it. Wigan down and out, the players for the most part looked distraught. There will be no coming back for Wigan Athletic this time.

Wigan Athletic Are Relegated

2013-05-14T21:10:43Z

The match report on the game will follow. But for now its time for a bit of self pity. After winning the FA Cup at the weekend, we go to the low of relegation in the next. The players didn't give up the fight and did try their best, but in the end defensive mistakes cost us.

What does it mean for the club?

Who knows at this moment in time many things could happen, and then many other things may not. Will we keep hold of our manager? Will we keep hold our our talented players? Will we bounce back?

Many questions have to be answered and they will all come in the following months. Our next target as a club though as to be to stem the flow of losing players. People on a free will more than likely go which means losing about five. Couple that with Joel and Scharner's departure we will need new faces.

But who will be the man to bring those new faces in. I hope that it is Roberto Martinez. With this man we can ride the waves back to the Premier League, and hopefully onto greater success.

Match Preview: Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic

2013-05-14T11:23:53Z

Football is a cruel mistress. Only 24 hours after beating Manchester City at Wembley stadium, Wigan Athletic are staring down the barrel of relegation. Withe Newcastle United and Norwich City winning it meant that only two wins will now do the Lancashire side.

The first is tonight's encounter against Arsenal. The gunners who have had over a week off to prepare and rest for this game, are looking to get a place in the top four. To do that, they will have to also win their next two games. At either end of the table this has massive importance.

Latics come into the game in great form after Saturday's win. With Antolin Alcaraz fit and ready to go, the Wigan ship had been balanced as captain Gary drops to the bench. The belief in the camp is high, but what at fatigue levels? The game tonight will be Wigan's fourth in ten days, that is some turn around, is everyone fit?

Hopefully yes, none looked to be struggling towards the end of the game, and hopefully the added morale boost can spur us on. If the lads keep the same level of confidence they did to play Manchester City then we could get a win in this one, it won't be easy by any means but we can do it.

The way to win will be the battle in the middle. Both teams love to get the ball down and knock it around, so it will be vital that James McCarthy and Jordi Gomez are up to the challenge. Both of them had a great game against City had kept their big name stars quite, with Shaun Maloney dropping deep for reinforcements the midfielder duo/trio works well.

Winning that battle and being able to get the ball up to will be key. Arouna Kone and Callum McManaman will have to be on form yet again. Callum this time will face the returning Kieran Gibbs as his wing opponent. Will Gibbs be up to it? Arsenal will hope so.

It is the reason I feel we could win this, is because of our front two. Arouna Kone has played more or less every defender in this league when given the chance. The ball at his feet with a defender coming in, he is fantastic at holding the ball up and creating some space, while he can brilliantly run the channels and get to the ball ahead of other players.

It may not be a bad idea for the Wigan players to try and hit the ball long today, we may have some joy.

So what of Arsenal? Well Arsene Wenger will become the longest serving manager in the league at the end of the season, and the Arsenal manager wants to stay around, to do that he will need to gain Champions League football. With two players returning to the fray this week (Kieran Gibbs and Lukasz Fabianski), Arsenal more or less have a full strength side.

The threat of Arsenal is all over the pitch, if we don't close the space and allow them time on the ball then we could be over run. Especially if Theo Walcott gets on the ball, his pace is something that could really hurt Latics in behind. Roger Espinoza will be squaring up to the England international and will have to be ready for the test.

We have to pray and hope we can do this. It won't be easy but the signs are there that Latics could pull this off. Get in their faces and play the ball about well and we could cling on to the final day, where we will have to do it all over again.

Keep the Faith!