I’ve been slacking on the photo front (and in pretty much every other aspect of blog maintenance, come to think of it) recently, but rest assured there’s a nice selection of snaps from the Everton match (well, not the actual match, you understand – I’m not risking getting my season ticket revoked) on the way later this week.

That’s all in the near future, but console yourself in a brief array of pics from Stoke on Tuesday for the time being. As it was a night game, it was more difficult to get clear shots, hence the fewer than usual number of photos. However, there are a few good ones in there as well, including one or two of a very special guest… oh alright then, it wasn’t the real Stig, rather a person performing his role on behalf of either the BBC or some local company looking to capitalise on the popularity of Top Gear.

More pics from other dates at the DW — including those Boxing Day fancy dress snaps I promised you just over a month back — to come very soon. It seems I’ve got a bit of catching up to do.

The Stig looks a bit unhappy as Latics play out another draw

I see on the official Latics website that Paul Scharner has conceded we’re in a relegation dogfight. At the present moment, there’s no doubting that, matey boy – and some tactical decisions by Roberto during last night’s clash with Stoke reflected that.

I’m referring to one particular change, which took place in the sixtieth minute. With Wigan 1-0 up and the chance to go for the jugular beckoning, Jason Scotland — who I was thoroughly surprised to see in the Latics starting lineup, perhaps ever again after last Tuesday and the Notts County debacle — was brought off, to be replaced by not Moreno, Moses or even Sinclair, but Gomez.

An excellent opportunity to give one of the new guys some match time and continue utilising two front men, which so far had been functioning quite well for the Latics, was spurned in favour of a five-man midfield.

As a result, we looked a man short in the opposition penalty area, and dare I say it, we missed Jason Scotland in that second half. The remainder of the game was largely defensive stuff as Stoke pushed for, and eventually got, an equaliser. I guess we can count ourselves lucky we didn’t concede more, considering the pressure The Potters put us under in the last twenty minutes or so, and once again a point is a fair reflection of the game.

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Although the scoreline might have more than a hint of (as the mainstream rags would term) ‘what might have been’ about it, I prefer to look upon this game as another point accrued in the quest for Premier League survival.

Yes, if Wigan had taken more of their first half chances or had James McCarthy slotted past Craig Gordon when he fortuitously found himself though on goal midway through the second half, it could have been 2-0 and a similar outcome to Wolves or Burnley away: defend what you have like a miser for the remaining 30 minutes or so.

Diame’s cracking run through the opposition half and shot sliced across the Sunderland keeper into the top corner of the goal was a reflection of the good football and chances created by Wigan in the first half. The home crowd had begun to turn against their team, as seems to happen quite a lot at Britain’s very own Stadium of Light these days.

Enter Kenwyne Jones to save the day for The Black Cats, or at least bring some semblance of respectability to the scoreline: they had their eye on three important points against a Wigan side on the rebound after the disappointment of Tuesday night. Bruce’s side showed plenty of promise but, much like the visiting side, could not muster that finishing touch when it mattered.

One each then, and plenty of time for both sides to snaffle all the points in what could prove to be a relegation battle. Unfortunately for Latics, Sunderland simply wanted it more from hereon in, and though both sides had half-opportunities I felt the home team were the more likely.

It didn’t happen, though. The game became scrappy, not at all helped by a referee who seemed to be treating his team lists as a booking checklist akin to those I-Spy books that used to be popular way before my time. Sunderland hadn’t had a win in Gawd knows how long, and Latics hadn’t tasted victory on away soil since… well, Wolves last month. But it felt the game was at a stalemate as neither team knew how, or had the good fortune, to scramble a winner.

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And let’s be honest, they probably wanted it more, too. I’m all for the magic of the FA Cup and that, but it’s absolutely humiliating when it goes against your team. On this occasion it wasn’t quite as bad as losing to Canvey Island, who (whisper it quietly) I believe were a non-league side, but it sure feels horrible.

It wouldn’t have been too bad had we managed to scrape through and got beaten by Fulham in the Fifth Round, at least there wouldn’t have been the shame of everyone coming up to you saying “haha, you’re that incompetent bunch that lost to the fifth division team aren’t you?”

Still, it was far less embarrassing than losing 9-1 to Tottenham: on that occasion we actually had a full strength team out and somehow contrived to concede that avalanche of goals, PES style, in the second half. Today’s result was more disappointing than anything.

You know how Wigan’s season has gone: it often takes a goal or spark of inspiration to get the lads playing to a decent standard. It’s a simple fact that was missing this evening – I daresay an early goal would have probably led to a 3-1 or 4-1 Wigan win as the confidence flowed, with probably even Jason Scotland getting on the scoresheet. It easily could have been, were it not for the lack of finishing instinct – oh so very close on so many occasions, but not enough experience or even luck to get the ball in the back of the net.

In fairness to County, they did and we didn’t. Simple as that. For all their shots on target and making Kasper Schmeichel work for his money on numerous occasions, Latics just could not get that crucial goal. Remind you of any other games this season? Sad to say it’s becoming all to regular.

Wigan seemed to be controlling the game, even dominating it, for the most part. The turning point came on 75 minutes when somehow the ball scraped over Stojkovic’s goal line, and like so many other matches this campaign, that truly was that. Wigan were completely shot and never really looked like scoring, a world apart from twenty minutes earlier when they laid siege to the County goalmouth, shots raining in like coins at Craig Bellamy (did anyone see that last weekend?).

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