Wayne Rooney: on target again

I swear I’ll never fully understand the mainstream media as long as I live. Prior to last week’s clash with Liverpool, every big time Charlie and rag tag red top was writing us off before a ball had been kicked. What happened? They ended up with egg on their faces as, by some fluke, Wigan managed to battle to a point. This time round, to cover their backs, they erred on the side of caution just in case we saw a repeat performance. They just can’t seem to find a balance, though; last week Latics were criminally underrated, whilst this time round we were vastly overrated.

Not that anybody at the club would have been in danger of becoming in any way complacent – this was Manchester United, after all, top o’ the shop and everyone’s tip for the Alex Ferguson Cup. Well, it ought to have his blasted name on it the number of times he’s had the thing in his living room. I can just see his wife on trophy presentation day shouting at the television, “no, don’t be rough with it! I spent three months polishing and waxing it!”

We, by contrast, are firm favourites for the drop because, of course, we’re Little Wigan with no fans and a poor manager. Yep, outside of Greater Manchester… nay, Wigan Borough, nay Springfield, nobody gives a fig. Whilst this is subjective and depends entirely on your viewpoint, looking at the foot of the table and our forthcoming fixtures I’m inclined to side with them. About relegation, mind, not those clichéd, stereotypical (mainstream media driven) views of Wigan Athletic.

Ordinarily, things would be looking up – another couple of wins from our next three games and it’ll all be fine and dandy again with Martinez the best thing to happen to the club since they reduced the price of half time pies (don’t bother with those, buy a zinger burger from the stand on the Pagefield Industrial Estate instead). The only problem is that the next two matches were Man United and Man City. A walk in the park you might say, but only if you were being flippant or blind drunk.

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Weekend off: A win-win situation for Bobby?

Bit of a fractured week, this, with FA Cup, Premier League, Champions League and Europa games all thrown into the mix spanning a seven day period. For Latics, however, the equation was rather simple: win tonight and face another Cup match against Fulham on Sunday. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

Though Martinez was keeping his usual straight-laced, straight-faced perspective on a potential week of FA Cup ties, you just know that, deep down, he would have preferred to give his players a two week rest in preparation for the Premier League battles to come. I mean, come on. He wouldn’t be human if he didn’t see this week as even a little bit of a hindrance to Latics’ survival aspirations.

Of course, it offered yet another opportunity for the likes of Adrian Lopez, Daniel Redmond and Callum McManaman to get some first team action against Premier League opposition, and by itself you’d think that’s a good thing. Perhaps it may turn out to be, who knows? Maybe Macca will be sticking a hat trick past Stoke on the final day of the season to keep us in the Prem for another season. Maybe Conor Sammon is the 600,000 Dollar Man to replace a radically off-the-pace Mauro Boselli and will grab ten goals between now and May? Perhaps, but he was ineligible for today so we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see him.

However, with our league position looking rather precarious –to the point your heart begins to sink when you see the league table– one can’t help but view tonight’s game as a mildly unwelcome distraction. A bit like Michael McIntyre, only much less irritating and, most of the time, infinitely more humorous. Well, maybe less so now Titus Bramble has left, but I suppose that cat mascot thing is always good for a laugh – looks like he learned his moves from JJ.

It’s going to take something special, a winning run the likes of which we haven’t seen under Martinez thus far, for us to emerge from this pickle with our heads intact. Forget all that just now, though. Tonight was about the regular bench-warmers and eager second-teamers getting a good run out, which they certainly did. Gary Caldwell and Momo Diame were the only survivors from the starting XI that ground out a 1–1 draw with Liverpool on Saturday with Watson, Moses and McCarthy taking their seats on the subs bench. The rest would receive a well-earned rest, which will be vital for the difficult run of fixtures to come… yeesh, I don’t even want to think about them.

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Pepe Reina in the Liverpool net didn't have all that much to do

We’re now on a rapid road to the all-important closing stretch of the 2010-11 Premier League season, a series of 8-10 games which could see Latics hang on for their very lives or, conversely, roll over like a subservient dog begging for its belly to be tickled. Will we be up with the big boys come August of this year, or skulking around in the Championship bemoaning our bad luck? Well, on the evidence of today, it’s hard to tell.

Before those crucial final clashes, we’ve first to see out some rather tough tasks which will be the litmus paper for what’s to come. There’s Man United, Man City, Tottenham and Chelsea all waiting in the next month, but today Latics made the relatively short trip on the Wigan Northwestern-Liverpool Lime Street service (which was probably late again) to the home of the Beatles, Cilla Black and of course Paul O’ Grady. Well, he was born in Birkenhead, actually, but it’s in the Liverpool general area in much the same way Skelmersdale is part of Wigan. Perhaps.

Wigan’s league position would suggest we’re in danger of falling away, leaving us in the situation of having to beat one of the aforementioned big boys to keep in touch. How close did the Latics come to achieving this in their first test this afternoon? Well, if you read on you might find out.

Knowing how important each and every result will be from hereon in, it was vital Latics remained positive to snatch any potential points on offer. A full-strength Wigan started in just that manner, putting the ball about in the Liverpool half with promise. As the opposition found their feet, however, the visitors would see their time on the ball curtailed by an in-form Reds side, Raul Meireles pouncing upon Wigan’s failure to get the ball out of their area. From a deflected Aurelio cross, the ball landed perfectly at the Portuguese’s feet for a volley past Al Habsi’s right hand, a quality finish on par with some of the proverbial bunnies he’s been pulling out of the hat of late.

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If Tuesday night was a must win game, then I’m not sure what today was. You know that expression, “a real six pointer”? Though this wasn’t one of those in the truest sense of the word, Wigan sure could have used six points, planted firmly in the relegation zone and looking increasingly hopeless as they were, outplayed by most the Premier League has to throw at them and in real danger of being cast adrift. Tellingly, there have been few results against the teams around us, who are all in supreme form when compared to Wigan’s recent run of results, which haven’t seen us win since Boxing Day.

Jason Roberts grabbed his customary DW goal

This downward spiral looked to be continuing with a goal by… guess who? It could only be ex-Latic Jason “always scores against Wigan” Roberts, who put the visitors into a 22nd minute lead. It was just about deserved, too, with Blackburn looking the better in front of goal up to that point. Latics had their own moments, but a string of bad decisions put paid to any chance of real shots on target. When they finally did some 12 minutes later, they actually managed to score from close range via James McCarthy, restoring some confidence and offering hope of a crucial three points. Tantalisingly, things were only just warming up. Though the game didn’t quite live up to the 4-4 thriller at St James’ Park, it came quite close, at least in terms of the scoreline.

Prior to the second half, you sensed Latics had to seize the moment and take back some control of their rapidly deteriorating season – a draw simply would not suffice. As the teams emerged from the tunnel once again, the rain had already started to fall that little bit harder, quickly turning the pitch into something resembling a farmer’s field. There was nothing muddy about the Latics performance, however, as they came out fighting, perhaps already for their Premier League lives.

A combination of Al Habsi, Moses and Rodallega ensured a perfect start to the second half as Hugo stole in behind Rovers’ defence to finish a truly route one move. It can’t have lasted longer than fifteen seconds: Al Habsi’s long clearance found Victor Moses, who headed perfectly into space for Rodallega to run on to and round the keeper. Not exactly the pretty football Martinez would prefer, but it resulted in a goal and that’s all that matters.

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