No donkey: Rodallega opened the scoring for Wigan

This game was, quite simply, a must win for Latics. Anything other than three points would make the task of remaining in the Premier League for at least one more season an incredible task in all likelihood beyond a side struggling to find the target, let alone score. Though it can’t be denied our performances have actually improved of late, the wins haven’t there to back them up, rendering such games all but fruitless in the harsh reality of England’s toppermost league.

Any number of football pundits will get paid for telling you it’s impossible to win a game without scoring. I would contest this statement, as it is perfectly possible to win 1-0 having forced the other team into an embarrassing own goal, and come to think of it that wouldn’t be that bad a tactic: at least it would ultimately result in our ‘goals for’ column increasing.

Two goals in six competitive games would suggest a side deserving of bottom spot in the table, but that run did include tough encounters with Man United, Man City, Tottenham and Chelsea — and it must be stated that the league’s bottom side acquitted themselves relatively well in the majority of those games. Apart from against Man U, they were never really properly hammered. From here onwards, things become more manageable with potential point-gaining opportunities against mid- and lower-table teams.

Each and every contest from now until 22 May has to be regarded as must-win, and most importantly of all, you have to score. It seems like an awful long time since Wigan took an early lead and consolidated for what could be termed a comfortable win, and that’s because it was four months ago.

There was some hope, though. 29 goals in 31 games may represent a paltry effort when you consider today’s opponents scored a whopping 46 in the same period. Unfortunately for the Tangerines, all that endeavour only resulted in them sitting two points ahead of Latics in the league table before proceedings got underway at Bloomfield Road today. The figures (which, admittedly, must always be taken in context and with a pinch of salt) point to an equally dodgy Blackpool defence, the only reason they were just one place above the relegation zone prior to 3pm this afternoon, and provided huge incentive for a goal-starved Wigan attack line.

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Don't look back: A hole too large for Martinez to fill?

You may well say I am not qualified to comment on yesterday’s game considering I wasn’t there and didn’t even watch it on telly or listen to it on WISH.

And you’d be right, especially since I have yet to watch any highlights or take in any post-match reaction save for Martinez’s brief comments for Ceefax. To tell you the truth, I’m dreading doing so, and will wait a few days for my disappointment to wane (if it ever will) before bringing myself to watch any sort of match action.

Still, in the interests of playing devil’s advocate, let’s go ahead and offer some sort of critique based simply on the scoreline.

Well, I tend to think a 4-0 loss would say it all, really. Kind of glad I wasn’t able to see the game to save myself from yet more embarrassment along the lines of last season’s defeats at the hands of Notts County, West Ham, Wolves and Portsmouth.

You can’t help but analyse yesterday in the light of results from the preceding season. The ‘long term plan’ Martinez and Whelan have set out sees the two campaigns merge into one, big ordeal (and yes I will call it that) whereby the club takes numerous blows to the solar plexus in the hope it gets in one or two telling blows of its own. The main problem lies in the fact our opponents need to be absolute pants for that to even threaten to happen.

If, in the long term, such tactics save the club from total extinction and keep us afloat for a few more years, then fine. After all, you never know the extent of what’s going on behind the scenes, and as a mere supporter, you don’t necessarily expect to be made privy to the inner workings of your football club.

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Ishmel Demontagnac grabbed the first for Blackpool (Photo: David Penniall)

This was supposed to be the game Wigan found its feet again, but transpired to be another night to forget as Blackpool ran riot at Bloomfield Road.

Changes were expected, and Martinez certainly went to town in that respect, retaining just two of the players that started the Manchester United game. But Blackpool were not short of changes themselves, with Ian Holloway making seven changes to the team that drew with Watford on Saturday.

A matter of who would hit the ground running, then, and it was the Tangerines who managed to take the cake. Their three big attacking moves in the first half yielded an impressive three goals, whilst Latics’ own three chances only drew saves from an on-song Matthew Gilks.

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Mike Pollitt: A good chance of starting?

I think it would be best to write off Saturday as a bad day at the office and concentrate on the immediate future. After all, you don’t get relegated based on one result… at least hopefully not.

A bit of a diversion first, though, as next on the radar are Championship climbers and local rivals Blackpool in the city of the Golden Mile for our Carling Cup 2nd round tie. It’ll be a chance to give the impressive Mohamad Diame and his midfield compatriot Hendry Thomas some more much needed experience, even if it isn’t at Premiership level. It’s also an opportunity to try out some new things – since it’s unlikely that we’ll keep the same XI from Saturday, why not do a bit of fiddling a la the pre-season friendlies?

Well, perhaps not as much as in those matches, but we would do well to try and find a more stable back four. Bramble and Scharner put in much improved individual performances attacking-wise, but were left somewhat flagging by Rooney and Company (as opposed to Kompany). Now, what’s up with Emmerson Boyce? Is he still injured (unlikely since we’ve seen him warming up numerous times), or does Bobby prefer defenders with more attacking intent?

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