It happens just prior to the closure of every transfer window: supposedly highbrow, intellectual publications transform into glorified versions of those 99p gossip magazines that usually end up covering the windows of abandoned houses. Renowned commentators become facsimiles of Jeremy Kyle; spendthrift clubs become bigger impulse buyers than a shopaholic on payday; online blogs become……
Certain sections of the mainstream media seem to be under the impression that football is all about superstars. Sure, it might be watching Cantonas and Zolas that gets you into the game in the first instance, but the longer you watch, the more you realise it’s about much more than that. In the past month,…
The football season is back, and I don’t know what to think. On the one hand it is one of the few things that give my sorry life meaning, while on the other it is the source of much frustration and tension, not to mention the primary reason for my receding hairline. I will, however,…
Such has been the recent fervent media activity over Roberto Martinez’s future, you’d be forgiven for thinking Wigan’s last competitive game was far longer than two weeks ago. Yeah, we’ve had lengthier mid-season international breaks, but it already feels as though we’ve been in the post-season wind-down (pfft, yeah right) phase forever. To satiate your…
Having just about recovered from the madness of Sunday’s epic Premier League finale, I sat down to properly read the latest edition of the Mudhutter Football Express yesterday evening. Jimmy‘s comedy-censored foreword made no secret of the fact this was meant to be a ‘relegation special’, quite obviously written some months in advance at a…
And so it came to pass that on Sunday, 13 May 2012, Wigan Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers would do battle on the green (well alright, slightly brown) pastures of the DW. But it wasn’t quite the crucial relegation contest many predicted and perhaps expected, what with the fate of both sides already decided. What happened…
Latics edged out Blackburn to seal their survival with a game to spare thanks to a powerful 87th minute Antolin Alcaraz header. Though the visitors dominated the first half, they could not make any of their excellent chances count against an insipid Rovers. The hosts, requiring a win to remain in the hunt for a…
Latics conjured up a magical 45 minutes of attacking football, most probably their greatest under Roberto Martinez, to completely pummel fourth-placed Newcastle into submission by half time. Victor Moses first headed home Emmerson Boyce’s deep cross on 12 minutes before doubling his tally less than 120 seconds later. Shaun Maloney expertly finished off another superb…
Wigan saw their cushion to the relegation zone cut to just three points as Philippe Senderos headed the Cottagers to an 89th minute victory over a labouring Latics. After a cagey first half, the hosts dominated proceedings and finished the game great value for their three points. Although Emmerson Boyce had put the visitors ahead…
Latics may still have been savouring the sweet scent of victory over the Champions elect, but they headed into this game with on-song Arsenal full in the knowledge their survival race was far from over. With other relegation-threatened teams having failed to make much ground on Saturday, however, this was essentially a ‘free hit’ –…
Shaun Maloney’s sublime second-half strike sunk league leaders Manchester United to lift Latics out of the relegation zone for the first time in 2012. Victor Moses earlier had a goal disallowed in controversial circumstances, but fortune fell firmly in favour of Wigan as replays strongly indicated that the corner leading to the in-form Scot’s goal…
Wigan were mere moments away from hauling themselves out of the relegation zone, but Juan Mata popped up on 92 minutes to rob the Latics of a draw. Controversy reigned as an offside Branislav Ivanović goal was inexplicably allowed to stand by the linesman, but a cracking strike from MoMo Diame put Wigan back on…