Latics preserved their unbeaten record at Villa Park with a deserved point that could prove so crucial in the Premier League run-in. After a first half which saw both sides enjoy decent spells of possession and pressure, the visitors passed out the second half – but not without the odd scare. After a cagey opening,…
Roberto Martinez reckons that, to stay in the Premier League this season, Wigan require 40 points. It’s a target figure that has been lowering week upon week as the bottom five continue to squabble between themselves, each struggling equally to pull themselves clear of the proverbial snake pit. This weekend’s round of matches may well…
“You are always one defeat away from a crisis. On that basis, we’re in deep doodoo*.” — Villa manager John Gregory, 1999 *Word substituted for something more sanitary. Ahh, the joys of a good old-fashioned relegation scrap. Another week, another 90 minutes of tension, except this time round there was also a tinge of expectation….
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…
This game, according to John Toner of 101greatgoals, represented a “unique opportunity” for the Latics. Spurs, no doubt with half an eye on Tuesday’s Champions League bout with European heavyweights Real Madrid, travelled to Wigan with just two fit central defenders and a damage limitation mentality to ensure no more injury worries ahead of their…
2.35pm at the DW concourse, and all eyes were on West Ham’s battling performance against Champions League contenders Tottenham at White Hart Lane. It most likely will have gone unnoticed, but it was around this time that the starting lineups for Wigan’s clash with Birmingham were announced over the stadium tannoy. Had they been paying…
They may have a gap in their competitive calendar for a couple of weeks, but Latics have been keeping busy with a training camp in La Manga and a low key friendly with Swedish champions Malmo FF back home in Wigan this weekend. Though Latics dominated the first half, the visitors ran out 3-1 victors…
Isn’t it funny how one heavy loss –which, I must reiterate, was largely expected– can change the mood at a club to such an extent? Well, I say ‘club’ when I mean ‘the fans’, because after the shenanigans of last week, Roberto remained as philosophical as ever. Should we expect anything else? The guy’s a…
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…
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…
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…
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…