Hugo Rodallega can't score for toffee right now.

We’re rapidly approaching a point where JWAW weekly match reports will be totally redundant. In fact, I had half a mind to copy-paste last week’s comments into this post and save the pain of recounting yet another frustrating afternoon for Wigan Athletic. Having analysed (read: watched in fear) the Sky Sports coverage, there’s nothing new to report, so forgive me if I end up repeating myself more than once during the course of this post.

To sum things up, Latics’ failings at the back combined with a lack of potency up front were once again a cocktail for catastrophe resulting in the squandering of another chance to repair some damage lost. Some might already even term this irreparable; positive outlook or not, the horrible truth is that week by week, things are becoming increasingly dire. Although there is still plenty of time turn things round, and goodness knows how many lost causes have been rescued from similar situations, that is looking a distant pipe dream at the moment with some serious problems all over the pitch.

Where to start? Well, up front would be as good a position as any. Latics created chances in a quite even first half, but simply could not take them. Hugo Rodallega is particularly guilty of missing two fantastic opportunities, the latter of which must have been easier to score. As if to rub things in, Wolves went up the other end and scored within seconds of this chance, which brings us to the second point. Even if Latics had converted their opportunities, it probably would not have been enough to win the contest due to some familiar defensive disasters.

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These previews are starting to follow an all too familiar formula of late: Latics need points to try and snap out of an extended losing run before the season escalates into a full-on disaster before we even hit December. Continuing in the positive vein I’ve resolved to take (mostly in the interests of preventing the onset of hair loss), such trivialities shall be skirted over in favour of a more forward-thinking attitude. On that note, let’s take a quick look at how Latics might lineup come 1.30pm on Sunday.

Wolves v Wigan Latics possible lineup

Given the absence of Gary Caldwell, one would suggest the exact formation of Wigan’s back four is subject to much speculation. However, I would be inclined to have Boyce ‘do a job’ in the centre of defence, which would not necessarily be all that problematic for the sometime centre back. There are alternatives, of course – Maynor Figueroa, who has occupied such a role for a couple of games this campaign, could also be switched to the centre. I wouldn’t favour this, however, as I’d rather have him (or perhaps Van Aanholt) at left wing back. Ben Watson may be forced to play a slightly more defensive role to cover any holes left by a more unfamiliar backline.

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Ronnie Stam (left) and Tom Cleverley (right) get in the Boxing Day spirit on a trip to Wolverhampton Zoo

It’s all change at the foot of the table thanks to a highly important afternoon of fixtures in the Premier League. Earlier today, West Ham chalked up an away win at Fulham, a feat which Wigan Athletic (thankfully) managed to emulate in their 3pm kickoff at Molineux to haul themselves out of the relegation zone. Our opponents, who we’ve now done the double over for 2010–11, sit bottom below both Latics and the Hammers whilst Fulham slip to 18th.

Wolves can console themselves, however, in the fact I can tell you with some certainty these aren’t going to be the final placings, with plenty of teams still in the reckoning and others dropping like a stone towards the snake pit of relegation (Blackburn and West Brom being prime candidates at this point in time). Oh yeah, despite what some might claim, this season isn’t going to be settled at Christmas but this period of tightly-packed fixtures will go a long way to decide who’ll be stumbling through the first part of next year like a drunken old relative on Christmas Day.

In some ways, you could describe Wolverhampton’s defending as such, especially in those first 20 minutes which would ultimately decide this game’s outcome. First Hugo Rodallega then Tom Cleverley would finish expertly on 10 and 20 minutes respectively to give the visitors a fantastic start and a vital cushion. However, you sensed it wasn’t going to be enough — we would have to score again. Luckily for Wigan, this wasn’t to be the case as even though the hosts pulled one back late on, they didn’t look a great threat in front of goal.

Wolves ought to have had a penalty on the half hour mark when Steve Gohouri seemed to upend Steven Ward but the decision was not forthcoming from Mike Dean. Combine this with a few fantastic saves from Latics keeper Al-Habsi and you’d say the ball wasn’t really rolling for Mick McCarthy’s men. The Omani, on the other hand, seems to have struck a rich seam of fortune of late what with his equally skilful and miraculous clean sheet at Everton two weeks ago to add to his collection of stops today.

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Gomez: The game changer

It’s not often you can say Wigan had a comfortable afternoon at the DW, but today we came quite close to just that. You have to go as far back as January for the last time Wigan won by more than a goal, and our opponents that day were… Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Mixed omens, then, and the bookies had the visitors as favourites right up until kick off. Actually, they would have remained so until 12:56, the precise point things turned in Wigan’s favour.

Referee Dean Mason set out his stall to give fouls for pretty much any physical contact, making for a stop-start first half somewhat different from last week’s free-flowing, bustling British football at St Andrew’s. Well, as British as you can get with Wigan’s foreign legion, anyway.

Mason’s pickiness was epitomised by the 11th minute sending-off of Karl Henry, a somewhat unsavoury incident which saw Jordi Gomez somersault through the air after a late challenge by the Wolves midfielder. Thankfully no injuries were suffered, though the whole complexion of the 80 minutes to come was changed in this moment.

It was a huge boost for Wigan, whose confidence was visibly lifted. At this point it was actually ten against ten, as Antolin Alcaraz was off the field having stitches in his forehead, and the home side still looked the more likely to score.

Latics never really cottoned on to the officials’ eagerness to penalise anyone and anything in sight, though Wolves exploited it very well. Their final delivery on the whole wasn’t too great, but at least they created some opportunities, which is more than can be said for many teams that go a man down and look to defend for their lives.

The second half was a different story, however, as Latics completely dominated in terms of possession and shots on target. In fact it’s likely we had more of those than in all our previous Prem matches this season, and that’s no joke.

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