Liverpool 2 v 0 Wigan Athletic

21st April 2007

It was never going to be easy but in the end a 2-0 reverse was pleasing to PJ, it was however very easy for the Reds ( reserve squad ) in the spring sunshine.Only rookie Caleb Folan posed any sort of threat to Pepe Reina and that was in the 2nd half, Caleb could be a mega hit for us next season if he maintains his progress.

The Pool started off like testimonial game, pass here, pass there with Latics content to watch while defending deep, highlight of the first half was ref Mike Riley tumbling over like a drunk with no one within yards of him.

Emile also does this quite a lot but sadly the Kop are well use to seeing him sat on his backside.

Dirk Kuyt's first goals for over three months were both well taken finishes, the first nipping in before John Filan from Pennants well delivered cross from the left on the half hour mark.

With five in midfield and just Heskey up front Latics never really looked like getting level before the break and went in only one down.

The same pattern emerged in the second period as Liverpool did enough and the Blues offering very little in return.

Missed chances came and went especially for Crouch, Gonzalez & Kuyt, the latter bringing the best out of Filan.

68 minutes in and Kuyt bagged his brace with a well taken goal, Chilean winger Gonzalez struck a super pass to Craig Bellamy, who had just come on as sub, he in turn found John Arne Riise but the Norwegian was stopped by a desperate tackle by Matt Jackson as he went for the return.

The ball ran free in to Kuyt and before Wigan’s back line could stop him, he shot low into the left of the onion bag. Henri Camara, Caleb Folan and Julius Agahowa, all played in the 2nd half but like their predecessor Heskey couldn't grab even a consolation goal.

In complete contrast Rafa stuck bad boy Bellamy on and he engineered the second and was a pain in the proverbial whilst on the pitch.

5000 eastenders (cue drum music) descend on the JJB on Saturday, we all have to stand up & be counted, supporters AND the players, lets really see who wants to stay in the money trough league eh ?

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher (Agger 73), Hyypia, Riise, Pennant, Alonso, Zenden (Gerrard 70), Gonzalez, Kuyt, Crouch (Bellamy 63).Subs Not Used: Dudek, Mascherano.

Booked: Carragher, Alonso.

Goals: Kuyt 30, 68.

WIGAN: Filan, Boyce, Jackson, De Zeeuw, Baines, Scharner, Taylor (Camara 46), Skoko, Landzaat (Aghahowa 70), Kilbane, Heskey (Folan 64).Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Granqvist.

Booked: Scharner, De Zeeuw.

Att: 44,003.

Ref: M Riley (W Yorkshire).

Wigan Athletic 3 v 3 Tottenham Hotspur

15th April 2007

On a sunkissed Sunday lunchtime, the smell of the traditional fry ups gives way to the institution of the great British Bar B Q as an early afternoon kickoff at the JJB dawns.

Soft southern Spurs are in Pie-town and the Latics need the points.

After smuggling a spy into the West Stand's best seat the game broke into life with the heavily booed Chimbonda fouling Heskey, free kick results in a ping pong affair with Emile notching his 8th goal of this second season of top-flight football.

We had barely all sat down then the Bulgurian Berbertov balletesque danced thro' a lead footed blues defence to draw level just two minutes later.It was nip & tuck for the next 25 minutes with Sky getting full value for the neutrals, whilst the spectacle before us kept all the true supporters from both sides enthralled.

The game was pacy and absorbing, on the half hour mark Baines stroked in a peach of a goal from oudside the area on the left leaving England's number one in a desperate forlorn dive.

The tannoy cannoned into sound again but once again the Cockeral crowed and Keane made it 2-2 from the spot.Latics got caught on the break looking for a third by Jermaine Jenas and Bainsey pushed him a tad outside the area & Filo made sure that the Poll gave the free strike at the onion bag.

Just before the interval Kevin Kilbane could have notched his first ever Latics goal but headed over the bar with a gaping goal in front of him, all this after Robinson had parried a fierce diving header from Paul Scharner.

Fortune favours the brave & KK did open his account with Wigan's premier team with a glorious bullet header on the hour mark from a well delivered corner.

Alas poor Latics as the lead lasted only a short while, eight minutes if you are being picky as Keane got his 2nd goal from route one football, Jacko lost the flight and Robbie finished with some aplomb.

All in all we once again held our own against a top-ten side and IF, well lifes full of them eh?

WIGAN ATHLETIC: Filan, Boyce, Jackson (Skoko 73), De Zeeuw, Baines, McCulloch (Taylor 40), Landzaat, Scharner, Kilbane, Heskey (Folan 66), Camara.Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Aghahowa.

Booked: Filan, De Zeeuw, Scharner.

Goals: Heskey 2, Baines 30, Kilbane 60.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, Rocha, Ifil, Tainio (Malbranque 65), Jenas, Zokora, Lennon (Defoe 75), Berbatov, Keane.Subs Not Used: Cerny, Ghaly, Charlie Lee.

Goals: Berbatov 4, Keane 35 pen, 68.

Att: 16,506

Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).

Aston Villa 1 v 1 Wigan Athletic

9th April 2007

The point earned from this game could very well prove to be crucial as the season builds up to what promises to be an unbelievably tense finale.

Latics manager Paul Jewell rang the changes following the home defeat against Bolton Wanderers two days earlier. David Unsworth replaced Fitz Hall in the centre of defence, whilst Hall himself moved over to the right back position as Ryan Taylor found himself on the substitutes bench. Ryan himself has just returned from two horrendous leg injuries and Jewell obviously felt that it was time for a brief rest for the England Under 21 star.

In midfield Denny Landzaat returned from a one match break with Josip Skoko the one on bench duty for this game. Caleb Folan was dropped to the bench in favour of Lee McCulloch who moved up front, whilst there was a return for Kevin Kilbane on the left hand side of midfield.

To say that Latics were completely outplayed may not be overstepping the mark. The Villans were bouyed by a terrific result at Blackburn Rovers two days previously and a win would have guaranteed them Premiership survival. And they seemed determined to get the three points up for grabs as they started the game at a blistering pace.

However, completely against the run of play, it was the men in black who took the lead. A corner from the right caused havoc in the Villa area and after a scramble in the box Emile Heskey stroked the ball home to put Latics on the front foot.

Or so it should have.

It was Villa who stepped up another gear and were spreading the ball around the field with not a little skill and endeavour, frustrating the Latics midfield. Luis Antonio Valencia showed his frustration in completely the wrong way, and an awful two footed challenge on Wilfred Bouma in the 34th minute resulted in the right winger receiving a straight red card and there were certainly no complaints from the Wigan players, management or fans.

Four minutes later Bouma had to leave the field of play and he was replaced by Ashley Young and from that moment on Latics were under almost constant pressure for the remainder of the game.

The only surprise of the afternoon was that Villa didn't then go on and steamroller Latics, who to be fair defended manfully against the onslaught. There was even a hint of offside about Villa's goal as Patrik Berger looked to be in an offside position as he threaded the ball to Gabriel Agbonlahor who gave John Filan no chance in the Wigan goal.

If Filan felt aggrieved about that he was a relieved man when he parried an Olaf Mellberg shot onto the post with the ball appearing to go over the line, however the assistant referee adjudged the ball to have been saved.

The end of the game saw Filan involved in an angry exchange with a Villa fan, obviously frustrated that his team hadn't beaten him more than once during the 90 minutes!

Fulham were beaten by Manchester City, whilst Charlton Athletic could only draw against Reading. With Sheffield United not playing, the result meant that Latics were now three points clear of the drop zone with a crucial home game to come against Tottenham Hotspur, a team they have never beaten in a Premiership fixture, next Sunday.

There is then a trip to Anfield to take on the resurgent Liverpool and whilst you realistically expect Latics to maybe just pick a point up from those games, it will be the final trio of games that will make or break Latics' season. Two home games against Middlesbrough and West Ham United and a trip to Bramall Lane on the last day of the season are all 'must win' and winnable games.

It's going to get a lot hotter before Latics take their place among the world's most elite football teams again next season!

WIGAN ATHLETIC, John Filan, Fitz Hall, (Josip Skoko 52), Matt Jackson, David Unsworth, (Ryan Taylor 56), Leighton Baines, Luis Antonio Valencia, Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, Kevin Kilbane, Lee McCulloch, Emile Heskey, (Caleb Folan 84). Subs not used, Carlo Nash, Julius Aghahowa.

Goal scorer, Emile Heskey 21 mins

Booked, Leighton Baines 54 mins, John Filan, 81 mins, Paul Scharner 87 mins

Sent Off, Luis Antonio Valencia 34 mins

ASTON VILLA, Thomas Sorensen, Wilfred Bouma, (Ashley Young 38), Martin Laursen, Olaf Mellberg, Gareth Barry, Stiliyan Petrov, Craig Gardner, Shaun Maloney, (Luke Moore 74), Patrik Berger, Gabriel Agbonlahor. Subs not used, Stuart Taylor, Aaron Hughes, Steve Davis.

Goal scorer, Gabriel Agbonlahor 50 mins

Booked, Stiliyan Petrov 29 mins, Olaf Mellberg 49 mins

Referee, Mike Halsey (Lancashire)

Attendance, 31,920

Wigan Athletic 1 v 3 Bolton Wanderers

7th April 2007

The jubilant Bolton Wanderers fans in the half full away end at the JJB Stadium were deliriously singing, 'We'll never play you again', with almost twenty matches of this game remaining and they could well be proved correct in the fullness of time. They were celebrating an easily earned three points courtesy of a Latics side that was, at best, shambolic.

The players on show for Latics couldn't blame their exertions during a Thursday Evening Quiz Night with the fans and the Official Supporters Club either, because they couldn't be arsed showing up for that event either. If these players on show think they're too good for the likes of us and really are a notch above the supporters of this club, they had better start proving it, and fast.

In fairness to manager Paul Jewell, he was hit by the unexpected loss of Arjan De Zeeuw and when the team sheet was published there were not a few groans of dissent when it was revealed that Fitz Hall would take his place. In midfield Denny Landzaat found himself dropped, to be replaced with the fit gain Paul Scharner, other than that it was the same team that narrowly lost their last league outing against Charlton Athletic at the Valley.

The first half an hour of the game saw Latics actually in the ascendancy. In the 32nd minute Luis Antonio Valencia blazed away down the right hand channel and sent a beautiful cross into the Trotters' penalty area and Emile Heskey was on hand, for what proved to be the first and only time in the match, to poke the ball over the line.

A furious Sam Allardyce then raced down the West Stand into the dug out and lambasted the fourth official as he felt that Valencia had fouled Tal Ben Haim in the build up to the goal. Three minutes later, deciding he was in fact wrong, he substituted Ben Haim and brought on Ricardo Gardner and from that moment on Valencia's threat was at an end.

Latics looked reasonably comfortable until the fabled last minute then, of course, they conceded with just seconds of the first half remaining. Nicolas Anelka doing the honours for the Trotters after a horrendous error of judgement from John Filan. Thankfully there was only one minute of stoppage time, but do you believe me when I say that Latics were fortunate not to concede a second goal, and were happy to go in for the half time break on level terms?

The less that this gutted fan writes about the second half the better. I would end up with a Jose Mourinho style dossier if I did that. Suffice to say that Latics should be happy that Andranik Teymourian didn't in fact score his first Premiership hat trick. He gleefully slammed the ball into the hapless Filan's net in the 68th minute, repeating the feat in the 73rd minute. The Blues were fortunate that he only found the net twice in a blistering Bolton five minute period in which they had Latics' big time Charlie's running around like headless chickens.

When the third Bolton goal hit the net Latics fans left the stadium in disgust, and I must admit I felt like doing the same. And I NEVER leave a game early.

The Blues now find themselves just two points clear of the relegation trap door. But Jewell still maintains that safety is in 'our own hands'. He is of course right for now. But it won't be long before that particular chestnut will be cracked if Latics put in any more displays as inept as that this season.

Changes need to be made for the next game against Aston Villa at Villa Park tomorrow night.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, John Filan, Ryan Taylor, Matt Jackson, Fitz Hall, Leighton Baines, Luis Antonio Valencia, Josip Skoko, (David Cotterill 74), Paul Scharner, Lee McCulloch, Caleb Folan, (Henri Camara 63), Emile Heskey. Subs not used, Carlo Nash, David Unsworth, Kevin Kilbane.

Goal scorer, Emile Heskey 32 mins

BOLTON WANDERERS, Jussi Jaiskelianen, Nicky Hunt, Abdoulaye Meite, Tal Ben Haim, (Ricardo Gardner 35), Andranik Teymourian, David Thompson, (Idan Tal 74), Abdoulaye Faye, Gary Speed, El Hadji Ciouff, Nicolas Anelka, (Stelios Giannakopolous 88), Kevin Davies. Subs not used, Ali Al Hibsi, Henrik Pedersen

Goal scorers, Nicolas Anelka 44 mins, Andranik Teymourian 68 mins, 73 mins

Booked, Kevin Davies, Jussi Jaaskelainen, David Thompson

Referee, Uriah Rennie (South Yorkshire)

Attendance, 18,610

Charlton Athletic 1 v 0 Wigan Athletic

31st March 2007

Wigan Athletic are once again staring at the relegation trap door following another controversial defeat orchestrated by yet another seemingly inept refereeing decision. Over the past few months people have been getting the message that Latics are really getting the rough end of the stick during their Premiership outings, and at times it sounds like the club is simply moaning. But when an opposing manager feels that a penalty award for his own team, in a relegation 'six pointer' was hardly 'cast iron' then you realise that Latics are indeed suffering greatly at the moment.

The game itself was a rather insipid affair with most of it spent in the middle of the park as both teams effectively cancelled the threat of each other out. Latics were in dire need of a goal scorer and Jewell's lack of strikers on the bench didn't hold much hope of a goal materialising in a crucial last quarter of the game. Folan and Heskey simply looked ineffective and the absence of Henri Camara or Julius Aghahowa on the bench must have been because they had not returned fit, or ready to play, following their international exploits earlier in the week. Heskey's record of just three goals in the last 23 Premiership games is now proving to be a thorn in the side, especially as Folan has only chipped in with goals twice in seven outings, whilst Camara has scored only six goals all season.

Blaming referee's for bad decisions is one thing, but the fact remains that the Latics front men are just not scoring enough goals and yesterday at the Valley this problem was only too plain to see.

Jewell made three changes to side that drew 0-0 against Fulham at the JJB Stadium two weeks ago. Lee McCulloch and Leighton Baines returned to their customary roles after serving suspensions, whilst Fitz Hall was played at right back following his return from a three match ban. It was the lack of attacking options on the bench that caused many raised eyebrows, because if ever Latics need a goal or two it was from this game.

And it was Hall who was adjudged to have fouled Marcus Bent in the box in the 85th minute of the game. Referee Peter Walton had no hesitation in awarding the spot kick and Darren Bent saw his penalty hit the back of the net despite a brave attempt at a save by John Filan in the goal. The final whistle once again saw Jewell confronting a referee, and sadly this is an all too common sight.

Let's hope that from now until the end of the season that we do not witness it again. Latics now stand just three points shy of the drop, two places above the relegation zone and but for a Bolton Wanderers victory over Sheffield United at the Reebok their league position would have been even more perilous.

Next week Latics must repay the Trotters by beating them at the JJB Stadium!

CHARLTON ATHLETIC, Scott Carson, Luke Young, Zhi Zheng, Talal El Karkouri, Hermann Hreidarsson, Souleymane Diawara, Matt Holland, (Darren Ambrose 71), (Amdy Faye 87), Jerome Thomas, Alexandre Song Bilong, Darren Bent, Dennis Rommedahl, (Marcus Bent 46). Subs not used, Darren Randolph, Madjid Bougherra, Darren Ambrose, Amdy Faye.

Booked, Talal El Karkouri 40 mins

Goal scorer, Darren Bent (pen) 86 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, John Filan, Fitz Hall, Matt Jackson, Arjan De Zeeuw, Leighton Baines, Ryan Taylor, (Luis Antonio Valencia 72), Josip Skoko, (Paul Scharner 76), Denny Landzaat, Lee McCulloch, Caleb Folan, Emile Heskey. Subs not used, Carlo Nash, David Unsworth, Kevin Kilbane.

Booked, Ryan Taylor 51 mins, Fitz Hall 84 mins, Emile Heskey 88 mins

Referee, Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)

Attendance, 26,500