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
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
Labels: Villa vrs Wigan
posted by yotac-admin at 3:38 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home