Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Coyle did have another option that would have given him a more conventional formation;
Start with one forward and replace him when he got tired.
Each might last 45 minutes but, if not, Coyle would still have two more substitutes to call upon.
I know we’ve had injuries and a lot of games. Team rotation is a fine art, as both Moyes and Coyle have discovered.
But Holt – one of our two forwards – was injured on 25 August, over eight weeks ago! We haven’t had the choice of starting with two men up, or replacing one forward with another during a game, since then. The transfer window didn’t close until 2 September.
Coyle added McCann, McClean, Perch and Powell to our midfield players, bringing their number up to twelve, but has failed to sign a third forward – whether permanently or on loan – to fill the gap.
I don’t know whether Kazan will field a strong team tonight, or what choices Coyle has. But we’ve got a very heavy programme – I’d rest players tonight and in the away game against Kazan too.
Fortunes can change very quickly in football!
“Freedman leaves Palace with the club sitting fourth in the Championship and just two points off the leaders Leicester City, while Bolton are a further six points back in 16th.”
Holloway took Palace up by winning the play offs, but has now left the club. A club has rarely been so ill-equipped for the Premier League – nothing can save them from relegation this season. I don’t know who could guide their descent back into the Championship – it will be an impossible task to maintain morale.
Freedman replaced Coyle at Bolton, where he presumably thought he would have greater resources. They finished four points behind Palace but behind Leicester on goal difference, and just failed to get into the play offs. They now lie fourth from bottom. Freedman can’t be feeling very secure at the moment, but I think Bolton should persevere with him.
Coyle had taken Burnley up and, after one steady season, Bolton down. I don’t know how the story will end at Wigan. For the present, we struggle on.
We ended up with a smaller squad in the Premier League. There would be more pressure to play with a knock – look at Caldwell last season.
Did he get any recognition from the fans for his sacrifice? No, certainly not.
Holloway has taken two unlikely teams into the Premiership. Coyle took Burnley up in equally unlikely circumstances.
Holloway didn’t have the resources to keep Blackpool up – although they survived until the last game of the season at Old Trafford.
Crystal Palace look much less well equipped to stay up – who will be appointed to supervise their short stay in the Premier League?
out of 6 home games (including Maribor) we have won 4 and drawn 2, scoring at least 2 on each occasionAnd we actually played well against Forest. Maribor were poor opposition but the others games were very close and relied on late goals for the results.
Kazan will be a much sterner test than Maribor. Chelsea beat them 5-4 on aggregate in the Europa League last season.
Derby – now eighth in the table – sacked Clough last month. He’s signed for Sheffield United today.
They have only been narrow defeats and to be honest we could easily be sat on a few more points if luck had ran our way. The home form has been superb…But luck has run our way at home. Without it, we could easily have had several points fewer. The results may have been good, but the form has been indifferent.
Wigan 2 Doncaster 2 – Maloney free kick and last minute equalizer by Barnett
Wigan 2 Middlesbrough 2 – late equalizer from Gomez free kick
Wigan 2 Ipswich 0 – Carson Man of the Match; last minute goal by Powell to make game safe;
Wigan 2 Blackburn 1 – last minute winner by Boyce; Blackburn played with 10 men for an hourAnd none of these opponents are high fliers.
Frankly, I can’t see the benefit of having McCann on the right other than to try to build up his confidence by giving him game-time.I think you mean McClean!
And there’s little point in playing Maloney out on the right wing either. If he isn’t going to have the chance to take charge of midfield, it doesn’t really matter if he’s injured or not.
I agree Standish. Whilst I don’t think Coyle has the tactical awareness of Martinez, his unsophisticated style since he came to Wigan has been mystifying.
We have a superior squad of midfield players, but in games our midfield seems to operate without any guidance. Gomez is bound to hesitate if there isn’t anyone to pass to. McClean and McManaman will dribble on until they lose the ball if they have no other instruction.
Like our midfield, I don’t know where we’re going.
I am not saying we will win anything, but it’s a darn site more entertaining than the last few years. (apart from the FA Cup of course)Entertaining – the game at Blackpool?
I wouldn’t say that we were playing badly last season – but the Premier League opposition was better than we were.
This season the Championship opposition is as good as we are – and I would say we are playing badly.
First priority – find some forwards who can start a game and finish a move.
Second priority – give some organisation to our midfield – and our wingers – both in and out of possession. Yes, I know, that might be asking a lot.
Then we can come back to this discussion about Carson.
