Wigan Athletic: Played 5: won 3 (Rotherham, Portsmouth, Charlton (A) ); lost 1 (Sunderland A) drawn 1 (Wycombe). For 6 : Against 3.
The record of our next opponents shows that they have beaten 3 of the teams which have a good chance of competing for promotion, lost narrowly away to the bookies’ favourites and drawn against recently-relegated Wycombe with whom they are currently on equal points.
Even if Rovers were as latently talented as their manager seems to think they are, I wonder if we could give them more than an outside chance of even holding off the home side.
There are games when your team plays well, yet loses or plays well and nearly loses and plays well and is fortunate to win, all resulting in fans believing their team is better than it really is; there is a tendency to ignore how hard the opposition pushed them. That often seemed to happen under Moore and one remembered the good bits and overlooked the lucky escapes. In contrast not many, if any, fans have been able to discern winning potential through the haphazard exhibitions of disorganisation that have characterised our footballing output so far this term. And whereas having been at the Keepmoat when Wimbledon came, I might have convinced myself that with a bit more coordination there might have been opportunities in time for some individuals to link up into a more effective force, it does not to seem to have happened. There have been some additional personnel, but they are still collectively too disparate as a unit. Perhaps the manager has assembled a bunch of decent players, but failed to anticipate that they do not blend.
At our best in recent years, there has been not only accurate passing, but an ability on the part of the receiver to control the ball even when it is delivered in a way that makes it difficult. Yet so often this season, the ball does not even reach a team member. They do not seem to have used the time together to develop understandings of each other’s games.
How long can a manager who is directing a team which he has assembled escape blame for its failings? I find it difficult to separate him from responsibility for the rather obvious incompetence of the several players he has chosen to sign who have so far failed miserably to come up to scratch. I do not put them all in this category, although none are exactly impressive (bar Dahlberg), but there is more than the odd one or two who seem to fall well short of the mark in every game and for a relatively experienced manager at this level, it is not good enough.
The report of the the first part of DFP’s interview with the CEO is in today’s edition with Baldwin presenting a comfortable analysis of events ignoring the absence of any evidence of success so far on the playing side. Having restructured the business it has yet to exhibit signs of profit, but perhaps he will express some concerns over the apparent failings - rather disastrous losses in commercial terms - in the Mission to date, in Part 2.
I cannot imagine that Wigan will not win comfortably and Rovers may have added some strength in theory, but it had no impact on the score midweek, so how can one honestly believe that we could win or even draw?
I’ll say 4 to the home side and boldly predict a goal by, say, Hiwula for us. Can anyone be confident of anything more?
DPL v Wigan Athletic
posted on 11/9/21
Not confident of getting any result at all.
Wiggin 4-0 Rovers
Hope that I'm soooo wrong.
posted on 11/9/21
Liked the look of the front 3 v rotherham, but can they get one or target? Not to sure to be honest. 4 nil defeat ☹
posted on 11/9/21
Wigan 2 rovers0
posted on 11/9/21
Wigan 2 rovers0
posted on 11/9/21
Well, I think the score line flattered us a little – just look at the stats and be thankful we had Dahlberg in goal. The back four were better than Tuesday, and Ro-Shaun Williams had just about his best game so far, but he still gives me the jitters far too often. Olowu was reasonably solid. Again, almost no creativity in mid-field and hence little good feed for the front men. Smith and Galbraith have some good moments, but make too many poor passes and mistakes, especially Smith, and both do not handle the physicality of the “men’s game” very well. Hiwula did not show the spark he had against Rotherham, nor did Vilca when he came on for Seaman. Dodoo worked hard, but did not get a clear chance.
Once again, we do not seem to take advantage of throw-ins – players do not seem to offer options to the taker, and the result is often a long throw that usually goes to the opponents. I know I’ve criticised how sometimes we play out from the back. Today, Dahlberg mainly used a long kick that did us no good. I have little confidence going forward that wins will come.
Before the game I was a little worried about the ref as he had been showering yellow cards around in games so far, and he certainly kept it up today. While some were justified, it is the inconsistency that is worrying. Also, he often had Rovers go back to where the ball went out for throw-ins, and he did once late in the game for Wigan. However, for their second goal he let then take a quick throw-in about 12-15 yards from where it went out (and no run-up in that number), and he should have made them take it again. Then the guy who scored looked suspiciously offside.
Their first goal was dreadful set-piece defending. Someone should have been marking the guy who scored.
posted on 12/9/21
An additional comment - I was worried at every corner or set piece. We are so open to headers from such events.
posted on 13/9/21
Not just me then, every set piece your waiting for the net to bulge as our set piece defending is a joke. Big thing that I spotted for the winner, was their forward grabbed hold of our defender to stop him running out, thus playing the scorer onside. Other teams have focused on our "weak" defending too, Rotherham just bullied us every single set piece. All teams will of spotted our weakness, can see Morecombe scoring a few from set pieces as they are a rather strong physical side, for want if better words 😉
posted on 13/9/21
Agree re defending. Its been a weakness for some time. Though it did ease with Anderson and Butler at the back. However what troubles me more is the obvious weakness of our midfield leading to more pressure on the defence and no service to the forwards.
posted on 14/9/21
Thanks Mickey. I was away at the weekend, so heard no commentary and only picked up the score towards the end of the match. I have now seen the extended highlights and looked at some of the full match footage. I don’t disagree about the ref’s handling of the match.
Back to the football though, and I wish there was something visible, perhaps good defending, effective inter-passing - our success rate was 20% less than Wigan’s, good teamwork or evidence of players developing an understanding of each other’s games or impressive individual play - Dahlberg excepted! (This statement hangs in the air and it somehow epitomises Wellens’ so-called team.)
So to turn to the team, does the sum of the parts even seem to equal an amount equivalent to their individual values? Can we relate this to the manager’s thinking because when he is not blaming officials, he often focuses on the return to fitness of players which he believes will make all the difference.
Will the next addition suddenly convert the other 10 into a cohesive force?
posted on 16/9/21
The DPL results this time created what I think is a record. but not one that warms the heart. There was 100% success in predicting the result of the game - a loss. If we go on losing we may have to consider a new category of forecasting the margin of defeat.
Let us hope that happy days are not too far away.
Wigan A 2 : Rovers 1 (Rowe)
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F > O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>>>> 6 >>>>>> 9
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>>>> 6 >>>>>> 9
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>>>> 0 >>>>>> 3
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>>> 6 >>>>>> 9
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 18 >>>>>> 21
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 18 >>>>>> 21
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 24 >>>>>> 27
LixmKing>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 3 >>>>>> 6
>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 24 >>>> 0 >>>>> 24 >>>>> 81 >>>>> 105