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pete0

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What is your view on Martinez's style of play? And what are you excited about for the season?

BernardYOTAC. Without a shadow of a doubt the football being played under Martinez is probably some of the best that I am witnessing for many years. Unfortunately this is a results orientated industry and Latics have lacked the firepower up front which, in my opinion is the last piece of the jigsaw. Hopefully that situation will be rectified shortly. I'm always excited about any new season and this one, I feel, is going to be better than the previous couple under Roberto.

 

Old_Wolf. I don't like it. I like the traditional two forwards feeding off each other and Martinez' more fluid style doesn't sit well with me. Our passing has traditionally been too slow and not penetrative enough, though we have show occassionally when we go for the throat that we can cause problems.

 

The_Pon. My personal view is that Bob's style of play is excellent; we're looking like a team that belongs in the PL by playing some stylish and attractive football. Whilst its early days this season, and we're yet to face any of the top teams, we're looking more incisive this season, and creating some decent chances. I think that the players are settling into the system now and so the discomfort some of the longer serving players probably felt with the change in style is wearing off.

There is a section of our fans who seem to have not taken to Bob's style, though; whether that's because it's such a huge change from the more direct game we played for so long (and got us into the PL) is anyone's guess.

 

Jimmy. I like it but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Some Wiganers want a bit more blood and thunder. I buy into his principles of a passing game, possession football and slow build up play. It’s not easy to carry it off in the Premier League with the wages we pay but he believes in it and it’s a brave approach.

Excited? No, terrified as usual.

 

Wildheart. Still to be convinced, last season was better going forwardfs but too cautious when one up ciost us some points last season

 

 

Lots of speculation over McCarthy, Watson and Rodallega, who was the most important player to secure? and in past years who is the biggest loss?

BY. All three are vital to Martinez's future plans. Of the trio I would say that McCarthy was the most crucial. He is destined to become one of the game's 'greats'. In a few years time I can see him becoming Liverpool's new Steven Gerrard. That's how highly I rate him.

As for the biggest loss, that would have to be Leighton Baines. We don't seem to have solved the problematic left hand berth properly since his move to Goodison Park.

 

OW. Of the current team, it's difficult to say. There's always a buzz when Moses runs at the opposition defence, but the manager is building a team, rather than individuals. McCarthy looked as if he could be a major player, but has started the season poorly. If he can recover his form, he can potentially be a crucial player.

 

TP. For me, Watson would be the biggest loss, though I've not heard much talk of him leaving to be fair. He's our deep midfielder, so whilst he may go unnoticed by many opposing fans, his contribution is vital. He sits back, allowing the other midfielders to get forward, and distributes the ball from deep, whilst allowing us a route to come back and regroup without losing the ball if attacking momentum is lost. He's got a good long shot on him and takes a decent free kick. His corners leave a lot to be desired, but he's definitely what I'd call the 'foundation' of the side.

James McCarthy is also, as Bernard says, one of the most promising young players in the league, and will without doubt become a leading light in English / European football, but I think we have other players (McArthur & Jones spring to mind) who are also able to play a similar role very well indeed.

 

Jim. They’re all equally valuable in different ways but I’d say Ali Al Habsi was the most critical. He was amazing for us last year and to have to go out and find another ‘keeper if we had not signed him permanently would have been a real backward step.

I’d say Jason Roberts was the biggest loss. We got shut because he wanted more money (rightfully so after our first season in the Premier League) and then Whelan went and blew millions on Heskey. He’s got a great attitude, a real talker and focal point for the team and would have probably smashed the club goal scoring record by now. He never seems to have truly settled at Blackburn so he may as well have stayed here. He could have been our Kevin Davies (minus the mouthy wife and flailing elbows)

 

WH. McCarthy as he is the youngest and the one with the most potential although we would miss Hugo's goals

 

 

Wigan have alot of fire power, will there be goals galore and who from/biggest threat?

BY. You taking the proverbial? We have a lot of front men I'll grant you, but goals do appear in short supply. That said, we have only failed to score once this season and I can't see Everton stopping our recent goal scoring spurt. The man most likely at Goodison will be Hugo Rodallega, especially as he now knows that the transfer window is closed and he needs to knuckle down at the DW Stadium.

 

OW. No

 

TP. As Bernard suggests, I fear you may be taking the mick! We have always struggled to find the net, and it really is something that needs to be addressed. Rodallega has an eye for goal, but relying too much on one player is a dangerous game. N'Zogbia's departure has also reduced our firepower, but we have Di Santo, who has a poor scoring record so far, but is young and still has time to find his shooting boots. He's looked much more dangerous this season, and hopefully, the confidence from scoring two screamers in the last game will help.

We've also got two new wingers; Crusat has real pace by all accounts, so will pose a big threat from wide; Maloney is a specialist set-piece taker, so will hopefully be a major threat from free kicks. Victor Moses seems to be able to dribble his way through an army at times, and I'm sure he'll also contribute a fair few goals this season.

 

Jim. You’re joking aren’t you? Our sole forward Di Santo has a 2 in 3 record this season but a 2 in 70 prior to that. Hugo has great ability and a likely goal source but he misses plenty as well and his head goes down. The other main goal threat, N’Zogbia has been sold off. I can’t see anyone getting double figures this season so we’re relying on 7 or 8 players chipping in

 

WH. not sure about a lot of firepower, next to worst scorers in P.L. last season, need midfield and defenders to contribute the goals

 

 

Everton recently signed Stracqualursi top goal scorer in Argentina, which brought about alot mentioning Boselli. Is he awful or need more of a chance?

BY. If you have another Boselli on your hands be afraid, be very afraid! He is totally inept and out of his depth in the Premier League. Hopefully the Latics faithful have seen the last of him. He is the biggest waste of a transfer fee ever, and his salary is reportedly a huge drain on the club's finances.

 

OW. Boseli came with a massive fanfare and look how he performed. I'm hoping your import has as little impact when we play you.

 

TP. I'm not as down on Boselli as Bernard. He was massively under the spotlight and expected to make an immediate impact when he arrived for a club record fee. I think the vast difference in the way the game is played over there compared to the pace and physicality of the PL was a huge culture shock, and he struggled to fit in. His confidence got shot to bits, and things went very awry for him. He did, on occasion, show some really classy touches, and I think that if he'd been given more time to adapt to our way of playing, things may have been very different for him. I really had hoped he wouldn't be loaned out / sold over summer, and be given another chance to prove himself, but alas, it didn't happen, and I fear we may have seen the last of him in sunny Wigan.

Never even heard of your new lad, so loathe to comment too much, but I fear he may take a while to find his feet if he's anything like Boselli, coming from a league where the style of play is so different from ours.

 

Jim. I expect if we’d signed Hernandez last summer and United had signed Boselli, we’d all be talking about Hernandez the flop and Boselli the supreme poacher. My point being that you don’t get as many chances when you play for us. He’s got something about him but he didn’t have a lot of luck and the way we play maybe didn’t suit him. Clearly the first few months mentally scarred him and the sooner we get rid the better.

 

WH. dont think he was awful but style of play with a lone forward supported by two wingers didnt suit him

 

 

If you could swap 3 players for 3 of ours, who would they be and why?

BY. Firstly I would swap Chris Kirkland for Jan Mucha. I know that your second choice goalkeeper has only played three Carling Cup games, but I would take the risk of swapping him for Chris. Mucha's international form of 4 clean sheets in his last seven outings for Slovakia bodes better than Chris' future England prospects as well!

Secondly I would bring back Leighton Baines for Maynor Figueroa. Is there really any explanation needed for this swap?

Up until last week Mikel Arteta would have been the only other Everton player I would have fancied.

 

OW. Bainesy without a shadow of a doubt. I honestly don't know of any others, though some of your young players look to have something about them.

 

TP. I would second Bernard's first choice of Mucha for Kirkland. Kirkland is a model professional, and is talented, but his injury proneness is epic. As a result, he can't go for balls he really should for fear of hurting himself. Great lad, great professional, but I think his days of the rigours of PL life are over, sadly. Mucha or Howard would be fantastic (I'm a big Howard fan) but don't think Howard would be happy warming our bench, and I think Ali Al-Habsi is better.

I'd swap Gary Caldwell for Jagielka; I do like Caldwell (unlike many Latics fans) but he's error prone and is a little small for a centre half. He's a leader on and off the pitch, but I think Jagielka could fit that mould too.

I'd also love to see Bainesy back, but I'd offer Gohouri instead of Figueroa

Tim Cahill is a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde character in my opinion, but he'd be a very welcome addition to our squad. He's got some real steel about him (but also a bit rash and picks up unnecessary bookings) and can score a few (though he's on a bit of a dry patch at the moment?) I can't think of any midfielder in our squad who I'd want to see the back of though, so no swap to be offered - I've already used my three anyway!

 

Jim. Tim Cahill, purely to stop him scoring against us. He could saunter into the box dressed as the Stay Puft marsh mellow man and we’d still leave him unmarked

Leon Osman, if only to shut up the rugby whoppers in Wigan who bang on about their team being full of local lads. Well it will be won’t it? 99% of the country and the world doesn’t even play the game!

And a defender, as we’ve enough midfielders already and Alcaraz is out for a few months, so let’s say Distin or Jagielka, though I’ve no idea if they are any good or not

 

WH. Baines, Cahill and Fellani, reasons are self explanatory when you look at their performances

Gomez, Thomas and Kirkland...not good enough

 

 

Everton v Wigan tends to be a tight game, what do you think the final score will be? and where do you see the clubs finishing?

BY. I can honestly see an away win here. If there is a good time for Latics to be playing Everton it is now. 2-0 to the Latics!

I'm not expecting great things from either team this season. I would consider a mid table finish as progress for ourselves and so, given my optimism I think Latics will finish in the tenth spot. As for Everton you write them off at your peril and I think they are good for the eighth or ninth spot. Certainly no higher.

Anyway, good luck for the season, apart from next weekend of course!

 

OW. A low scoring draw. We struggle to put the ball away and Everton's form, probably because of all the off field financial issues, is pretty poor. Of course, I have been known to be wrong (frequently)!

 

TP. I think you're on a poor run at the moment, and I'm hoping we can grab a victory, or at least a draw. My prediction is 1-0 to Latics, as it'll be tight, but I think we've got the pace and quality in on the wings now that will enable us to break the deadlock.

Like Bernard said, rule Everton out at your peril! Moyes is a top coach, and he always manages to pull out some good performances and results. Despite that, I think you guys, like us, may struggle to score many this season (An argie totally new to the PL, the ever injured Saha and Anichebe don't fill me with dread to be honest). I think we'll both be mid-table. Latics 12th, Everton 10th.

Good luck this season, except against us!

 

Jim. I’d like to think we can get a 1-1 draw. You’ve got a few problems at the minute and we seem to be playing as a team. I suppose a lot depends how it goes the week before, us v City, you v Villa. I think if you lose to Villa you’ll bounce back against us, whereas if we get walloped at city, our confidence might be shot to pieces

 

WH. Everton 16th WIgan 15th

 

Big thanks to the Jimmy and the rest of the guys at thisnorthernsoul.co.uk

 

Edit: forgot the pole(note: i'm one of the votes for Everton)

Wigan bar.png 3 27.3% Everton bar.png 2 18.2% Draw bar.png 6 54.5%

Edited by pete0
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I'm going to be optimistic and say this'll be a 2-0 win for us. If we play like we did against Villa I think we'll easily get the 3 points. In the 09/10 season we beat them at home but didn't have a good performance at home last season, so not really sure how we'll perform this time around. I suppose it depends on who is playing and whether Drenthe starts. But I'm staying positive and we should win this.

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I think it is, if there was only one team in this city it would most definitely be a Derby match.

Not quite a proper derby but local rivals if yer can differentiate. I'd include S'port, Burscough, St. Helens and Tranmere in the same bracket.

Edited by pete0
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they're holding back a bit on the player swaps aren't they?!

 

shooting for our reserve keeper!!!

 

They could have said our first choice one but no the second one will do!

 

 

I fancy we'll win, we played much better against Villa than in the previous 2 games and with most of the squad now fit we have a few more options (well as many as possible with our squad size). This is a vital game with a very tough run coming afterwards (city away, Redshite at home, chelsea away, fulham away and manure home). Must win sounds a little ridiculous at this stage in the season but it's definitely important to take the pressure off those up coming games.

 

 

I'm going to say 2-0.

 

Would be great to get a clean sheet.

 

goal scorers...don't know hopefully one of the new lads or Barkley get a goal.

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If we play as well as we did against Villa I can't see anything but a win. If we revert to a Blackburn performance we'll surely be beat. As a real positive note, both Drenthe and Barkley scored for the reserves today. Drenthe subbed so fitness clearly still an issue.

 

3-1 as I can't see us keeping a cleaning sheet except through sheer luck.

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2-1 to us. Think it's going to be tight but if we play like we did against villa we'll probably get another two and hopefully only concede one this time. Hoping drenthe gets a start on the left and to be honest I wouldn't mind seeing cahill up front again after his performance last week.

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2-1 to us. Think it's going to be tight but if we play like we did against villa we'll probably get another two and hopefully only concede one this time. Hoping drenthe gets a start on the left and to be honest I wouldn't mind seeing cahill up front again after his performance last week.

If Cahill plays upfront, expect Wigan to hold a high line against us, love to see Barkley on his shoulder then. Is Vellios quite fast?

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