Wigan Athletic

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
" It was an uncomfortable 45 minutes ??? it didn't have to be, it could have been an uncomfortable first 15 mins. and the relevant S/H changes should have been introduced then. I'm aware it would have meant using early subs, but at that stage we had nothing to lose. Why wait 45mins to correct an error that was obvious after ten minutes.
Both sets of my radio commentators were saying exactly the same thing. Seems that Graham Potter was the only one in the ground who couldn't see that things needed changing much, much sooner. Ian Walsh accused him of being stubborn because it was blatantly obvious to everyone else that what was going on wasn't good enough. He might have got away with such things in his previous job but this is a much higher level where opposing teams will jump on any signs of weakness. Potts has to stop fannying around and start selecting his best attacking team so that other sides have to worry about stopping us and not the other way round.
 

Victoria Swan

Key Player
You don't experiment with a radically different formation when all you have is two days between games and a flurry of games in ten days! I too like Potter but he just went down a significant notch in my estimation. At least he apologised but let's hope he does what he's always saying to our young players -- LEARN FROM IT, and stop pissing around with the team selection!
 

CroJack

Key Player
As much as I am angry with the team selection and formation in the first half, so much I am disappointed with how we keep commiting fauls in our penalty box and how we keep conceding goals from corners. How many penalties against have we had this season? Five? Six?
 

Behindthegoal

Key Player
I'd like to know the actual minutes the ball was in play yesterday. Sad to say cynicism and gamesmanship exist in the Championship too. Couple that with poor officials and you get an unappetising feast.
When was the last time you saw a lino flag offside from a throwin?
 

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
Some stats from yesterday:

Possession: 63-37 Shots: 13-16 OT: 6-5 Corners: 7-5 Fouls: 16-18 GOALS: 2-2

Whilst our shooting accuracy was much better than Wigan's, it is interesting to note that from CONSIDERABLY LESS possession, our opponents contrived to get in 3 more shots on goal than we did. :unsure: We seem to be becoming a shot shy team, which won't win games.

On another subject, I was bouncing mad at Maddison's utterly pathetic penalty for Foxes that would have deprived Scum of two points. Then, rooting for Fulham to pressure Cardiff, I had to witness that idiot Kamara miss one for them. Guess what? They were both ground shots that the keepers easily saved. :mad: Luckily, Mitrovic got his last gasp winner.
 

CroJack

Key Player
Whilst our shooting accuracy was much better than Wigan's, it is interesting to note that from CONSIDERABLY LESS possession, our opponents contrived to get in 3 more shots on goal than we did. :unsure: We seem to be becoming a shot shy team, which won't win games.
These data look different when you split them in two halves @ivoralljack . Wigan had 51 % possession and 12 shots in the first half. We had only 3. In the second half we had 10 shots, Wigan only 4.

Our10 shots in the second half is an excellent stat. We were just terrible in the first.
 

Yankee_Jack

Key Player
A match of two games. One where we fucked around from stem to stern lead by Potter. One where we resorted to one of the few systems we have tried on a regular basis that provided an effective framework from which to command the game ... however, and I don't have data at my figure tips to support this, but my impression was that we seemed to "break" that system with the introduction of Bony for Fulton instead of for McB (i.e. not a like for like) and we declined in effectiveness. I would have preferred to see Bony in place of McB to provide a change in role execution and not at the expense of shape or losing a midfield player. What resulted was both Bony and McB both trying to drop deep from time to time and not necessarily providing the formidable target we needed high up or in the box.

Re McB ... I like the kid and have long been a big advocate ... but something is off with him. He is not appearing at the right place, at the right time. He is either too early, too late, or in the wrong place. And this isn't just a one-off here and there, it appears to becoming chronic. I think he tries to be and do too much instead of focusing on being the guy on the spot with the timing, touch and energy to put the ball on goal. Note I didn't say score, but he's not often making contact nor putting the ball on the goal when he does.
 
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ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
As an out and out striker, YJ, I agree. But Oli is contributing to our general play and goals with the work he does. When Potter hits on a system that suits the players at his disposal, I think that Oli will flourish more as a pure striker.
 

CroJack

Key Player
As an out and out striker, YJ, I agree. But Oli is contributing to our general play and goals with the work he does. When Potter hits on a system that suits the players at his disposal, I think that Oli will flourish more as a pure striker.
Agreed. Oli contributes with much more than goals.
 

Yankee_Jack

Key Player
Agreed. Oli contributes with much more than goals.
I don't disagree with that ... but a #9 is paid primarily to put the ball on target if not in the net or at the very least to create for others. Likewise we pay a keeper to stop shots and command is area ... distribution is an essential part of the modern game, but if the primary purpose is not met and the ball keeps hitting the back of the net it doesn't count for much.
 

Ladygargar

Fox in the Box
Staff member
As an out and out striker, YJ, I agree. But Oli is contributing to our general play and goals with the work he does. When Potter hits on a system that suits the players at his disposal, I think that Oli will flourish more as a pure striker.
If he stays......maybe we should start using that as a general prefix for all our players until the window slams shut? :cautious:
 
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