Not so long ago, there were many Latics fans that thought that the 7 year stay in the Premier League was coming to end. The football was slow, pedestrian, the squad lacked belief. Fans were angry, Roberto Martinez has to go, the boo boys were having a field day with Jordi Gomez in addition to the usual tripe about the lack of Latics fans. It would please a lot of people Paul Merson, Robbie Savage, the usually well balanced Shaka Hislop called them a poor side. It's what you do on the pitch that counts, if not Leeds United would always be in the EPL cause they have big crowds.
Everything has a beginning and an end. In this context of the remarkable form turn around was the very poor match against Swansea was the beginning. Roberto Martinez was the man who set up the Swansea structure and style of football. They were getting a lot of positive press for their football and Brendan Rodgers added his own character to their side. After their 2-0 win, it was like they play the Wigan style of football better than Wigan.
Disgusting
Wigan are one of the few sides that hold fan meetings where they can ask questions to Martinez, it was a credit to Martinez for fronting some angry people and no. it was not held in a telephone booth. In the 7 matches since the Swansea debacle, Wigan have gained 14 points from 4 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss and the loss to Chelsea was marred by officials who didn't know the rules and lacked functioning eyesight.
Form Reversal
What has changed in these 7 matches, if some visionary was able to bottle confidence as a commodity then it would be worth more than gold, oil, rhodium, saffron and truffles combined. It was no coincidence in the 2nd half of Norwich when Shaun Maloney made an appearance on the field. There were search parties out there looking for the diminutive Scotsman but when he came on he added more dynamism to the midfield than what Gomez was providing. Maloney's presence just in that half alone galvanised the team and it was the spark needed.
Wigan 1 Man U 0
The match with WBA will never be forgotten and also highlighted the old Wigan disease a lack of a goalscorer. Wigan so many chances and WBA had one chance and drew the match. Instead of getting down on themselves they were able to bounce back beating Liverpool at Anfield.
There have been so many highlights recently for a Latics fan. Normally they just assume the bend over position for Man United who have their way them. Not this time they got Man U a bit flat, but they outplayed them with brilliant possession football and as talented as Victor Moses is, his decision making skills are awful and you'd back the overs on whether he'll score or not. It should have been more and Taggart Ferguson was very complimentary to the team. After that they came out and beat Arsenal though Mr. Wenger was his sour self and forgets about the timewasting his team have done against Wigan.
Who are you kidding Mr. Wenger
Before these recent moments, the only highlight was beating Sunderland 2-1 away in which was Steve Bruce's last game, so Sunderland fans were happy as well. Considering Bruce is one of the main reasons that Wigan had so much debt which thankfully has been reduced over time.
Wigan as a unit with Al Habsi being brilliant in goal, the defence is settled and yes while they lack a goalscorer something that needs to be addressed in the off season. Previously when the passing was pedestrian, the players static, not making the runs for the passes to go into space. Now, the players want the ball to their feet, changing the tempo when needed and instead of being passive when it comes to scoring, they are sharing the goalscoring throughout the side which alleviates the pressure of not having a profilic striker. When di Santo and Gomez are scoring, then you know there is confidence in the squad. Everyone has lifted their game and are putting Roberto Martinez's tactics into place and now they're getting the rewards for playing good passing football.
This revival is very similar to SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga. Both are small clubs, play attractive football, have excellent young players that they know will depart eventually and need the transfer revenue.In January both were written off as relegation bound, but have managed to turn their fortunes around while sticking to their principles and backing their respective managers. Now they are in a position that their league status is determined by their own ability and not needing other results.
Roberto Martinez
While the Wigan revival from relegation fodder to potentially escaping the drop while playing entertaining football is good news. As usual there is a counter point to this with some destabilisation tactics within the press with an agenda. First of all the nonsense that Roberto Martinez is leaving the club at the end of season by the Daily Mail coming out on the day of the Manchester United match. Martinez has a rolling contract and as long as Diamond Dave Whelan is there, don't see him going anywhere just yet. Now it's Victor Moses agent stirring rubbish trying to get a better deal for himself and not caring about his client. A good agent waits for the right deal for his client where the style of football would suit them and no N'Zogbia isn't the example to follow.
Survival isn't guaranteed but the last four matches with Fulham, Newcastle, Blackburn and Wolves, it's not the hardest draw to have best of all destiny is their own hands, Martinez knows the job isn't done yet and if they survive this season it will be extra special since the recent death of Jack Sudworth for those who don't know if it wasn't for him, then there'd be no Wigan Athletic. Standing together side by side in good and bad moments.
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