With little time to rest on our laurels following the opening day defeat, we move on to Wigan in our second game. This time round we’re lucky enough to have the views of not one but TWO Wigan fans ahead of the match. Both top lads and with good points to share.
Wigan Fan Daniel:
Cautious optimism. Perhaps two words that best describe the mood around our two clubs. Wigan certainly, seem to have reason for this optimism – a proper club legend in charge of the club and a superb win against a fancied team in his first game as manager. Wolves of course have been buoyed by a fabulous Championship-winning season and some intriguing signings during the summer.
Martinez - Looking for two wins from two matches
Tuesday will give both sets of fans a chance to see how true that optimism actually is. A Wigan win would confirm our suspicions that our new regime is ready to take our club far further than Steve Bruce convinced himself he ever could. A Wolves win could persuade your players they can compete in this league, despite a disappointing result on Saturday.
So what can you expect from Wigan on Tuesday? Well we’ve been shaping up pretty well, and from what I have seen of the pre-season friendlies Bobby Martinez has got the squad playing the sort of football that made Swansea one of the best teams to watch outside of North London. Our defence was excellent last season under Steve Bruce, the only thing we needed was to improve the attacking side of our game. The big problem was a lack of creativity, as Michael Brown and Lee Cattermole weren’t what you would call playmakers! Jordi Gomez looks like he could solve that problem, and Jason Koumas looks like he might finally be living up to his £5million price tag in Martinez’s tactics. I have two worries however: one, we don’t have a proven goalscorer at Premiership level; and two, will our defence suffer as a consequence of a more adventurous game? From what I saw of the Villa game, neither of these looks like too big a deal. However, that result will be irrelevant if we can’t build on it against Wolves.
Now onto Wolves, who are a difficult one to predict. Obviously, everyone assumes that the three promoted clubs will go straight back down, but hopefully last year with an 11-way relegation battle has eradicated that complacency! I think Wolves will go one of two ways: one, you carry on the entertaining football that won you promotion last season and you take the Premiership by storm, a la Wigan 2005-6, Reading 2006-7. However, the second is that the pretty football gets you nowhere and you are relegated, a la your dear neighbours West Brom. Hopefully it will be the former, as I think there at least 5 teams worse than Wolves on paper. Keeping the spine of your team fit will be important, and if you do I can see Wolves finishing around 14th.
A few final thoughts – don’t expect to see James McCarthy during the game, he hasn’t featured at all during pre-season so he might not even be on the bench on Tuesday. Also, for any Wolves fans that are coming up for the game, DO NOT PARK ON THE RETAIL PARK! There’s a 90 minute limit and you’ll get a £50 fine, the same goes for the Asda car park.
My prediction: Wigan 2-0 Wolves
I have to admit though that I predicted a Villa win on Saturday, so I wouldn’t put any money on it! Seriously though, I think we might have too much for you, it being Bobby’s first home game in charge. The players and fans will be really up for it, and if our new brand of football was too much for Villa I think we might get three points from this game, so long as we carry on that momentum. I do, however, predict some promising signs from Wolves, especially your new Serbian Milijas – he looked very dangerous against Wet Spam.
Anyway, all the best for the rest of the season, I at least hope you return for another Premier League game at the DW Stadium.
Wigan Fan Chris:
Via the wonders of the internet, I have been asked by Wolves Blog to jot down my thoughts on the upcoming Latics game and give you an insight into the goings on at the newly (and perhaps unimaginatively) named DW stadium.
Firstly, welcome (back) to the Premier League. I’m sure I will not be the first or last to extend this greeting. Indeed, Wolves have the facilities and fans to warrant a further Midlands presence in the country’s top division. I certainly have childhood memories of Steve Bull playing for England (while still in Division 2?), the gold kit (which bears a striking resemblance to Latics away colours for 09/10) and an intriguingly named stadium. From what I know of last season, you play attractive football and consecutive golden boots for a certain Mr Ebanks-Blake will not have gone unnoticed by opposition managers.
You seem to have undergone quite a transformation under Mick McCarthy, who has rebuilt his reputation after what can only be described as an atrocious relegation season with Sunderland. He has brought in many players during his stay and bagging Kevin Doyle is a real coup. If he can recover from injury he (and SEB) could bag the goals that confirm a second season in the big time.
Jason Scotland - Scored twice against Wolves last season
The Wolves game will be our first home game of the season, having started not too far away from yourselves, at Villa Park. I can almost guarantee the game will not be a sell out but the JJB, er, DW stadium has a cracking atmosphere once the chants get underway.
The game will be the official homecoming of one of our “Three Amigos”, new boss Roberto Martinez. Many will say he and his countrymen were the start of a football revolution at Latics and he is sure to receive a hero’s welcome. He brings with him new backroom staff, new players and perhaps most importantly, a new football philosophy. You should be all too familiar with RM’s system, having played Swansea last year. Martinez seems to be continuing with his preferred 4-5-1 formation and a few familiar faces. Watch out for short goal kicks, few long balls and wingers on the opposite flanks (cutting in on their favoured foot).
Jason Scotland may not start the game but will definitely have some part to play. One of his team mates from last season, Jordi Gomez, will also be making his competitive home debut. Expect him to be deployed just behind South American sensation Hugo Rodallega, who put in some impressive performances towards the end of the season. His goal against Man United is testament to that.
Martinez also swooped for a young Celt named James McCarthy during the close season. At one point it was thought he would be wearing the gold of Wolves this year, only for him to be swayed by the prospect of first team football. He may need to make do with this prospect, for this season at least, as he joins a squad overrun with exciting midfielders.
Tuesday’s encounter is the second game of thirty-eight. What does the season hold for these two teams? My opinion is that come May there will be no more than three teams between the two of us, somewhere in the bottom half of the table.
A prediction for Tuesday’s game? I’m going for 1-1, with the young hotshots to bag the goals – SEB and Hugo Rodallega.
Seeing as the Wigan lads have had plenty to say, I won’t add much more. I’ll leave it to you guys to discuss the Wolves side of things for this one. 
I just hope we can re-group and do whatever it takes to get at least a point.
I’m going for 1-1.
Enjoy the game if you’re going.
Up the Wolves.
Great read and good to get other fans opinions before the match. Personally, I can’t see passed a Wigan victory here. Not because I came out of Molineux all doom and gloom on Saturday, quite the oppposite actually i was very encouraged that we competed so well. But we go into this game with more talent on the treatment table than on the pitch! Need a big performance from the guys in midfield and some solid defending for 90 mins to grab a point. Fingers crossed and good luck to the lads!
I think a draw will be a very good result, Wigan looked very impressive on Saturday. I think if we stay tight at the back we can get a 0-0 draw or if we are lucky, a 1-0 win.
Great read.
Always difficult, away from home in the Premiership but it may just suit us to be away from our home crowd – Wigan maybe a little over confident for this game and that may be their undoing. If we can keep a clean sheet we should be able to nick a 1 – 0 with Milijas scoring from 90 yards!
1-1 Is what i’d be betting on if I had the luxury of enough disposable income to lose betting on football. If SEB is out (which he is) I’d hit up a 4-5-1 with Vokes up top. With so many injuries up front I think its his time to shine. If e needs support either bring Keogh off the bench, or play Surman on the left, switch Jarvis to the right and throw Halford up front as well.
However I can see Keogh and Vokes starting.
I’m trying so hard to be positive, but with each passing day we get served up with more bad news.
Can we not just have one nice story to get our teeth into? Even our women’s team needs a new manager!
Wolves sign Joe Mattock; Doyle makes quicker than expected recovery; Kightly in full training; Jermaine Beckford in talks; Zubar learns English… Anthing to offset these depressing column inches.
The facts are that the team that will take to the pitch tonight is infinitely worse than this time last season and would be performing admirably to hold a top 6 position in the Championship.
I never imagined this baptism in my most grotesque of nightmares. No Foley, Doyle, Kightly, BCI, SEB. A WBA fan couldn’t have scripted it better.
Those nauseating smug TV pundits can keep harping on about the ‘harsh lessons of the Premiership’ but they don’t know the half of it. Too bloody idle to get off the comfy studio sofa to check that we’re riddled with injuries. Why let the facts stand in the way of a well worn platitude?
Just call me Kevin the Teenager from now on. ‘It’s SO UNFAIR!!’
Wigan 2 Wolves Reserves 0
Ben, you’re not even being negative when you make those points. You’re spot on.
I mean the injuries we’ve got are just completely ridiculous. It’s like Man Utd kicking off the season without Rooney, Owen, Berbatov, Nani, Evra & Vidic. If all of those players were up in the stands, there would be an outcry of sympathy for the Champions.
But we’ve got to kick on and make the most of it.
I don’t ever want to live in a world where I’m scared of playing Wigan Athletic. Sure, they had a great start and they’ve got some decent footballers, but Real Madrid they are not.
If we deploy a solid 4-5-1 and do everything in our power to stifle their passing-style, I think we can get scrape a result.
Potential team:
Hennessy
Halford
Ward
Mancienne
Craddock
Jarvis
Surman
Henry
Milijas
Jones
Keogh
Thank God Dr Death has gone! If he’d still been here I’d be blaming it all on him! At least now there’s a real chance that our injured players will recover and return before next season!
We’ve just got to dig in, keep it tight and work our nuts off to shut down space (liked the smaller pitch on Saturday!) and hope for a 0-0.
Still think we need more depth to the squad and hope for two or three additions before the window closes.
I’m predicting played 3, lost 3, goals for 0 by Sat night but agree with teletext forescast of 14th place at the end of the season.
FOWB
I’m worried about tonight, the premiership is tough enough without loosing 4 of your best players. The only positive i can think of is that there are going to be a few players playing their hearts out to prove to MM that they are worth a starting place.
I reckon we’ll line up:
Hannemann
Ward
Mancienne
Craddock
Stearman
Keogh
Henry
Milijas
Halford
Jarvis
Vokes
Can’t wait to see how we perform when we’re able to field a full strength team, the Premiership won’t know what’s hit it.
just get some points on the board with the team weakened as it is. i’ll take a 0-0 with some hearty defending and a couple of good counter attacks.
maybe a cheeky milijas goal of the month contender to nick it at the last, but thats just heart over head really!
Been thinking about these injuries myself.. the odd team might have 6-8 players out but its the fact they are key players:
Best Player? Kites
Top Goalscorer? SEB
2nd Top Goalscorer? Big Chris
Player of Year? Foley
Record Signing? Doyle
Best Keeper? Murray
Most Expensive Defenders Ever? Berra & Zubar.
Like you say, in all probability we will lose 2-0 tonight and hundreds of lazy pundits and journos will talk about naivety and the big step up.. blissfully ignorant as to our problems no doubt. Its like Murray & Lescott in 03/04 all over again! Truth is most Wolves fans wouldn’t be confident of us winning the play-offs with tonight’s XI let alone Premiership survival. Even so, I’m off up North soon clinging to the knowledge that stranger things have happened…
After the very atractive, attacting football they played in the 2-0 win AWAY from hame at Villa, the prospect of Martinez’ Wigan at home does scare me.
Granted Thomas they are not Real Madrid, but it is the Wigan that dealt Hull a 5-0 demolition after wins over Spurs and Arsenal.
I would like to see Volkes given a go and it will take a monumental effort tonight to get somthing out of the game.
Great to get the Wingan side of the story as welll, I really like that feature, keep up the good work Thomas.
@EmeraldPete
Here here with regard to the preview, it’s nice to see how the opposition are faring as well, rather than just focusing on us. I don’t think that it would be appropriate for the plastic Sky4 fans though, far better for real ‘clubs’ like WA and ourselves.
I wish to change my prediction to a Wolves loss (don’t want to feel out of place) but would love a point.
@Thomas
It’s nothing like ManYoo losing all those players, they have a far bigger and deeper squad than ours, we’re in a much worse position.
Cometh the hour cometh the Wolves.
Good review of the West Ham game in the last post and really interesting insights from the Wigan fans.
Agree with most of the points already made; we were not 2 goals worse than West Ham on Saturday and the performance was cause for ‘cautious optimism’ (as Daniel would put it). Just need to improve our cutting edge. However, we also looked vulnerable down our left flank. I’d expect better teams to take more of an advantage of this.
Really gutted about our injury crisis at the moment. Unfortunately, I can’t see the team being able to overcome this, and am going to have to go for a Wigan victory (albeit with a heavy heart!).
Maybe another 2-0 defeat, Jason Scotland seems to enjoy playing against the Wolves if last season is anything to go by!
I’ve read all the comments and it w=seems to me that we are laying down before the ball has even been kicked! C’mon fella’s positive minds = positive actions! Do you think a=our players will be thinking “Well we have a few injuries, so we’re bound to lose this game” Lets give the boys who are wearing the shirt tonight some belief that they can go out and play without fear. Wish hard enough and it may happen! This is football, it cannot be predicted – remember we beat Man ‘ure last time we were here and we were really sh*t back then. Dogged defensive display and nick a goal against the run of play!
C’mon the Wolves and you lot lets have something positive (even if you don’t believe it!)
so first away game, first away win. not bad eh ;]
highlights at half 10, sky sports 1
What a result! Super Andy Keogh! Wish I could have made it.
Looking forward to reading a review…
Well well well, Andy Keogh. Perhaps the Prem is going to be your bread and butter! Lovely win there, and glad we’ve got one so soon after the weekend. City. Beware!
so, so proud of the lads. i hope some of u boys went to the bookies with ur 1-0 predictions?! as for jed…read his post again now,after the event. it is profound. i salute you sir. goodnight all!