Arsenal v Wigan

It's no coincidence that neither United nor Arsenal even looked like scoring against Wigan.

They challenge for everything and aren't easy to get the ball off themselves.

They have a manager that knows what he is doing.

Wigan have been lucky with injuries.If their best two midfield players were off sick all season and their 6th best had a heart attack, they'd have gone down.Having said that Whelan would probably have found money to replace their best two midfielders.I mean proper money rather than enough for Eagles and Pratley.

The main difference between Wigan & Bolton is that Wigan have players who can keep the ball. Arsenal didn't get near the Wigan goal in the second half.

Martinez is a proper manager who buys good players, regardless of whether they're big names. Coyle buys Pratley & Ngog.

Natasha Whittam wrote:The main difference between Wigan & Bolton is that Wigan have players who can keep the ball. Arsenal didn't get near the Wigan goal in the second half.

Martinez is a proper manager who buys good players, regardless of whether they're big names. Coyle buys Pratley & Ngog.

Cant argue with that

And hes a Natty dresser (no pun intended)

I love it how Wigan are being made out to be Holland circa 1974 and their manager a footballing genius on the back of a few good results. Nobody was coming out with any of this bollocks when they lost nine games in a row earlier in the season. Why do you think they've been rooted to the bottom third of the PL for about four years in a row? Bad refereeing decisions?

largehat wrote:I love it how Wigan are being made out to be Holland circa 1974 and their manager a footballing genius on the back of a few good results. Nobody was coming out with any of this bollocks when they lost nine games in a row earlier in the season. Why do you think they've been rooted to the bottom third of the PL for about four years in a row? Bad refereeing decisions?

A decent counter argument. Not all Wigan fans have been fooled by this sudden improvement and not all of them are Martinez fans. If we beat Swansea and Villa we will be the next for all the positive gushing headlines.

Wigan are not safe yet (although it would be a shock if they went down), but credit to them for doing so well recently (the bastards)

largehat wrote:I love it how Wigan are being made out to be Holland circa 1974 and their manager a footballing genius on the back of a few good results. Nobody was coming out with any of this bollocks when they lost nine games in a row earlier in the season. Why do you think they've been rooted to the bottom third of the PL for about four years in a row? Bad refereeing decisions?

I don thtink people are gsuhing and making out theyre Halland circa 1974

Its simply they have shown some fighting spirit and have had their rewards

Earlier in theh season they couldnt buy a goal

Their top 3 players were misfiring and now sem to have come into a bit of form

Wish we had their strikers instead of ngog etc

I wouldn't mind that Victor Moses. He can certainly run fast. Wigan have done their survival chances no harm with three top performances. Can't fault them for their fighting qualities and team spirit.

I just hope our lads can show some spirit as well.

trotter1948 wrote:

largehat wrote:I love it how Wigan are being made out to be Holland circa 1974 and their manager a footballing genius on the back of a few good results. Nobody was coming out with any of this bollocks when they lost nine games in a row earlier in the season. Why do you think they've been rooted to the bottom third of the PL for about four years in a row? Bad refereeing decisions?

I don thtink people are gsuhing and making out theyre Halland circa 1974

Its simply they have shown some fighting spirit and have had their rewards

Earlier in theh season they couldnt buy a goal

Their top 3 players were misfiring and now sem to have come into a bit of form

Wish we had their strikers instead of ngog etc

The Holland thing was a bit of hyperbole on my part admittedly. I do think we have shown some fighting spirit in the last 6-7 games too as it happens.

largehat wrote:I love it how Wigan are being made out to be Holland circa 1974 and their manager a footballing genius on the back of a few good results. Nobody was coming out with any of this bollocks when they lost nine games in a row earlier in the season. Why do you think they've been rooted to the bottom third of the PL for about four years in a row? Bad refereeing decisions?

So teams can't progress from being shit to pretty good? Isn't this what a manager is supposed to do?

No one is saying they are Brazil, but you have to credit their manager. Not only has he a limited budget he also faces the difficulty of attracting players to Wigan.

But most of all he has moulded together a good team who can all play a bit, without spending millions.

When did Bolton last beat Arsenal on their own patch? When did we last beat United? When were we last actually in a game with Chelsea?

Just admit it Largehat, Martinez is twice the manager Coyle is.

Martinez has put together a good team, they matched Arsenal pass for pass last night. That Moses bloke looks a steal, wish we had pace like that. It puts the panic buy that was David Ngog into context.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Just admit it Largehat, Martinez is twice the manager Coyle is.

If you can cast your mind back about 12-15 months, Coyle was getting similar plaudits to the ones Martinez is getting now. Fans of clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool were talking about taking him off us. He was the darling of the media.

Coyle and Martinez are both young managers of fairly average ability with room for development and a passion for their clubs. Neither should be judged on the basis of a few games, when you consider they have both been in management for several years.

What I would say about Martinez is that he far more consistent in his style of football he gets his team to play.
He is very much the same now as when he was at Swansea.
He has been in Management since February 2007 till now
Even after he left Swansea they seemed to carry on his style and dare I say it they still much the same even under different management.
If it aint broke dont fix it.
Unlike our lot who seem to make it as they go along.
I will wait for the tirade to follow

largehat wrote:

If you can cast your mind back about 12-15 months, Coyle was getting similar plaudits to the ones Martinez is getting now. Fans of clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool were talking about taking him off us. He was the darling of the media.

But we were beating the likes of Wolves and Villa, Wigan are playing at a higher level than that. Just accept it LH, right now Martinez is showing Coyle how it's done.

There won't be a tirade from me, except to say that Brendan Rodgers has rebuilt Swansea City from the ground up, and probably deserves the majority of the credit for where they are today, not Martinez.

trotter1948 wrote:What I would say about Martinez is that he far more consistent in his style of football he gets his team to play.
He is very much the same now as when he was at Swansea.
He has been in Management since February 2007 till now
Even after he left Swansea they seemed to carry on his style and dare I say it they still much the same even under different management.
If it aint broke dont fix it.
Unlike our lot who seem to make it as they go along.
I will wait for the tirade to follow

There's no tirade to follow, you are correct in what you say. We shouldn't forget the loyalty aspect either. Martinez was offered the Villa job last Summer, a massive club compared to Wigan with a few quid to spend. He stopped at Wigan. What a boost for the players and fans.

If Coyle was offered the Villa job tomorrow he'd jump this sinking ship quicker than you can say 'fanny'.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

largehat wrote:

If you can cast your mind back about 12-15 months, Coyle was getting similar plaudits to the ones Martinez is getting now. Fans of clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool were talking about taking him off us. He was the darling of the media.

But we were beating the likes of Wolves and Villa, Wigan are playing at a higher level than that. Just accept it LH, right now Martinez is showing Coyle how it's done.

I was talking about the media and the football community's attitude towards Coyle 12-15 months ago, not my own. Martinez is flavour of the month at the moment, but his track record as a whole is the important issue.

If you want me to "just accept" that Martinez is having a fantastic April, then that's obvious, so yes I accept that. Who was manager of the month in March, remind me?

largehat wrote:

If you want me to "just accept" that Martinez is having a fantastic April, then that's obvious, so yes I accept that. Who was manager of the month in March, remind me?

Coyle got the sympathy vote in March. I'd hardly call wins over Rovers, QPR & Wolves in the same league as winning at Arsenal.