Pope John XXIII
Vital Football Legend
Preamble- personal thoughts on the game and our opponents, skim or skip
Last season was disappointing in general. But perhaps the biggest disappointments were in watching who got promoted.
I could quite easily go a lot more seasons without having to play a horrible, dull club like Blackburn or the familiar earthy qualities of Rotherham (how many times have they been promoted to this division now? Four?).
But the one I really didn't want to see again was Wigan. What is the point of this club? A horrible town for which the 21st century is something that simply happened to other people; a town where football isn't even the main sport. They came from nothing, and I can't escape a sense that they are ignoring destiny by their refusal to go back to nothing.
Moreover, I really hate them because they have been dreadful in their last two seasons at this level, yet have been promoted both times. I just know (from past experience) that had we been relegated even unluckily (IE in 2017) there is no way we would have been back straight away, let alone twice. It's just not what forest do any more. We would have made it a long, drawn out, 3-5 year affair in league one if we returned at all and I'm sure Blades fans share my jealousy and annoyance that Wigan seem to find League one so bloody easy.
When there are decent clubs down there rotting, I really dislike having Wigan taking up an SBC place. Happy for Rotherham to have the 'small novelty club' badge that used to belong to Crewe, Scunny and Burton. But what are Wigan actually for?
Style of play
Wigan have so far played a 4-2-3-1 in a counter attacking style, though that might reflect more a specific tactic they used away at villa than how they intend to set up all season. Below is their team against villa and likely formation tomorrow:
https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/194/Show/England-Wigan
Their strengths so far have been in attacking down the wings quickly, putting in through balls and creating chances, as well as putting them away. Through Nick Powell they have been able to dominate the central midfield 'hole' behind the striker to some extent and he has been one of the division's outstanding players so far, with plenty of stories in the press waxing lyrical about his man Utd past
As passing teams go, they are pretty average while we are one of the better passers of the ball. The graphic below demonstrates (look at Bolton!!)
Wigan are a pretty gung ho attacking side. They have played three championship teams so far (one on the cup) and scored 6 and conceded 8.
Against Villa, Wigan managed 10 shots (3 on target) and scored two. At home to Wednesday, they managed 21 shots, with 10 on target and 3 goals. In contrast, against Reading we managed 12 shots with a paltry 3 on target and one goal. We managed 20 against West Brom but still only 5 were on target and one goal.
In other words, Wigan are as good at attacking and getting shots in as we are, but have been far more effective at hitting the target and converting those shots into goals.
However, while we have been relatively effective at the back (despite appearances), they are a disaster. Their best performance so far has been to concede two goals and they look a lot like we did under Montanier and Warburton at the back. This is often down to individual errors, which means we need to employ players who are best placed to force those errors.
They are bad at defending set pieces but for £30m we still haven't got anyone effective at taking them, although we might get to see Robinson's long throw if he plays.
How do we get at them then?
Two choices. We either go Karanka defensive, nullify their attacking play and try for the one or two goals on the counter. We have players who could do this. We should go with Robinson at left back for this.
Or we play Osborn and Byram at full back, play them at their own game and go for it. We do this in the hope we score more than they do; a risky strategy for a team hat isn't converting chances.
Players- attack
Will Grigg is still leading their line, having proved himself too good for L1 twice but not yet good enough for the Championship. In fairness, he has only had one crack at this division, scoring only 5 in 33 (in a relegation side). He managed 19 in L1 to go with the 25 he got their last time, but he isn't the exciting young striker he once was; now 27, he is hitting his prime and will need to show he can do it at this level. He hasn't yet, performing well but get to score. I really hope we are not the first to endure that tedious "Will Grigg's on fire" song.
His deputy is James Vaughan, who is still playing and still only 30. He is definately one who has never quite set things alight, playing (rarely) for Sunderland last year and scoring just twice. Whenever you see him he looks like a decent player, but his goal and appearance record says otherwise. Grigg will start with Vaughan coming on if he gets no joy or they need to tighten up.
Wigan though are all about Nick Powell in the No.10 position. They picked him up from Man Utd where he was a big prospect, after being loaned out a few times and they brought him him through in their last relegation season, where he played 21 games and scored six.
Last season he managed 15 goals and was pretty immense. He has scored 2 already this season along with two assists and an average rating of 8. Much of what they do goes through him and he is without doubt their key player.
This guy is one that AK will need to have marked out if the game. Stop Powell and you will give Wigan problems. I can imagine the conversation with Watson:
"Ben, your job is to stop this lad touching the ball. Any questions?"
Another to watch is Michael Jacobs, an attacking midfielder who can play on any side. He is 26, likes to get crosses in and is an excellent set piece taker. He scored 7 goals last season in L1 but only 3 in their last SBC season. However, he has two goals and two assists so far this season and is their highest rated player. This guy is on fire and needs handling.
For the other attacking position they will play either Gavin Massey or Callum McManaman. Massey is a 25 year old forward who they picked up from relegated Leyton Orient and who played a bit part last season (ten games).
McManaman obviously wowed the whole country in the FA cup final and has wowed no one since. Thing is, he wasn't a massive regular even when they won it and he has managed maybe 40 appearances since winning that cup. Most recently he has been unable to get into a relegated Sunderland side.
Players- defensive
Sam Morsy, a 25 year old midfielder heads the DCM positions. He was actually at the World Cup for Egypt, making a sub appearance. He's not one for the aerial game but his passing accuracy is PL standard (87%) and he is strong at putting it through balls. Callum Connelly is a young (20) DCM who is superb in the air, averaging 4 aerial duels won per game (higher than most defenders). He also likes a long shot and has a goal already.
Their two CBs are Cheyenne Dunkley and Cedric Kipre. I've never heard of them either. I won't bother with the Fullbacks as I don't know anything about them either.
Form
Wigan are a bit of a win-lose team. They beat Wednesday 3-2, lost at Villa 3-2, lost at Rotherham 3-1.
Our record against these is fairly recent, starting in 2004, and not great. We have won 3 and lost four, with the other 5 games being draws. We have never won at the DW Stadium, with our last two visits being a poor 0-0 draw and the 2-0 FA cup defeat where Lichaj took charge. We haven't scored in the last three at their plaxe. Our last win was the ridiculous 4-3 at home in the same season.
Karanka has never lost to these in three games though and they haven't beaten us in the league since a 4-1 embarrassment at the CG in 2014 that I can't even remember.
Official Vatican Prediction
Typically, Infogol are backing a Wigan win, with a 39% chance of them.winning compared to a reasonable 32% for us.
Word from the heavens is that we will lose this one comfortably, with a late consolation for us.
Weather
Cloudy, with sunny spells. 21°c that feels more like 19 and a light wind
Inspirational picture
This guy is a legend for them, having scored the winning goal in the FA cup final. He also happens to be our captain.
If they can do that, surely a bit of success can come our way for a bit? Maybe?
Last season was disappointing in general. But perhaps the biggest disappointments were in watching who got promoted.
I could quite easily go a lot more seasons without having to play a horrible, dull club like Blackburn or the familiar earthy qualities of Rotherham (how many times have they been promoted to this division now? Four?).
But the one I really didn't want to see again was Wigan. What is the point of this club? A horrible town for which the 21st century is something that simply happened to other people; a town where football isn't even the main sport. They came from nothing, and I can't escape a sense that they are ignoring destiny by their refusal to go back to nothing.
Moreover, I really hate them because they have been dreadful in their last two seasons at this level, yet have been promoted both times. I just know (from past experience) that had we been relegated even unluckily (IE in 2017) there is no way we would have been back straight away, let alone twice. It's just not what forest do any more. We would have made it a long, drawn out, 3-5 year affair in league one if we returned at all and I'm sure Blades fans share my jealousy and annoyance that Wigan seem to find League one so bloody easy.
When there are decent clubs down there rotting, I really dislike having Wigan taking up an SBC place. Happy for Rotherham to have the 'small novelty club' badge that used to belong to Crewe, Scunny and Burton. But what are Wigan actually for?
Style of play
Wigan have so far played a 4-2-3-1 in a counter attacking style, though that might reflect more a specific tactic they used away at villa than how they intend to set up all season. Below is their team against villa and likely formation tomorrow:
https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/194/Show/England-Wigan
Their strengths so far have been in attacking down the wings quickly, putting in through balls and creating chances, as well as putting them away. Through Nick Powell they have been able to dominate the central midfield 'hole' behind the striker to some extent and he has been one of the division's outstanding players so far, with plenty of stories in the press waxing lyrical about his man Utd past
As passing teams go, they are pretty average while we are one of the better passers of the ball. The graphic below demonstrates (look at Bolton!!)
Wigan are a pretty gung ho attacking side. They have played three championship teams so far (one on the cup) and scored 6 and conceded 8.
Against Villa, Wigan managed 10 shots (3 on target) and scored two. At home to Wednesday, they managed 21 shots, with 10 on target and 3 goals. In contrast, against Reading we managed 12 shots with a paltry 3 on target and one goal. We managed 20 against West Brom but still only 5 were on target and one goal.
In other words, Wigan are as good at attacking and getting shots in as we are, but have been far more effective at hitting the target and converting those shots into goals.
However, while we have been relatively effective at the back (despite appearances), they are a disaster. Their best performance so far has been to concede two goals and they look a lot like we did under Montanier and Warburton at the back. This is often down to individual errors, which means we need to employ players who are best placed to force those errors.
They are bad at defending set pieces but for £30m we still haven't got anyone effective at taking them, although we might get to see Robinson's long throw if he plays.
How do we get at them then?
Two choices. We either go Karanka defensive, nullify their attacking play and try for the one or two goals on the counter. We have players who could do this. We should go with Robinson at left back for this.
Or we play Osborn and Byram at full back, play them at their own game and go for it. We do this in the hope we score more than they do; a risky strategy for a team hat isn't converting chances.
Players- attack
Will Grigg is still leading their line, having proved himself too good for L1 twice but not yet good enough for the Championship. In fairness, he has only had one crack at this division, scoring only 5 in 33 (in a relegation side). He managed 19 in L1 to go with the 25 he got their last time, but he isn't the exciting young striker he once was; now 27, he is hitting his prime and will need to show he can do it at this level. He hasn't yet, performing well but get to score. I really hope we are not the first to endure that tedious "Will Grigg's on fire" song.
His deputy is James Vaughan, who is still playing and still only 30. He is definately one who has never quite set things alight, playing (rarely) for Sunderland last year and scoring just twice. Whenever you see him he looks like a decent player, but his goal and appearance record says otherwise. Grigg will start with Vaughan coming on if he gets no joy or they need to tighten up.
Wigan though are all about Nick Powell in the No.10 position. They picked him up from Man Utd where he was a big prospect, after being loaned out a few times and they brought him him through in their last relegation season, where he played 21 games and scored six.
Last season he managed 15 goals and was pretty immense. He has scored 2 already this season along with two assists and an average rating of 8. Much of what they do goes through him and he is without doubt their key player.
This guy is one that AK will need to have marked out if the game. Stop Powell and you will give Wigan problems. I can imagine the conversation with Watson:
"Ben, your job is to stop this lad touching the ball. Any questions?"
Another to watch is Michael Jacobs, an attacking midfielder who can play on any side. He is 26, likes to get crosses in and is an excellent set piece taker. He scored 7 goals last season in L1 but only 3 in their last SBC season. However, he has two goals and two assists so far this season and is their highest rated player. This guy is on fire and needs handling.
For the other attacking position they will play either Gavin Massey or Callum McManaman. Massey is a 25 year old forward who they picked up from relegated Leyton Orient and who played a bit part last season (ten games).
McManaman obviously wowed the whole country in the FA cup final and has wowed no one since. Thing is, he wasn't a massive regular even when they won it and he has managed maybe 40 appearances since winning that cup. Most recently he has been unable to get into a relegated Sunderland side.
Players- defensive
Sam Morsy, a 25 year old midfielder heads the DCM positions. He was actually at the World Cup for Egypt, making a sub appearance. He's not one for the aerial game but his passing accuracy is PL standard (87%) and he is strong at putting it through balls. Callum Connelly is a young (20) DCM who is superb in the air, averaging 4 aerial duels won per game (higher than most defenders). He also likes a long shot and has a goal already.
Their two CBs are Cheyenne Dunkley and Cedric Kipre. I've never heard of them either. I won't bother with the Fullbacks as I don't know anything about them either.
Form
Wigan are a bit of a win-lose team. They beat Wednesday 3-2, lost at Villa 3-2, lost at Rotherham 3-1.
Our record against these is fairly recent, starting in 2004, and not great. We have won 3 and lost four, with the other 5 games being draws. We have never won at the DW Stadium, with our last two visits being a poor 0-0 draw and the 2-0 FA cup defeat where Lichaj took charge. We haven't scored in the last three at their plaxe. Our last win was the ridiculous 4-3 at home in the same season.
Karanka has never lost to these in three games though and they haven't beaten us in the league since a 4-1 embarrassment at the CG in 2014 that I can't even remember.
Official Vatican Prediction
Typically, Infogol are backing a Wigan win, with a 39% chance of them.winning compared to a reasonable 32% for us.
Word from the heavens is that we will lose this one comfortably, with a late consolation for us.
Weather
Cloudy, with sunny spells. 21°c that feels more like 19 and a light wind
Inspirational picture
This guy is a legend for them, having scored the winning goal in the FA cup final. He also happens to be our captain.
If they can do that, surely a bit of success can come our way for a bit? Maybe?
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