These new owner might say they are not bothered about league 2. But I’m sure they will be. If we don’t get out at the first time of asking.
No matter what any one says. A stay longer than one season in league 2 will be a disaster.
Only difference today was a goal threat...im not going to be too harsh on them because we more than matched a play off certainty. Its the final 3rd that will undue us but let's not throw um all out because the back 4 are showing some ability bringing the ball out.
Can I also add that if ( big if ) we had a reliable goalscoring centre forward we would be comfortably out of the bottom 4.
It's not all gloom it's just the end product missing.
You are right Hindley, for the first 45 we were comfortable playing the ball out from the back and both Ojo and Evans were influencing the game.
The problems came when they scored !!
Once ahead they switched to five across the middle and stifled our play, so our back four then lost the out ball to midfield and went long, Evans in particular had no influence in the second half and we struggled to break them down.
We are desperately missing a wide right player and, although he is much maligned, we looked a more balanced side with Massey on the wing. Callum Lang is wasted playing out wide and his goals have dried up since he started playing there. He needs to be more central and running the channels turning CB's and playing to his strengths. I would try Gardner out there for a game or two, I know it's not his preferred side but I am sure he could do it and that would free Lang up to get back to what he is good at.
I tend to agree Hindley, although I'd take it a step further and say if we just had a bit more composure in front of goal we'd be OK, but the current players are snatching at chances and making poor decisions. Such is life at the wrong end of the table, if we were near the top end with confidence flying high and minimal pressure Proctor sticks that miss against Gillingham away every time and Evans hits the target instead of the corner flag from outside the box every time.
I genuinely think that the players desperately want to get us out of this after everything that has gone on and unfortunately they are "trying too hard" and it's affecting the quality.
You are right Hindley, for the first 45 we were comfortable playing the ball out from the back and both Ojo and Evans were influencing the game.
The problems came when they scored !!
Once ahead they switched to five across the middle and stifled our play, so our back four then lost the out ball to midfield and went long, Evans in particular had no influence in the second half and we struggled to break them down.
We are desperately missing a wide right player and, although he is much maligned, we looked a more balanced side with Massey on the wing. Callum Lang is wasted playing out wide and his goals have dried up since he started playing there. He needs to be more central and running the channels turning CB's and playing to his strengths. I would try Gardner out there for a game or two, I know it's not his preferred side but I am sure he could do it and that would free Lang up to get back to what he is good at.
Can I also add that if ( big if ) we had a reliable goalscoring centre forward we would be comfortably out of the bottom 4.
It's not all gloom it's just the end product missing.
You can't coach that snatching at chances out though Arthur. It is what it is.
I really, really can't get worked up about today's loss. Not too long ago, it was more than possible that we were going to be playing as a Phoenix club in the National League ... or even NW Counties !!!
For me, the question is "were they trying?", and the answer (maybe apart from Evans's "chase" for their goal) was obviously, yes. However, there was no improvement in the quality of the shooting, and that's what's pissing us all off.
In January, Richardson and Rioch had an impossible job - entice players to come to Wigan, on a contract till the summer, with very possibly, no chance of a further one. They did their best, and we got who we got ... numbers being just as important as quality, given the rate we were losing people to injury.
On reflection, it may well have been better to stick with more of the kids, though that would have been a massive gamble.
But, as the saying goes, we are where we are, and for me, that's a far better place than I was hoping for much of February. The new management team don't sound despondent about the likelihood of League 2, so why should we?
Exactly. They just aren't good enough players, it's as simple as that. We can overanalyse all we want as fans, but the fact is that Pep Guardiola wouldn't keep this group of players in the league. They are simply not good enough, which is why they ended up playing for us in the first place whist we were in admin, because no one else at this level wanted them.You can't coach that snatching at chances out though Arthur. It is what it is.
Or even if we'd have had Lang for the whole season ... or hadn't lost Joseph for the biggest part of it.
Exactly. They just aren't good enough players, it's as simple as that. We can overanalyse all we want as fans, but the fact is that Pep Guardiola wouldn't keep this group of players in the league. They are simply not good enough, which is why they ended up playing for us in the first place whist we were in admin, because no one else at this level wanted them.
Nail, head.
Our season has been successful, we’ve been saved from oblivion. We shouldn’t lose sight of that.