Wigan Athletic v Hull City (H) | Vital Football

Wigan Athletic v Hull City (H)

wafcharvey

wafcharvey

Vital Youth Team
The first game of the season under the lights at the DW after losing last time out against a strong Brentford side. There seems to have been a bit of negativity in the last few days on this forum but a chance to get back on track tonight. The way I'm looking at things, if we were offered this position at this stage before the season started we would have jumped at the chance.

Tonight we face Hull City, who haven't won away at Wigan in the league since 1996.

Without knowing the outcome of the Morsy appeal, this is the line-up I'm hoping for tonight.

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Walton

Byrne
Dunkley
Kipre
Robinson

Gibson
Evans

McManaman
Powell
Jacobs

Grigg
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I don't think that the players dropped have done anything wrong, I just think a bit of a freshen up from Saturday is needed, especially with another home fixture on Friday.

Expecting goals - 3-2 Wigan.
 
I doubt mcmanaman will play from the start, perhaps off the bench if needed. Jacobs one side and Windass the other with Grigg up front. I'd like to see Garner introduced to see what he can do as and when Grigg goes off. If we're needing a goal then partnered with Vaughan.

Connolly or Gibson I think will be the difficult call for Cook if Morsy is absent.

I'm not sure Hull will be as negative as say Rotherham so hopefully another good game with an approach akin to our first two home fixtures. Regardless I'll be happy with a win no matter how it comes.
 
I think a freshen up on the flanks for sure and get powell on the ball more ,
Grigg will start and i think Gibson will get the nod he can control it in the middle
I am expecting the points tonight .. looking forward to it ..
 
I don't think McManaman will start either. I think it will be Jacobs and Windass either side of Powell.

I can also see Garner replacing Grigg if he goes off. As has been said elsewhere the start of phasing Vaughn out off the team.

I think Gibson will start in Morsys place depending on any appeal. With Connolly possibly replacing Robinson if Cook thinks he needs a rest.
 
Add me to the McManaman won’t start belief list. Not that I don’t want him to, I just don’t think Cook fancies him. It’ll either be Jacobs and Windass or Jacobs/Windass and Byrne. I can see Cook giving Byrne a go there with Massey out long term in an attempt to build a partnership between him and James. It’s the only way Byrne can get in the team long term as he’s not as strong at RB without Massey and James is simply too good to be dropped.
 
I think Grigg, Gibson and Jacobs will come in with Vaughan, Morsy and Connolly dropping out.

I think McMannaman can arguably be a more effective weapon as a sub - my gripe is we haven't used him as that as much as we could've.

I think tonight will be a very telling game for how both us and Hull will get on in the coming weeks. Hull will know a win tonight turns there bad start to the season into a ok one and drags them clear of the relegation battle they previously looked destined for as they jump us, while as loss tonight turns out strong start to the season into a mediocre one and drags us towards the relegation scrappers that we are hoping to avoid. So i don't think Hull will be that negative, they will see this as a winnable game and think they wont be as open as Forest and Sheffield Wed, but will come out and play a lot more than Forest.

Alternatively a win for us solidifies that we are the real deal and keeps Hull and the other early season strugglers at arms length. This is exactly the type of game we HAVE to win, i felt against Brentford we were too worried about what they could do to us, we need to not show any fear and make ure we play our best stuff and take the game to Hull.

Hull have lost a lot of players in recent years but still have a decent team with some goals in it. Jackson Irvine arriving late from midfield will be a big threat as will Bowen and their loanee Chris Martin is a player i always wanted us to sign / hated to play against. If Martin is on song he will give Kipre and Dunkley as good a battle as they are likely to get at this level.

I think this will be another tough one, and it may not quite be end to end but i think both sides will be looking for the 3 points. After Brentford we need to get right back on the horse and derailing any momentum and confidence Hull built at the weekend would be a perfect response - but as always with Latics we don't do anything the easy way.
 
King, I wouldn't say we have to win it as we're not adrift or struggling to win at this level. I do get the reasoning that hull are a direct competitor this season so a win would perhaps mean more than just the 3 points. I said 4 points from these 3 games would be a good return, if that comes with a draw and then a win against BC then I'll be satisfied with that. If we can get back to playing like we have already shown in the earlier games then even better.
 
Should be a good game tonight, Hull will be boosted by their win, whilst we should be determined to bounce back from a disappointing show on Saturday! 3-1 going on the coupon!! ?
 
Made in Wigan said:
King, I wouldn't say we have to win it as we're not adrift or struggling to win at this level. I do get the reasoning that hull are a direct competitor this season so a win would perhaps mean more than just the 3 points. I said 4 points from these 3 games would be a good return, if that comes with a draw and then a win against BC then I'll be satisfied with that. If we can get back to playing like we have already shown in the earlier games then even better.
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Of course we could lose tonight and then win every game in the rest of the season and it not matter, it's not a point of no return situation by any means but generally there are a lot of really hard games this season and this would be one of 'home bankers' you really need to pick points up in if you want to have a good season if you want to avoid the relegation battle.

But for the overall psychology and confidence of both sides tonight could be a crucial game that sets a tone for the rest of the next bank of games.

We win and it get's us back on track and puts Hull right back into the mess they started to crawl out of, the Brentford game dismissed as a blip and confidence runs high. We lose and Hull who had a terrible start and they suddenly jump us, they feel on a roll and we maybe doubt starts to creep and the confidence takes a hit. Then a bit of bad luck and you could end up on a string of loses.

I think this is a big game tonight more psychologically then it is points wise. Really could do with a win, we've had a good start but this is the type of test that will show how much of the real deal we can be at this level.
 
Fair point about the psychology King. I thought they were particularly poor and will be in a relegation battle. It was an important three points, particularly after that poor goal we conceded which allowed them back into the game. No doubt two seasons ago we wouldn't have won that, I think our good start to the season took aware any nervousness we may have felt at 2-1.
 
Awreet that, weren't it.

Reckon that ref was related to Kent Walton...... with him being a grapple fan like.

James is going to be a tremendous player.

Oh, and if I wasn't already happily joined in holy matrimony, I'd marry Nick Powell tomorrow.
 
As mentioned above. Tonight’s match and the one against Rotherham where important for the mentality and confidence of the team. The points are very welcome but it’s!also about the standards and tone we set for the rest of the campaign.
 
moonay said:
Awreet that, weren't it.

Reckon that ref was related to Kent Walton...... with him being a grapple fan like.

James is going to be a tremendous player.

Oh, and if I wasn't already happily joined in holy matrimony, I'd marry Nick Powell tomorrow.
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I bet Mrs Moonay is unsure whether to be pleased you're still happily married to her or that you wanna marry a bloke. Either way no doubting Powell is absolute class for us.

Same goes for James, difficult to believe the lad is only 18. Big future ahead for him I think, at both a high end club and indeed international level.
 
Some tough games this season , just watched Leeds highlights they look a class act so all points are grateful when we can grab them .
I think we look ok for a mid table finish which i would be over the moon with ..
I think we do need another good centre half though with pace looked a bit shakey through the middle last night , a quick centre forward will have a field day ..
All in all a good night and could of been 4 or 5 ..
 
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