Wigan Athletic v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[eastie]

Downing was involved a lot and far better than last year but he should have played bent in for a tap in rather than his lame shot at goal- we now have lots of options and players are interchanging - the future looks good!

I expect a fee changes on Saturday with maybe albrighton, heskey, walker, and either bannan or pires getting a game- things are bubbling nicely and a win on sat will keep it going- we have only 1 of the last 13 games against top 6 teams too.

[oldtimernow]

I think the criticism of Downing last night is justified, yes he did one or two good things but he is supposed to do that as one of our 'creative elite'.
It just shows how poor the few were earlier on in the season....they've picked up whilst he is now standing still or even returning to his last seasons form.
Is the plan to fill the midfield with bodies...if so they need to be able to tackle effectively something I'm afraid does not seem to be in his armoury.
I counted numerous times where he offloaded possession to Cuellar in tight positions close to the sideline rather than taking responsibility himself, that or he played the ball into a very sticky midfield area.
Playing on the right is not really the best use of him for me, he should be out left....but hang on Gabby is there and he's covering the left back which I don't think he would do as effectively(see above).
Some of our most effective play has come from him down the left working in tandem with Warnock but oh the problems that pairing caused at the back for us.Playing Gabby out left does address that but it means he's isolated out there and not available in the box.

[Bosco81]

Vital win and pleased for Gabby, it's great that Gerard pitches the youngsters in with the minimum of fuss.

Just need West Ham to draw/win tonight and all will be well in the world again.

[WarszaVillan]

Downing plays on the right because GH wants him more centrally involved. This means that he comes inside more onto his left foot. At the moment we're not playing out and out wingers apart from when Albrighton is on the pitch. Someone mentioned that Gabby is playing the Rooney role - I think that's a good description. He is certainly meant to be covering the left side of midfield when the opposition attack (no bad thing when we have no recognised left back). Once he'd scored he was coming more central, picking up the ball and running at defenders - hopefully a sign of things to come.

[richard moore]

The issue for me is not that Downing is a whipping boy or that he is poor or lazy etc. He has had a decent season for us so far and has, on the whole, been one of our better players. Damning with faint praise thought that is
 
My issue is when people on here describe him as 'excellent' and 'absolutely superb' because I just can't see that myself.

[Brend'Watkins]

A nervy win when it should have been sewn up after the 2nd goal.  We should have gone 4-4-2 then which would have allowed us to keep the ball better. 

[Edvard Remberg]

Watched the game past midnight on TV.

One point I saw was how Ashley seemed a much more mature player with the captains armbind. And also seemed proud of it. Great move by Hou - as this is the best I have seen Ash for a long time. After the game he was calling players to get over to applaud the away fans also. Also he tried to keep people calm. (and seen his interview on AVTV - where he had to mention that he captained the team, it showed that it mattered to him).

About Downing - he tried hard "in a linear" way. If the first move didn't go as planned, it was like he switched off. Like flat footed and not able to run onto a couple of balls, and not tracking back a few times. But an okey game.

Baker looked good. Good awareness...Hopes for him.

I missed Gabby's alleged push on Hou - but he didn't look a happybunny on AVTV interview, and he had became a father day before....maybe not all well.

Cuellar was great (all defence was) but he stood out. Loved some of his tecnique (yes - i never knew he had)

[WikiVilla]

Thought Downing did fine
He should have squared that ball to Bent though for a tap in

[PaulTheVillan]

Thought Downing did fine
He should have squared that ball to Bent though for a tap in

I thought Downing hung onto the ball a couple of times when he could have passed or crossed. Had a decent game, would prefer him on the left.

Very happy with the win. Wigan had a few moments & we were unlucky to concede. A clean sheet would have been great.

Baker looked good, better than Warnock would have been.

Dunne & Collins were good again.

I thought Makoun had a good debut, always looks for the first pass. Looks more lightweight than I thought but he'll settle in and be a good player.

NRC had a good game, got stuck in and his passing has improved.

Great for Gabby to score, he came alive a little more after he scored & nice to see him showing some fighting spirit.

Bent had a few half chances, Downing should have squared to him in the first half for a tap in.

Overall, happy with how 2011 has gone so far for us.

Let's go and beat Blackburn on Saturday and try and come away from Old Trafford with a respectable result and performance.

[pablopicasso_10]

we deserved that win, and man of the match for me was their keeper...

if he hadnt been on top form, then i think the floodgates would have opened...

thats not to say that we were brilliant, or wigan were poor, as they created chances for themselves too, but you can see their confidence is shot, and they make some silly mistakes at the back (although they did have players out i think)...

delighted to see young baker make his debut... hopefully, he is now back on the right path and can become a squad player... had high hopes for him, and hope he can become the player i thought he was when i first saw him...

thought we looked a stronger side when makoun was on the pitch... he didnt look out of place at all, and you can tell the difference between him and reo-coker instantly, in terms of their technical ability and their decision making... makouns passing was decisive, and smooth, whereas okey cokey dallies on the ball, and then rushes passes... we were poorer when makound went off and petrov came on, and wigan then took advantage of that...

their goal was a bit fortunate, but mccarthey (sp?) had a decent game and looks a good player... and after that, and the above, they got back into it in the last 10 mins or so...

bent had a good game... held up the ball well, got into good positions, etc...

bit confused as to why we had a left winger at right wing, and a striker at left wing though...

[Bosco81]

I like the 11 he picked, just not in the formation he played them.

Quite like McCarthy at Wigan, he was the guy from Hamilton I think, just come from a few months out.

Baker looked like he played well against N'Zogbia, it's more in home games that centre halves get exposed as full backs, defending wise they are usually okay, he does seem to have a turn of speed which we might be lacking at present at the back.

[PeterWithe]

I missed Gabby's alleged push on Hou, he had became a father the day before....

And the day before that, and twice last week.

[Bad English]

While you're being all prolific Legion, do you have the power to rekindle my Olof's Beard username too?  I lost my password.

I've done it for you.

You'll still need to log in with GF, though. You'll show as OB

I'm always logged in on my laptop so it doesn't matter.  And if anyone wants to nick my computer, post under my name and make me look stupid (by agreeing with Malcolm or what not), then they now know they can.

You're a wonderful man.  You even included my apostrophe, my apostrophe is very important to me, without it my chest hair falls out.

Thanks, Paulie.

I was about to post something about how easy it is to get your identity stolen. But the comment about chest hair is better proof than DNA that it is indeed Olof's Beard who has returned. Kill the fatted owl!

[Irreverent ad]

Went to the game last night. The support was excellent.

Again as I am sure has been posted Downing was disappointing. He always seems to take the time to think before tackling, this means that the Wigan player had already gone past him or passed to a team mate. This gives him the appearence of just making a 'token effort' when it comes to tackling.

I thought the spine of the team was excellent last night. However because Downing doesn't track back it heaped pressure on Cuellar who performed admirably. But if we play a better team the balence needs sorting. I can understand why Downing is on the right and Gabby left, as I presume it meant that they get closer to Bent and leave him less isolated but both Winger need to track back, which tbf Gabby did a bit more than Downing.

[Dave Cooper please]

Am I allowed to say that Downing was average?