Where do I start? This is a game that we've known for a while we shouldn't lose. Wigan are one of the most inconsistent teams in the Premier League & have been for a couple of years. This year, they look like relegation fodder. Though they've gone and beat us 2-0, whilst playing worse than they did in the corresponding fixture last year - which we won 1-0 courtesy of an Andy Keogh header. Andy Keogh, a player we've sent out on loan, then brought in the fabulous Marcus Bent - whom we bring off the bench like he's our saviour. Personally, I'd prefer Keogh. Bent was ineffective, and probably always will be. Not that he wasn't a decent player at one point...but not now. But I'm rambling. Let's go back to the beginning of the match.
Wolves started brightly enough, Wigan looking suitably rattled as we got the game under way with some decent passing. Then, for an inexplicable reason, 11 minutes in Karl Henry - yes, the same Karl Henry, influential captain who has been under the cosh of late for his tough tackling displays - takes out Wigan's Jordi Gomez after the ball has gone. Why? The official explanation is that it was just a mis-timed tackle. Maybe it was, though as well as every fan of every other club in the Premiership, some Wolves fans are starting to question the motives of their captain. The tackle was not the worst in the world, but on another day it could have seen Gomez stretchered off with a broken ankle. Gomez experienced near flight on his way back down. We all know Karl likes to put himself about on the pitch - he's said so himself, and fair enough. Every club needs a tough tackling midfielder. But the problem from a Wolves point of view, is, with Henry's sending off, we had to play the majority of a match - one that we ought to have had a good chance of winning - with just 10 men. Our bright start went down the pan, and the match turned into a scrappy affair. It serves to show how bad Wigan are - they didn't take advantage of their extra man all first half.
Come the second half - Wigan came out all guns blazing. Still, thanks to Marcus Hahnemann's hard work in goal, it took an excellent free kick from - you guess it, Jordi Gomez, to break the deadlock. Wolves never looked like scoring - we didn't register even one shot on target all match - compared to Wigan's seventeen. A better team than Wigan would have hammered us. On 85 minutes, Hugo Rodallega scored to wrap it up for Wigan, as Christophe Berra's sliding attempted clearance came off him and ended up in the back of net.
This was one of the most inept performances from Wolves in recent times. People are right when they say something needs changing. Though things may have been different if Karl Henry had kept his composure.
Wolves started brightly enough, Wigan looking suitably rattled as we got the game under way with some decent passing. Then, for an inexplicable reason, 11 minutes in Karl Henry - yes, the same Karl Henry, influential captain who has been under the cosh of late for his tough tackling displays - takes out Wigan's Jordi Gomez after the ball has gone. Why? The official explanation is that it was just a mis-timed tackle. Maybe it was, though as well as every fan of every other club in the Premiership, some Wolves fans are starting to question the motives of their captain. The tackle was not the worst in the world, but on another day it could have seen Gomez stretchered off with a broken ankle. Gomez experienced near flight on his way back down. We all know Karl likes to put himself about on the pitch - he's said so himself, and fair enough. Every club needs a tough tackling midfielder. But the problem from a Wolves point of view, is, with Henry's sending off, we had to play the majority of a match - one that we ought to have had a good chance of winning - with just 10 men. Our bright start went down the pan, and the match turned into a scrappy affair. It serves to show how bad Wigan are - they didn't take advantage of their extra man all first half.
Come the second half - Wigan came out all guns blazing. Still, thanks to Marcus Hahnemann's hard work in goal, it took an excellent free kick from - you guess it, Jordi Gomez, to break the deadlock. Wolves never looked like scoring - we didn't register even one shot on target all match - compared to Wigan's seventeen. A better team than Wigan would have hammered us. On 85 minutes, Hugo Rodallega scored to wrap it up for Wigan, as Christophe Berra's sliding attempted clearance came off him and ended up in the back of net.
This was one of the most inept performances from Wolves in recent times. People are right when they say something needs changing. Though things may have been different if Karl Henry had kept his composure.
Neil 'Nes' Hodgkiss
LINE-UPS
WIGAN (4-4-2): Al Habsi; Boyce, Gohouri, Alcaraz, Figueroa (Stam 60); McCarthy, Thomas (Diame 74), Gomez, N'Zogbia; Di Santo (Watson 85), Rodallega.
WOLVES (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Foley, Craddock, Berra, Ward (Ebanks-Blake 82); Edwards (Bent 82), Henry, Mancienne, Jarvis; Doyle, Fletcher (Elokobi 52). Sent off: Henry (11)
LINE-UPS
WIGAN (4-4-2): Al Habsi; Boyce, Gohouri, Alcaraz, Figueroa (Stam 60); McCarthy, Thomas (Diame 74), Gomez, N'Zogbia; Di Santo (Watson 85), Rodallega.
WOLVES (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Foley, Craddock, Berra, Ward (Ebanks-Blake 82); Edwards (Bent 82), Henry, Mancienne, Jarvis; Doyle, Fletcher (Elokobi 52). Sent off: Henry (11)
