Wigan(a) game thread

[LFC 6 Times]

After an uplifting, great performance against the rentboys, it is now back to reality a grim, long battle is to be expected at the DW. Our last two results there have been quite costly and depressing, Wigan may be developing into a bit of a bogey team. So it is very important that we go there with our strongest line up and go at them from the off as Chelsea and Blackpool have already done to some success this season. A win is impertif for momentum as these were the type of stumbling blocks we hit last season. I'm predicting a hard fought 2-0, 2-1 win for us, here's hoping.

[Wor Horse]

After an uplifting, great performance against the rentboys, it is now back to reality a grim, long battle is to be expected at the DW. Our last two results there have been quite costly and depressing, Wigan may be developing into a bit of a bogey team. So it is very important that we go there with our strongest line up and go at them from the off as Chelsea and Blackpool have already done to some success this season. A win is impertif for momentum as these were the type of stumbling blocks we hit last season. I'm predicting a hard fought 2-0, 2-1 win for us, here's hoping.

 

Really?

[Guest PurpleNose]

I think the game will be anything but a grim battle.

 

Wigan try to play decent football. Which should allow us to as well.

[LFC 6 Times]

Really?

 

Have you seen us there last two seasons and generally away from home for last 15 months?

[Pidge]

It's not going to be easy. Despite them never really being a whole or functional team they have a few handy players (Rodellega and N'Zogbia) and some good youngsters (Moses and that Scot kid whose name escapes me) so they can't be written off. Still, I'm hoping to see us go in strong get Nando a couple more before giving Jay, Jonjo and David a good run out. Kelly to start of course.

[stevienando]

Sup mypost.

[WaltonRed]

It's not going to be easy. Despite them never really being a whole or functional team they have a few handy players (Rodellega and N'Zogbia) and some good youngsters (Moses and that Scot kid whose name escapes me) so they can't be written off. Still, I'm hoping to see us go in strong get Nando a couple more before giving Jay, Jonjo and David a good run out. Kelly to start of course.

 

McCarthy (the Scot kid) is out for months.

 

I'd play the same team which beat Chelsea, dont fuck with the winning formula.

[G Richards]

If we approach the game with anything like the intensity of the Chelsea game I will be astonished if we come away with anything other than three points.

 

Still, if this season has shown anything, it has been how low we can go if we aren't up for it. Hopefully we've turned a corner and will put in the requisite display to bag all three points and keep momentum building.

[paddyberger15]

We need to be approaching this game with 3 points in mind, not a triumph of hope over expectation. Boring them to death and trying to scruff a win late on shouldn't be our default position away from home. Start with the best line up, with players in their best position, take control of the middle and get service to Torres. We should be good enough to win this.

There is little point in going out and hunting Chelsea, putting in a dynamic performance and getting some confidence back, if we are then going to be all timid and patchy again vs Wigan. I'm no advocating gung~ho, but the right mindset and formation from the off would be an advantage. Even if Cole is fit, keep him as a 2nd half gamebreaker if needs be when things might be a bit more stretched.

 

I'd start with

 

Reina

 

Kelly

Carragher

Skrtel

Konchesky

 

Lucas

Meireles

 

Kuyt

Gerrard

Jovanovic

 

Torres

[Trucker Paddy]

Same team as Sunday and hopefully same approach. Last years performance there was shocking

[llego]

We need to be approaching this game with 3 points in mind, not a triumph of hope over expectation. Boring them to death and trying to scruff a win late on shouldn't be our default position away from home. Start with the best line up, with players in their best position, take control of the middle and get service to Torres. We should be good enough to win this.

There is little point in going out and hunting Chelsea, putting in a dynamic performance and getting some confidence back, if we are then going to be all timid and patchy again vs Wigan. I'm no advocating gung~ho, but the right mindset and formation from the off would be an advantage. Even if Cole is fit, keep him as a 2nd half gamebreaker if needs be when things might be a bit more stretched.

 

I'd start with

 

Reina

 

Kelly

Carragher

Skrtel

Konchesky

 

Lucas

Meireles

 

Kuyt

Gerrard

Jovanovic

 

Torres

 

That would be ace.

[Kurt]

We need to be approaching this game with 3 points in mind, not a triumph of hope over expectation. Boring them to death and trying to scruff a win late on shouldn't be our default position away from home. Start with the best line up, with players in their best position, take control of the middle and get service to Torres. We should be good enough to win this.

There is little point in going out and hunting Chelsea, putting in a dynamic performance and getting some confidence back, if we are then going to be all timid and patchy again vs Wigan. I'm no advocating gung~ho, but the right mindset and formation from the off would be an advantage. Even if Cole is fit, keep him as a 2nd half gamebreaker if needs be when things might be a bit more stretched.

 

I'd start with

 

Reina

 

Kelly

Carragher

Skrtel

Konchesky

 

Lucas

Meireles

 

Kuyt

Gerrard

Jovanovic

 

Torres

 

Swap Jovanovic with Maxi and i`d agree. And if Johnson is fit, I would play him right and Kelly left instead of Konchesky as well.

[23_Carra_Gold]

We need to be approaching this game with 3 points in mind, not a triumph of hope over expectation. Boring them to death and trying to scruff a win late on shouldn't be our default position away from home. Start with the best line up, with players in their best position, take control of the middle and get service to Torres. We should be good enough to win this.

There is little point in going out and hunting Chelsea, putting in a dynamic performance and getting some confidence back, if we are then going to be all timid and patchy again vs Wigan. I'm no advocating gung~ho, but the right mindset and formation from the off would be an advantage. Even if Cole is fit, keep him as a 2nd half gamebreaker if needs be when things might be a bit more stretched.

 

I'd start with

 

Reina

 

Kelly

Carragher

Skrtel

Konchesky

 

Lucas

Meireles

 

Kuyt

Gerrard

Jovanovic

 

Torres

 

I'd play Maxi ahead of Jova.

 

I'd also bring Johnno on out right and throw Kuyt up top if it wasn't working

[paddyberger15]

Swap Jovanovic with Maxi and i`d agree. And if Johnson is fit, I would play him right and Kelly left instead of Konchesky as well.

 

Kurt, while I don't rate Konchesky much as a player, he is at least a natural left back, and I'd much prefer to see people play in their best and strongest positions. While I think Maxi is the better player than Milan, I think Jova is better suited to the role on the left of 3 and certainly away from home. For me, Maxi is better suited to the right of 3 if he is going to play to the best of his abilities.

For now, I'll not criticise Roy anymore if he just plays the best team possible with players in their favoured and best positions.

When you see something isn't working, the best you can ask of a manager short term is to realise it isn't working and do something about it. For now Konchesky is the best we have at LB, so play him there and in away games I think Milan offers more protection than Maxi and looks more natural in that left hand side role.

Without the ball it becomes a solid 4-5-1, with Kuyt and Jova harrying and trying to win possession back further up the field, and with the ball it could be a fluid 4-3-3.

Obviously this all fucks up when we go 1-0 down and start hoofing it like.

[Kurt]

Kurt, while I don't rate Konchesky much as a player, he is at least a natural left back, and I'd much prefer to see people play in their best and strongest positions. While I think Maxi is the better player than Milan, I think Jova is better suited to the role on the left of 3 and certainly away from home. For me, Maxi is better suited to the right of 3 if he is going to play to the best of his abilities.

For now, I'll not criticise Roy anymore if he just plays the best team possible with players in their favoured and best positions.

When you see something isn't working, the best you can ask of a manager short term is to realise it isn't working and do something about it. For now Konchesky is the best we have at LB, so play him there and in away games I think Milan offers more protection than Maxi and looks more natural in that left hand side role.

Without the ball it becomes a solid 4-5-1, with Kuyt and Jova harrying and trying to win possession back further up the field, and with the ball it could be a fluid 4-3-3.

Obviously this all fucks up when we go 1-0 down and start hoofing it like.

 

Well... You are wrong.

 

Seriously though, I see what you mean. But I dont agree. Maxi is a much better footballer than Jovanovic, his ability to keep possession, his link up with other attacking players are superiour to that of Jovanovic, as proved over the last 3 matches. He just dont deserved to be dropped. Our attacking play is more fluid with Maxi there.

 

Konchesky may be the best natural leftback at the club with Aurelio constantly out, but he is still a liability. I agree that he put in a decent performance against Chelsea, but even then he made som dubious decisions. Take a look at his defending just before Drogba crossed for the big Malouda chance as an example. Kelly may not be a natural left back, but he is a better defender, and like Carra he can play across the back 4. He is the future, I would rather let him gain experience and continue to develop, especially when he is just as good as Konchesky.

 

Im pretty sure Roy will choose experience and go for Konchesky, and it`s nothing to get knickers in a twist over either way, but I would prefer kelly.

[Guest PurpleNose]

Who is Wigan's regular right back?

[Trumo]

Mario Melchiot I think.

[Guest PurpleNose]

Mario Melchiot I think.

 

Getting on a bit isn't he?

 

If Jovanovic can do him for pace I'd probably pick him over Maxi for this one.

[Guest LFD]

If we play like we did in the first half on Sunday, we will win and well.

 

If we play like the second half - it will be a struggle.

 

Away from home we have to keep the ball better if we are going to improve.

[PaulMcC]

I think we'll win if we press them and don't sit back.

[Randy Marsh]

Vital we win this fixture.

[JMARKH]

Anyone think this game will be a sell out? I'm going to go in the Wigan end if they still have tickets on the day

[Creator Supreme]

Melchiot isn't there anymore chaps, he's out in the middle east I think.

 

I think Ronnie Stam played there against Blackburn, but don't quote me.

[Guest LFD]

I think we'll win if we press them and don't sit back.

 

I think we are going to have to get used to the fact when we don't have the ball under Hodgson - we will sit back, be organised and very disciplined.

 

Even against Chelsea on Sunday, when we didn't have possession we got back into our half, kept our shape and didn't press them under they entered our half. We allowed their centre backs to have the ball - this has been our approach all season.

 

This is fine, as long as we keep possession when we have it and then move up the pitch. We did this well in the first half. However it is a problem when we don't keep the ball, as we found in the second half. This is even more of an issue when players like Maxi and Meireles on the flanks, aren't really counter attacking players to support Torres quickly on the break.

 

The key for me is us keeping the ball. Then we will push up.

[PaulMcC]

Anyone think this game will be a sell out? I'm going to go in the Wigan end if they still have tickets on the day

 

You can't buy tickets in the home end on the day unless you've bought tickets before i think. Or have a Wigan address.