For eighty minutes this game looked as if it was going to be just what Blaster Bill ordered. One where we could forget the whingeing, backbiting and in-fighting and focus on a different enemy, an actual enemy and jabber long into the night about the ifs, buts and maybes. It’s not often that you get to thank someone like Alan Wiley, but I was all ready to give him a pat on the back for giving us a game settled by an offside goal scored by someone who was lucky to be on the pitch.
The “rugby men” who left on 80 minutes (well it’s either that or their used to junior football, they’ve no stamina) got that but for those that stayed we got yet another two goal volley from someone who hadn’t so far scored in the Premier League. Pavlyuchenko’s brace flattered Spurs after this hard fought game but gave the boo boys all the excuse they needed to get their beef on and their embolisms out.
The irony of that is that Latics had done alright for the large part of the game. McCarthy, Thomas and Diame standing up well to Huddlestone, Bentley and erm, whassisname; Moreno, N’Zogbia and Rodallega being nuisances (without actually causing the Spurs defence too much bother) and the back-four largely handling England’s fourth choice strike force without too much panic.
Not that Latics were ever going to win against a classier, quicker and more experienced Tottenham side, not unless they had a couple of men sent off that is. The thing is that they could and maybe should have. Defoe’s attempt at revenge (followed by his pettiness at a free kick, if you were going to be kind and give him a yellow), Bale’s long distance lunge and Huddlestone’s double misdemeanour on a different day would all have seen red.
By “on another day”, I guess I can’t get past the thought that if it had been Rodallega, Figueroa or Diame they would have but, what I really mean is that if we’d had a referee with any guts then things could have been different. Alan Wiley started to lose respect in the early stages when, out of position, he over ruled his assistant to turn a Latics corner into a goal kick and lost control round about the time that Defoe’s “tackle” on Caldwell lead to a throw in.
A booking there might have lead to a different game but what we got instead was a roll about in the mud with a Spurs side desperate to prove themselves anything but a soft touch and a referee incapable of handling it. I would imagine that he was just as bad for Spurs, but I didn’t see it and for, possibly the first time this season, I’m minded to agree with Steve Bruce and his bigger clubs get “better” referees type comments.
And where does that get us? Well I’d hope it leaves us with the seed of a siege mentality, the start of a chorus of “everyone hates us…”, a realisation that we’re still not welcome at this party. But the two late goals changed that, and from the people sat around me I’m guessing we get another week of 4-4-2, “bang it up front” and no nothing loud mouths. More’s the pity.
Oh, and remember this:
http://www.notapatchon.net/2010/02/thou-shalt/
It’s just a joke. How did they not end up with 8 players at the end of the match?
Whiley was the ref in that ridiculous game against Newcastle were he gave a pen for that Sibieski dive that Filan saved and then gave 6 yellow cards to us.
He’s good mates with Dowd, both come from the same ref pool and that NUFC game was right after Arsenal 2-1 Wigan where PJ lambasted Dowd. We have gotten fuck all from him since. It should be examined.
Oh yeah don’t forget Liverpool at Anfield last season. Whiley again. Valencia red card? Are you joking?
Glad you consider us a ‘bigger club’, but we’re normally as unlucky with the refs as you were today.
Our first goal was embarrassingly offside, but then, as they say, it’s all swings and roundabouts etc. That’s the best bit of luck we’ve had all season, except for maybe Defoe staying on the field before he scored. He was in the same type of mood that normally gets him sent off. Stupid tackles, whinging, petulance, being just 3 of his traits on a bad day. Scored again though, so I’m not too mad at him.
That said, you rarely threatened our goal, whereas we peppered yours. Kirkland was probably your MOTM again. We were worried before the match; we don’t travel well in the North West, too cold apparently. We haven’t won 1 nil all season, so I knew there was another goal in the match. Luckily ‘arry swallowed his stupid pride and brought on Super Pav, who achieved more in 20 mins than Crouch has done all season.
I don’t think you’ll get relegated. You’ve got some good players, future England international N’Zogbia especially (when he bothers to try), and a good manager. Good luck for the rest of the season.
A good manager? You see that after 180 minutes and yet a big chunk of our fans fail to appreciate what they’ve got.
I think that there will be more to say on this game as the week goes on, but for now, you’re good, I think you’ll top Villa, and hopefully City, but I think Liverpool wil still get fourth place. Another bridesmaid season me thinks.
Then again, if he’s only your third best striker (and Keane your fourth) then maybe I’m misjudging things.
To be honest Spurs should have just been given the points, what an pathetic effort of a football pitch provided by wigan. At premier league level no team should be able or aloud to provide a pitch that resembled a farm yard and was more suited to chickens and ducks than football players. In many ways this gaev wigan an advantage if the game had been played on a proper pitch like that at white hart lane i suppose another nine goals against could have been possible
Funny because from where I was sat, Spurs were just given the points. There’s nothing worse than a football fan who’s incapable of being gracious in victory.
Some good points in the article spoiled by infantile throy the toys out of the pram presentation. No mkention made of Wigan actually committing MORE fouls than Spurs. I think the referee was generous to both sides in respect of bookings. I also beleive that the Premier League should ensure that rugby league is not played on the pitch as SWigan are paid millions by the EPL and that pitch is a disgrace to Hackney Marshes. Surely as Wigan play all their homne games on that tip, it must give them an unfair advantage oer all the other 19 clubs. Level playing field?
Some good points in the article spoiled by infantile “throy the toys out of the pram” presentation. No mkention made of Wigan actually committing MORE fouls than Spurs. I think the referee was generous to both sides in respect of bookings. I also beleive that the Premier League should ensure that rugby league is not played on the pitch as SWigan are paid millions by the EPL and that pitch is a disgrace to Hackney Marshes. Surely as Wigan play all their homne games on that tip, it must give them an unfair advantage oer all the other 19 clubs. Level playing field?
So good you said it twice?
Not sure where I threw my toys out of the pram, but can I just point out that I’m under no obligation to be objective, this being a Wigan Athletic site and all that.
I agree about the pitch, they should kick us out and make us play in the Wigan Ammy league, we might be able to get a goal there.