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| Picture from BBC |
Going in to the match, the Latics had won five out of their last eight games, a run of form that has seen them rise from the relegation zone. Before March, Roberto Martinez’ side had won just four games, but recent weeks saw wins against Liverpool, Stoke, Manchester United and Arsenal.
Just
when Wigan appear to be finally down and out after years of final-day drama,
they do it again. Survival now looks likely rather than virtually unfeasible,
as it did at the end of January, with only three wins under their belt.
With
an outstanding and in-form Newcastle side visiting Greater Manchester, though, it
was widely thought that Wigan’s superb run of form was about to be halted. The
Toon had won their last six games, conceding just one in that time and with one
of the Premier League’s most lethal strikers, Papiss Cisse, scoring in each of
those six games.
Newcastle
are chasing the Champions League, wary of Chelsea winning this term’s
competition preventing them reaching next year’s equivalent. Wigan are fighting
against the drop to the Championship. Both sides had something to play for then,
which makes it all the more remarkable that the latter beat the former.
And
they really did beat them, in a ruthless fashion. Wigan dominated the first
half, their play consisting of short, intricate passes in the middle and long,
ranging diagonal balls to the flanks, be it to Maynor Figueroa on the left or
the right-sided Emmerson Boyce.
The
first goal came from great wing-play, on both sides. Figueroa burst forward,
with the excellent Shaun Maloney eventually playing the ball out to Boyce. His
cross landed perfectly on the head of Victor Moses, who really is starting to
show the potential that he has long been touted for.
Moses’
second goal was more controlled than his first, more beautifully crafted. Another
clever pass from Maloney – this time a backheel – found Moses who touched it to
the ever-improving Jean Beausejour. The winger whipped in a devilish ball which
was cut out by Fabio Collocini,
only for Moses to steal in and place a shot past goalkeeper Tim Krul.
At
this point fans, players and coaches must have been equally as delirious. Where
do they go from here? At 2-0 up with 15 minutes gone, do they park the bus? No.
They keep playing their game, just as they always do. In the build-up to Moses’
second, the Wigan defense exchanged passes, aware of the Newcastle pressing but
never looking to go long. Keep the ball, keep the play, work the ball forward.
Newcastle,
on the other hand, were desperate to get back into the game, and it showed. Too
eager to get forward at times when the personnel forward did not equate, they
gave the ball back to Wigan repeatedly. The Latics may not have great
possession in games – 49% average, per game, after this meeting – but when they
do have the ball, they use it well – an average pass completion rate of 80%
places Wigan higher than Napoli, Borrussia Dortmund and Athletic Bilbao in that
particular league.
When
Wigan do lose the ball, they are dogged in getting it back. They harass, they
are aggressive and are quite happy to foul to break up the play – they make
sure no one plays their game against them.
Newcastle
attempted to mirror their system for a short period in the first half to try
and stop Wigan from playing, but it didn’t work. The 5-4-1 that becomes a 3-4-3
in attack means there are always options, especially on the wings. A great
togetherness and work-rate makes for superb energy and fast but measured
attacks.
It
was down the left-hand side, again, where Wigan attacked for their third;
Franco Di Santo playing a magnificent first-time ball to the surging Maloney,
who buried it in the bottom corner with ease. It was Di Santo who started and
finished the move for the fourth, too – a one-two on the halfway line was
clever, the placed shot into the corner from 30 yards was incredible.
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Picture
from @ChezCon69
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Newcastle,
of course, had their chances and were by no means dreadful at the DW which, as
harsh as it sounds, they’d be expected to be if utterly outplayed by Wigan.
Hatem Ben Arfa curled a free-kick over and pulled a shot wide late on, Cisse
hit the bar and Ba dragged a shot wide. Battled and weary, Wigan controlled the
second half but allowed Newcastle to press and threaten more, but it’s times
like that that clubs really value their goalkeeper – a strong performance from
Ali Al Habsi, thwarting Cisse in a Gandalf-esque performance. Newcastle rattled
the bar and post but, as Liverpool fans know, that’s poor finishing rather than
bad luck.
To
pick a man of the match here would be difficult, which speaks volumes for the
widespread brilliance of this Wigan performance. They finished the game attacking,
still playing their game – Collocini preventing
Conor Sammon from adding
a fifth.
Wigan
will keep doing it their way. A trip to Blackburn and a home game against
Wolves await, two games that look set to be exhilarating and, on current form,
the Latics look the favourites. Wigan are going to do it again. They’re going
to survive.
