Last night`s three nil defeat at Champions League chasing Manchester City was memorable for the harsh sending off of Gary Caldwell and the eccentric goal keeping of reserve keeper Vladimir Stojkovic.
With Kirkland taken ill the night before with a virus, Martinez was forced into a change between the posts but otherwise he kept faith with the side which narrowly beat Burnley nine days previously.
The first half was a largely forgettable affair with Diame and Thomas having the better of the midfield battle against their more illustrious opponents in De Jong and Vieira. Latics` best effort was from a reflex shot from Scharner following a poor free kick from Moreno which was well saved by Given. Latics other chances were from quick breaks by Rodallega but once again Moreno`s poor control let him down when it mattered.
Manchester City didn`t look anything like a side which has cost over £250,000,000 to assemble but on the occasions when they did threaten first Bramble and then Stojkovic bravely blocked goal bound shots.
Have time brought muted boos from the home fans and applause from the small away following who were delighted with the commitment shown by their side.
City opted to re-arrange their side at half time replacing one of only three Englishmen on the pitch in Wright – Phillips with Welshman Craig Bellamy and he immediately had an impact stretching the Wigan back four. City had two reasonable shouts for penalties but Attwell waved them away.
Latics were on the back foot and were in deep trouble when Caldwell made a firm and clearly one footed tackle which appeared to win the ball. Referee Attwell ruled that Caldwell had lunged with both feet which replays show that he clearly had not and the Scotsman was unjustly sent off.
Latics held on reasonably comfortably and could have actually taken the lead when Moreno controlled the ball on the turn and fired in a left footed shot which had Given scrambling across his goal. However a farcical moment of madness from Wigan`s Serbian keeper when he tried to chest a ball in front of two City forwards when it would have been easier to catch the ball and Tevez got one of the easiest goals he will ever get. Latics who had worked hard were now one down with only ten men and a clearly angry Bramble berated the keeper for his idiotic manoeuvre.
Within a few minutes Latics were two down when again Stojkovic was out of position and Tevez scored his second. Five minutes later and it was three and whilst City were lauding the performance of the diminutive Argentinean, the main talking point will centre around the sending off if Caldwell
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TBF when i was sat there i though the ref made the wrong decision, but looking bad it was bad lunge with scissors involved as well, stay on your feet next time.
Get over it,youd think it was the biggest crime in history,got what you deserved for taking a poxy 300 fans,pathetic
So taking a few hundred fans warrants defeat? Shameful comment. You won because the ref made a horrendous error. BTW, I’d be careful making comments like these because you’re only showing yourself up. Thank you!
numpty regardless of the amount of away fans there were Wigan by and large where the stronger side up until the first goal. OK it was a bad tackle and Caldwell should have been punished but not a red card. Tevez was just as bad jumping into the tackle. Also he dived twice in the box then appealed for penalties. Cheating scum!
Just shows far City have come… or rather haven’t.
I love the bias of all fans,me included, but to say you were the better team is a little unjust,cheating scum is a little strong,but i stand by my comment of pathetic fanbase its only just up the road and thats the sum amount of your support,the sooner your relegated the better,then a proper club with fans can take your place.
the league is based on performances not fan base, if we go down it will be because we deserve to nothing else.
If you use a “proper club'” as an analogy how come we have beaten you so many times since we got itno the P.L.
Both teams were average last night ,we had a man sent off you took advantage, fact nothing more nothing less…get a life Humpty
Wigan are a proper club, humpty. Sorry man but you can’t deny that there were some dubious moments from your players, Tevez included. Wigan fans will increase over time and we are a proper club with fans. Pointless statements humpty since most, if not all of what you have said is utter rubbish. Man City were only the better team in the last third because Gary Caldwell was on the end of a bad refereeing decision. That’s why you won. Just plain controversy. There is no way City were the better team.
as a city fan i have to say that it was a shocking game for 70 minutes anyway. i think wigan improved when caldwell got sent off thats how bad he is, exactly why he was playing for celtic. i dont really mind wigan as a club but you have to admit 400 fans for a 25 minute drive is pathetic
I just love winding opposing fans up,tbh you would of got a draw without the sending off but we all get dodgy decisions against us,its all part of the season,the proper club jibe was nothing but a jibe,but the amount of support really shocked me it was literally a derby.
shame moreno didnt bury that shot into the top corner, it was screaming towards goal and i was just waiting for the net to bulge. wigan looked the more likely to score before the sending off and im a neutral (spurs fan) ok maybe slightly against city at the moment lol