Fire Power Failure Costs Wigan

This week Wigan pulled the plug on signing an exciting young striker who wanted to join the club because they couldn’t agree termns with the selling club.

On todays performance it would be advisable to restart talks immeadately as both( indeed the only) strikers at the club performed poorly when given opportunities to score and at the end,a much improved team performance was ruined by a late Cahill strike to give Everton an undeserved victory.

Wigan made two changes from the poor performance at Blackburn in midweek, bringing in Boyce and Scotland for Melchiot and Scharner respectively.

Latics looked a more balenced side and their passing game was much improved against an Everton side who competed for every ball and contributed fully to an entertaining game.

The first real chance of an entertaining first half fell to Everton, when Stojkovic dove well to save a Cahill shot. He was in action again shortly afterwards when he had to move smartly to tip away a Saha header.

Latics were not overawed although once again their only creative outlet for much of the game was N’Zogbia, who gave Baines a testing afternoon. Rodallega gave Howard his first test but he saved wellin the Everton goal.

Both sides had shouts for penalties in the first half, with Everton the most aggrevied when Saha appeared to be clearly fouled in the area but the ineffectual Mr Probert waved play on.

At the other end, twice Scotland was through on goal and he blazed high and not very handsome and then his striking compatriot, Rodallega showed how off form he is by also blasting over when through on the keeper.

At the other end ,Everton hit the post and the talk at half time was how the game remained at nil a piece.

The second half weas much of the same but for all both sides attacking intent there were very few clear cut chances.

Everton had a goal disallowed for offside whilst N’Zogbia was cruelly hacked down on the edge of the penalty area with the home players protesting to no avail that the foul was in the area.

Th winning goal when it came was once again at a set play. The diminutive Cahill rose unchallenged to head past Stojkovic.

The reaction of the Latics players was disturbing as with the exception of Scharner all heads dropped. Wigan pushed forward in search of an equiliser but their only effort on target in the second half came in the final minute of time added on , when a fierce drvie from N’Zogbia hit the upright.

Martinez can take comfort from a much improved team performance but the lack of goals from the only two strikers on the books with seven defeats out of the last eight games shows that Wigan are in a relegation dogfight, whatever the plaudits are regarding the attractive football of a Martinez team.