Mc Carthy’s Wolves maul Wigan

A standing ovation greeted Roberto Martinez, as he was announced prior to the game. However his honeymoon period as Latic’s boss was ended after seven minutes of his second game in charge and tonight’s defeat will have left him under no illusion of the task ahead of him.

Wigan fielded the same side which performed so brilliantly agaisnt the Villa on Saturday and the opening five minutes played like a team who beleived in their hype.

Wolves, under the canny Mick Mc Carthy played to their strengths which was to tackle hard and close the Latics creative midfield down, espicially Gomez and it worked a treat.

Latics had the first chance when in the fifth minute ,Gomez blasting over from the edge of the area.

Wolves were bright going forward and almost scored immeadately afterwards, when a shot left Kirkland stranded only to hit the post.

This should have served as a wake up call for Wigan’s static central defence but a minute later a neat header from Andy Keogh a winger playing as a lone forward beat Kirkland as it drifted in at the far post.

This gave Latics eighty three minutes plus injury time to try and pull the goal back but they created very few chances on goal.

The best two in the first half fell to N’Zogbia who shot tamely at Hennesey when through one on one with the keeper and Bramble when he headed wide from a corner from about a yard out.

In the first half Wolves created very few chances other than the goal but dominated the possession, against a Wigan team seemingly obsessed with playing the ball out of defence via the two centre halves, unfortuantely, time and again the ball came back to Bramble and Scharner as midfield struggled to pass the ball forward to an ever increasingly isolated Rodellaga.

Latics started the second half with more purpose, with Koumas on the left continuing his good form from Saturday but time after time crosess were sent into the penalty area with five defenders and Rodellaga on his own.

Kouams and Brown were withdrawn to be replaced by the battering ram that is Jason Scotland and Scott Sinclair.

Scotland looked strong, powerful and directed if limited in skill although this nearly bore fruit when he was upended in the area but Mr Jones waved play on. At the other end Wolves appeared to have a cast iron penalty when Bramble upended Keogh with the Irishman unlucky to receive a yellow card for diving.

Latics pressed forward looking for the equiliser and Sinclair had Hennesey scrambling across his goal line, only for the ball to go narrowly wide of the far post.

The final whistle brought with it a chorus of boos thankfully from a small minority of the paltry 16,000 crowd but this should serve as a wake up call and add impetus to Martinez’s quest to strengthen the side.

Player Ratings

Chris Kirkland…6/10
Not his best game, looked unsure of himself on a couple of occasions.

Mario Melchiot…7.5 /10
The best player on the Wigan side but there wasn’t much competition.

Maynor Figueroa…7/10
Worked hard and linked up well with Koumas.

Titus Bramble…4/10
Spent most of the game passing the ball into touch.

Paul Scharner…3/10
A nightmare game.

Michael Brown…5/10
Failed to assert his authority on central midfield.

Hendry Thomas..5.5/10
A quiet home debut.

Jordi Gomez…5/10
Was found too often facing his goal in his own half, was muscled off the ball too easily and created very little for Rodellaga.

Jason Kouams…6/10
Played well in the first half and created two of our best chances, unlucky to be substituted.

Charles N’Zogbia…6/10
Our best attacking outlet but wasted a good chance in the first half.

Hugo Rodellaga…6/10
Starved of any quality ball and out muscled by the Wolves defence, looked isolated up front on his own.

Jason Scotland…5/10
puts his head down and runs which is ok except when he ran into his own player.

Scott Sinclair…5/10
Was anonymous until his chance at the end.

Manager Rating
Roberto Martinez…5/10 After Saturday he must have thought that this Premier League lark was a doddle. Was given a rude awakening which I believe exposed his tactical naivity against a muscular but less talented team

Opponent Rating
Mick Mc Carthy…8/10. Had his team playing to their strengths and for each other….very reminsecent of a Paul Jewell team for a few years ago!!!!