Weekend games - May the 4th be with you...

[mcdowell42]

9 mins of injury time due to injury to vorm

[SteveO 35]

Yet again I fail to see why anyone on earth would want Wengerlite i.e. Martinez, as a potential replacement for Wenger. Wigan's defensive organisation is an absolute fucking shambles and has been year after year. Every year he sets out to achieve the bare minimum requirement of finishing 17th and they celebrate like fuck when it happens. He's like a poor man's Wenger - achieve the minimum for the owner, waste the money you do have available to spend on shitey imports....but appear intelligent and live off the myth of playing pretty football

The bloke is a first rate loser. Paul Jewell left Wigan with people moaning about second season syndrome after they stayed up on the last day, something Martinez does year after year. When he manages to make them finish top half like Jewell did, or achieves mid-table safety in the way Swansea have managed and Stoke have for a few years then he claim to have achieved something. Scraping 17th on the final day hardly qualifies him as a great successor does it - if anything it would be like Wenger Mk II. He was even talking about staying up as if it was equivalent to winning something

[topgoon]

Here'a an interesting conundrum.

If the barcodes get a point or more on Sunday againt QPR and we beat Wigan we will efeectively guarantee the Geordies safety without kicking a ball, wonder if they'll feel even remotely like repaying the favour on the last day of the season....

Unlikely with Pardew and AW not being the best of pals.

Anyway this all depends on the scum getting nothing from the chavs.

After Chesney taking it upon himself to do Villas Boas team talk I actually think they will beat the chavs. It's been too long since they won at the bridge so it must be written in the stars. It's one of those long records that are their to be broken and I can see them winning 2-3.

[northbank123]

I think he deserves a lot of credit for what he did at Swansea as well - he changed the whole club right from the fucking bottom and the youth upwards, and then Rodgers came in and took all the credit for it. Obviously Rodgers still had work to do, but Martinez didn't just buy a few good players there to give them a good footing - he completely transformed the whole club from also-rans into one of the most ambitious clubs in the country (okay, the English football pyramid is more impressive ).

But I agree that we don't need somebody who can inspire his players for a few games late on in the season to achieve the bare minimum, as you say SteveO we already have that. Even if keeping Wigan up is an achievement at any rate, why don't we focus instead on the 90% of the season where they are fucking hopeless and look like they've never seen a training pitch in their lives?

The three most important things in our next manager are:

1. Signing the right players - if you can't do this then don't bother.
2. Good tactician and coaches organisation into the team.
3. Motivates the players to play to their best week-in week-out and not just when it looks like they might drop out of top

Sadly I have confidence in Martinez delivering on 2 and 3, and I'm not convinced that he wouldn't gravitate strongly towards 'technical' players in the transfer market regardless of our actual needs.

[1989]

Mini Wenger - There couldn't be a more apt assessment of Martinez, spot on SteveO

Don't for the life of me understand the clamor for him as next Arsenal manager. Is surviving relegation for a few seasons in a row all you need to be qualified to manage a club like Arsenal now?

[topgoon]

I think he deserves a lot of credit for what he did at Swansea as well - he changed the whole club right from the fucking bottom and the youth upwards, and then Rodgers came in and took all the credit for it. Obviously Rodgers still had work to do, but Martinez didn't just buy a few good players there to give them a good footing - he completely transformed the whole club from also-rans into one of the most ambitious clubs in the country (okay, the English football pyramid is more impressive ).

But I agree that we don't need somebody who can inspire his players for a few games late on in the season to achieve the bare minimum, as you say SteveO we already have that. Even if keeping Wigan up is an achievement at any rate, why don't we focus instead on the 90% of the season where they are fucking hopeless and look like they've never seen a training pitch in their lives?

The three most important things in our next manager are:

1. Signing the right players - if you can't do this then don't bother.
2. Good tactician and coaches organisation into the team.
3. Motivates the players to play to their best week-in week-out and not just when it looks like they might drop out of top

Sadly I have confidence in Martinez delivering on 2 and 3, and I'm not convinced that he wouldn't gravitate strongly towards 'technical' players in the transfer market regardless of our actual needs.

I'm more bothered by the fact that defensively his teams are sh*t. They concede a lot of goals and always have done. Not for me.

His teams are like AW's since 2005. they turn up to in March-May to secure Epl status/top 4. the rest of the season they are shockingluy inconsistent and frequently spineless....having said that, would snap George McCarthy off their hands.

A midfield of Santi Jack and McCarthy

now that would be nice

[augie]

Seriously......Martinez is being slated for successfully escaping relegation for the past few seasons ? Wtf do you guys expect ? We are talking about a team/club with the smallest support in the division and who has fcuk all money to spend and you guys expect him to do better ? Compare his spending with that of qpr, Newcastle and Southampton and tell me that Martinez hasn't done a great job just keeping them alive (just) with two games of the season remaining

Have to say too that I am amazed at the bashing of his tactical acumen - this s the guy that when his back was to the wall late last season, he changed his formation by going 3 at the back and the transformation helped his team gather the points needed to survive including coming to the grove and turning us over say what you like about the guy but he is far from tactically inept or inflexible.

[northbank123]

I think he deserves a lot of credit for what he did at Swansea as well - he changed the whole club right from the fucking bottom and the youth upwards, and then Rodgers came in and took all the credit for it. Obviously Rodgers still had work to do, but Martinez didn't just buy a few good players there to give them a good footing - he completely transformed the whole club from also-rans into one of the most ambitious clubs in the country (okay, the English football pyramid is more impressive ).

But I agree that we don't need somebody who can inspire his players for a few games late on in the season to achieve the bare minimum, as you say SteveO we already have that. Even if keeping Wigan up is an achievement at any rate, why don't we focus instead on the 90% of the season where they are fucking hopeless and look like they've never seen a training pitch in their lives?

The three most important things in our next manager are:

1. Signing the right players - if you can't do this then don't bother.
2. Good tactician and coaches organisation into the team.
3. Motivates the players to play to their best week-in week-out and not just when it looks like they might drop out of top

Sadly I have confidence in Martinez delivering on 2 and 3, and I'm not convinced that he wouldn't gravitate strongly towards 'technical' players in the transfer market regardless of our actual needs.

I'm more bothered by the fact that defensively his teams are sh*t. They concede a lot of goals and always have done. Not for me.

His teams are like AW's since 2005. they turn up to in March-May to secure Epl status/top 4. the rest of the season they are shockingluy inconsistent and frequently spineless....having said that, would snap George McCarthy off their hands.

A midfield of Santi Jack and McCarthy

now that would be nice

Would be even nicer if we signed James McCarthy

I agree about Martinez - and to clear up my previous post was meant to say I have NO confidence in him delivering....

[SteveO 35]

Seriously......Martinez is being slated for successfully escaping relegation for the past few seasons ? Wtf do you guys expect ? We are talking about a team/club with the smallest support in the division and who has fcuk all money to spend and you guys expect him to do better ? Compare his spending with that of qpr, Newcastle and Southampton and tell me that Martinez hasn't done a great job just keeping them alive (just) with two games of the season remaining

Have to say too that I am amazed at the bashing of his tactical acumen - this s the guy that when his back was to the wall late last season, he changed his formation by going 3 at the back and the transformation helped his team gather the points needed to survive including coming to the grove and turning us over say what you like about the guy but he is far from tactically inept or inflexible.

Why not compare him with Lambert who spent nothing at Norwich, got them 2 promotions and a safe mid-table finish, or Jewell who got Wigan in the top half, or Pulis who before he spent big in the past 3 seasons got Stoke into the top half spending next to nowt, or Fulham who are net sellers and have similar size crowds

Everybody uses QPR as the opposite extreme of a little club spending big. Even Walrusface Allaydyce has a more impressive record than Martinez

Martinez achieves the bare minimum standard. Do I expect that after 7 seasons in the top flight he should have taken Wigan on a notch or two and achieved what Fat Sam did for Bolton......err too fucking right if people are saying he deserves a shot at managing Arsenal. This season Wigan are likely to finish below Southampton - where is the fucking honour in that?

Sorry mate, but Martinez will deliver you exactly what Wenger does i.e. be a nice front man for a selling club, who wins everyone over with his mythical good football. Their defensive shape is shambolic and you don't need pots of money to deliver an improvement on that

Moyes has no money (Everton are more indebted than Wigan) and has transformed the early 21st century Everton from relegation fodder to consistent top six contenders........a far more impressive achievement than a man who still hasn't actually improved Wigan one notch from what was left by his predecessor.

[topgoon]

I think he deserves a lot of credit for what he did at Swansea as well - he changed the whole club right from the fucking bottom and the youth upwards, and then Rodgers came in and took all the credit for it. Obviously Rodgers still had work to do, but Martinez didn't just buy a few good players there to give them a good footing - he completely transformed the whole club from also-rans into one of the most ambitious clubs in the country (okay, the English football pyramid is more impressive ).

But I agree that we don't need somebody who can inspire his players for a few games late on in the season to achieve the bare minimum, as you say SteveO we already have that. Even if keeping Wigan up is an achievement at any rate, why don't we focus instead on the 90% of the season where they are fucking hopeless and look like they've never seen a training pitch in their lives?

The three most important things in our next manager are:

1. Signing the right players - if you can't do this then don't bother.
2. Good tactician and coaches organisation into the team.
3. Motivates the players to play to their best week-in week-out and not just when it looks like they might drop out of top

Sadly I have confidence in Martinez delivering on 2 and 3, and I'm not convinced that he wouldn't gravitate strongly towards 'technical' players in the transfer market regardless of our actual needs.

I'm more bothered by the fact that defensively his teams are sh*t. They concede a lot of goals and always have done. Not for me.

His teams are like AW's since 2005. they turn up to in March-May to secure Epl status/top 4. the rest of the season they are shockingluy inconsistent and frequently spineless....having said that, would snap George McCarthy off their hands.

A midfield of Santi Jack and McCarthy

now that would be nice

Would be even nicer if we signed James McCarthy

I agree about Martinez - and to clear up my previous post was meant to say I have NO confidence in him delivering....

Sorry, mixing up George Macartney and McCarthy

[augie]

Steve o, Moyes would be my favored choice for wenger replacement if we are picking from within our league so we are in agreement there

[northbank123]

Augie - first of all it's not necessarily that 17th is a bad achievement for Wigan (and I'm not for a minute saying Wigan should get rid) - but that his record isn't anywhere near stand-out enough to be considered as a front-runner for the Arsenal job. As SteveO says there are numerous other managers out there whose achievements stack up favourably against his but are far less popular.

If he is able to motivate his players to produce big performances and use shrewd tactics to baffle the opposition come mid-April then why the fuck does he allow his team to turn in insipid displays and defend shambolically for the other 40 games?

During the regular season they are probably the second most predictable team after Arsenal in that they never seem to adapt their tactics to make it difficult for superior opposition, and I reckon this is borne out by the fact they have a fairly woeful record against the big teams (unless they play them in April). Wigan is one of the few away trips I always feel confident going into as they will inevitably try and play a relaxed passing game and leave themselves open for a hammering.

[1989]

Hearing Moyes is off to the mancs as Red nose is set to retire

[Dan_85]

Wigan absolutely toilet in defence tonight. I'm sure they'll have a tough time at our place, what with all that speed, pace & sideways passing 20yds from their goal...

[northbank123]

Hearing Moyes is off to the mancs as Red nose is set to retire

I don't think Moyes would be anywhere near the top of their list for a few reasons.

- No CL and very little continental experience: tactically shrewd in PL but may well be viewed as a gamble to hope he can adjust this to CL games and managing squad with more congested fixture list.
- Done well with what he's had but ultimately only has one runners-up medal to show for over a decade's work. Also a piss-poor record against the big teams across his reign as a whole and accusations that his team have bottled big opportunities, most recently their dire showing in last year's FA Cup semi against Liverpool.
- Doing well on limited budget and knowing when to cash in on a player isn't really important at United - more worryingly signing a succession of misfiring strikers hampered Everton for a huge chunk of his reign.