I’m writing this a little earlier than usual as I will be driving down to Somerset and then Plymouth today.
Make no mistake, Wigan are a much more formidable team than they used to be. They haven’t lost at home since October, so if we sneak a win tonight it will be a mark of how far we have come. Wigan have tended to be one of our bogey teams, especially at Upton Park, although I think we did win up there fairly recently.
Clearly, the one enforced change will be the replacement of Valon Behrami. Conventional wisdom suggests that Mark Noble will come in as a straight swap, but after Savio’s bright showing on Sunday perhaps Zola might decide to give him his first start. No, to be honest, I don’t think so either.
Otherwise it will clearly be the same lineup that started against Man City.
I think the key to this game will be the performance in midfield. Wigan are a battling side so we need to have Scott Parker and Kovac at their best in the centre. They have Mido back, and he always gives us trouble, so Tomkins and Upson will need to be on their guard, especially as Zaki is also due a goal.
I’d be happy with a point, to be honest.
6 minutes added time!
Fulham still 0-0 so we could be 7th and 4 points clear!!!
Travelling Hammers in good voice!
Anyone reckon M-O-T-D will talk about how ordinary our goal was?
6 mins, where did all that come from?
Red cole Cattermoel, injury Parker, injury Collison and subs = 6 mins
SAAAAAVVIIIIOOOOO – OOOOOOH OH
SAAAAAVVIIIIOOOOO – OOOOOOH OH OH OH
HE CAME FROM EEETALY
BETTER THAN BELLAMY!!!
No I reckon MOTD will focus on Stuart Atwell and barely analyse the football at all!
YEEEESSSS!
1-0 well done lads
Hard place to go – job well done! COYI
WE’RE ALL GOING ON A EURPOEAN HOLIDAY….
NO MORE SPUDS FOR A YEAR OR TWO…..
7th and looking good. Shame about the injuries though hope colly is OK
Great result, great goal, europe looks likely, got to remain focused…
feel for collison tho, hopefully nt as bad as it looked
what a result, great goal, great away performance. Our injury situation is very worrying, colly looks like he is going to be out for a long time. He will be another big miss.
Brilliant stuff, you Irons!
Hope Colly is OK -didn’t look good.
COYI.
Great result!! Match looked like was goin to be really good. idoit ref, but we got the result in the end!!!
So sad for collison though. 2 in one week!!!!
Goal of the season!!! lol
COYI!!!!!
Bad ratio thought, 2player/2 win. What happens if we go for 9 straight?
Collison don’t look good be a while before he gets back, just our luck we go on a run and we start to drop like fly’s Bugger !!
And only 6 pts behind Everton.
Thank goodness Savio seems to be coming into form. And it looks as though Kovac may be getting some increased time soon. Lopez actually got onto the pitch and Stanislaus and Payne were both in the squad. I guess we’ll be seeing them on the pitch as well.
Can we recall Faubert from Madrid?
Kidding.
Now that was a really, really, really good result. The injuries are worrying of course, but the confidence in the camp must be sky high after a top class goal and staying firm and in control following Carlton’s absurd dismissal. Needless to say, it was made easier after Cattermole was quite rightly sent off, but we looked pretty damn secure throughout.
I wonder if the pr*t Lawrenson has the intelligence to understand what’s happening here. COYI.
Tremendous six points in five days. After our february horribilis, I think any of us would have taken 4 pts from those two fixtures. Bring on the Baggies!
Feel sick for Valon and Colly though, hope Colly’s knock isn’t too bad.
Back to the plus side, nice to see Savio looking well up for it — the boy showed a lot of heart along with his undoubted pace, poise and skill.
Oh, and our winner, what a joy to behold. It was like a Barcelona goal, we strolled rings around them, passed it into the net. Loving our football this season.
Lawrenson and intelligence don’t even belong in the same sentence, so don’t hold your breath Martin!
Great result though. Despite the gutting injuries to Collison and Behrami in short succession, there do appear to be alternatives. Kovac is settling in, Savio is looking really promising and Lopez looks good.
Phil, now you have put Lawrenson and intelligence in the same sentence
Let’s agree not to do it again.
Meanwhile GZ is quoted as saying “We have to understand the referee is a human being and can make mistakes. He needs our support. You can have a bad day but we need to support them as they are here to help the game.”
What a diplomat! Arguably he and Steve Clarke got it wrong against Middlesbrough. but that has been unusual this season. Bring on the Baggies. COYI
Well spotted Martin – put me in the same sentence as Lawrenson!
Zola’s far too diplomatic, I kind of like him for it though. Meanwhile I’m waiting for the MOTD highlights – graveyard slot again.
Cracking result, just saw it on guardian football.
YESSS!!!