Finally clicking

Are things beginning to click for Shaun Maloney and his Wigan Athletic side?

The signs certainly looked promising on Saturday, as Latics absolutely dominated in the sunshine in Bristol.

This was a match where it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Latics could have had five or six, let alone four.

The struggles of previous matches had gone and they were replaced with what seemed to be a new found confidence.

It had been lost in the noise of the first few matches and disappointing performances that followed, but this side is essentially a new side.

If you cast your mind back to the Premier League days, it would take months for the team to get used to each other and that’s why we often saw Latics turn in to prime Barcelona come the Spring.

Last season there weren’t that many changes to the side as a lot of those mainstays from the previous two seasons were still there.

But this time around it’s a virtually new side, they’ll take time to get used to each other and as in the old adage ‘Let Latics Gel’.

A big part of Saturday’s performance came from Jensen Weir, the youngest ever player for Wigan Athletic who returned at the end of the transfer window already looks like he’s going to have a big part to play this season.

Equally two young lads, Dion Rankine and Sliko Thomas who have had their fair share of criticism this season had their best games in a Wigan shirt.

Dion showed the kind of ambition to beat a man that maybe he hadn’t shown earlier in the season but you can see just why the club were so keen to get him tied down when he does beat a man as he caused havoc in Bristol’s box.

Same can be said of Sliko Thomas on the other wing, coming back from an injury it’s not been an easy introduction to life in Lancashire for the lad from Leicester but he looked threatening every time he attacked on Saturday.

Elsewhere James Carragher looks to have made that right back spot his own now, he looks like he’s been playing there for years. Which is the biggest compliment you can pay him.

Whilst on the other side of the defence Luke Chambers is going to be some player. His goal capped off another excellent performance.

A final mention for Joe Hugill who nah have struggled in the first month of the season but no sign of that struggle at Bristol as he showed his poaching instincts to put Latics two ahead.

So all of a sudden, life is good again and although one swallow doesn’t make a summer it certainly helps to remind you that this side, a work in progress can play. Maybe the much derided manager and coaching staff do know what they’re doing? Just a thought.

Maloney was clearly delighted at full time on Saturday and rightly so, it’s been a tough start to the season but it’s only a start. It’s a long old season ahead of us and Latics are showing that they have levels to reach.

Get behind these young lads, it could well be an exciting ride.

So on to Lincoln, last season’s win at Lincoln ultimately derailed their play-off bid but The Imps have picked up where they left off last season, with a number of impressive results.

Bristol themselves were on a run of decent results when we travelled there so no side should be feared. If we see a performance similar to Bristol again we could be in for a good afternoon.

Sean Livesey

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