As I write this its five days since that heart breaking 92nd minute winner for Swansea and I still don’t think it’s sunk in. In a ten day period we could well have had nine points and be sitting pretty in the relative safety of mid table obscurity.
Instead we have one point and three generally very good if ultimately un-satisfying performances to look back on. With the international break once again disrupting any flow that Latics may have the match against Brentford on Saturday is taking on a lot of importance.
First of all let’s look back at Swansea, despite conceding a soft goal early on Paul Cook’s side once again dominated against one of the sides who you expect to be pushing for promotion this season. Kieffer Moore’s penalty will do him a world of good and at half-time once again Latics should have been leading.
The second half followed the same pattern and it felt like only a matter of time before Latics would get themselves in front. The improving Jamal Lowe and the aforementioned Moore were both unlucky not to get that second goal and as the fourth official indicated there would be an extra three minutes I think many would have been happy with a hard earned point.
Until Swansea picked up on a loose ball on the edge of the area and broke both Wigan’s defensive resolve and hearts. It really was a kick in the teeth, similar to the feeling against Derby but worse because a win was in our grasp. Let alone a loss.
Performances if not results have really picked up over the last couple of months, Paul Cook will know Latics should be much higher in the table and that results both home and away need to improve soon but the gaffer can be heartened by the performances of the last few matches.
As he said at the Fans Forum at the start of October it was about seeing those partnerships that he mentioned so much develop and seeing the players who came in to the club relatively late on in the transfer window become more settled. Both within the club and with their team mates and I think that is exactly what we are seeing now.
After a quiet start Jamal Lowe has been central to a lot of our decent attacking play over the last few games, Kieffer Moore is off the mark and with a bit more luck could have had another goal on Saturday. The midfield three of Sam Morsy, Joe Williams and Lewis Macleod has really made a difference with the two new signings in particular being extremely impressive. Whilst Antonee Robinson and Dujon Sterling have provided a new attacking impetus to our side.
Cook has been given a lot of stick over the last few weeks for his less than attacking substitutions but I doubt many could complain at those on Saturday. Sadly we couldn’t get that second goal and we know how that story ended. I think there’s been a lot to be positive about over the last few weeks, we’re getting closer to getting it right.
A decent run of results ahead of the festive period would do us wonders and hopefully see us rise up that table.
Sean Livesey
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- Tags: brentford, Championship, featured, paul cook, Swansea, Wigan Athletic
1 Comment
Sorry to disagree but like Swansea Wigan have difficulty knowing where the goals are. Wigan scored from the penalty spot and in some ways were lucky to be awarded that but for the referee failing to notice Dunkley had his hand wrapped around Van de Horne’s wrist and spun him round just before. A free kick there should have been awarded to Swansea VAR would have ruled it out. You can’t win games without scoring more goals than the opposition and that is where the problems lie. All the huffing and puffing counts for nothing.