Well we have been here before, on a few occasions it’s been the last match of the season, here we have the luxury of 2 to go. Of course I do this review prior to any of the matches on Sunday* finishing, which of course will go a long way towards what Wigan need to do Monday night. You’ll notice I’ve not mentioned the ‘R’ word, I’m just too superstitious to well mention the word, you know what I mean.
In the end the best thing for Wigan to deal with this Superstition is ‘Win’, simple.
So to Blackburn Rovers on a Monday night, we are live on Sky TV again! We must be doing something right to get more than the usual minimum 3 games a season with Sky? Mark Lawrenson calls it pretty football, I reckon Mr Caldwell could have a word with Mark, pretty indeed….the football, not the bloke…..oh I’ll give over……
Previous match this season, the 3-3 draw @ the DW & of course who could forget the ghost corner back in November. Also the penalty by the Yak in the 99th Minute, Andre Marriner awarding the penalty as Robinson went down in the area ‘Platoon’ like.
For this match we have Mark Clattenberg, I don’t have the energy to cover the history of Mark & Wigan Athletic. So unless Mr Riley has had a word in his shell’ like I do hope this match is about football, not the drama that is Clattenberg.
In the league Wigan have only ever played Blackburn in the Premier League, in the previous 13 matches, Wigan have won 3, drawn 3 and Blackburn have won 7. I know won 7, they used to be good once, but we’ll not mention the Chicken & Sam Allardyce incident. Wigan’s last win @ Ewood Park was………..okay scratch that, we’ve never actually won @ Blackburn, the best a 1-1 drawn back in April 2006 with a goal from Jason Roberts.
We have played Blackburn 4 other times in Cup matches, losing all 4, Littlewoods 2 legged affair back in 1986, The FA Cup in 98 and the last time a 5th Round tie in the Worthington Cup in December 2002.
Form going into this match is like Chalk & Cheese, Wigan have 4 wins & 2 defeats in the last 6, with their last match a 4-0 thumping of Newcastle United. Blackburn 1 win & 5 defeats in the last 6, their last match a 2-0 defeat to Spurs.
Table wise it couldn’t be tighter for the relegation battle, with both teams down there battling it out for well a 2012/13 season in the Premier League:
- 15 – Villa – played 36 – 37 pts -14 difference
- 16 – Wigan – played 36 – 37 pts -22 difference
- 17 – QPR – played 36 – 34 pts -13 difference
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- 18 – Bolton – played 36 – 34 pts -31 difference
- 19 – Blackburn – played 36 – 31 pts -28 difference
Team news for this match means Bob has a full strength squad to choose from.
Blackburn could have Olsson back after missing the last 3 with a dodgy groin. So to for Dunn & Orr who’ll have checks on their injuries prior to the match. Long term they are also without Hanley, Salgado & Grella all with no planned return dates.
Well to the result, being superstitious I’m going to have to sit on the fence and not predict anything! Sorry I just can’t do it, it’s the tempting fate bit. I do know what the match means to each team and the consequences, the R word, the demonstrations, etc.
Just want a good game of football.
Andy
* – You’ll know that the majority of Premier League matches have been moved to Sunday to accommodate the final of a trophy called the FA Cup.
Shame really I remember when the FA Cup final was the last match of the season, one of the few matches on TV, it was always sunny and the only day your Mum let you close the lounge curtains on an afternoon.
It was part of our football heritage, now just a by product of the all consuming Premier League.
I’ll step off the Soap Box now…..
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