Wigan - winnable, or a need to grind out a dour draw?

[Alfreton14Blade]

Just wondering, after Saturday's admirable backs-to-the-wall rearguard action, whether Tuesday will be more of the same?

Having recently re-read that article from the start of the season - the one in which Wigan's silly child chairman says he expects them to "smash the league" & end up on 100+ points - I was a bit surprised about it saying that Wigan have 5 times the budget of any other team in the division. I know they've fallen from grace recently, but ... well, Wigan?? Anyway, I suppose if any side presents a league equivalent of the might of Man United, then the nearest is Wigan this season.

It'd be a bit embarrassing just timidly going all out for a nil-nil at Wigan though, wouldn't it? Fully expect it to happen mind.

 

[Karaoke Blade]

I suspect we will approach the game like we did against Coventry at home. Solid, two banks of four, pretty dour to watch, but in the end effective.
Think we are going to have to get used to this approach for a while.

 

[Ricky]

Definitely winnable, they're nothing special, but if we lose then we'll realistically only have one play off spot left to aim for - and there are a couple of teams climbing the table who'll challenge for that last spot in addition to the others already on the edge of the play offs.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Hopefully we will play with much more confidence following the game at Old Trafford.
I say we'll win 3-1 at Wigan (Latics will get a late consolation goal).

 

[PeteBlade]

After losing to Peterborough at home this is now a game we really need to be winning.

 

[biggey blade]

Not to sure what we will do. I went to man u and there was a lot of effort put into defending.

Personally I can't see us setting out for the draw as we want to win every game possible and this is another 6 pointer that been said, I expect to see a few changes to the starting 11 and think adams and done could make it into the team instead of sammon and woolford. And could possibly see coutts been left out of the squad and possibly been replaced by flynn or calvert Lewin. Will be interesting to see who has enough fitness to play 2 matches in 3 days after the performance they put in Saturday night.

Another good testing match and think if we can defend like we did Saturday night can see us picking up a good away win. Just hope it didn't drain the players to much Saturday night.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Jaaskelainen
Daniels, Barnett, Morgan, Pearce, James
Power, Perkins, Kellett
Jacobs
Grigg

Top scorer: Jacobs - on 7, I think.

Strange formation (from their last match v Gillingham). Not much there to suggest we ought to be terrified of them, nor that they're a side capable of "smashing the league".

 

[Worksop II]

A dour draw .... with Wigan ....... what could possibly go wrong

 

[mattbianco1]

1-0 Blades

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

The mighty Blackpool won there a few weeks ago, nuff said.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

I expect us to aim to be solid. If we manage to keep it at 0-0, we might come out and have a go second half like we did at Scunny.

 

[BushBlade]

I expect us to aim to be solid. If we manage to keep it at 0-0, we might come out and have a go second half like we did at Scunny.

Hope so. Going gung-ho for a win and letting them gain three points on us would be stupid. Keep it tight and make them attack us. I know it's a bit Clough-like but I'd rather we got a solid point than give them three.

 

[Finn Keane o' Balmaqueen]

We played a team on Saturday who were motivated by fear.
Fear of losing. Fear of not playing to LVG's tactics. Fear of expression. Fear of embarrassment.

If NA's team selections and tactics are based on fear, of losing, a la Clough,
we may as well all stay at home, switch everything else off and listen to Keith.

There is NOTHING to fear.
It's NOT about being Sheffield United, BIGGEST club in L1,
it's about fearing no-one.

We have to start a winning run, that goes on and on and on...

If we fail by giving it our all, I will have no complaints.

 

[Kenilworth]

Bump and grind - only option after expending so much energy chasing a bunch of flouncers around Old Trafford

 

[TJB.]

Didn't look too special against Gillingham but, as with many other teams in this division, they seemed to have that extra few yards of pace. We'll need to be sharp to defend against that, but after 90 minutes of that only 3 days prior, I doubt the bodies and minds will oblige.

Can only see a home win for this one. Hope to be proved wrong.

 

[derryblade]

After the defeat against Peterborough I would say we need a win at Wigan a draw would be another two points gone. Not saying we go hell for leather from the start, but at some point they have to give it a real go to get the three points, winning games is becoming a priority we cant afford to lose any more ground with draws and certainly in defeats.

 

[Revolution]

3-0 to them, I fear.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Right, enough of this negativity. I would like to point out a couple of things:
1. The Blades are going up
2. Now you're gonna believe us...Why? See No.1

 

[Jehovah]

They recorded a confidence boosting 95th minute win against a very strong Gillingham side after being 0-2 down the other day. No idea how we'll get on.

Wigan 0-5 blades

 

[madeinsheffield]

I spoke to a Wigan fan who said in his words "we're shite mate, tapping across the back and getting nowhere"

 

[blade too long]

we need several 3 point hauls , say 4 at least in the next 6 games,Wigans not been on fire of late so we should give it some welly
holding out for dour draws can only lead to disappointment, man utd showed how you can be dog shit for 90 minutes then snatch it
we should relax when we 3 up with 5 to play, otherwise be knocking on their door

as Adkins said earlier in the season attack at every opportunity

 

[Sean Thornton]

The "don't let one in" idea, with little up front hasn't really served us well in the past, I really don't see a different outcome unless we get someone good in to replace Sammon/Higdon.

 

[wizadry]

Anybody that saw the game against Gillingham knows this is a very winnable game for us. Bad defending and shocking goalkeeping helped Wigan out tremendously, no need to worry about this match as against any other in this league. It's about time we showed a few sides less respect in this league. I'm sick of us fannying around at times, take it to them Blades.

Wigan 1-2 Blades.

 

[longinthe toothblade]

they're nothing special

............and we are?

 

[BushBlade]

we need several 3 point hauls , say 4 at least in the next 6 games,Wigans not been on fire of late so we should give it some welly
holding out for dour draws can only lead to disappointment, man utd showed how you can be dog shit for 90 minutes then snatch it
we should relax when we 3 up with 5 to play, otherwise be knocking on their door

as Adkins said earlier in the season attack at every opportunity

There's 22 games left. We can 'go for it' against Colchester, a team we should be beating if we expect promotion. Wigan is a game we can't afford to lose.

I'm not advocating a ten man defence like Man U, just nothing daft, don't over commit, no risky balls. Let Wigan force it and hope they make mistakes we can capitalise on.

 

[longinthe toothblade]

Anybody that saw the game against Gillingham knows this is a very winnable game for us. Bad defending and shocking goalkeeping helped Wigan out tremendously, no need to worry about this match as against any other in this league. It's about time we showed a few sides less respect in this league. I'm sick of us fannying around at times, take it to them Blades.

Wigan 1-2 Blades.

Agree, they're all winnable. That said, having already succeeded in dropping points against 6 of the bottom 8 (Colchester [L], Crewe [L], Shrewsbury [L], Oldham [D], Fleetwood [D] and Barnsley [D]) every fixture represents a potential banana skin (with our name on it).

Let's have a go though for fucks sake

 

[carthesis]

A dour draw .... with Wigan ....... what could possibly go wrong

Sharp would follow a ball in I'd hope.

 

[Ricky]

............and we are?

Yes, obviously.

 

[blade too long]

There's 22 games left. We can 'go for it' against Colchester, a team we should be beating if we expect promotion. Wigan is a game we can't afford to lose.

I'm not advocating a ten man defence like Man U, just nothing daft, don't over commit, no risky balls. Let Wigan force it and hope they make mistakes we can capitalise on.

conversely why should we let them dictate the play
its time to be brave, one result isnt going to settle the positions
got to do what Leicesterare doing , defending in the other teams goal mouth

wigan benifitted in their last game when gillingham went from going for it to defending
got what they deserved gillingham for going backwards

 

[Woodwardfan]

If we were to sneak into the automatic spot then Wigan are one of the three other teams we'll have to overtake and we're 8 points behind already.

The other two IMO are Coventry and Walsall who play each other tomorrow night and we're 11 and 12 points behind them.

Then there are Burton and Gillingham who are 15 and 14 points in front of us.

It's a must-win game and so are 5 out of the next six to stand any chance.

As for the Play-Offs a draw would be a worthy result.

What a state to be in yet again.