If this game were a novel it might be called ‘The Revenge of the Much Maligned’. It was as if Gordon Brown proved to be a strong, decisive Prime Minister, Russell Brand revealed his caring side, or Pete Docherty managed not to fall over for all of five minutes. Three of the goal scorers have been the butt of the knockers at various times and even folk hero Super Kev would have been near the bottom of most people’s list of preferred penalty takers. Perhaps Gary Megson will reappear somewhere as an adventurous, popular manager. As these flying pigs came into land, four goals, a shut out, and most important of all, three points, were all very welcome.
For those that saw the drubbing we experienced on Tuesday, the portents lacked promise. Muamba’s injury in that game illustrated how important he has become to the team and, when he left the field, it seemed unlikely that he would recover in time to face Wigan. Ricketts’ unfortunate dismissal and subsequent suspension added to our woes and four goals conceded must have dented confidence. Added to which, Wigan have had the hex on us for the last several seasons. Oh, and the referee was Mike Dean.
In the event Muamba recovered from his knock, Cohen returned from suspension in place of Gardner, and Andy O’Brien stood in for Ricketts in the following line up: Jaaskelainen; Steinsson, O’Brien, Knight, Robinson; Chung-Yong Lee, Muamba, Cohen, Wilshire; Davies, Elmander. The size of the crowd was pitiful. Twenty thousand for a local derby, and after improved results and performances, was pitiful. I don’t know what the club can do to address this problem.
The first half gave little hint of what was to follow, indeed how we managed to reach half time in the lead I’m not quite sure. Wigan’s Rodallega, had both our centre backs in turmoil and the visitors might have had a penalty when the striker got on the goal side of Knight before being floored. Fortunately Wigan had little else to offer and when Rodallega provided a gilt edged chance for N’Zogbia, Jussi made a wonderful save, diving low to his right.
In and among this, we had taken the lead with Elmander’s first goal for ages. A long ball from Jussi was headed on by Davies. The Wigan centre back Caldwell, who was to have an afternoon he would like to forget, allowed Elmander to round him and shoot beneath the diving Kirkland.
An Elmander goal was a rarity and the second half started with another collector’s item. Cohen, who had been anonymous in the first period, played a one two with Davies before being tripped by Caldwell. We had a penalty. But who was to take it? The last time we were granted one, Taylor was the man, but he was on the bench. Cometh the hour. Up stepped the skipper to calmly send Kirkland the wrong way and stroke the ball home.
This was good, but the best was still to come. Chung picked up a clearance and moved forward before delivering a perfect pass to Muamba, who had galloped from his own half in support. The youngster rounded Caldwell in style before placing the ball beyond Kirkland for his first Wanderers goal. In celebration he carried on running, all the way to his delighted manager on the touchline. An Elmander goal, a Davies penalty, a Muamba goal. I looked to the skies for Haley’s comet.
The celebrations began, and like Muamba, it was the manager that the crowd acclaimed. Owen Coyle’s Super White Army was on the march. With twenty five minutes left Matty Taylor replaced Wilshire and he scored with almost his first touch. Elmander headed on a fairly harmless ball, which Caldwell seemed to have covered. However it wasn’t the centre back’s day and he got himself in a mess. Taylor stole the ball and scored with his right foot, which on another day might have classed as an oddity.
Klasnic and Weiss joined the fray in place of Davies and Chung, but none of the substitutes really enhanced their claims for a regular start. Indeed Wigan had the majority of possession in the closing minutes. Weiss did produce one moment of magic when he rounded his marker and delivered a low cross that Klasnic ought to have prodded home but, perhaps, enough salt had been rubbed into Wigan’s wounds. By the end of the game The South Stand, which had been allocated to them, was almost empty.
It was an important win and it was deserved but it was achieved, Muamba’s stunner apart, not through scintillating football but through hard work and spirit, abetted by the deficiencies of the opposition,. Nevertheless it was very pleasing that we never chose to go on the defensive as would have happened in the past.
It was a day when the grafters shone, and none more so than another of the crowd’s anti-heroes, Paul Robinson. For most of the game he was superb, blotting his copybook only by turning himself inside out trying to control a ball that he could have let run out of play. Steinsson also did well, keeping tabs on Wigan’s January signing, the lively Moses. He didn’t get forward much, maybe this was by instruction, but defensively he was sound. Thankfully, Knight improved in the second half and the threat from Rodallega was largely nullified. Andy O’Brien never looked like more than a stand in and behind him, Jussi had little to do, but make the one, vital save. The keeper is noticeably throwing the ball more lately, which presumably is the result of coaching.
Chung had a relatively quiet game but he played an important role in Muamba’s goal and was buzzing around when Cohen won the penalty. On the other wing Wilshire promises much without, as yet, quite delivering. His time will come. Cohen ran around a lot, Elmander and Davies did likewise but to more effect. But the day belonged to Fabrice Muamba. I was delighted when he scored and it was a terrific goal. Whilst I have long championed him I must admit I was wrong in my assessment. I thought he could only play defensively, with the ball coming towards him, and with creative players around him. Since the advent of OC, however, he is looking like a very good box to box midfielder. He is only twenty one and if he continues to improve, he is going to be some player.
At the end of my last report, I bemoaned our inability to convert the numerous chances we were creating. In this game, that was the least of our problems; we had eight shots and scored four goals. However, it’s unlikely that we will encounter a centre back as accommodating as Caldwell in our next few matches and, whilst I hope I’m wrong, I don’t think Elmander and Muamba are going to become prolific. Whilst the future looks brighter, we are not yet out of the wood. It could just be that another whipping boy might yet be our goal scoring saviour. Ricardo Vaz Te scored twice for Portugal Under Twenty Threes a fortnight ago. He scored another couple for our Reserves last week. RVT as hero; impossible. Not after this game it isn’t.
