Newcastle v Wigan – Premier League match preview

Colo rescues a point against Wigan last season
Saturday afternoon we’ll bear witness to an unbeaten, never say die Newcastle United side taking on an occasionally entertaining yet inconsistent and spineless Wigan Athletic at St James’ Park.

We are eight games in and we are going strong. Still in 4th place on 16 points having held off a strong Spurs side and looking to build upon their great start to the season with a win against a less than convincing Latics, who are sat joint bottom on five points having lost their last five league games.

Wigan can only be described as being in “freefall” at the moment. Capable of some terrific football and with a top young coveted manager at the helm in Roberto Martinez, Wigan are a team with potential, but this season it has just gone wrong. They look dazed and confused in defence and desperately unsure of themselves in front of goal. Newcastle will be looking to capitalise on this to continue their fantastic start to the season, while Wigan will be hoping they can find the resolve to turn their fortunes around.

Newcastle United:

The Toon are pretty much at full capacity. Alan Smith (hamstring), Haris Vuckic (broken hand) and Fabricio Coloccini (toe) have all recovered and should be available for selection with Mike Williamson remaining absent thanks to his ankle injury.

The likes of Alan Smith and Danny Guthrie are unlikely to feature due to the competition just being too hot whilst forgotten man Tamas Kadar is beginning to make an impression for the reserves again having captained the last outing against Liverpool – he is back to full fitness and may find himself on the bench some time soon if he continues his hard work. The likes of Davide Santon, Hatem Ben Arfa and Sylvain Marveaux are pushing hard for starts.

Provisional squad: Krul, Harper, Simpson, R. Taylor, Santon, Ferguson, Coloccini, S. Taylor, Kadar, Tiote, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Marveaux, Obertan, Gosling, Guthrie, Ben Arfa, Abeid, Vuckic, Smith, Ba, Best, Shola Ameobi, Lovenkrands, Sammy Ameobi.

Wigan Athletic:

Ben Watson is likely to shake off his knock from the loss to Bolton whilst Hugo Rodallega could come back into the fold. Antolin Alcarez and Emerson Boyce are struggling for match fitness but likely to feature. Chris Kirkland has gone off on loan as has young McManaman.

Provisional squad: Al Habsi, Boyce, Caldwell, Alcaraz, Figueroa, Watson, Diame, Moses, Gomez, McCarthy, Di Santo, Jones, Pollitt, Stam, Van Aanholt, McArthur, Lopez, Thomas, Sammon, Maloney, Crusat, Gohouri, Rodallega.

Stats and Facts:

This week the stats will have more bulk than tactical analysis. The reason I hear you ask? Simple. There is not a great deal to analyse for this match, but I’ll explain that in a minute…

Wigan have won just one of their last 12 Premier League trips to play the three North East teams (W1 D5 L6).

Although we have the joint best defensive record in the league with the two Manchester clubs, four of the six goals we have conceded this season have been at home.

Four goals have been scored by Ryan Taylor in this fixture…. All for Wigan…..

Although Steven Taylor gets stick for his last ditch rash challenges, that same style of play has seen him block more shots than any other Premier League player with 14.

Staying with our defence, they have made five goal line clearances this season – more than anybody else.

Newcastle have hosted Wigan five times in the Premiership, winning three and drawing two.

Wigan have only ever failed to score in our back yard once in all competitions.

The last two fixtures at home against Wigan have ended 2-2.

Demba Ba has 12 goals in 15 Premier League starts. He has the joint best goals to shots ratio of anybody in the league, with a success rate of 38% he can proudly share with Sergio Aguero.

Ali Al Habsi is rated as this season’s 4th best goalkeeper with 30 saves and a saves/shots ratio of 68%.

Victor Moses is the league’s best dribbler with 62. Impressive huh? Not really. He tends to run around like a headless chicken, managing 26 shots and hitting the target zero times!

Antolin Alcarez was statistically one of the Premierships best five central defenders last season notably making 171 aerial challenges.

Ben Watson can pass. He is successful 85% of the time.

Yohan Cabaye and Cheik Tiote are the Premier League’s 4th and 5th best tacklers so far this season.

Tactical analysis:

So this will not be in too much depth because Wigan really do not pose half as great a threat at Tottenham did. I don’t want to disrespect them, but their squad is unsteady, unproductive, in free fall and generally just not clicking this season. This week is not so much about countering what they have to throw at us, but how we should really be looking to dominate them all over the pitch and control the game.

Naturally as Newcastle fans, we are all aware of how our squad has changed. Last week I described the side as one making the transition from workmanlike to more technical and European. However, the spirit the lads showed against Spurs underlined that despite the French current now running through the side, there is still that steely British determination forming the teams backbone.

I remember a commentator looking at the Newcastle work rate and stating it was only a matter of time before the legs got tired and the performance levels drop off. It did not happen. As the game wore on, the boys looked even stronger. Why? They are clearly extremely fit and equally determined.

Newcastle covered 118km against Spurs, that is the 2nd best result out of anybody in the league so far and an accurate reflection of fitness levels. Cabaye and Tiote are covering about 12km of ground each per game themselves. That is good going and that is what breaks opposing teams down – simply not being able to keep up with the tempo.

Now then, Wigan like to pack the middle of the park in an effort to take control of the game, but with Watson passing the ball accurately to Moses, who then efficiently dribbles it into a ‘shooting position’ and promptly sends it wide – they can crack on quite frankly. They tend to begin disciplined, then get wider and wider meaning spaces open up. They are likely to sit deep and try to build up play against us. The problem for them, is when they build that pressure up they shoot too early (46% of their shots come from outside the area). From 16 shots against Bolton yielded only 2 on target. This shows they are short on confidence moving forward and I would like to think that with Fabricio Coloccini calmly dispossessing them and playing the ball out to feet, holes can be exploited in their midfield.

The key for Newcastle is simple. Keep up the high work rate. Hassle them into mistakes, run at them all day. Have Best drop deep and pull them out of position allowing Cabaye space to feed Ba that perfect ball, or Gutierrez to go an a mazy run and the breakthrough will happen. As long as we keep our shape, stay focused and disciplined and don’t get complacent then the three points and a decent goal margin is there for the taking. Sorry Wigan fans but deep down, you know it too?

This is Newcastle’s game to lose.

Referee:

This season is Neil Swarbrick’s first as a regular in the Premier League. He was born not too far away from Wigan (Preston) so lets hope he is not more inclined to lean in their favour when decisions have to be made. That said, he has officiated us twice so far and we have not lost whilst on his watch. A 1-0 win against Leicester in the Championship and a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa this season reflect that.

Wigan are unbeaten under his watch too – because he has not taken charge of them yet….

He has given out 33 yellows and 1 red so far this season, so is generally a four cards per game ref.

Swarbrick started out a bit late in life with regards to the refereeing game starting at age 29 and making it into the Football League in 2005. He enjoys a growing reputation and was promoted to the select group of referees in June this year, having proven his worth last season at the top level in the Fulham v Sunderland and the Wolves v Blackpool games.

Lets hope the fans get right behind the team, they stay driven, focused and grounded and we could potentially be looking at a big win here on home soil. We could do with notching the goal difference up a mark or two before we run into the ‘Big Three’ in a few weeks time!

Newcastle United Vs Wigan Athletic.
Venue: St. James’ Park.
Kick Off: Saturday the 22nd October 2011 at 15:00.

Howay the lads!

About Shamrock

Like everyone here, support Newcastle United. Not the easiest side to feel good about at times, but it's our side!

153 thoughts on “Newcastle v Wigan – Premier League match preview

  1. Whumpie – No I don’t think we’ll tonk them. In a way I’m looking for the performance more than the scoreline. Don’t get me wrong, I want the win, but I don’t care if it’s 1-0 or 10-0 providing we dominate the game as it’s one of the games that we should, in my opinion, be controlling.

      (Quote)

  2. “Yeah right, and when you lay down with Batty dogs you get fleas. So watch out.”

    Aye Worky said something identical the other day.

    I=Still, there are over 1,000 registered users on here so there is more than just me doing it 🙂

      (Quote)

  3. On a pluss side we now have ryan taylor and they dont have insomnia ,although i hope there team have isomnia tomoz and are half a sleep 🙂

      (Quote)

  4. Aye, apologies shamrock, we aren’t all as good as others at restraining each other in the face of blatant ignorance. Good write up, found the bit about their profligacy in front of goal particularly interesting 😀

      (Quote)

  5. Look at what you geordies are doing to me, I’m writing aye and it sounds perfectly normal in my head. Don’t think I’ve ever said the word out loud 😆

      (Quote)

  6. Batty, Doubt they will sleep tonight, knowing they have to play at SJP 😛

    Seriously I don’t think many teams will beat us at home this season, I think are fate lays in the teams away form!

      (Quote)

  7. I agree with those worrying about complacency, however I just dont see it in this match, it goes against everything the team has stood for so far this season. The psyche seems to be try, try, try…. Yes at some point Wigan will get desparate and will fight toothe & nail due a relegation scrap, but it’s too early for that yet. They really are clueless and we have no right losing to them, hence the strong article underlining why we should not be taking hostages here.

    I’m going for 3-1 or 4-1. Come on! 😛

      (Quote)

  8. meh, don’t ruin a really good preview, man. This deserves football comments.
    4 – 0 to us, and hopefully we’ll be able to dominate most of the game. I hope to see Ben Arfa and Santon start, but they’ll probably at least have a little extra playing time to impress in if we’re leading in the first half itself.

      (Quote)

  9. Spence – But we can never seem to nail both. Like last season we won as many points away as we did at home 😕

    I wouldn’t expect another away season like last year.

      (Quote)

  10. Toonsy @32:

    that’s a low blow. You are trying to associate something I said with something really bad that somebody else said and had nothing to do with me.

      (Quote)

  11. ive sed we will lose in every game this season and we havent lost yet 🙂 so ile go 4-1 too wigan 😉

      (Quote)

  12. GS – You made that link yourself. Twice now you’ve done that. Stop being so para man 😕

    I was merely pointing out that after being on the end of a lot of threats and abuse I was starting to wonder whether or not I should carry on.

      (Quote)

  13. Look at what you geordies are doing to me, I’m writing aye and it sounds perfectly normal in my head. Don’t think I’ve ever said the word out loud
    —————————-
    LOL. They’ve had that effect on me as well. I’m a regular on an american hockey blog and catch myself using English-isms/Geord-isms all the time.

      (Quote)

  14. Just catching up on that interview from last night, good to hear things like how upset people like Carr were at the state of the club a few years ago, their frustration and how their work behind the scenes has done such good. One thing I really like about Pardew, you get to know more about the working of the club than any time i can remember, find it really interesting.

    For anyone that didn’t hear pardew on the beeb: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p00kspqx
    Credit to icedog i think for digging up the link last night

      (Quote)

  15. aye Toonsy its a shame, cause consistency away from home and at home could mean a very good season!

    I noticed last season, alot of out goals we’re conceded at the beginning of each half, or at the end of each half, not sure what the times are that we have conceded this time, but it could make a interesting article to compare, but if any of you do it, I want some credit for the idea 😛

    and http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230689383949 BLIMEY!!!

      (Quote)

  16. Yeah MDS, I remember i got confused and started calling young players prospects on here. at least there’s some chance of that being understood. Not so sure aye would work over there :mrgreen:
    Decent start by you boys btw, best of luck getting betts back (if he’d be able to get in the team anyway)

      (Quote)

  17. Really? 🙂

    Thats like a full season like, imagine going undefeated at home all season 😯

      (Quote)

  18. Toonsy…sweet!

    Looks like it’s been getting feisty on here again today.

    Hopefully he’ll be true to his word & stick to virtual reach-arounds from his chums across the way.

      (Quote)

  19. Toonsy @98, not my link at all.

    You said “sorry for not questioning whether or not I really wanted to carry on having just received an e-mail wishing my as yet unborn child harm”.

    You were associating it with me, otherwise why bring it up?

      (Quote)

  20. MDS – he’s really bigging up the geordie talk now. Not sure i could pronounce a word ICE just wrote 😉

    GS, not looking it up but he mentioned somewhere his thread questioning whether or not he wanted to continue the blog, that’s why he’d bring up that quote and why it’d relate to you 🙄

      (Quote)

  21. GS…I think that was the reason he re-considered his position re continuing with the blog. Your mate made the link & now you are…suspicious

    You really should read the comments & think before you tap the keyboard.

      (Quote)

  22. Gladly take yours mds 😆 mtl looked pathetic last night against the Pens. At least when they lost to the Avs and Buf they played well. I know it’s early but saw a stat a few days ago about teams outside the playoffs in november rarely getting in at the end of the year, and almost always they’re within three points of 8th. Think the only time it happened from more that 3 points was calgary coming from seven points out.

      (Quote)

  23. GS – Is it really that confusing? I’ll slow it down for you…

    It was in reply to this, which you said at 20.

    “And that little cry out for help that you wrote the other day – you know when the world was ending and you wanted to give it all up, but then did an about face and said you didn’t mean it.”

    I wasn’t overly happy with you insinuating that my, in your words, “little cry out” was done with no justifiable reason as, quite simply, it wasn’t.

    That was why I felt the need to clarify it by referring to the e-mail which sparked it all off just to show that there was a reason for my 2little cry out” that you missed out 🙂

      (Quote)

  24. Always happy to help 😉

    Btw the way…spence, I’m still trying get hold of an electronic copy of that angel of north photo for you

      (Quote)

  25. Toonsy I do mate i do got plenty in the ole mind ready to be written.
    Sorry for the lack of it recently studying at uni as well as working so very lil spare time.

    GS – Grow up man

      (Quote)

  26. @131 i threw an ‘aboot’ there to keep ’em happy 😉

    Has anyone mentioned Pards thinking about sending Harper (or Elliot) out on loan? Personally i wouldn’t mind elliot going as he seems a bit shaky. If harps went I wouldn’t feel too comfortable with Elliot as number 2. The remainder of the game fair enough (if harper is just rested at home instead of being on the bench as sometimes happens now,) but i wouldn’t like Elliot starting for 3 weeks + 🙁

      (Quote)

  27. I missed my big hoohaa over hitting 1 million visits in 6 months
    Missed it by ages aswe
    ————————
    Not bad for a ‘small clique” site. Congrats!

      (Quote)

  28. Congrats Toonsy, great achievement, if you need another landmark to acknowledge, 7bn people on the planet before the end of the month 😉

      (Quote)

  29. ‘Provisional squad: Krul, Harper, Simpson, R. Taylor, Santon, Ferguson, Coloccini, S. Taylor, Kadar, Tiote, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Marveaux, Obertan, Gosling, Guthrie, Ben Arfa, Abeid, Vuckic, Smith, Ba, Best, Shola Ameobi, Lovenkrands, Sammy Ameobi.’

    I would be suprised if Harper is on the bench ahead of Elliot, given he played for the reserves in midweek and Pardew has put him on the bench for virtually every game.

    I think Kadar should be on the bench to offer us some real cover at CB and LB this time. Especially if Santon is gonna play RB. I would like to see Kadar get some time against Blackburn as well. It seems like Pardew hasn’t been as keen on him as Hughton was and I find that a bit strange as he was a good player when I have seen him. I know he has had injury problems like.

      (Quote)

  30. and Toonsy, say what you like but I know you were whinging, whatever you said afterwards. And now you try to bring up stuff about your wife as an excuse. Pathetic, c’mon just really sad.

      (Quote)

  31. GS the bloke is basically killing himself with lack of sleep trying to maintain this site around a full time job and a relationship. When the baby comes it will be twice as hard. It takes alot of time and effort to do what he is doing for the sake of the regulars and not so regular visitors to this site to get their fix of newcastle news and opinion.

    You must have no idea… If he has a wobble very now and then it is really to be expected. I’m suprised it’s not turned him into a gibbering wreck. We should all be very greatful that he carries on regardless in order to share his passion with us.

    If you dont like him or the site then disappear dude. You are puting a downer on it for everybody else and your opinion is not shared by the vast majority of readers so leave it alone and find some other site you can be happy with. 🙄

      (Quote)

  32. GS if you dont like this Blog just fuk off back to the one that you suck up on, as I dont see anyone forcing you on here.
    But I will give you a piece of advice before you get stuck to far up wanky ask yourself or wanky why did we all leave .org in the 1st place and why some of us cant stand the fella and dont have owt good to say about him ❓ it might save you a lot of bother, but if you like to suck up to a lying thief thats your choice.
    As for Toonsy he might be “only” a Bus driver but I have found him to be an honest one, so maybe we just have different values.

      (Quote)

  33. Bus driver is two words 🙂

    I fail to see the significance really. I mean was it any different when I was Logistics Manager for Toyota Europe? If so then it shows what of guy you really are. Quite ironic really that you condescending whilst you keep referring to me as only a bus driver.

    The fact is that it gives me pounds, 32,000 a year, for a job that I enjoy doing and live 5 minutes away from. And last time I checked my pounds were no different to your pounds. No hassle. No stress. No taking work home with me. No 100 hour weeks. Life is good.

    Management? Been there and done that. Its all I’ve ever done. Says a lot that I jacked in running a £5m a year department to become just a bus driver.

    Is that your 10th or 11th last ever post? Or do we get more abuse and vitriol? 🙂

      (Quote)

  34. Toonsy I wouldn’t worry about **** like that I used to get that all the time.
    because I was a tattooist and looked a bit rough. But after they find out what our hourly rate is they sort of change their opinion, even more so when they try to get booked in only to find that we are booked solid for more than 2 months in advance 😆

      (Quote)

  35. GS…I thought you said you weren’t going to come back. Are you a man of your word or are you just AndyMac’s bumhole engineer, worky’s private felcher, trojan69’s fisting buddy, Chuck’s **** sucka mutha fucka or a combination of all?

    Tell you what….start your own blog & see how you get on you treacherous c u n t.

    That’s my last word on the matter until I decide otherwise… 😛

      (Quote)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *