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Match Report: Cometh the hour and 15 minutes cometh the Fam


Olé

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The lead up to this "must win" fixture for our of sorts City has been dominated by a clamour over the identity and number of strikers we need to sign. A much needed but smash and grab victory at Wigan left no doubt that while vast improvements are needed, man of the match Diedhiou up front is the very least of our problems.

Away at one of the poorest teams in the Championship Lee Johnson talked about his side being bright and busy but for well over an hour the under pressure manager must have seemed close to the end as his team were totally outplayed by a sharper passing Wigan side that kept the ball for long periods, City's only plan to hoof long.

The slick hosts dominated possession and it was just a propensity to shoot straight at Bentley that kept the game level. For 75 minutes City looked outclassed by one of the relegation favourites. But one player - Diedhiou - battled consistently and out of nothing he and sub Paterson provided the  rare quality and instinct to steal the win.

City went into the fixture without captain Brownhill for the first time in months due to surprise injury, and with boss Johnson promising a buzzing performance after a recent poor run, the small away following would have hoped for much with Eliasson in a 4-4-2 with two wingers away at struggling hosts. Instead they got one way traffic. 

Wigan moved the ball slickly and were in total control for the first ten, possession saw them camped in the City half, working the ball crisply in the channels: a damning indictment for their opponents who had no such passing and hit aimless long balls - indeed their only respite a Hunt free kick on halfway that didn't beat the first man.

City's first and only chance came after the ten minute mark as Eliasson's first driving run on the left won a corner and Weimann characteristically came short to meet the ball, his header blocked and hacked clear. It was one of the away sides few corners to even beat the first man. And it was rare threat as Wigan continued to dominate.

But midway through the half Diedhiou got into space on the right and unleashed a brilliant Eliasson-esque cross into the box, Weimann racing in to flash a header that was tipped wide. At the other end Wigan tore through the middle, Windass brought down a long ball, squaring to Joe Williams whose low shot on the run deflected wide.

As poor as City had been they could have had a sensational lead just inside the half hour as yet another pointless long ball to no one in particular got half cleared to the edge of the box, that man Diedhiou taking down the ball and unleashing a volley that  lashed into the postage stamp top corner - only to find Watkins had been offside.

Minutes later Eliasson switched across to the right and collected a throw in, beat his man and crossed into the middle - where Diedhiou headed just over at close range, stretching. But these were rare moments of danger, more keep ball followed swiftly from Wigan, repeatedly picking diagonals in behind City, our defence overworked.

At halftime Johnson's men had achieved a pitiful amount of possession as they tried (and failed) to galvanise their mid season slump and would've been under incredible pressure - Paterson on for the anonymous Watkins. And yet for the next 20 minutes it was more of the same as their impressive hosts repeatedly carved open City's right. 

On 47 a brilliant break off the Wigan left saw Robinson tear clear, the ball flashed across the box twice, back and forth, City keeper Bentley holding Dowell's hooked shot from the edge of the box. In minutes the home side found more space behind Hunt, Robinson racing clear again, testing stopper Bentley again at the near post. 

It continued to be one way traffic against anonymous City - on 54 minutes Dowell became the latest to roam free on the left, sweeping a cross to the far post where full back Byrne headed wide. Soon after the latest left wing foray saw Windass link up with Dowell, collecting an inside pass and drilling a shot straight at grateful Bentley.

On the hour Johnson withdrew teenager Massengo - combative but often overrun - for his fellow midfielder Nagy. And almost immediately City's only impressive player, Diedhiou, took a long ball in his stride and struck a wicked dipping 25 yard shot on the run - our first on target - which the keeper tipped over for a series of corners.

On 70 Rowe replaced Korey Smith yet still impressive Wigan pressed - and inevitably another break down the left by Dowell saw a deep cross to the far post met by Garner his diving header forcing a reflex Bentley save. The keeper would then hold a Dowell free kick and soon after Gelhardt curled over after combining with fellow sub Garner.

Into the final quarter hour and little sense that City could get anything from their trip to the North - they certainly weren't owed anything. So it was miraculous in the 77th minute when that man Diedhiou threaded the ball beyond a defender and Paterson, forgotten until returning from the bench, raced clear and slipped it under the keeper.

An improbable lead secured right in front of their away following and against their classy hosts, felt fortuitous. In just over a minute it would become incredible as sub Paterson turned provider, making room in midfield and dinking a short pass behind the defence, Diedhiou breaking the lines to angle the ball first time bottom corner.

This time delerium from the bank of away fans as their talisman had a goal that his performance - as literally City's only stand out performer - hugely deserved, a smash and grab away win confirmed in a quiet final 10 minutes, easing pressure on under fire Johnson although Wigan's dominance and superiority on the ball leaves much to fix.

 

Bentley 7 In truth Wigan attempts on goal were tame or they would have been well out of sight, but Bentley handling flawless

Hunt 4 Exposed repeatedly for an hour in particular the first 20 minutes of the second half, punted nothing long balls forward every time he got it, awful football 

Dasilva 6 A few nice touches and runs they were reminiscent of his quality of last season but like Hunt also regularly narrow and exposed by Wigan's quality passing through the channels 

Williams 6 Had a lot to do and did it well but distribution - mainly punting long balls at the opposite box - was horrible to watch

Baker 7 The better of the two centre backs, doesn't always get the start but his record must be pretty good now

Smith 7 Tidy and sensible in a deep role, strong on the ball and picked simple short passes but zero attacking threat as part of a midfield that offered little in the opposition half

Massengo 6 Combative and feisty in spells but also often bypassed or crowded out by a better organised Wigan in a game our midfield rarely got into

Watkins 4 Completely anonymous - had no effect whatsoever

Eliasson 6 Created a couple of chances and service to him was worse than awful but by his own high standards didn't really affect the game as much as he could

Weimann 5 Also completely anonymous, although hard to blame him on 30% possession and long balls punted towards the Wigan keeper 

Diedhiou 8 Our best player by a mile - a stunning goal disallowed, an assist, a goal and two of our three shots on target, was only player who was "busy" in the first hour

 

Paterson 7 Actually runs at people and has an instinct for a decent through ball that we don't possess besides Palmer - a much needed upgrade over Hunt and Williams hoofing it long

Nagy 6 Tidier than Massengo but didn't make much of a difference to a midfield that was routinely bypassed

Rowe 6 We looked more organised and solid in midfield with his energy off the ball

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Only saw 30 minutes onwards. From what I saw we were the better side. We defended pretty comfortably and created some good chances. 

But the long balls were clearly a tactic. It worked. But not how I want us to play going forward. If we do then no point in bringing in technical midfielders like we do.

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6 minutes ago, JonDolman said:

Only saw 30 minutes onwards. From what I saw we were the better side. We defended pretty comfortably and created some good chances. 

But the long balls were clearly a tactic. It worked. But not how I want us to play going forward. If we do then no point in bringing in technical midfielders like we do.

Trust me, we were abject in the first 30 minutes!

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37 minutes ago, Olé said:

The lead up to this "must win" fixture for our of sorts City has been dominated by a clamour over the identity and number of strikers we need to sign. A much needed but smash and grab victory at Wigan left no doubt that while vast improvements are needed, man of the match Diedhiou up front is the very least of our problems.

Away at one of the poorest teams in the Championship Lee Johnson talked about his side being bright and busy but for well over an hour the under pressure manager must have seemed close to the end as his team were totally outplayed by a sharper passing Wigan side that kept the ball for long periods, City's only plan to hoof long.

The slick hosts dominated possession and it was just a propensity to shoot straight at Bentley that kept the game level. For 75 minutes City looked outclassed by one of the relegation favourites. But one player - Diedhiou - battled consistently and out of nothing he and sub Paterson provided the  rare quality and instinct to steal the win.

City went into the fixture without captain Brownhill for the first time in months due to surprise injury, and with boss Johnson promising a buzzing performance after a recent poor run, the small away following would have hoped for much with Eliasson in a 4-4-2 with two wingers away at struggling hosts. Instead they got one way traffic. 

Wigan moved the ball slickly and were in total control for the first ten, possession saw them camped in the City half, working the ball crisply in the channels: a damning indictment for their opponents who had no such passing and hit aimless long balls - indeed their only respite a Hunt free kick on halfway that didn't beat the first man.

City's first and only chance came after the ten minute mark as Eliasson's first driving run on the left won a corner and Weimann characteristically came short to meet the ball, his header blocked and hacked clear. It was one of the away sides few corners to even beat the first man. And it was rare threat as Wigan continued to dominate.

But midway through the half Diedhiou got into space on the right and unleashed a brilliant Eliasson-esque cross into the box, Weimann racing in to flash a header that was tipped wide. At the other end Wigan tore through the middle, Windass brought down a long ball, squaring to Joe Williams whose low shot on the run deflected wide.

As poor as City had been they could have had a sensational lead just inside the half hour as yet another pointless long ball to no one in particular got half cleared to the edge of the box, that man Diedhiou taking down the ball and unleashing a volley that  lashed into the postage stamp top corner - only to find Watkins had been offside.

Minutes later Eliasson switched across to the right and collected a throw in, beat his man and crossed into the middle - where Diedhiou headed just over at close range, stretching. But these were rare moments of danger, more keep ball followed swiftly from Wigan, repeatedly picking diagonals in behind City, our defence overworked.

At halftime Johnson's men had achieved a pitiful amount of possession as they tried (and failed) to galvanise their mid season slump and would've been under incredible pressure - Paterson on for the anonymous Watkins. And yet for the next 20 minutes it was more of the same as their impressive hosts repeatedly carved open City's right. 

On 47 a brilliant break off the Wigan left saw Robinson tear clear, the ball flashed across the box twice, back and forth, City keeper Bentley holding Dowell's hooked shot from the edge of the box. In minutes the home side found more space behind Hunt, Robinson racing clear again, testing stopper Bentley again at the near post. 

It continued to be one way traffic against anonymous City - on 54 minutes Dowell became the latest to roam free on the left, sweeping a cross to the far post where full back Byrne headed wide. Soon after the latest left wing foray saw Windass link up with Dowell, collecting an inside pass and drilling a shot straight at grateful Bentley.

On the hour Johnson withdrew teenager Massengo - combative but often overrun - for his fellow midfielder Nagy. And almost immediately City's only impressive player, Diedhiou, took a long ball in his stride and struck a wicked dipping 25 yard shot on the run - our first on target - which the keeper tipped over for a series of corners.

On 70 Rowe replaced Korey Smith yet still impressive Wigan pressed - and inevitably another break down the left by Dowell saw a deep cross to the far post met by Garner his diving header forcing a reflex Bentley save. The keeper would then hold a Dowell free kick and soon after Gelhardt curled over after combining with fellow sub Garner.

Into the final quarter hour and little sense that City could get anything from their trip to the North - they certainly weren't owed anything. So it was miraculous in the 77th minute when that man Diedhiou threaded the ball beyond a defender and Paterson, forgotten until returning from the bench, raced clear and slipped it under the keeper.

An improbable lead secured right in front of their away following and against their classy hosts, felt fortuitous. In just over a minute it would become incredible as sub Paterson turned provider, making room in midfield and dinking a short pass behind the defence, Diedhiou breaking the lines to angle the ball first time bottom corner.

This time delerium from the bank of away fans as their talisman had a goal that his performance - as literally City's only stand out performer - hugely deserved, a smash and grab away win confirmed in a quiet final 10 minutes, easing pressure on under fire Johnson although Wigan's dominance and superiority on the ball leaves much to fix.

 

Bentley 7 In truth Wigan attempts on goal were tame or they would have been well out of sight, but Bentley handling flawless

Hunt 4 Exposed repeatedly for an hour in particular the first 20 minutes of the second half, punted nothing long balls forward every time he got it, awful football 

Dasilva 6 A few nice touches and runs they were reminiscent of his quality of last season but like Hunt also regularly narrow and exposed by Wigan's quality passing through the channels 

Williams 6 Had a lot to do and did it well but distribution - mainly punting long balls at the opposite box - was horrible to watch

Baker 7 The better of the two centre backs, doesn't always get the start but his record must be pretty good now

Smith 7 Tidy and sensible in a deep role, strong on the ball and picked simple short passes but zero attacking threat as part of a midfield that offered little in the opposition half

Massengo 6 Combative and feisty in spells but also often bypassed or crowded out by a better organised Wigan in a game our midfield rarely got into

Watkins 4 Completely anonymous - had no effect whatsoever

Eliasson 6 Created a couple of chances and service to him was worse than awful but by his own high standards didn't really affect the game as much as he could

Weimann 5 Also completely anonymous, although hard to blame him on 30% possession and long balls punted towards the Wigan keeper 

Diedhiou 8 Our best player by a mile - a stunning goal disallowed, an assist, a goal and two of our three shots on target, was only player who was "busy" in the first hour

 

Paterson 7 Actually runs at people and has an instinct for a decent through ball that we don't possess besides Palmer - a much needed upgrade over Hunt and Williams hoofing it long

Nagy 6 Tidier than Massengo but didn't make much of a difference to a midfield that was routinely bypassed

Rowe 6 We looked more organised and solid in midfield with his energy off the ball

Agreed 100%. Fam was good first half but unplayable in the second.

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Great review Ole. One question: you mentioned the wonder strike that was chalked off but any thoughts on our first? About time we caught some luck but looked a tad as if Paterson was just off when the ball was poked through - neat finish though.

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Smash and grab ?

Must have been watching a different game.

I saw a home team with absolutely no cutting edge in the final third and didn't really trouble the City defence and an away team struggling for form and confidence and a bit ragged but still comfortable in the game. Wigan may have had the majority of possession but they did sweet FA with it - and City deserve some credit for that.

The better team won imo - not that either team were up to much on the day.

Smash and grab ? Definitely not, deserved at least a point and got three.

 

 

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Very poor game, watching via Robins TV. However Pato made a big difference when he came on, and unlike road runner actually looked to link up with Fammy, the result of which were two excellently taken goals. AW may run around all day, and he has a decent goal tally, but offers next to nothing as a striking partner with FD.

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I must say, it's both heartening, but also troubling, that at the middle part of the season we've been singing the praises of Paterson, Watkins and Diedhiou. These three are players that I'm almost certain that we need to replace, and yet here we find ourselves, dependant on them. Weird.

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59 minutes ago, Olé said:

The lead up to this "must win" fixture for our of sorts City has been dominated by a clamour over the identity and number of strikers we need to sign. A much needed but smash and grab victory at Wigan left no doubt that while vast improvements are needed, man of the match Diedhiou up front is the very least of our problems.

Away at one of the poorest teams in the Championship Lee Johnson talked about his side being bright and busy but for well over an hour the under pressure manager must have seemed close to the end as his team were totally outplayed by a sharper passing Wigan side that kept the ball for long periods, City's only plan to hoof long.

The slick hosts dominated possession and it was just a propensity to shoot straight at Bentley that kept the game level. For 75 minutes City looked outclassed by one of the relegation favourites. But one player - Diedhiou - battled consistently and out of nothing he and sub Paterson provided the  rare quality and instinct to steal the win.

City went into the fixture without captain Brownhill for the first time in months due to surprise injury, and with boss Johnson promising a buzzing performance after a recent poor run, the small away following would have hoped for much with Eliasson in a 4-4-2 with two wingers away at struggling hosts. Instead they got one way traffic. 

Wigan moved the ball slickly and were in total control for the first ten, possession saw them camped in the City half, working the ball crisply in the channels: a damning indictment for their opponents who had no such passing and hit aimless long balls - indeed their only respite a Hunt free kick on halfway that didn't beat the first man.

City's first and only chance came after the ten minute mark as Eliasson's first driving run on the left won a corner and Weimann characteristically came short to meet the ball, his header blocked and hacked clear. It was one of the away sides few corners to even beat the first man. And it was rare threat as Wigan continued to dominate.

But midway through the half Diedhiou got into space on the right and unleashed a brilliant Eliasson-esque cross into the box, Weimann racing in to flash a header that was tipped wide. At the other end Wigan tore through the middle, Windass brought down a long ball, squaring to Joe Williams whose low shot on the run deflected wide.

As poor as City had been they could have had a sensational lead just inside the half hour as yet another pointless long ball to no one in particular got half cleared to the edge of the box, that man Diedhiou taking down the ball and unleashing a volley that  lashed into the postage stamp top corner - only to find Watkins had been offside.

Minutes later Eliasson switched across to the right and collected a throw in, beat his man and crossed into the middle - where Diedhiou headed just over at close range, stretching. But these were rare moments of danger, more keep ball followed swiftly from Wigan, repeatedly picking diagonals in behind City, our defence overworked.

At halftime Johnson's men had achieved a pitiful amount of possession as they tried (and failed) to galvanise their mid season slump and would've been under incredible pressure - Paterson on for the anonymous Watkins. And yet for the next 20 minutes it was more of the same as their impressive hosts repeatedly carved open City's right. 

On 47 a brilliant break off the Wigan left saw Robinson tear clear, the ball flashed across the box twice, back and forth, City keeper Bentley holding Dowell's hooked shot from the edge of the box. In minutes the home side found more space behind Hunt, Robinson racing clear again, testing stopper Bentley again at the near post. 

It continued to be one way traffic against anonymous City - on 54 minutes Dowell became the latest to roam free on the left, sweeping a cross to the far post where full back Byrne headed wide. Soon after the latest left wing foray saw Windass link up with Dowell, collecting an inside pass and drilling a shot straight at grateful Bentley.

On the hour Johnson withdrew teenager Massengo - combative but often overrun - for his fellow midfielder Nagy. And almost immediately City's only impressive player, Diedhiou, took a long ball in his stride and struck a wicked dipping 25 yard shot on the run - our first on target - which the keeper tipped over for a series of corners.

On 70 Rowe replaced Korey Smith yet still impressive Wigan pressed - and inevitably another break down the left by Dowell saw a deep cross to the far post met by Garner his diving header forcing a reflex Bentley save. The keeper would then hold a Dowell free kick and soon after Gelhardt curled over after combining with fellow sub Garner.

Into the final quarter hour and little sense that City could get anything from their trip to the North - they certainly weren't owed anything. So it was miraculous in the 77th minute when that man Diedhiou threaded the ball beyond a defender and Paterson, forgotten until returning from the bench, raced clear and slipped it under the keeper.

An improbable lead secured right in front of their away following and against their classy hosts, felt fortuitous. In just over a minute it would become incredible as sub Paterson turned provider, making room in midfield and dinking a short pass behind the defence, Diedhiou breaking the lines to angle the ball first time bottom corner.

This time delerium from the bank of away fans as their talisman had a goal that his performance - as literally City's only stand out performer - hugely deserved, a smash and grab away win confirmed in a quiet final 10 minutes, easing pressure on under fire Johnson although Wigan's dominance and superiority on the ball leaves much to fix.

 

Bentley 7 In truth Wigan attempts on goal were tame or they would have been well out of sight, but Bentley handling flawless

Hunt 4 Exposed repeatedly for an hour in particular the first 20 minutes of the second half, punted nothing long balls forward every time he got it, awful football 

Dasilva 6 A few nice touches and runs they were reminiscent of his quality of last season but like Hunt also regularly narrow and exposed by Wigan's quality passing through the channels 

Williams 6 Had a lot to do and did it well but distribution - mainly punting long balls at the opposite box - was horrible to watch

Baker 7 The better of the two centre backs, doesn't always get the start but his record must be pretty good now

Smith 7 Tidy and sensible in a deep role, strong on the ball and picked simple short passes but zero attacking threat as part of a midfield that offered little in the opposition half

Massengo 6 Combative and feisty in spells but also often bypassed or crowded out by a better organised Wigan in a game our midfield rarely got into

Watkins 4 Completely anonymous - had no effect whatsoever

Eliasson 6 Created a couple of chances and service to him was worse than awful but by his own high standards didn't really affect the game as much as he could

Weimann 5 Also completely anonymous, although hard to blame him on 30% possession and long balls punted towards the Wigan keeper 

Diedhiou 8 Our best player by a mile - a stunning goal disallowed, an assist, a goal and two of our three shots on target, was only player who was "busy" in the first hour

 

Paterson 7 Actually runs at people and has an instinct for a decent through ball that we don't possess besides Palmer - a much needed upgrade over Hunt and Williams hoofing it long

Nagy 6 Tidier than Massengo but didn't make much of a difference to a midfield that was routinely bypassed

Rowe 6 We looked more organised and solid in midfield with his energy off the ball

Excellent write up

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16 minutes ago, BTRFTG said:

Great review Ole. One question: you mentioned the wonder strike that was chalked off but any thoughts on our first? About time we caught some luck but looked a tad as if Paterson was just off when the ball was poked through - neat finish though.

I think Pato was level (just) when the ball was played. Pic taken from @IAmNick’s clip.

 

396B465D-9927-4C9D-8264-687234CCC2F2.png

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2 minutes ago, mozo said:

I must say, it's both heartening, but also troubling, that at the middle part of the season we've been singing the praises of Paterson, Watkins and Diedhiou. These three are players that I'm almost certain that we need to replace, and yet here we find ourselves, dependant on them. Weird.

I've been a big critic of Diedhiou for two seasons now, but his performances lately have been a revelation.

Watkins ? Three games in which he's done well and I don't think anyone is going overboard.

Paterson - 45 excellent minutes. But we all know how inconsistent he is and is not a guaranteed starter.

We are far from dependent on any of them imo and I'm not sure where you are coming from with that assertion tbh.

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1 hour ago, Olé said:

The lead up to this "must win" fixture for our of sorts City has been dominated by a clamour over the identity and number of strikers we need to sign. A much needed but smash and grab victory at Wigan left no doubt that while vast improvements are needed, man of the match Diedhiou up front is the very least of our problems.

Away at one of the poorest teams in the Championship Lee Johnson talked about his side being bright and busy but for well over an hour the under pressure manager must have seemed close to the end as his team were totally outplayed by a sharper passing Wigan side that kept the ball for long periods, City's only plan to hoof long.

The slick hosts dominated possession and it was just a propensity to shoot straight at Bentley that kept the game level. For 75 minutes City looked outclassed by one of the relegation favourites. But one player - Diedhiou - battled consistently and out of nothing he and sub Paterson provided the  rare quality and instinct to steal the win.

City went into the fixture without captain Brownhill for the first time in months due to surprise injury, and with boss Johnson promising a buzzing performance after a recent poor run, the small away following would have hoped for much with Eliasson in a 4-4-2 with two wingers away at struggling hosts. Instead they got one way traffic. 

Wigan moved the ball slickly and were in total control for the first ten, possession saw them camped in the City half, working the ball crisply in the channels: a damning indictment for their opponents who had no such passing and hit aimless long balls - indeed their only respite a Hunt free kick on halfway that didn't beat the first man.

City's first and only chance came after the ten minute mark as Eliasson's first driving run on the left won a corner and Weimann characteristically came short to meet the ball, his header blocked and hacked clear. It was one of the away sides few corners to even beat the first man. And it was rare threat as Wigan continued to dominate.

But midway through the half Diedhiou got into space on the right and unleashed a brilliant Eliasson-esque cross into the box, Weimann racing in to flash a header that was tipped wide. At the other end Wigan tore through the middle, Windass brought down a long ball, squaring to Joe Williams whose low shot on the run deflected wide.

As poor as City had been they could have had a sensational lead just inside the half hour as yet another pointless long ball to no one in particular got half cleared to the edge of the box, that man Diedhiou taking down the ball and unleashing a volley that  lashed into the postage stamp top corner - only to find Watkins had been offside.

Minutes later Eliasson switched across to the right and collected a throw in, beat his man and crossed into the middle - where Diedhiou headed just over at close range, stretching. But these were rare moments of danger, more keep ball followed swiftly from Wigan, repeatedly picking diagonals in behind City, our defence overworked.

At halftime Johnson's men had achieved a pitiful amount of possession as they tried (and failed) to galvanise their mid season slump and would've been under incredible pressure - Paterson on for the anonymous Watkins. And yet for the next 20 minutes it was more of the same as their impressive hosts repeatedly carved open City's right. 

On 47 a brilliant break off the Wigan left saw Robinson tear clear, the ball flashed across the box twice, back and forth, City keeper Bentley holding Dowell's hooked shot from the edge of the box. In minutes the home side found more space behind Hunt, Robinson racing clear again, testing stopper Bentley again at the near post. 

It continued to be one way traffic against anonymous City - on 54 minutes Dowell became the latest to roam free on the left, sweeping a cross to the far post where full back Byrne headed wide. Soon after the latest left wing foray saw Windass link up with Dowell, collecting an inside pass and drilling a shot straight at grateful Bentley.

On the hour Johnson withdrew teenager Massengo - combative but often overrun - for his fellow midfielder Nagy. And almost immediately City's only impressive player, Diedhiou, took a long ball in his stride and struck a wicked dipping 25 yard shot on the run - our first on target - which the keeper tipped over for a series of corners.

On 70 Rowe replaced Korey Smith yet still impressive Wigan pressed - and inevitably another break down the left by Dowell saw a deep cross to the far post met by Garner his diving header forcing a reflex Bentley save. The keeper would then hold a Dowell free kick and soon after Gelhardt curled over after combining with fellow sub Garner.

Into the final quarter hour and little sense that City could get anything from their trip to the North - they certainly weren't owed anything. So it was miraculous in the 77th minute when that man Diedhiou threaded the ball beyond a defender and Paterson, forgotten until returning from the bench, raced clear and slipped it under the keeper.

An improbable lead secured right in front of their away following and against their classy hosts, felt fortuitous. In just over a minute it would become incredible as sub Paterson turned provider, making room in midfield and dinking a short pass behind the defence, Diedhiou breaking the lines to angle the ball first time bottom corner.

This time delerium from the bank of away fans as their talisman had a goal that his performance - as literally City's only stand out performer - hugely deserved, a smash and grab away win confirmed in a quiet final 10 minutes, easing pressure on under fire Johnson although Wigan's dominance and superiority on the ball leaves much to fix.

 

Bentley 7 In truth Wigan attempts on goal were tame or they would have been well out of sight, but Bentley handling flawless

Hunt 4 Exposed repeatedly for an hour in particular the first 20 minutes of the second half, punted nothing long balls forward every time he got it, awful football 

Dasilva 6 A few nice touches and runs they were reminiscent of his quality of last season but like Hunt also regularly narrow and exposed by Wigan's quality passing through the channels 

Williams 6 Had a lot to do and did it well but distribution - mainly punting long balls at the opposite box - was horrible to watch

Baker 7 The better of the two centre backs, doesn't always get the start but his record must be pretty good now

Smith 7 Tidy and sensible in a deep role, strong on the ball and picked simple short passes but zero attacking threat as part of a midfield that offered little in the opposition half

Massengo 6 Combative and feisty in spells but also often bypassed or crowded out by a better organised Wigan in a game our midfield rarely got into

Watkins 4 Completely anonymous - had no effect whatsoever

Eliasson 6 Created a couple of chances and service to him was worse than awful but by his own high standards didn't really affect the game as much as he could

Weimann 5 Also completely anonymous, although hard to blame him on 30% possession and long balls punted towards the Wigan keeper 

Diedhiou 8 Our best player by a mile - a stunning goal disallowed, an assist, a goal and two of our three shots on target, was only player who was "busy" in the first hour

 

Paterson 7 Actually runs at people and has an instinct for a decent through ball that we don't possess besides Palmer - a much needed upgrade over Hunt and Williams hoofing it long

Nagy 6 Tidier than Massengo but didn't make much of a difference to a midfield that was routinely bypassed

Rowe 6 We looked more organised and solid in midfield with his energy off the ball

Hi Olé

just out of interest as not seen the game

if he punted the ball

was there a reasonable option to pass

or was he just clearing his lines?

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Hi @Olé

Great report as usual. Couple of observations, tactically speaking. 

You mentioned the 4-4-2 with wingers. Quite difficult to take the game to the opposition with that when they have a 3 of some kind in there.

Especially away from home- good for counter attacking maybe or perhaps strong counter pressing.

Rowe..sounds like he brought something to the midfield. Part of a possible solution in a 3 do you think? At least for the short to medium term. 

Lastly you mentioned Wigan being 2nd bottom but whenever I've seen them well often anyway, their performances have tended to outstrip their results...one of those, deceptively awkward away games tbh. Outplayed WBA a month or so ago a lot. 

Not saying we don't have a lot to work on, we clearly do but hopefully this win will provide the first stepping stone, building block- a platform for a bit of momentum.

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2 hours ago, Olé said:

The lead up to this "must win" fixture for our of sorts City has been dominated by a clamour over the identity and number of strikers we need to sign. A much needed but smash and grab victory at Wigan left no doubt that while vast improvements are needed, man of the match Diedhiou up front is the very least of our problems.

Away at one of the poorest teams in the Championship Lee Johnson talked about his side being bright and busy but for well over an hour the under pressure manager must have seemed close to the end as his team were totally outplayed by a sharper passing Wigan side that kept the ball for long periods, City's only plan to hoof long.

The slick hosts dominated possession and it was just a propensity to shoot straight at Bentley that kept the game level. For 75 minutes City looked outclassed by one of the relegation favourites. But one player - Diedhiou - battled consistently and out of nothing he and sub Paterson provided the  rare quality and instinct to steal the win.

City went into the fixture without captain Brownhill for the first time in months due to surprise injury, and with boss Johnson promising a buzzing performance after a recent poor run, the small away following would have hoped for much with Eliasson in a 4-4-2 with two wingers away at struggling hosts. Instead they got one way traffic. 

Wigan moved the ball slickly and were in total control for the first ten, possession saw them camped in the City half, working the ball crisply in the channels: a damning indictment for their opponents who had no such passing and hit aimless long balls - indeed their only respite a Hunt free kick on halfway that didn't beat the first man.

City's first and only chance came after the ten minute mark as Eliasson's first driving run on the left won a corner and Weimann characteristically came short to meet the ball, his header blocked and hacked clear. It was one of the away sides few corners to even beat the first man. And it was rare threat as Wigan continued to dominate.

But midway through the half Diedhiou got into space on the right and unleashed a brilliant Eliasson-esque cross into the box, Weimann racing in to flash a header that was tipped wide. At the other end Wigan tore through the middle, Windass brought down a long ball, squaring to Joe Williams whose low shot on the run deflected wide.

As poor as City had been they could have had a sensational lead just inside the half hour as yet another pointless long ball to no one in particular got half cleared to the edge of the box, that man Diedhiou taking down the ball and unleashing a volley that  lashed into the postage stamp top corner - only to find Watkins had been offside.

Minutes later Eliasson switched across to the right and collected a throw in, beat his man and crossed into the middle - where Diedhiou headed just over at close range, stretching. But these were rare moments of danger, more keep ball followed swiftly from Wigan, repeatedly picking diagonals in behind City, our defence overworked.

At halftime Johnson's men had achieved a pitiful amount of possession as they tried (and failed) to galvanise their mid season slump and would've been under incredible pressure - Paterson on for the anonymous Watkins. And yet for the next 20 minutes it was more of the same as their impressive hosts repeatedly carved open City's right. 

On 47 a brilliant break off the Wigan left saw Robinson tear clear, the ball flashed across the box twice, back and forth, City keeper Bentley holding Dowell's hooked shot from the edge of the box. In minutes the home side found more space behind Hunt, Robinson racing clear again, testing stopper Bentley again at the near post. 

It continued to be one way traffic against anonymous City - on 54 minutes Dowell became the latest to roam free on the left, sweeping a cross to the far post where full back Byrne headed wide. Soon after the latest left wing foray saw Windass link up with Dowell, collecting an inside pass and drilling a shot straight at grateful Bentley.

On the hour Johnson withdrew teenager Massengo - combative but often overrun - for his fellow midfielder Nagy. And almost immediately City's only impressive player, Diedhiou, took a long ball in his stride and struck a wicked dipping 25 yard shot on the run - our first on target - which the keeper tipped over for a series of corners.

On 70 Rowe replaced Korey Smith yet still impressive Wigan pressed - and inevitably another break down the left by Dowell saw a deep cross to the far post met by Garner his diving header forcing a reflex Bentley save. The keeper would then hold a Dowell free kick and soon after Gelhardt curled over after combining with fellow sub Garner.

Into the final quarter hour and little sense that City could get anything from their trip to the North - they certainly weren't owed anything. So it was miraculous in the 77th minute when that man Diedhiou threaded the ball beyond a defender and Paterson, forgotten until returning from the bench, raced clear and slipped it under the keeper.

An improbable lead secured right in front of their away following and against their classy hosts, felt fortuitous. In just over a minute it would become incredible as sub Paterson turned provider, making room in midfield and dinking a short pass behind the defence, Diedhiou breaking the lines to angle the ball first time bottom corner.

This time delerium from the bank of away fans as their talisman had a goal that his performance - as literally City's only stand out performer - hugely deserved, a smash and grab away win confirmed in a quiet final 10 minutes, easing pressure on under fire Johnson although Wigan's dominance and superiority on the ball leaves much to fix.

 

Bentley 7 In truth Wigan attempts on goal were tame or they would have been well out of sight, but Bentley handling flawless

Hunt 4 Exposed repeatedly for an hour in particular the first 20 minutes of the second half, punted nothing long balls forward every time he got it, awful football 

Dasilva 6 A few nice touches and runs they were reminiscent of his quality of last season but like Hunt also regularly narrow and exposed by Wigan's quality passing through the channels 

Williams 6 Had a lot to do and did it well but distribution - mainly punting long balls at the opposite box - was horrible to watch

Baker 7 The better of the two centre backs, doesn't always get the start but his record must be pretty good now

Smith 7 Tidy and sensible in a deep role, strong on the ball and picked simple short passes but zero attacking threat as part of a midfield that offered little in the opposition half

Massengo 6 Combative and feisty in spells but also often bypassed or crowded out by a better organised Wigan in a game our midfield rarely got into

Watkins 4 Completely anonymous - had no effect whatsoever

Eliasson 6 Created a couple of chances and service to him was worse than awful but by his own high standards didn't really affect the game as much as he could

Weimann 5 Also completely anonymous, although hard to blame him on 30% possession and long balls punted towards the Wigan keeper 

Diedhiou 8 Our best player by a mile - a stunning goal disallowed, an assist, a goal and two of our three shots on target, was only player who was "busy" in the first hour

 

Paterson 7 Actually runs at people and has an instinct for a decent through ball that we don't possess besides Palmer - a much needed upgrade over Hunt and Williams hoofing it long

Nagy 6 Tidier than Massengo but didn't make much of a difference to a midfield that was routinely bypassed

Rowe 6 We looked more organised and solid in midfield with his energy off the ball

Got to stop the obsession of playing the clumsy,,slow Williams ahead of Moore.

Joke time..

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2 minutes ago, Robert the bruce said:

Got to stop the obsession of playing the clumsy,,slow Williams ahead of Moore.

Joke time..

To be fair, Williams and Baker were in complete control today.

But thats not to say against better more mobile opposition it would be the same..

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20 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

no.

It is notoriously difficult to play against a team that just want to pass it around but not actually want to do anything with all that possession. If you press them, close them down and all that then if you dont win the ball back then you are falling into their trap of moving you put of position, out of shape to create space for them to pass it. 

The best option is to just sit back, keep the shape and let them have all that possession Nd then hope to hit them on the counter. Of course it's boring for the fans to watch and the game becomes a bit of a chess match but it's better than conceding right?

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1 hour ago, bcfc01 said:

Smash and grab ?

Must have been watching a different game.

I saw a home team with absolutely no cutting edge in the final third and didn't really trouble the City defence and an away team struggling for form and confidence and a bit ragged but still comfortable in the game. Wigan may have had the majority of possession but they did sweet FA with it - and City deserve some credit for that.

The better team won imo - not that either team were up to much on the day.

Smash and grab ? Definitely not, deserved at least a point and got 

This is how I saw the game, other than Bentley's deflected clearance in 1st half, Wigan didnt look like scoring.

I admit was more relaxed at 2-0 but dont think I am rewriting history 

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25 minutes ago, Robert the bruce said:

Got to stop the obsession of playing the clumsy,,slow Williams ahead of Moore.

Joke time..

In a medium and highish line he has and will have problems.

35 year old CBs often do. Especially in a side who don't exactly boss the ball like us...worth rewatching his red card v Brentford and the run up to it on the highlights, reaffirms this.

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2 hours ago, eardun said:

I think Pato was level (just) when the ball was played. Pic taken from @IAmNick’s clip.

 

396B465D-9927-4C9D-8264-687234CCC2F2.png

Yes, would agree with that trying to take un un-biased view, recorded the highlights on EFL Quest, and paused at the moment of the pass a couple of times, and would say that, at the time the ball was played, Pato was, at the worst,  level and  certainly not offside, did not seem to be an issue of debate with the pundits.  

Having said that, in real time , it had a definite suspicion of offside, so shows what a difficult job the much-maligned linos have.

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6 hours ago, Up The City! said:

I didn't watch the game and only listened to the final third on the radio, but did Wigan actually do anything with all their possession and 600 odd passes?

 

6 hours ago, bcfc01 said:

no.

 

Apart from 17 shots on goal? 

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