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Martinez has one hand on new blood
ROBERTO Martinez admits he is ‘very far down the line’ with the signings he hopes will breathe new life into Wigan Athletic’s survival bid.
Latics remain rooted to the foot of the Premier League table with only 16 games remaining after the dismal 3-1 defeat at fellow strugglers QPR.
Despite a magnificent free-kick from Hugo Rodallega midway through the second half, goals from Heidar Helguson, Akos Buzsaky and Tommy Smith ensured Wigan’s 100 per cent losing streak in 2012 continued.
With defensive rock Antolin Alcaraz tearing a groin muscle on the eve of the game, the need for new blood could not be greater ahead of the final push towards hopeful safety.
And Martinez is hoping to have ‘at least’ two additions by the time his side are next in action – at Tottenham tomorrow week.
“I hope so, I really hope so,” he told the Evening Post.
“We are really far down the track with them, very far indeed.
“We’ll need to work really hard to make them happen – but it’s very important we bring in new faces that will help us to refresh the dressing room.”
Confirming Alcaraz will be out for a fortnight at least, he added: “Losing Antolin and David Jones to injury has made our need even greater, and we’ll be looking to push those through as quickly as possible.
“Antolin slipped in training, one of those unfortunate incidents that at the moment are killing us, and it kicked off what has been a very, very bad weekend for us.
“He’s got a tear to his groin, and obviously that is not good news.
“We all know his influence on the team – and his composure, calmness and understanding at the back was a big miss for us.
“It’s not a big tear and we hope that, with treatment, two weeks on the sidelines should be enough for him to recover.”
The Evening Post revealed last week that Wolves winger Adam Hammill is on Wigan’s wanted list, as is long-term target Jean Beausejour of Birmingham and Blackburn midfielder Keith Andrews.
Martinez is also looking to bring in a left-back to cover the loss of Patrick van Aanholt.
“We have identified clear targets, good characters who want to come in and fight for Wigan Athletic, who have real experience in the British game,” he added.
“The transfer window is still open and we need to make sure we bring in the players I feel will help us reach the targets we’ll be setting ourselves for the final 16 games.”
l MOMO Diame and Senegal got their African Nations Cup campaign off to a losing start, going down 2-1 to Zambia on Saturday night.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
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Comments
There are 10 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Old Original Brocketeer
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 03:18 PMNo matter who we sign it wont make any diffference at all! If anything first and foremost we need to sort out that woeful defence! Attack comes from a good defence, confidence comes from a good defence! All this talk about we need a striker...in my opinion we are crying out for an organised solid defence. In the past years Wigan Athletic has been renound for having organised sides and that means defending!
sentinel
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 10:15 AMStonebridge - most of Latics goals this season have been scored outside the penalty area are they not long range shots mate?
Picasso
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 09:37 AMlooking at the team i can see why.
bobby53
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 06:53 PMit is said that wigan has the worse support in PL looking at these posts i can see why!
Stuart T
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 06:44 PMNews that Jean Beausejour will be signing from Birmingham. one down 2 or 3 more to follow I hope?
Jack's dad
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 05:28 PMRecent signings have added little or nothing to the squad other than to confirm the overall sense of mediocrity. If the same people are responsible for any new signings that might take place in the next 7 days - and i assume they will be - it's difficult to be optimistic about any improvement in team performance.
wigan55
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 04:44 PMDown down deeper & down All the players know the clubs down Mr Whelan will more than likely retire at the end of this season as for Bob well i think he might start to realise the clubs down all the positives in the world wont get latics out of this mess. Had Whelan got the latics best interests at heart he would have had a new manager in long before things got this bad SACK THE WHOLE BLOODY LOT OF THEM!!!!! watching the team play these days its blatantly obvious they are just going through the motions in other words they have all but given up....................Spurs might be looking at another 9-0 win.
Lyndon36
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 01:02 PMEven if we did sign a couple of strikers, we would still find it difficult to score, this is down to the tactics that "one trick" Martinez has. We need to change the way we play and go for a more attacking formation. All this passing around from the back is doing, is conceding us goal by the boat load. We don't have the calibre of players to play the way RM wants, its time for a complete change, forget the normal crap to come out of Martinez's mouth about possession, we need to be taking the fight to the opposition, rather than sitting back and giving them all the time they want on the ball. You can bet your bottom dollar that who ever he signs we will still be starting with the likes of Gomez, Watson and all the other crap lazy midfielders we have. Come on Martinez, sort your act out now,
Stuart T
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 11:10 AMWe have a game on Tuesday, we need them now!
stonebridge
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 10:49 AMwe dont need wingers or midfielders, we need a goalscorer, someone who can hit the net. Why are Wigan so shot shy. We try and walk it into the net, lets have some shots !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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