Wigan Athletic: The 12th Man - 'Everyone was howling and laughing at this show of petulance, but then it got even funnier...'

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Our panel of Latics experts assess the midweek victory over Peterborough – and a fifth clean sheet in a row – ahead of the weekend trip to high-flying Stockport...

Matt Auffrey:

Our fanbase endured a 300-minute spell between Latics goals ranging from the 71st-minute of the Bristol Rovers match to the 11th-minute of the Peterborough match. Thankfully, we were rewarded handsomely for our patience this past Tuesday evening at the Brick. The midweek 3-0 victory over Posh ended our run of three consecutive home fixtures on a high note. The performance was far from flawless, yet alone dominant, as a quick glance at the match stats would confirm. We produced three moments of brilliance in our attacking third that led to our three best goals from open play of the young season so far. On top of Callum McManaman’s early goal-of-the-season candidate for the third goal, Sam Tickle produced an even more crucial save-of-the-season candidate on an open goal attempt in the first half. Stopping Peterborough’s most threatening chance of the game kept the momentum on our side and allowed us to go into the half-time break with a crucial one-goal lead. We would go on to grab a second goal within minutes of the restart and never looked back for the rest of the evening. By the end of the evening, our opponents found themselves two places below us in the league table at 16th position. However, it was clear that we had just stifled a team that was one of the most fluid attacking units in the league. The feeling at full-time was incredibly satisfying. We knew we had defeated a good side off the strength of an astounding team effort. The home crowd deservingly received the comprehensive performance they had waited two full months to witness in a competitive fixture.

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The positive result came at a very ideal time ahead of our trip to Stockport this weekend. The Hatters have had a stellar start to the new season following their League Two title campaign. They have only lost two matches across all competitions with their first league defeat occurring two weekends ago against Leyton Orient at home. We haven’t conceded a goal over the past 450 minutes of play, which is the longest ongoing spell in the top four divisions. We should go into the weekend with the utmost confidence. But it is important to remember that one result - no matter how exceptional or disappointing - does not make a season. We will need to replicate Tuesday’s performance many times over again if we wish to reach our loftiest goals by the end of this season. Yet, if you look at the progress we’ve made over this past month - especially considering how we’ve integrated so many new players into the playing squad - there is every reason to believe we’ll continue to fine-tune our play over these coming weeks. If this season keeps trending in its current direction, we could be in for a very exciting 2025. However, we still have a long way to go. Our unbeaten streak stands at five matches. As great as it would be to extend that streak to six, I’d much rather extend our winning streak to two matches. We’ll need all hands on deck for Stockport. Let’s keep the positive momentum going!

Callum McManaman's goal illuminated the midweek victory over PeterboroughCallum McManaman's goal illuminated the midweek victory over Peterborough
Callum McManaman's goal illuminated the midweek victory over Peterborough
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Alan Rogers:

The burning question on Tuesday night wasn't: 'Where did that performance come from?' But more importantly: 'Where did that flying iPad come from?" Over the last 25 years, from our seats near the dug-outs, we've witnessed some amazing sights - often overshadowing the on-field performances! Ranging from Arsene Wenger throwing his arms frustratingly in the air, to Steve Evans waddling up and down the touchline in righteous indignation, we've seen it all. Or rather, we thought we had! Tuesday night was great and, towards the end of the game, we sat back in our seats, taking a moment to reflect on a fantastic performance. Darren Ferguson and his staff had been vocal throughout, but they had seemingly thrown the towel in and were all slouching in their chairs. Suddenly, as yet another Peterborough move fell apart, an iPad flew from the away bench - apparently flung in frustration! The fourth official didn't really know what to do - they probably didn't cover flying tablets in the rulebook! The iPad almost landed on the pitch, so the official decided to simply move it out of danger and placed it in the technical area. Everyone was howling and laughing at this show of petulance, but then it got even funnier. No-one seemed to want to claim the projectile! We watched in amazement as the game ended, Ferguson stormed up the tunnel, and still nobody claimed the tablet! In fact, both players and staff seemed to delicately pick their way around the object, as if it was an unexploded bomb! We left after the final whistle, clapping the players off the pitch, and the iPad was still there! Bizarre.

Anyway, back to the main event, and what a great evening's entertainment. I think it made a big difference in that Peterborough seemed to want to make a game of it rather than simply sit behind the ball. In recent matches, the opposition seemed happy to stop Wigan scoring and take whatever they could on the break. We have found it hard to break those sides down. But Tuesday was a different performance. Not only a great all-round performance, but wonderful goals! And what a fantastic save from Sam Tickle - unbelievable. Everyone needed that performance, and let's hope we can perhaps use that as a springboard for better things to come. So many positives to pick out from Tuesday's game, it's nice to leave the ground with a smile on your face! Just one other strange occurrence on Tuesday, I don't know exactly what happened, but Shaun Maloney really seemed to lose his temper at one stage of the game. I don't know if it was a comment from the crowd or something that happened on the pitch, but he was furious about something. I know he has been 'passionate' in the past when talking to officials or away team management, but this seemed to be completely different. He was certainly very upset about something but, whatever it was, he was in a completely opposite mood by the end...and he deserved to be. A great night's work.

Stephen Unsworth:

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If anyone can remember Fulham under Kevin Keegan, you’ll realise defence and clean sheets is the place to start in winning anything - 100 points in a season with the best defence. Chelsea under Jose Mourinho in 2004/05 conceded 15 goals all season - they strolled. We should all be delighted that our defence is solid and accept that, when Tyrese Francois is fit and well, we have a channel to connect that tight defence with supplying midfield and an outlet to the wings. I’m as guilty early on as anyone for over expecting early doors this season, but I’m now in a space where - if we can find a way to beat teams who want to park the bus - we should be genuinely confident. I’m not the biggest Shaun Maloney fan, due in the main to him not being a brilliant orator post match, but he’s created this silo mentality with his team. To the point irony in our songs meets derision. That’s funny. On to Stinky Stockport on Saturday and, with all my rabbit above, I’m saying they’ll come at us and we’ll win, because of that. Btw, does anyone remember Mr Whelan moaning about the attendances and atmosphere? I do.

Tony Moon:

Let’s face it … we’re not as good as those few who (after a win) tell us we’re going to win the league. However, we’re also nowhere near as bad as the many (and it is many … very many) who after a loss…or even a draw…and especially three nil apiece draws, reckon we’re doomed to League Two. Get a grip, please. I get that we sometimes overpass the ball. I get that we sometimes don’t always play a (risky?) forward pass. I get that we could maybe take more shots on goal. But we’re still learning. Still developing. Still improving. It seems that some fans want 'entertainment'. Well, I suppose we could bring back middle-aged blokes slipping on their backsides trying to score from the halfway line, but alternatively, we could also try to be a little more patient…or at least show a little more patience than has been shown recently! In the meantime, enjoy reliving those three goals over and over…but especially that Cal Mac goal…exquisite…delightful…orgasmic (have I got away with that?)! We know it’s in his wallet, (as other 'orgasmic' things are also) as it’s not the first time we’ve seen it…but let’s hope he’s got a few more of the same calibre stashed in there. (Does anyone still carry a wallet?…of the non-google kind that is?). Oh…and Sam Tickle?…I love you and want to have your babies.

Sean Livesey:

Three games, three clean sheets, three goals m five huge points. It’s been quite the week for Wigan Athletic. Many will file Stevenage and Exeter in the 'disappointing' column, but there was none of that disappointment on Tuesday as Latics once again showed their credentials with an emphatic victory over one of the fancied sides in League One. Since the start of the season, Latics have been improving with every match. I think the defeats to Barnsley and Reading were in isolation. Since then, Shaun Maloney’s side have generally had the better of each match they’ve played without the goals/points we maybe should have had. Against Exeter on Saturday, we could well have scored three goals with Dale Taylor and Silko Thomas both missing gilt-edged chances, while the Exeter keeper pulled off a wonder save to keep out former Grecians defender Will Aimson. Although the lads would have been frustrated after Stevenage and Exeter, it’s important to remember both those sides had come to shut up shop. We do need to get better at breaking down those sides, but it’s a completely different ball game when you play a side who actually wants to play football as we did on Tuesday. Peterborough are always one of the favourites at this level, in many ways they’re probably the sort of club we should be looking at emulating in terms of the Academy. They bring players through, giving them a path to the first team. They impress for the Posh and then move on, and the EFL is peppered with players who came through their ranks. We’ve had the better of Peterborough in recent memory, but many would have argued Tuesday’s match was the most difficult of the three. After missing out on the play-offs in the last two seasons, Darren Ferguson’s side will expect to be up there this season. Once again, we dominated, we may have had less possession, but our control was no less than it was against Stevenage and Exeter. The difference being that we took our chances.

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It was great to see Dale Taylor get two goals to open his account for us. He’d missed two glaring opportunities against Exeter, so it was important he managed to get an opportunity to bounce back and what goals they were. The first was a brilliant header, but the pass for the second from a passage of play between Baba Adeeko and Matt Smith was absolutely glorious. What more can be said about Callum McManaman that’s not been said already? To talk about a fairytale return would be playing it down. Here’s a player that had essentially retired from football. Released from his Tranmere contract, sat at home for the best part of six months, until he got a call from Shaun Maloney and Graham Barrow to see if he fancied training. He’s got himself fit, had one of the most consistent seasons of his career last year, and has picked up where he left off. Once again, whenever he’s featured this season, he’s made a difference and none more so than Tuesday night. That goal was absolutely world class and shows that, no matter his age, he is still a step above the rest of the division. All of that is before we even discuss the defence, which now has big competition for places - wonderfully marshalled by Will Aimson and Jason Kerr - that has kept five clean sheets in a row. Their determination to keep a clean sheet in the last few minutes of Tuesday’s match was remarkable. It went under the radar when he arrived in the summer, but Aimson has to be the signing of the season. He and Kerr (whose contract renewal was just as big as Aimson’s arrival) have been fantastic. James Carragher coming on from the bench on Tuesday - which was the right decision to get some minutes into Calvin Ramsey - shows just how blessed we are defensively at the moment, as Carragher has surely been the player of the month for the last four weeks. So impressive has he been.

Things are definitely looking up at the Brick. Many scoffed earlier this year when the chairman and manager mentioned promotion...and I still think promotion is a huge ask, especially with the teams up there this season, and the huge budgets we’re competing against. But Maloney is quietly getting consistent results from a side who look like they’ll run through walls for their manager. It’s a world away from that defeat against Reading a few weeks back, where many of our online community thought relegation was on the cards. In time honoured fashion, you just have to ‘Let Latics Gel’...let 'em gel and see where they can go. So on to Stockport on Saturday, and quite literally one of the hottest tickets in town. Tell that to those of us who saw us draw at Edgeley Park on our last visit there in 2003. Only 6,719 on that day, and you can bet a big proportion of that number were Wiganers as we marched on towards the Division Two title. Certainly a damn sight more than the measly 844 they gave us this week. Stockport, like Bolton, seem to have found another level of support over the last decade following well-publicised financial issues. While after our own financial issues on two occasions, our crowds have stagnated if not gone backwards. I know it’s a slog, and the DW is far too big for us, but I really wish we could get a few more in to witness nights like Tuesday night. It’s not just a football thing, of course. In a town like ours, a commitment to go to the football takes money that a lot of people simply don’t have. I get that, I really do. I just wish the clamour and enthusiasm for tickets for away games was sometimes replicated for home matches. You never know what you’re gonna miss out on, do you?

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