Pre-Match Thread Wigan Athletic vs Southend United

manor15 said:

He was my man of the match at Doncaster, but that's because he was possibly the only player not to have a complete nightmare. Worth remembering that Demetriou has been in great form the last couple of weeks too, before he went away.

Up against a strong Wigan side and with two non-natural centre backs, would be tempted to revert to Demetriou and his experience.

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I think that will be a banker for Mr Brown.

If PB feels as the majority seem to on this thread that we have little hope of defending with success; ought he to be considering a team line up with some attacking threat?
Play a front three of MAF and Nile with Cox as the No 10 style linker?
From that start of 3, plus Ox, Len, Woody, JW he only then needs to fit four more fit players into make the start?

And that line up doesn't have any half worries on injury to consider for the full use of the 3 subs.


#positivethinkingwins

manor15 said:

He was my man of the match at Doncaster, but that's because he was possibly the only player not to have a complete nightmare. Worth remembering that Demetriou has been in great form the last couple of weeks too, before he went away.

Up against a strong Wigan side and with two non-natural centre backs, would be tempted to revert to Demetriou and his experience.

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How's he going to get experience though if he isn't played?

Yorkshire Blue said:

How's he going to get experience though if he isn't played?

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He will get plenty of opportunities this season through injury, suspension and international call ups. At his age there is no need for him to be playing every match,

Demetriou has not played the last 2 matches due to an international call up and has captained his country for the first time. He was in excellent form prior to his call up and like Elvis was many peoples man of the match on here. It would be perverse in those circumstance to drop him.

We are also going into a game against the team placed 2nd, following a 4-1 defeat, and with a makeshift defence. It is certainly not the time to be replacing an experienced right back, in good form and on a high from captaining his country, with 19 year old rookie.

Rootshallbloke said:

I'm in total awe of this man, he's a prediction God:thumbsup:

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You are on the right path my friend.

Cheeky f****r (but I like this) ;

The 12th Man: Let’s throw some Shrimpers on the barbie!

What’s that glare heading up the M6? Why, it’s the gleaming figure of Phil Brown of course, a man who has miraculously somehow managed to resist eating himself over all these years. Whereas his Premier League days at Hull may seem a lifetime away, he deserves a lot of credit for the longevity he has managed at Southend. We know only too well at Wigan Athletic that four years in the job is a lifetime in managerial terms.
I don’t have good memories of Southend, and certainly not from trips to Roots Hall, the home of the Shrimpers.Like Tranmere back in the day, they were one of the pioneers of Friday night football – keen to tap into the London market and entice fans of other clubs to watch them.I went there a couple of times on a Friday night with Darren Todd’s Executive Travel Club (anyone remember that?) and on both occasions the game was an absolute sickener.
The first time we were 2-0 up at half-time and ended up losing 3-2 to a wonder-goal from Martin Ling, he of the infamous sweary post-match dressing-room rant. I watched it over and over again on the end-of-season video – he was basically out on the touchline, just over the half way line, and smacked home a banana shot which swerved all over the place and ultimately nestled in the top corner!I don’t think any of the 50 or so away fans who went spoke a single word on the five-hour journey home. I seem to recall we went there again the year after and lost 2-1.
Finally, to add insult to injury, I booked on the coach when we played them again a couple of years later, with Southend flying at the top of the league, and you can guess what happened! Yes, we won 2-0!! Unfortunately, I was suffering from a rampaging bout of ‘man flu’ (years before it became an officially recognised condition) and had to drop out of the trip.
So, it’s nothing personal but, seeing as everyone keeps saying some team is going to be on the receiving end of a good hiding from us sooner or later, I hope it’s on Saturday.It’s not without logic either, given the number of chances we are creating, but there’s also the possibility those chances will dry up too, so we can’t afford to be over-confident.Our home form has been superb so far and long may it continue, but there’s always the chance that a tight 1-0 win could go the other way.Let’s hope the superb fight (literally in some cases) and desire that has been exhibited thus far remains within the team throughout the season, and the ability that exists within this squad should take care of the rest.

I think we have little chance given the likes of Anton , Coker , Kiernan , Kyprianou being out , but assuming Turner plays , I would go for 3 at the back with 5 experienced players in midfield ( the two wide ones making it a 5 at the back when we are defending - so probably most of the game ?? and Wordsworth getting forward where possible to support the front 2 )

OXLEY
WHITE , TURNER , HENDRIE
DEMITRIOU , LENNY , WORDSWORTH , WRIGHT , TIMLIN
RANGER , COX


SUBS : BISHOP , ELVIS , MAF , YEARWOOD , MATSUZAKA

2 from 3 of : MCLAUGHLIN , MCGLASHAN , ROBINSON

jaffa1 said:

The first time we were 2-0 up at half-time and ended up losing 3-2 to a wonder-goal from Martin Ling, he of the infamous sweary post-match dressing-room rant. I watched it over and over again on the end-of-season video – he was basically out on the touchline, just over the half way line, and smacked home a banana shot which swerved all over the place and ultimately nestled in the top corner!I don’t think any of the 50 or so away fans who went spoke a single word on the five-hour journey home. I seem to recall we went there again the year after and lost 2-1.

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Good little round-up that, but the fella's memory is fading.

The 3-2 game, I think he has about right, but I thought Crowny scored the winner.

The following season they actually won 2-1, rather than lost 2-1.

I've a good mind to tell him the good news, but then again, I can't be bothered!

Oxley
Demitriou Lenny White Timlin
Mcglashan Wordsworth Yearwood Wright
Ranger Robinson

I think I will cancel watching Football on 5 this evening due to a severe bout of depression.

We will win today!! I know we will :smile::smile:

AndyT said:

Good little round-up that, but the fella's memory is fading.

The 3-2 game, I think he has about right, but I thought Crowny scored the winner.

The following season they actually won 2-1, rather than lost 2-1.

I've a good mind to tell him the good news, but then again, I can't be bothered!

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Spot on - inspired by Roy coming on as a second half substitute.

Additionally, the sweary post dressing room rant was by John Sitton not Lingy so he's got that wrong too!

It's funny, cos I also thought that didn't sound like Lingy at all.

You're right. John Sitton. I remember the documentary well now. In fact, here is some of it :smile: :-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SN9le_U5SI

Mad as a box of frogs, but man alive, that's what I'd wanna hear as a supporter, if we were 3-0 down at HT!

This will either be 5-0 and a complete drubbing or our guys will play like heroes and we will snatch a sneaky win. I'm still going for the former!!

Had high hopes this season but with injuries and some poor signings would be happy for a mid table finish now already. Risk is if by Christmas it looks like we are going nowhere and Ron looks to cash in on Lenny than that mid table will be relegation

I do wander if Brown will last the season if we are going backwards in Rons eyes.....

George Orwell may have written about it but our pier is definitely better than Wigan's. But I fear that their football team is better than ours.

We will definitely win.

Fitz said:

This will either be 5-0 and a complete drubbing or our guys will play like heroes and we will snatch a sneaky win. I'm still going for the former!!

Had high hopes this season but with injuries and some poor signings would be happy for a mid table finish now already. Risk is if by Christmas it looks like we are going nowhere and Ron looks to cash in on Lenny than that mid table will be relegation

I do wander if Brown will last the season if we are going backwards in Rons eyes.....

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There is a precedent - when we sold Lee Barnard to the Saints in January and he wasn't adequately replaced ('cos we had no money).

I'm predicting two things. Firstly we will lose 4-1 and secondly I will be ****ed well before HT. Currently watching the Manure Scouse game in a HK bar

mfurok said:

There is a precedent - when we sold Lee Barnard to the Saints in January and he wasn't adequately replaced ('cos we had no money).

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Indeed but personally I don't see us going down this season.

I see 1-1.

I see 20-20 (with glasses)