Where does Wigan’s survival rank in recent times?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Wigan Athletic sealed their Premier League survival on Monday night when they defeated Blackburn Rovers 1-0 at Ewood Park, condemning their Lancashire rivals to the Championship in the process.

Antolin Alcaraz‘s header three minutes from time means that the Latics are now five points clear of third-from-bottom Bolton Wanderers going into their final clash of the season at home to already-relegated Wolves.

The win also ensured that the club sensibly run by long-standing owner Dave Whelan can now look forward to their eighth successive campaign in the biggest league in the world.

But while there have been many wonderful moments along the way, it’s difficult to think of a season where Wigan have had to defy the odds in the run-in more than this one.

In 2007, they famously went to Sheffield United in a do-or-die clash at Bramall Lane, where David Unsworth‘s penalty was enough to seal a 2-1 win and condemn the Blades to the drop.

2010 saw Wigan seal survival in their penultimate match when they came from 2-0 down with 10 minutes to go to stun Arsenal and secure a dramatic 3-2 victory.

While last year, they travelled to Stoke knowing that only a win would guarantee remaining in the top-flight, and Hugo Rodallega‘s header gave Wigan the three points at the Britannia that sparked scenes of wild celebrations with management, players and the travelling supporters.    

Can Wigan defy the odds once again?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

While there have been plenty of surprises in another exciting Premier League campaign so far, it has been a similar story for Wigan Athletic.

Often a club who make no secret that their main aim is to secure their top-flight status every season, the Lancashire outfit sit bottom of the table and are many people’s certainties to fall into the Championship come May.

Yet we always seem to forget that this presumption is the same year in, year out as the club have adopted into their DNA a mentality that helps them consistently defy the odds.

Who can forget in their first ever season in the Premier League when they finished in the top half? Or the following season when they went to Sheffield United on the last day and had to win, and ended up recording a 2-1 triumph that relegated the Blades at their expense?  

2011/12 Premier League Preview Part One: Wolves – Swansea

By Laurie Fitzgerald

 

Today sees the start of the new Barclays Premier League, and in preparation for the big kick-off Shouts from the Stands is doing a club-by-club preview of all 20 teams.

 

However, instead of the usual alphabetical order of Arsenal to Wolves, we’re doing things the other way around to give fans of clubs that usually have to wait until the end of a season preview the chance to focus on their teams first. Then on Saturday, the SFTS lads will be revealing their predictions for how the table will look come the end of May.

 

So we begin with the following five teams: New Welsh boys Swansea, Top-four chasing Spurs, the ever-improving West Brom, and Wigan and Wolves sides that look to kick on after their successful relegation battle last time around:

 

Wolverhampton Wanderers

 

Last Season: 17th

 

Summer so far: Having survived by the skin of their teeth and the curl of Stephen Hunt’s left foot, Wolves will want to make sure that they don’t have to wait until the dying seconds of the season to secure their top-flight status. In fact, after making sure of their their third consecutive campaign in the Premier League for the first time, Mick McCarthy’s side have greater ambitions than just staying in the division this time around. They’ve brought in Roger Johnson from Birmingham for what is believed to be a club-record fee, while Jamie O’Hara has secured a permanent move from Tottenham after an impressive loan spell in the second half of the season at Molineux. Dorus de Vries will also provide stiff competition for Wayne Hennessey in goal, and with a stronger squad all-round, McCarthy will expect his squad to push on in the next 12 months.

 

Transfers In: Roger Johnson (Birmingham City) Undisclosed, Dorus de Vries (Swansea) Free, Jamie O’Hara (Tottenham) £5 million

 

Transfers Out: Marcus Hahnemann (Unattached) Free, Adriano Basso (Unattached) Free, David Jones (Wigan) Free, Greg Halford (Portsmouth) £1 million, Nathan Rooney (Unattached) Free, John Dunleavy (Unattached) Free, Steven Mouyokolo (Sochaux) Loan, Scott Malone (Bournemouth) Loan, Danny Batth (Sheffield Wednesday) Loan, Carl Ikeme (Middlesbrough) Loan

 

Manager: Mick McCarthy – The 52 year-old doesn’t seem to get the same amount of praise as his fellow peers, but you cannot deny that the Yorkshireman has done an excellent job in his 5 years in charge at Molineux. Having guided the club to promotion in 2009, the man that guided the Republic of Ireland to the last 16 at the 2002 World Cup has instilled a strong, battling edge in his side that always makes them tough to beat, something that has seen his side unfairly described as a dirty team (yes, we’re looking at you Danny Murphy.) McCarthy has also shown he can learn from his mistakes, after a disastrous Premier League campaign with Sunderland in 2005/06. Now he’s earned the right to be called a Premier League manager.

 

Key Man: Roger Johnson – The fact that the 28 year-old defender has been made club captain just weeks after joining shows what a big signing he is at Molineux. The centre-half has been immense in the past two seasons for Birmingham City, forming a wonderful partnership with Scott Dann at the heart of the Blues defense. But he was powerless to prevent them from going down on the final day in May, and it was always a matter of time before he got a move to another top-flight club. Johnson is an old-fashioned centre-back; a no-nonsense attitude that supports a wonderful reading of the game. For all the big-money transfers that have taken place this summer, Johnson’s signature could prove to be one of the best of the lot. 

 

 

Wigan Athletic

 

Last Season: 16th

 

Summer so far: Having defied the odds and the expectations of many to avoid relegation on the final day of last season, it’s been another summer where the Latics have tried to maintain ahead of improving. Roberto Martinez could have been easily swayed when Aston Villa asked for permission to speak to him about their vacant managerial position, but his heart ruled his head and he signed a new deal to remain at the DW Stadium, believing in the project he’s undergone the last two years. Unfortunately for Wigan fans, Villa didn’t come away empty-handed from the club this summer, after they secured the signing of influential playmaker Charles N’Zogbia. His departure could lead to another season of struggle from beginning to end.

 

Transfers In: Ali Al-Habsi (Bolton) £4 million, David Jones (Wolves)

 

Transfers Out: Charles N’Zogbia (Aston Villa) £9.5 million, Steven Caldwell (Birmingham City) Free, Antonio Amaya (Real Betis) Undisclosed, Jason Koumas (Unattached) Free, Daniel de Ridder (Grasshoppers Zurich) Free, Joseph Holt (Unattached) Free, Thomas Lambert (Unattached) Free, Thomas Oakes (Unattached) Free, Abian Serrano Davila (Unattached) Free

 

Manager: Roberto Martinez – He no longer has the title of the youngest manager in the Premier League, but the 38 year-old has won many plaudits this summer after rejected the overtures of Aston Villa and remained with the Latics. Over the past two seasons, the Spaniard has developed an attacking philosophy within his side, something that gained him many admirers when carrying out that mentality with his previous club Swansea. While it’s clear he believes in the project he’s undertaken at the DW, it’s also abundantly obvious he has a real emotional attachment with the club, and the supporters rightly have no doubts that they have a manager that will ensure he does everything possible to keep Wigan amongst the country’s best.

 

Key Man: James McCarthy – After the departure of Charles N’Zogbia, there will be more expectation placed upon the 20 year-old to pull the strings in the Wigan side. But this shouldn’t be as daunting as it sounds as McCarthy is one of the brightest young talents in the Premier League. The Scottish midfielder has shown he has an excellent passing game, and can chip in with a few goals due to his probing runs through the middle. It’s no wonder why Martinez is trying to secure a new deal for a player that cost just over £1 million when he joined from Hamilton in 2009, as his immense talent has gone on to show what a bargain he was at that price. He will be at the heart of the Wigan midfield, and instrumental in trying to ensure an eighth-straight season in the top flight.

  

 

West Bromwich Albion

 

Last Season: 11th

 

Summer so far: Having become the perennial yo-yo team of recent seasons, West Brom are now looking to push on after their best-ever finish in the Premier League. Chairman Jeremy Peace has always been sensible with how the club is run, but manager Roy Hodgson has been shrewd in the transfer market. Gareth McAuley and Billy Jones secured moves on a free transfer, while former fans favourite Zoltan Gera secured an emotional return to the Hawthorns after his contract with Fulham expired, while Ben Foster was brought in on loan after Scott Carson secured a lucrative move to Turkish club Bursaspor. However, Hodgson was given enough money to secure one big transfer – that of Reading striker Shane Long. The signing of the Republic of Ireland international forward will increase optimism that the Baggies can secure a third-straight campaign in the Premier League for the first time.

 

Transfers In: Shane Long (Reading) Undisclosed, Gareth McAuley (Ipswich Town) Free, Zoltan Gera (Fulham) Free, Billy Jones (Preston) Free

 

Transfers Out: Giles Barnes (Nottingham Forest) Free, Scott Carson (Bursaspor) £1.5 million, Abdoulaye Meite (Dijon FCO) Gianni Zuiverloon (Real Mallorca) Undisclosed, Reuben Reid (Oldham Athletic) Free, Dean Kiely (Retired), Marcus Haber (Unattached) Free

 

Manager: Roy Hodgson – To say that last season was full of highs and lows for the 64 year-old is a severe understatement. Having led Fulham to their first-ever European final 12 months ago, Liverpool acquired his services. Having gone into the campaign with a renewed vigour under Hodgson, things quickly turned sour; the Reds found themselves at the wrong end of the table whilst having to deal with a much-publicised takeover. But while that had a happy ending, Hodgson didn’t, losing his job at the turn of the year. However, in February he was given a chance to rebuild his managerial stock after West Brom’s at-the-time controversial sacking of Roberto Di Matteo. The former Blackburn boss guided the Baggies from the brink of the relegation zone to a mid-table finish, and while many criticise for not being able to manage clubs at the top end of the league, his reputation as a canny tactician has been rightfully restored.

 

Key Man: Chris Brunt – The Northern Ireland midfielder has improved year-on-year since he joined West Brom from Sheffield Wednesday in 2007. He played a big part in West Brom’s two promotions in his time at the Hawthorns, and the 26 year-old was influential as they retained their top-flight status last season. He has a glorious left foot that has been demonstrated from set-pieces on many occassions, and with the signing of Long he will play a crucial part in providing the ammunition for their new marksman and help take West Brom onto the next level. His standing in the squad was also highlighted this summer when he was made club captain after the departure of Scott Carson.

 

 

Tottenham Hotspur

 

Last Season: 5th

 

Summer so far: After a demanding season that saw them earn a quarter-final place in the Champions League but fail to keep their place amongst Europe’s elite for this season, it created two main priorities for Spurs this summer – the need for a top-class striker and a real determination to hold onto their biggest stars. So far, they’ve had mixed success with these priorities. The quest for a new striker continues with the likes of Giuseppe Rossi, Fernando Llorente, Emmanuel Adebayor and Bryan Ruiz being linked with a move to White Hart Lane. But while they’ve managed to keep the likes of Gareth Bale, Rafael Van der Vaart and Sandro happy, recent months have been dominated by Luka Modric’s desire to move to Chelsea. It’s provoked a hard stance from Chairman Daniel Levy, who’s made it quite clear to the instrumental Croatian that he will not be sold under any circumstances this summer. When you see how he makes the team tick, it’s easy to understand why.

 

Transfers In: Brad Friedel (Aston Villa) Free, Cristian Ceballos (Barcelona) Free, Soulimane Coulibaly (Siena) £1.3 million.

 

Transfers Out: Jonathan Woodgate (Stoke) Free, Jamie O’Hara (Wolves) £5 million, Paul-Jose Mpoku (Standard Liege) £600,000, Steven Caulker (Swansea) Loan, Kyle Naughton (Norwich) Loan, Bongani Khumalo (Reading) Loan, Nathan Byrne (Bournemouth) Loan, Ryan Mason (Doncaster) Loan, Jonathan Obika (Yeovil) Loan, Oscar Jansson (Bradford) Loan, Mirko Ranieri (FC Esperia Viareggio)

 

Manager: Harry Redknapp – There’s no denying that the former West Ham, Portsmouth, Southampton and Bournemouth boss has done a superb job since taking over a disillusioned but talented squad languishing at the bottom of the Premier League in November 2008. But now comes his most challenging test in his time in charge, as while he’s worked wonders in making them top-four contenders, he may need to work greater ones to keep them there. The likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool have splashed the cash while Spurs have needed to offload to generate their transfer kitty. There’s still time left in the transfer window, and Redknapp & Levy need to use that time wisely to give them a greater chance of staying amongst the elite.

 

Key Man: Luka Modric – Controversial it may seem, but the midfield maestro is at the heart of an immensely-talented Spurs side and helps dictate not only them but each game itself. The 25 year-old has made it clear that he no longer sees his future at the Lane, but it’s of little surprise that the club’s hierarchy have battled to keep the diminuitive Croatian. He has tremendous vision, very rarely loses the ball, and more impressively is incredibly strong despite his small frame. It remains to be seen if Modric will eventually move from North to West London, but if Spurs can retain his services then they will be a much greater threat because of it. If he does leave, then expect Dutch star Van der Vaart to take over as chief playmaker.

 

 

Swansea City

 

Last Season: 3rd in Championship (Play-off winners)

 

Summer so far: For the first time in Premier League history there is a team from outside of England preparing to compete amongst the country’s best. In recent seasons the Welsh duo of Swansea and Cardiff have been promotion contenders in the Championship, but it’s the Swans that have succeeded in getting to the big-time after their thrilling 3-2 win over Reading at Wembley in May. Manager Brendan Rodgers has been particularly busy in the transfer market with just five new arrivals in strikers Danny Graham and Leroy Lita, winger Wayne Routledge, Portuguese goalkeeper Jose Moriera and on-loan Tottenham defender Steven Caulker. But while the likes of Dorus De Vries and Darren Pratley have moved on to other top-flight clubs, Swansea’s defensive efficiency (they only condeded 42 goals last season) and their pace on the counter-attack will give them belief that they can survive with the big boys.

 

Transfers In: Danny Graham (Watford) £3.5 million, Leroy Lita (Middlesbrough) £1.75 million, Jose Moriera (Benfica) Undisclosed, Wayne Routledge (Newcastle United) Undisclosed.

 

Transfers Out: Dorus de Vries (Wolves) Free, Darren Pratley (Bolton) Free, Cedric Van der Gun (Unattached) Free, Albert Serran (AEK Larnaca) Free, Gorka Pintado (Unattached) Free, Yves Makabu-Makalambay (Unattached) Free, Kerry Morgan (Neath) Free, Scott Donnelly (Wycombe) Loan.

 

Manager: Brendan Rodgers – After an unsuccessful spell as boss of Reading, the stock of the man who was a big part of Jose Mourinho’s coaching staff at Chelsea took a sever hit. However, the 38 year-old learnt from his mistakes at the Madjeski when he took charge at the Liberty stadium, and in his first season guided the Swans to their first season back in the top-flight in 28 years. The Northern Irishman has gained a reputation for being a very smart tactician and getting the best out of young players with huge potential (see below.) Now Rodgers will be hoping to prove his mettle in the biggest league in the world and create a regular Welsh outfit in the Premier League.

 

Key Man: Scott Sinclair – Just over a year ago, many wondered whether the rich potential of Scott Sinclair was going to be fulfilled. Various loan spells at Plymouth, QPR, Charlton, Crystal Palace, Birmingham City and Wigan saw the Chelsea youngster show glimpses of his prodigous talent. However, what he needed was a permanent home under a manager that knew how to bring out the best in him, and he found it in Swansea and Rodgers. The 22 year-old was able to unleash his blistering pace and eye for goal, netting 27 times – not bad for a winger. Having helped the club to promotion, Sinclair has the talent and the guidance to make a real impact at the highest level.

 

So what do you think? How will your team fare this season? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts

 

Who will stay in the Premier League?

Will Ian Holloway be smiling come 6pm this evening?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Tomorrow sees the climax to what has been an enthralling 2010/11 Premier League season.

Fans up and down the country have witnessed one of the most hard-fought campaigns since the inception of the league in 1992.

Going into the final day much has already been decided, with Manchester United winning their 19th title, becoming the most successful domestic team in the history of English football.

The top four has already been declared with Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City making up the English representatives in next season’s Champions League.

There is still the issue of who will grab the final Europa League spot between Tottenham and Liverpool.

However, there is no doubt what end of the league the biggest drama will come from this afternoon.

Five teams are separated by just one point at the foot of the table, as we await which two teams will join West Ham in relegation to the Championship.

Blackburn Rovers, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City, Blackpool and Wigan Athletic will be fighting for their top-flight lives today.

With four games deciding the fate of those involved, there are set to be plenty of twists and turns over a frantic couple of hours.

Shouts from the stands looks at those trying to avoid the Premier League trap door at the final hurdle:

Blackburn – 40pts, Goal difference -14: Rovers go into the final day knowing they are the best-placed of those still in danger.

Steve Kean’s men travel to Wolves where three points will ensure their status as a Premier League club next season.

Not only do they have more points than most of their rivals, but they also have a far superior goal difference which could prove crucial.

The players have stepped up to the task in recent wins, with crucial draws at West Ham and at home to Manchester United, as well as a priceless 1-0 win over local rivals Bolton.

Those five points have put them in the driving seat, but Kean and his men will know that a huge test awaits them at Molineux.

Key Player: Christopher Samba – the giant centre-half has lived up to his stature in the run-in, constantly putting his body on the line and delivering some towering displays.

Samba produced one of the best defensive performances of the season against West Ham a fortnight ago, and another game like that today will go a long way to keeping Rovers up.

Wolves – 40pts, -19: Mick McCarthy‘s side face fellow strugglers Blackburn with destiny in their own hands.

They sit in 16th place knowing that a win against Rovers will guarantee survival whatever happens elsewhere.

If they perform anything like how they have in the last few games, then the supporters will have nothing to worry about.

Seven points in their last three games, including back-t0-back wins over West Brom and Sunderland, have dragged Wolves out of the bottom three.

One more big effort will surely secure their third consecutive season in the Premier League for the first time.

Key Player: Jamie O’Hara – The on-loan Spurs midfielder has revitalised a Wolves side that was in desperate need of inspiration at the turn of the year.

The 24 year-old has delivered some outstanding performances in the heart of the side to help push the Midlands club to the brink of safety.

If Wolves do go on to stay up, it will surely be only a matter of time before the club try and tie up a permanent deal for O’Hara.

Birmingham City – 39 pts, -20: If there is one team that can be deemed more vulnerable than the others at the wrong end of the table it’s the Blues.

Just one point from their last five games means Alex McLeish‘s side only sit outside the relegation zone by a better goal difference of just one goal.

Last week’s 2-0 defeat at home to Fulham showed how the players are struggling to cope with the pressure.

Their final game sees them travel to White Hart Lane to take on a Spurs side that have lost just once at home all season.

But Birmingham know that with tough away trips for Blackpool and Wigan, a point may just be enough to survive.

Key Player: Ben Foster – The former Manchester United goalkeeper has come of age since making his move to St Andrews last summer.

The 28 year-old has produced a string of fine displays to have filled the hole left by Joe Hart in the Birmingham goal.

With a difficult final game in store, it seems likely that Foster will be called upon during the course of the 90 minutes at the Lane.

The former England stopper (temporarily at least) could be the difference between City staying up or going down.

Blackpool – 39pts, -21: When you need a result to stay in the top-flight, the last fixture you want is at Old Trafford.

However, it would be a fairytale way of securing a survival that only dreams are made of.

Nobody gave Blackpool a chance of survival at the start of the season, but Ian Holloway has inspired his troops to go into the final day with a fighting chance.

Those battling qualities have been demonstrated in their last two games with an impressive draw at Spurs followed by a thrilling 4-3 win over Bolton at Bloomfield Road.

With Manchester United set to field a weakened team on the eve of their Champions League final, the Seasider’s chances are greatly improved.

Key Player: DJ Campbell – Man United have scored in every home game this season, so it’s likely Blackpool will have to score to get a positive result.

Thankfully, in Campbell they have one of the top-scoring English strikers in the Premier League this season.

Only Darren Bent has scored more than Campbell’s 13 goals in the league, and his efforts in front of goal have given the team a chance of survival.

The 29 year-old grabbed a brace in last week’s win over Bolton, and is set to play a big part once again this afternoon.

Wigan – 39 pts, -22: At 5pm last Sunday, Wigan were in serious danger of ending their six-year stay in the Premier League.

Two goals behind at home to West Ham, it looked like Roberto Martinez was going to be planning for life in the Championship.

But the Latics were given a reprieve thanks to a wonderful comeback inspired by winger Charles N’Zogbia.

The Frenchman’s two goals helped give Wigan a 3-2 win that relegated the Hammers and give Martinez and his players the chance to fight another day.

A tough trip to the Britannia awaits them as they take on a Stoke side still reeling from their agonising FA Cup Final defeat to Manchester City last weekend.

Wigan will feel confident with the knowledge that although their two closest rivals also have away games, it is to teams higher than Tony Pulis’ side.

Key Player: Charles N’Zogbia – Who else? The 24 year-old winger has almost single-handedly kept the Latics survival hopes alive.

Having scored four goals in his last three games that have given Wigan five points, N’Zogbia will be relied on to reproduce his recent magic once again at the Britannia today.

So what do you think? How will the final day of the season pan out? Who will avoid the drop and who will fall into the Championship? Let us know your thoughts.

Will Blackpool rescue their season?

Ian Holloway has four games to try and keep Blackpool in the Premier League

By Laurie Fitzgerald

With four games remaining, Blackpool find themselves just outside the bottom three in their quest for Premier League survival.

Their 1-1 draw at home to Newcastle on Saturday, adjoined with Wigan‘s 4-2 defeat at Sunderland, means that the Seasiders went above the Latics due to a better goal difference of just one goal.

If you asked Blackpool fans if they would take being fourth from bottom at this stage of the campaign in August then they would certainly have taken that.

However, the reality of the situation shows that on current form, there isn’t anyone in the battle against the drop that is on a worse run of results than the Tangerines.

When Ian Holloway‘s side beat Liverpool 2-1 in January, they moved into ninth place with games in hands over the rest of the teams in the division, as well as seven points clear of the drop.

But they’ve gained just one win in their last 14 matches, and need to arrest that slump in the remaining four games to prevent what has been a dream first season in the Premier League from becoming a nightmare.

Holloway has rightly earned praise for the style of football that his team have maintained throughout the season, with the emphasis always on attacking football.

Anchored by the excellent Charlie Adam in midfield and DJ Campbell leading the line up front, scoring goals has not been a problem.

Out of all the teams in the bottom half, only West Bromwich Albion have scored more  than Blackpool’s 48 goals this year.

However, with that attacking policy comes the danger of leaving yourself exposed at the back, and Blackpool have been unable to cope defensively.

Their recent disappointing run has seen them concede 37 goals, and in the 70 in total that they have leaked, it comfortably makes  them the worst defence in the Premier League.

Holloway now has the last few weeks of the season to tighten the defensive unit and rediscover the attacking fluency that made them so revered in the opening half of the season.

It is difficult to see too many points from their final away games; a trip to Champions League-chasing Tottenham, and on the final day, a journey to Old Trafford to take on Champions-elect Manchester United.

But hope springs eternal in their two home matches, as Stoke and Bolton have to come to Bloomfield Road, and there is a chance that 40 points may just prove enough to survive.

Blackpool have already defied the pre-season critics that they were in the top-flight to make up the numbers following their outstanding promotion last May. Now they have the chance to prove the doubters wrong once again.

So what do you think? Will Blackpool stay in the Premier League? Can they turn their recent slump around in the final few games? Let us know your thoughts.

Will Martinez’s philosophy be enough for survival?

Martinezs attacking style will be tested to the full in the Premier League run-in

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Wigan Athletic go into the final weeks of the season propping up the Premier League table as their bid for survival intensifies.

If improvement isn’t found in the coming games then it could complete a harsh lesson in top-flight management for Latics manager Roberto Martinez.

The Spaniard was rightly hailed as one of the best young managers in the Football League when he turned Swansea from a League One side into Championship contenders in the space of two years.

It wasn’t just the results that won Martinez praise, but also the style of football in which the Swans played that made the then 35 year-old gain widespread acclaim, as well as attention.

Martinez had a philosophy of always playing an attractive passing game that would ensure his teams always look to attack and play in the right way.

So when Celtic were looking for a replacement for the departing Gordon Strachan in 2009, the Scottish giants looked to bring Martinez north of the border.

A move to Celtic Park didn’t materialise, but when Dave Whelan, the man that brought Martinez to England, offered him the manager’s position at the DW stadium a few weeks later, he couldn’t resist.

So it was a chance for Martinez to implement his philosophy in the biggest league in the world, and a chance to make a real mark in management with a side that he had a strong emotional bond with.

But his first season in the Premier League produced some harsh lessons. The obvious problem with having one way of playing is that when Plan A isn’t working, there’s no chance of changing it.

While Wigan finished in 16^th, there were some harrowing experiences along the way, including a 9-1 defeat to Tottenham and an 8-0 humiliation at champions-in-waiting Chelsea on the final day of the season.

The summer was an opportunity to instil a harder edge to the team, and despite a couple of early-season hammerings to Blackpool and Chelsea, there has been a greater level of character shown by the current Latics side.

However, while they have generally improved, they’ve lacked a cutting edge; just six wins and only 29 goals tell its own story.

Their recent 0-0 draw at home to Tottenham was a prime example of the campaign. Although any point in a relegation battle is welcome, it was a game that Wigan dominated and had numerous chances to win.

Birmingham City are the only side amongst the relegation candidates to have drawn more games, and despite playing in a style that will impress neutrals, not having enough of an end product in their attacking play has left the fans wondering if their six-year stay in the top-flight is coming to an end.

Last month, Martinez insisted on sticking with his philosophy, telling Sky Sports, “I think the manner we believe football has to be played is quite clear. What is important is you play in that manner well enough to win football games.”

Martinez now has just six games to ensure that sticking to his principles was worth it for Wigan and their fans.

So what do you think? Will Martinez persisting with his philosophy pay off for Wigan? Will the lack of cutting edge in their attacking style cost them come the end of the season? Let us know your thoughts.