Wigan Athletic vs Derby County

[-JW-]

​I wasn't there but he got a 7.7 on whoscored and was our best performer from the 1st half, had a 7.1 at HT. I too am interested to hear how he did.

[-JW-]

Oh ffs, it's doing that thing, hiding the posts again.

[Daz_The_Ram]

@Tombo ... @BahrainRam

Cheers for the mention ... you know I only ever mention it sparingly.
 

Humbled by my inclusion in the Forum Best X1 ... <<holding tears back>>

[Tombo]

I find this incredible. He was utter trash. Especially in the first half. No pace, can't pass, just hoofs it to no one, very clumsy, 50p head.

[AmericanRam]

Highlights:

http://www.goalsaim.com/wigan-vs-derby-0-2-highlights-2015-championship/#more-27389

 

Nice finish Crissy.  

[ariotofmyown]

Seems so. Just the one big mistake.

[craic dispenser]

​I think Ward has been decent when he's been playing recently actually. Don't understand why people dislike Ward so much. I don't get this perception that he's some sort of relic left over from darker times when we were fighting off relegation. He shone then and he shines (albeit slightly less brightly) now. It's the same bloody Championship level he's playing at.

[eddie]

Seems so. Just the one big mistake.

[Ram8]

A few games ago I said that all the reasons being given for Derby's collapse ; Thorne, Eustace injuries, defensive mistakes, etc. were contributory, but there was still ONLY ONE REASON .. the absence of CHRIS MARTIN, our lynchpin, our solid (and supremely skilful) 'wall' to bounce balls off, our 'free kick provider' (not via cheating, but by justifiably subtle and clever 'buckling' under consistent fouling) .. 

No team should be so reliant on one man, and that is our problem, but it doesn't take away from the fact that for the six minutes he was on the pitch before his superb goal, his five or six touches ( cushioned deflections, pinpoint passes, deflected headers) constituted a masterclass of centre forward play, which he went on to produce for the rest of the match .. 

It was the most amazing transformation in the fortunes of any team that I have seen in my 50 years of watching football .. and possibly the most exciting and uplifting feeling that any such passage of play in a football match has given me .. 

Grant .. 8

 Keogh .. 8 

Albentosa .. 6 

Forsyth .. 7

Warnock .. 7

Hendrick .. 6

Hughes .. 8 

Ince .. 7 

Bent .. 6

Russell .. 7 

Ward .. 5

      MARTIN .. 10 .. can I give 12 ? 

      Christie .. 6 

      Dawkins .. 6 

[sage]

What has been frustrating is having to listen to all the muppets at games slagging Martin off all season (and last) until he got injured, quite unaware of the impact he has on the team. Perhaps they will shut up now. 

[Ram8]

A few games ago I said that all the reasons being given for Derby's collapse ; Thorne, Eustace injuries, defensive mistakes, etc. were contributory, but there was still ONLY ONE REASON .. the absence of CHRIS MARTIN, our lynchpin, our solid (and supremely skilful) 'wall' to bounce balls off, our 'free kick provider' (not via cheating, but by justifiably subtle and clever 'buckling' under consistent fouling) .. 

No team should be so reliant on one man, and that is our problem, but it doesn't take away from the fact that for the six minutes he was on the pitch before his superb goal, his five or six touches ( cushioned deflections, pinpoint passes, deflected headers) constituted a masterclass of centre forward play, which he went on to produce for the rest of the match .. 

It was the most amazing transformation in the fortunes of any team that I have seen in my 50 years of watching football .. and possibly the most exciting and uplifting feeling that any such passage of play in a football match has given me .. 

Grant .. 8

 Keogh .. 8 

Albentosa .. 6 

Forsyth .. 7

Warnock .. 7

Hendrick .. 6

Hughes .. 8 

Ince .. 7 

Bent .. 6

Russell .. 7 

Ward .. 5

      MARTIN .. 10 .. can I give 12 ? 

      Christie .. 6 

      Dawkins .. 6 

[Leicester Ram]

Most impressive thing that Martin brought to the no.10 position today wasn't his goal or his brawn, it was his brain.

What he did was very much like what Thorne does from holding mid, sprays the ball round with decisive and probing passes while bringing others into play.

I want him to be godfather to all my children.

[Ambitious]

I think, for an obvious reason, today's performance is somewhat being overblown by some fans. I understand the excitement because we've finally won a game, but it was far from our finest hour. 

Grant - 8 - He had probably his best game of the season. He made a few good saves, came for corners well and generally looked assured. 

Keogh - 6 - It was clearly a square peg in a round hole - his movement showed you that - but he did enough. He got caught out a bit, but no one really ran at him and tested him too much. I think that's when we would see the rips at the seam.

Albentosa - 4 - The four is for very able, if not sometimes worrying, man-on-man defending. He tended to win his battles when he had his man within arms length. It was enough today. The worry is obviously the lad's lack of ability on the ball. It was eye-opening in that respect. I hope it's just nerves, because it was unbelievable how many times he cleared to no-one/them.

Forsyth - 7 - He has the makings of our best centre back. He was dominant in the air and covered well - I genuinely think he has a future in that position. Like Albentosa, though, you can't hide away from his appalling ball retention throughout the game. 

Warnock - 6 - It was a steady performance - nothing more. I don't think he was tested too much - neither full-back was - but he played his part in a clean sheet. I guess like Keogh at right-back, he will have tougher challenges to face and man up to than today. 

Hughes - 7 - Tidy performance. I thought he was knocked about a bit too easily today, but he played his part in the second goal.

Hendrick - 5 - Not his best. He put himself about a bit more than usual, but I thought his ball retention, too, was bad. 

Russell - 6 - He was in and out the game, but earned his coin with an assist. Never stopped working hard. He was much better with Martin around him.

Ince - 5 - He looked for the ball, he tried to make stuff happen, but it wasn't his day. I think he knew that and a few things just didn't fall right for him. Nevertheless, he offered a threat through his tenacity.

Ward - 3 - He didn't look in the game at all. Possibly the worst winger performance of the season - he looked unbelievably jaded. 

Bent - 6 - Got an important goal. Caught offside one too many times for my liking and didn't make himself an option as much as he should have done. 

-----

Martin - 9 - MOTM - We wouldn't have won that game if not for him. He offered a below average team an outlet and got the best from what was around him. It was probably his finest performance of the season - certainly finest half. He deserves all the plaudits he gets.

Dawkins, Christie - 5/6 - Neither really got on the ball too much. Christie looks completely devoid of confidence, though. It's a huge, huge shame because we need him to snap out of it as soon as possible. He's a very good footballer and he's proven that he can be a huge asset for us. McClaren needs to get him out of that hole he is in. 

Overall: I think if we turn up with that first-half performance against Brentford then we could find ourselves four or five goals down before half time. We are fortunate that Wigan are/were lacking in every department as much as us. They destroyed us in the first-half with little trouble - It's only when Martin came on did we look like a reasonable side. 

It's an important three points, but certainly one that shouldn't excite anyone. A lot of work needs to be done if we're to much Brentford on Saturday, nevermind win promotion through the play-offs. 

[North_Stand_Ram]

I think, for an obvious reason, today's performance is somewhat being overblown by some fans. I understand the excitement because we've finally won a game, but it was far from our finest hour. 

Grant - 8 - He had probably his best game of the season. He made a few good saves, came for corners well and generally looked assured. 

Keogh - 6 - It was clearly a square peg in a round hole - his movement showed you that - but he did enough. He got caught out a bit, but no one really ran at him and tested him too much. I think that's when we would see the rips at the seam.

Albentosa - 4 - The four is for very able, if not sometimes worrying, man-on-man defending. He tended to win his battles when he had his man within arms length. It was enough today. The worry is obviously the lad's lack of ability on the ball. It was eye-opening in that respect. I hope it's just nerves, because it was unbelievable how many times he cleared to no-one/them.

Forsyth - 7 - He has the makings of our best centre back. He was dominant in the air and covered well - I genuinely think he has a future in that position. Like Albentosa, though, you can't hide away from his appalling ball retention throughout the game. 

Warnock - 6 - It was a steady performance - nothing more. I don't think he was tested too much - neither full-back was - but he played his part in a clean sheet. I guess like Keogh at right-back, he will have tougher challenges to face and man up to than today. 

Hughes - 7 - Tidy performance. I thought he was knocked about a bit too easily today, but he played his part in the second goal.

Hendrick - 5 - Not his best. He put himself about a bit more than usual, but I thought his ball retention, too, was bad. 

Russell - 6 - He was in and out the game, but earned his coin with an assist. Never stopped working hard. He was much better with Martin around him.

Ince - 5 - He looked for the ball, he tried to make stuff happen, but it wasn't his day. I think he knew that and a few things just didn't fall right for him. Nevertheless, he offered a threat through his tenacity.

Ward - 3 - He didn't look in the game at all. Possibly the worst winger performance of the season - he looked unbelievably jaded. 

Bent - 6 - Got an important goal. Caught offside one too many times for my liking and didn't make himself an option as much as he should have done. 

-----

Martin - 9 - MOTM - We wouldn't have won that game if not for him. He offered a below average team an outlet and got the best from what was around him. It was probably his finest performance of the season - certainly finest half. He deserves all the plaudits he gets.

Dawkins, Christie - 5/6 - Neither really got on the ball too much. Christie looks completely devoid of confidence, though. It's a huge, huge shame because we need him to snap out of it as soon as possible. He's a very good footballer and he's proven that he can be a huge asset for us. McClaren needs to get him out of that hole he is in. 

Overall: I think if we turn up with that first-half performance against Brentford then we could find ourselves four or five goals down before half time. We are fortunate that Wigan are/were lacking in every department as much as us. They destroyed us in the first-half with little trouble - It's only when Martin came on did we look like a reasonable side. 

It's an important three points, but certainly one that shouldn't excite anyone. A lot of work needs to be done if we're to much Brentford on Saturday, nevermind win promotion through the play-offs. 

[rammieib]

A few games ago I said that all the reasons being given for Derby's collapse ; Thorne, Eustace injuries, defensive mistakes, etc. were contributory, but there was still ONLY ONE REASON .. the absence of CHRIS MARTIN, our lynchpin, our solid (and supremely skilful) 'wall' to bounce balls off, our 'free kick provider' (not via cheating, but by justifiably subtle and clever 'buckling' under consistent fouling) .. 

No team should be so reliant on one man, and that is our problem, but it doesn't take away from the fact that for the six minutes he was on the pitch before his superb goal, his five or six touches ( cushioned deflections, pinpoint passes, deflected headers) constituted a masterclass of centre forward play, which he went on to produce for the rest of the match .. 

It was the most amazing transformation in the fortunes of any team that I have seen in my 50 years of watching football .. and possibly the most exciting and uplifting feeling that any such passage of play in a football match has given me .. 

Grant .. 8

 Keogh .. 8 

Albentosa .. 6 

Forsyth .. 7

Warnock .. 7

Hendrick .. 6

Hughes .. 8 

Ince .. 7 

Bent .. 6

Russell .. 7 

Ward .. 5

      MARTIN .. 10 .. can I give 12 ? 

      Christie .. 6 

      Dawkins .. 6 

[mwram1973]

Fairest results I've seen on here. We kept a clean sheet, and to many on here battering the fence. 4 for Albentosa by someone, come on, we didn't concede three goals!!

pitch was really poor yet when the defenders cleared it under pressure, people around me were criticising. Can they not remember some of the goal we conceded in the last two months?

I am struggling to think of a game where one player has changed it so much. I can see Martin isn't fit enough to start a game but his hold up play and intelligence in laying off was so good.

[Ashz09]

When ever I see Hendrick now he's either awful or you don't notice him at all.. A shadow of the player last season hope he gets his form back!

[Guest]

​I can't understand some folks too. Slagging off Raul for clearing the ball (hoofing it out). How many Fookin goals have we conceded lately due to the back 4 trying to be clever and pissin about with the ball. Watfords 2 goals were a direct result in us faffin about and not just booting it out/away. It's nice to see a CB just clearing the ball away from our goal. We ain't fookin Real madrid. JUST GET RID!!!.

[RadioactiveWaste]

Ah, its the unwinnable -  concede and its always why didn't so n so  just clear it. Defenders who just clear it, and have probably been instructed to do so .....very poor on The ball!

 

[Inverurie Ram]

As for Chris Martin………said it all along he’s 1^st person on the team sheet any day of the week……

 

I take it you all stayed for an all-nighter in Wigan and gave it plenty of Northern Soul on the dance floor,

to celebrate them magical 3 points……………

 

BREAKAWAY…. BREAKAWAY … BREAKAWAY

I’ve got to Brekaway…….

I’ve got to get away………

 

NORTHERN SOUL LEGENDS 9 - MARTIN - BREAKAWAY

 Mr IPro DJ stick some Northern Soul on before the Rams come out on to the pitch and get our fans happy in the stands, watching Super Chrissy Martin.....

BREAKAWAY.............