Just saw his goal on ITV - very tidy finish with the outside of his boot, although it was a little fortuitous in that it trickled in. I'm disappointed that he no longer seems prepared to cut in and hit the ball with his right foot. When he was playing for Derry, this is something he'd do constantly, to the point where he could strike it as well with his right as his left.
Goal!
Goal! Ipswich Town 1, Wigan Athletic 1. James McClean (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Marc-Antoine Fortuné.
Currently 2-1 away to Ipswich.
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
Is McClean injured at the minute or is there any reason in particular as to why he didn't make the bench for yesterday's FA Cup semi-final?
Tactical omission, presumably because they needed more defensive options: https://twitter.com/PKendrickWIG/sta...14061135384577Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
They could have done with him after Arsenal equalised. Rosler had taken Wigan's best outlet, McManaman, off at that stage as well and any slight threat they had going forward was gone for the remainder of the game and extra time.
Yeah they also looked like they settled for the penos, with still 30 minutes to play
They are a limited Championship side, you hardly expected them to go toe to toe with Arsenal? I thought Rosler set them up very well and they defended excellently. I think most Wigan fans were worried when Caldwell come on and mystified when he stood up to take first penalty. Seemingly McMannaman took a knock which is why he came off. McClean still has a role to play in their last 5 games. I would have brought Maloney on instead of Powell who is a lazy selfish git with an inflated ego.
They were going toe to toe with them though, and causing them the occasional problem. I thought the substitution of McManaman was made with the view of seeing the game out, but kind of backfired when there was forty minutes left to play after Arsenal's equaliser. Fair enough if he was injured though.
When I saw Caldwell stepping up I couldn't help thinking "what a gobsh!te". Probably Wigan's least technical player just wanting to show off his cojones! Maybe I'm wronging the man and he's actually an excellent penalty taker in practice or they were stuck for volunteers.
Interesting words about Nick Powell, I didn't realise that might be the perception.
I don't get why Gomez didn't take a penalty. I guess it's true that sometimes it's the players you least expect who bottle penalty shootouts.
It seems they were saving him to take the crucial fifth that never came.
Wigan fan's on Nick Powell!
http://www.cockneylatic.co.uk/forum/...35-nick-powell
Rossler was asked did they practice penalties and he replied 'I'm German, we don't need to!' However he has since added they will be practising them in case they get to the play off.
That's a bizarre strategy.
Ronaldo never got to take one against Spain in the Euros either due to saving himself for the fifth, presumably to grab the glory. He's missed a couple in shoot-outs over the years anyway.
Tut tut, must have looked at a very different game to me
Arsenal were no great shakes, their forwards were awful, and many times Wigan were 3 on 3, 2 on 2 but decided to play the ball back rather then go for the jugular. Both teams were pish.
I was thinking of that, yeah. Didn't understand it at the time, still don't. There is some value to keeping your best penalty taker until last (there is data that suggests the most important penalties are the first, second and fifth) but it kind of defeats the point if you send Gary Caldwell up first
The fifth, if it comes, will always be a real pressure-kick, but I do agree it is a risky strategy bordering on foolish.
Statistics have shown that sending out your your best taker first is the way to go.
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
Scores to bring Wigan back to within a goal at home to Blackburn. They'll just about scrape fifth the way things are going, which will be a lot better a draw than sixth.
McClean with brilliant endeavour and cross to set up Wigan's go-ahead goal against QPR.
Booked for a blatant dive they say. Got sheepishly to his feet, the rascal.
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