Message for Jermain Defoe - Not This Time

[Swanny]

Wigan v Tottenham Preview: Message for Jermain Defoe - Not This Time




PREMIER LEAGUE: DW STADIUM, SUNDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2010. KICK-OFF: 1615 G

WIGAN ATHLETIC:
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is insisting that their 9-1 thrashing at the hands of Tottenham earlier this season is firmly behind them ahead of the return game.

Despite only winning twice in the league since the late-November clash at White Hart Lane, when Jermain Defoe scored five times, Martinez has hailed his squad's consistency and willingness to learn from a "freak" event.

"It was a really painful experience, a hurtful event for everyone at the football club," said the Spaniard. "But I have been extremely proud of the players for the way we went into the next game and beat Sunderland at home.

"I can tell you that since then we have been a stronger football club and a more mature squad. We feel that we have learnt a lot since that day. It's something that I don't wish for anyone to go through, but it's an experience from which we have bounced back well."

Wigan are on a run of three successive draws - two of them at home - and have managed only one win in six games. They are just two points above the relegation zone in 14th spot, but the manager is looking up rather than down.

Martinez continued: "We are going into the last third of the campaign now, and the importance of every point is vital. For us, this match doesn't need any extra spice than it has already.

"Looking at the table at the moment, it's so unrealistic. You can be in 14th spot, but that doesn't mean anything because you can be in the relegation places if you lose a game. Everything is really, really open.

"I feel that we are at our strongest now, and we need to take advantage of that because we have seven games at home. It's clear that everything is in our own hands."

The poor condition of the DW Stadium pitch has received widespread coverage over the last few days, especially following the goalless draw against Bolton on Wednesday night, and Martinez admitted that he is looking into the possibility of relaying the surface in the coming weeks.

He added: "As a football club we are trying to do as much as we can to find a solution to that, and revert to the normal conditions of the pitch. But what you have got to remember is that we have the rugby and ourselves. It's not a straightforward solution. We will never use the pitch as an excuse because we need to adapt."

Strategy: This is the third of three home games on the spin for Wigan, and on paper the hardest of them. The other two finished in draws against Stoke and relegation rivals Bolton, and if Wigan can't avoid defeat here, then their situation will start to look grim. At least they are facing a Spurs side who have only won once in their last six games, and it can't be any worse than the 9-1 defeat they suffered at White Hart Lane earlier in the season.

Injury Update: Martinez's only concern is over central defender Titus Bramble after he limped off early in the second half of Wednesday's draw against Bolton with a tweaked hamstring. Martinez said: "He is not an injury prone player, and I just feel that he is going to be quite doubtful."

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR:
The goals have dried up in recent weeks with Tottenham having scored just three times in their last six Premier League fixtures, winning just one of them. Wigan, then, would appear to be the ideal opponents to change if you base your prediction on what happened when they met at White Hart lane.

Defoe, the man who destroyed them on that occasion, was also on target last weekend in the 1-1 draw at Bolton in the FA Cup, taking his tally for the season to 21.

It could have been even higher however as Defoe has also been guilty of penalty misses, against Everton in the Premier League and Leeds in the FA Cup, which resulted in the responsibility from 12 yards being taken away from him. But Tom Huddlestone was equally unsuccessful at Bolton so the problem persists, with four of the last five spot-kicks having failed to reach the back of the net.

"We've dominated games we should have won," manager Harry Redknapp said. "We've just not stuck chances away. I fancied Tom to score, he's never missed one before, and it's just the way in goes. The 9-1 was a one-off game. Everything went right for us and nothing for them that day.

"It won't have much bearing on this one, Wigan are a good side. Their pitch isn't good but we'll just have to get on with it. Wigan are a footballing side as well so it's not good for them either."

Strategy: Redknapp named arguably his strongest line up at Bolton last week and is likely to keep it intact for this week's return to the north west. That, of course, means Roman Pavlyuchenko will watch most, if not all, of proceedings from his usual position on the bench.

Earlier in the week the Russian had yet another moan at Redknapp over a lack of playing time, claiming his boss liked to "make fun" of him. Redknapp, unsurprisingly, was not impressed. "I'll pick him when he deserves to be picked," he said. Spurs will look to former Latic Wilson Palacios to win the battle in midfield, with the Honduran having been lured from the DW Stadium a little over a year ago for doing precisely that against Spurs, who were then slowly but surely winning a relegation battle.

Injury Update: Winger Aaron Lennon has been out for the last six weeks with a groin problem but will not be making a comeback just yet. "He's not too far away," Redknapp said. "But we have to make sure he's right." Ledley King should be passed fit to carry on in the centre of defence but Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Jonathan Woodgate remain absent through injury. Midfielder Jermaine Jenas is a doubt with a groin problem.

Wigan v Tottenham Preview: Message for Jermain Defoe - Not This Time -- UK Football FanHouse

[BrumSpur]

I anticipate that there will be some 'bus parking' going on tomorrow. Wigan will be so determined not to repeat what happpened, last time. Martinez will have watched playbacks of our games against Stoke, Hull & Wolves, to get some tips.

Nothing would make me happier than to see the boys win but, it's gonna be a toughie!

COYS!

[ctw01]

With the conditions not conducive to playing good football it looks like long ball Crouchy for this one.

[Swanny]

The long ball or long pass whichever, has failed miserably against these teams that sit back, this is the type of game for Eiduer Gudjohnsen and Pav to play in...simples

Remember Ary telling us this is why he brought Eidur to WHL?

[BrumSpur]

I can't see Harry NOT playing Defoe in this one. Would like to see what JD can do with Pav, but a bad pitch at Wigan is probably not the best place for Roman to start his renaissance.

Really not sure about Gudjonssen. Can't say I was particularly overwhelmed by his signing (although, my opinion may change, if he scores a hat trick tomorrow). He looked unfit and totally out of it at Wolves. Maybe with another 10 days training and integration behind him, he might look better now? Where would he play? Up front or behind the front players? And, if it IS behind the front players, why isn't Niko being given a chance to show what he can do, in that position?

[Javi]

I anticipate that there will be some 'bus parking' going on tomorrow. Wigan will be so determined not to repeat what happpened, last time. Martinez will have watched playbacks of our games against Stoke, Hull & Wolves, to get some tips.

All he has to do is put the team at the wayyyyy bottom along with wolves and he probably would get a victory over us.