These two teams are tipped by many to struggle this season and they did little to suggest otherwise in this scrappy match. Neither team were exactly prolific last term and were looking to their recent signings to provide something in the attacking third.
It was a bitty first half with neither team able to stamp their authority on the game with the constant niggly fouls led to a very stop-start affair. It was two of the newcomers who saw most of the ball. Koumas came closest to scoring with a free-kick only to see Schwarzer push it round the post. Tuncay, playing wide on the right for Boro, got into some great positions but failed to capitalise, shooting wildly on 2 two occasions. Both sets of forwards were largely uninvolved as they watched their team-mates scurry about unable to supply a telling pass.
The second half began with Wigan upping their work-rate and taking the game to Middlesborough. It was typically scrappy goal which broke the deadlock after 54mins with Sibierski bundling home Valencia's parried shot.
Boro responded well. Downings shot from the edge of the box rebounding off Kirkland's near post the best they could muster in what was to be a short-lived spell of pressure. Wigan weathered the storm and continued to battle against a frustrated looking Boro. The ineffective Yakubu was replaced by Lee after 65mins (leaving questions regrding his £10m+ price tag!) but it was to no avail as it was Wigan who looked the more likely to score for the remainder of the match.
It certainly wasn't a dull 2nd half as the tempo was high throughout but it definitely wasn't one for the purists.
Man of the MAtch : Jason Koumas - looked desperate to prove himself at this level and carried Wigans attack for most of the game
2 comments:
Cheers dude! These reviews are great as I heard _nothing_ of this game down under.
You'll be blog rolled.
I dont know what that means but thanks anyway!
I'll be reviewing all the live games I watch s there'll be plenty more to keep you up to date
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