MATCHWATCH : Wigan Athletic (a)

[Sutekh]

When : Saturday 17th September 2022
Where : DW Stadium, Loire Drive, Robin Park, Wigan, WN5 0UH
Capacity : 25,138

First game back at Wigan for almost 3 years and generally Wigan has not been that missed by Reading given that some of the clubs most awful performances have been saved for these opponents, particularly for the reverse fixture in Reading.

Add to the above the 100% record of being utter **** playing against the promoted teams so far this season (P2, L2 F0 A7) and you’ll start wondering if this game worth going to at all and whether or not you’d just want to pretend it’s not happening and that the international break has already started. I won’t mention the dreadful away record currently haunting the club being the icing on this particular turd of expectation.

Wigan were fairly active over the summer with Ryan Nyambe and Luke Brennan both arriving from Blackburn, Joe Rodwell-Grant from Preston and the talented Anthony Scully signing from Lincoln. In addition Wigan added 3 loans; Ramarni Edmonds-Green from Huddersfield, Nathan Broadhed from Everton and Ashley Fletcher from Watford.

So far Wigan are proving very awkward and difficult for opposing teams to deal with. Aside from a collapse at home to Burnley the Latic’s are unbeaten with 4 draws and 3 wins. Their last 3 games have given them 1 home draw (WBA) and 2 away wins (Luton & Huddersfield).

Main threats will be from Josh Magennis, James McClean and Will Keane and Reading will have to dig deep and more if Wednesday’s performance is anything to go by.

Injuries are still a pain but Meite appears to be back and Loum returned for the last game so that’s a decent improvement (unless more were picked up in the Sunderland debacle - just don’t let any who started that one be alone with the manager in the next couple of days).

Wigan will be without Gwion Edwards and Jordan Cousins while keeper Ben Amos is a doubt after missing the Huddersfield game.

Referee

David Webb

Previously

30 Jul 2022 > Blackpool 1-0 Reading
02 Apr 2021 > Barnsley 1-1 Reading
11 Dec 2021 > West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Reading
21 Aug 2021 > Coventry City 2-1 Reading
20 Feb 2021 > Reading 0-2 Middlesbrough
30 Dec 2020 > Swansea City 0-0 Reading
30 Oct 2020 > Coventry City 3-2 Reading
26 Sep 2020 > Cardiff City 1-2 Reading
20 Oct 2018 > Reading 3-1 Millwall
29 Nov 2014 > Norwich City 1-2 Reading
24 Aug 2013 > Blackpool 1-0 Reading
01 Nov 2011 > Nottingham Forest 1-0 Reading
05 Dec 2009 > Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Reading

Historically

This is the 47th league game against Wigan and so the 24th trek to make use of their hospitality.

As you'd expect for most northern outposts the place is not a particularly happy one for Reading who have always found victories difficult to come by up there stretching all the way back to Wigan's inaugural FL season in 1978 when Reading crashed 3-0.

In the 23 games played, 11 have been lost and just 4 won. It took until the 13th visit to record a win (there were none whatsoever managed at Wigan's old home of Springfield Park) so at least the wins are in living memory. When Reading do win there though they win by at least 2.

How to follow the game

1. Get a ticket and travel
2. Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
3. Ring/text a mate for updates
4. Use a RoyalTV subscription
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[Zip]

Our record against the newly promoted teams ain’t great. There needs to be a reaction to that appalling performance tonight.

[Franconian Royal]

I’m not going to go off at the deep end here, but someone else wrote that are only (!) 6 points above Swansea. Someone needs to show them the table and show them how close they are to being pulled into the dogfight.
If they are any players on here, we need a reaction from you on Saturday.

[Stranded]

Wigan have the worst home record in the division so far this season, with the exception of Coventry who have only played once - no wins, 3 draws and a defeat.

If you want to go anywhere with an eye on bouncing back from last night, then Wigan would be the choice - conversely they are the best team in the division away from home, followed by last night's opponents.

[Hound]

Play like we did last night and any one of the 92 teams in the top 4 divs would beat us

We’ve bounced back well from previous hammerings - fairly confident we’ll do the same. Need to go right at it from the start, not the lame lethargic effort from last night

[CountryRoyal]

Lumley

Baba
McIntyre
Hutchinson
Yids

Fornah
Luom

Hoilett
Ince
Meite

Joao

That’s how I’d line up if Long isn’t available. Hendrick needs dropping. He plays like someone’s already dropped him on his head so why not give Mr.Mistake a rest.

[Hound]

Depends how fit Loum is. Was a liability yesterday.

Yea to the back 4, though Holmes has been better than McIntyre

Would be tempted to be more 4-4-2 with Ince or Meite up top with Joao. He gets too isolated otherwise

[Snowflake Royal]

Lumley

Baba
McIntyre
Hutchinson
Yids

Fornah
Luom

Hoilett
Ince
Meite

Joao

That’s how I’d line up if Long isn’t available. Hendrick needs dropping. He plays like someone’s already dropped him on his head so why not give Mr.Mistake a rest.

.........................Lumley
......Yiadom, Hutchinson, Holmes
Hoilett, ......Loum, Fornah, ..Guiness-Walker
..........................Ince
......................Meite, Joao

Much more pace, power and effort in the side.

[Hound]

Lumley

Baba
McIntyre
Hutchinson
Yids

Fornah
Luom

Hoilett
Ince
Meite

Joao

That’s how I’d line up if Long isn’t available. Hendrick needs dropping. He plays like someone’s already dropped him on his head so why not give Mr.Mistake a rest.

.........................Lumley
......Yiadom, Hutchinson, Holmes
Hoilett, ......Loum, Fornah, ..Guiness-Walker
..........................Ince
......................Meite, Joao

Much more pace, power and effort in the side.

Yes to this, though as said elsewhere think Baba ahead of NGW

Would give us a bench of something like

Carroll, Mbengue, Bouzanis, Tetek/Ehib, Hendrick, TMc, NGW

Can’t really complain about lack of a bench etc now. Still have Ejaria and Long to come back as well.

[Wycombe Royal]

Play like we did last night and any one of the 92 teams in the top 4 divs would beat us

I don't think that Reading team would beat us, they looked dreadful.

[Snowflake Royal]

Lumley

Baba
McIntyre
Hutchinson
Yids

Fornah
Luom

Hoilett
Ince
Meite

Joao

That’s how I’d line up if Long isn’t available. Hendrick needs dropping. He plays like someone’s already dropped him on his head so why not give Mr.Mistake a rest.

.........................Lumley
......Yiadom, Hutchinson, Holmes
Hoilett, ......Loum, Fornah, ..Guiness-Walker
..........................Ince
......................Meite, Joao

Much more pace, power and effort in the side.

Yes to this, though as said elsewhere think Baba ahead of NGW

Would give us a bench of something like

Carroll, Mbengue, Bouzanis, Tetek/Ehib, Hendrick, TMc, NGW

Can’t really complain about lack of a bench etc now. Still have Ejaria and Long to come back as well.

I just don’t rate Rahman, and NGW was an early bright spark.

[Hound]

Play like we did last night and any one of the 92 teams in the top 4 divs would beat us

I don't think that Reading team would beat us, they looked dreadful.

Good point. Our u23 maybe

[Hound]

.........................Lumley
......Yiadom, Hutchinson, Holmes
Hoilett, ......Loum, Fornah, ..Guiness-Walker
..........................Ince
......................Meite, Joao

Much more pace, power and effort in the side.

Yes to this, though as said elsewhere think Baba ahead of NGW

Would give us a bench of something like

Carroll, Mbengue, Bouzanis, Tetek/Ehib, Hendrick, TMc, NGW

Can’t really complain about lack of a bench etc now. Still have Ejaria and Long to come back as well.

I just don’t rate Rahman, and NGW was an early bright spark.

Looked a bit dodgy defending but obvs in your formation less of an issue

Baba is fine. Not the divisions best left back but perfectly ok

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Wouldn't mind that team, although agree that I'd want Rahman in over NGW personally speaking, if fit enough anyway.

Really important to have an improvement from the midweek, which we should get, otherwise it'll be another comprehensive victory for Wigan. Would settle for a point here going into the International break, just to keep us ticking over whilst we continue to work on key things and bring players up to speed again.

[Sutekh]

Rahman starts, Loum drops to bench. Carroll and Mbengue both on bench.



So Carroll will likely get the last 15/20 mins or so unless something dictates otherwise.

[Hound]

Loum didn’t look fit on weds so no surprise

[blythspartan]

It looks as if out of the youngsters they rate Craig. I heard positive things about him when we signed him but has anyone seen him playing for the U23s?

[Snowflake Royal]

It looks as if out of the youngsters they rate Craig. I heard positive things about him when we signed him but has anyone seen him playing for the U23s?

Just his odd minutes with first team. Looks pretty young.

So Ince or Hoilett in midfield for Loum? I'm guessing Hoilett behind Joao and Ince linking midfield to attack with Hendrick taking the deeper Loum role again?

[Hound]

It looks as if out of the youngsters they rate Craig. I heard positive things about him when we signed him but has anyone seen him playing for the U23s?

Yeah he was rated at spurs

Neat and tidy from what I’ve seen. Disciplined as well

[CountryRoyal]

Cut through us so easily then.