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Preview: Wigan Athletic vs Blackburn Rovers

Yakubu returning to form?
Yakubu returning to form?

Well is anyone feeling lucky? I'm not and I don't think our lads will be feeling like that either at the moment. They must wonder what they have to do to win a match. We haven't played badly for most of our games this season, its just out in ability to score goals, and keep goals out that is hindering us.

So we go into our second Lancashire derby of the season, really wanting a win. It has always been a game full of excitement and big score lines at the DW Stadium. Who will forget Marus Bent's hat-trick, or James McCarthy's half volley last season. It would be the game to turn our season round.

Many of our players won't have been away over the week, but a few did disappear off to all corners of the globe and a break away from the atmosphere at home will most likely do them some good. The chance to play without thinking about how they are doing for Latics, it always gives you a boost to play free of expectation.

With that in mind how are we shaping up. Well Gary Caldwell returns after his one match suspension, while Alcaraz starts his three match ban. If Martinez plays Steve Gohuir at centre back again, well we might as well wave good bye to any chance of winning the game. For me his would be best played either as a full back or a defensive midfielder. He is far to flimsy to be a centre back.

Blackburn go into the game only second bottom to us with six points. That alone shows how big a game this is going to be for both sides. They have only a slightly better record than us. In that they have picked up two points in there last five matches, where as we have none. They have conceded four more, but scored seven more as well. So they don't share our inability to score goals.

Wigan will have to watch out for the returning to form of Yakubu who has bagged three goals in five appearances for Blackburn this season. The striker who was once so prolific in the Premier League had lost his way but in the past few games for Blackburn has looked stronger than ever.

The strong, bulky centre forwards is excellent at holding the ball up laying it off and running round the corner for the tap in. Why Martinez didn't look to sign him I do not know, at only £2 million he could turn out to be a bargain buy for Blackburn. Hopefully he won't be on top of his game at the weekend.

Really I have little to say ahead of this match. We have to win, as ever. I just get this feeling that Wigan Athletic's pulse is grinding to a halt. The staff are doing all they can to get the players to play. Yet we can't win games, simple as. Goals makes points and points make prizes, a good prize for Latics this year would be to get out of the bottom three by Christmas, or face certain relegation.