Preview: Bolton Wanderers vs Wigan Athletic

When this season begin, I was full of hope, you might even call it ambition or an expectation. That is year would be different from any other Wigan have ever played in the Premier League. I felt that we would rise up, as finally Martinez had hit the nail on the head with a squad which could go out and challenge the mid table teams.

How wrong I would be. Now 24 games into the season, it looks very much like a season we have never seen before. But for all the wrong reasons. Its very hard for Wigan fans to give up. That mentality isn't with in us, and over the years that has shown with our teams, only twice to my knowledge have we ever be relegated in the football league.

Apart from some of the big clubs in English football who can say that?

So with a heavy heart I write this post, as it looks as though the clubs we love may suffer a relegation, or at the very least the worse relegation battle of especially my time. To crawl out of the hole we are in would be spectacular, the time for that, is now.

We play (this weekend) what many fans call our closest rivals. The animosity between Bolton and Wigan is slowly raising up the gears, and it showed this season, when at the DW Stadium, the Wigan fans were goaded by some cheerful Bolton ones.

So time is now for revenge.

The lads have to go out fighting and working hard, this game is a win. Not a should, not a must, it has to be a win. Lose and what could happen is not thinkable. Bolton could be nailing the first nail of the relegation coffin if Latics fail to pick up three points.

So there is my rallying call to players and fans alike. We can get out of this, and we will get out of this. We are Wigan Athletic.

Now to the match, which will most likely be a boring and dreary affair. It has always been that one of the two games between the sides will be and open and flowing high scoring game. The other will be a nail biting nervous one to the end with two goals if we are lucky. And for Wigan to score a goal would be lucky.

Last week an awful bounce (and an even worse piece of goalkeeping) really got us a point we didn't deserve. Yet it was there for the taking, and we have to start taking points when we are doing well. That we have failed to do so far this season.

My message to Martinez then. Don't be stubborn.

Play Mohamed Diame, play Hugo Rodallega. And for his lord heaven almighty, please do not play Jordi Gomez. I may have said a few things, but it has all gone to the Spaniards head and he has lost what he had. Let big guns come out and show us some muscle and character.

Diame has been sourly missed in the midfield. That isn't to say the Two James haven't played well. They look like a great partnership in the midfield. But neither of them has the impetus nor the guile that Diame gives to our floundering midfield.

And as for Hugo. He has been on fire recently and replacing him with the oaf of Di Santo has lost us points. Especially last week against Everton. Rodallega can hurt any defence even if he isn't playing well and that is what matters.

That is all I have to say.

Come on Blue and White Army!!!

P.s. Normal review services will resume next week.