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Recent form has been a bit hit and miss for Latics. With no recognized striker as both Marc Antoine Fortune and Grant Holt continue to miss game time, the club is relying on other players to step up to the plate. That would probably be a lot easier if our midfield maestro in Shaun Maloney was up fit and running currently though, he isn't.
After what was a disappointing defeat at the weekend for Wigan, the lads but in a reasonable performance and more than likely deserved something from the game, we now have to go again in midweek against a side which domestically is doing rather well.
Maribor last season romped to the domestic treble and have continued again this year in much the same fashion. They started the season with a win in their domestic super cup, and sit top of the league 11 games in with a game in hand over second placed Zavrc.
That hasn't stopped them changing their manager. Going into the weekend Ante Cacic was in charge, following a third defeat in the space of nine days in all competitions Ante Simundza has taken the reigns at the club and will look to try and get off the mark with a win against us Wiganers.
Looking at the odds we are the favorites for this one. At best I would say it was an even split looking at how Latics shape up heading into the game. Our ever increasing list of injuries will surely weigh us down, while Maribor are in a bit of a rough patch yet have the quality in the side to make it a difficult night for Latics.
This is a team that last season drew with Tottenham Hotspur on their own turf in Slovenia.
Most likely for any sort of Wigan result it will come down to who Owen Coyle looks to use. Will some of the younger lads be given a chance? Or will he try to keep the main bulk of the squad together and allow them to continue to gel, as we really need to continue that sort of progress.
A balance of the two would work best for me. Keeping the same back four but deploying different people in the midfield and especially up front. Why not give Nouah Dicko a run out as the main man up front and let Daniel Redmond show what a talented player he truly is.
Yet no matter what the performance or the result for that matter lets make it a night to remember and show the footballing world what Wigan is all about.