Surprise Package of the Season- Wigan
Wigan are into their fourth season of their Premier League spell, although they have not always had it easy in arguably the best league in the world. After their successful season along with then fellow new boys West Ham United in the 2005/06 season whereby the Latics finished one place behind the Hammers, who were placed 9th, Wigan started to struggle, with the 2006/07 season seeing the Latics stay up on goal difference at the expense of Sheffield United after a dramatic last day and a season which was full of controversy in the relegation battle after West Ham signed Carlos Tevez, now of Manchester United in circumstances against Premier League rules. Then in the 2007/08 season Wigan finished in 14th only 4 points above Reading who got relegated in 18th place. Now though it seems that Steve Bruce has built the foundations of a team that could remain in a comfortable mid table position or challenge for a continental cup via the league for many years to come.
Bruce, a former Red Devil had already had one managerial spell at Wigan Athletic in 2001, and although guiding them to an unsuccessful Second Division play-off campaign left the club after less than two months in charge in order to become manager of Crystal Palace. He officially returned to once again manager the Latics on the 23rd of November 2007, he would have joined earlier if it had not been for complications with his release from Birmingham City. In his first match in charge he guided the club to a 1-1 draw against Manchester City at the JJB Stadium.
With Steve Bruce at the helm Wigan have managed to attract some lesser known players, but who have seemingly attracted a fair amount of interest in recent months. Wilson Palacios and Antonio Valencia, of Honduras and Ecuador respecitvely have been just two players who have attracted big team interest, with current Barclays Premier League and UEFA Champions League champions Manchester United showing an interest in the pair. With the loan signing of Amr Zaki, Wigan have looked much stronger, and Zaki himself has made an instant impact on the Premier League, being 3rd in the current top scorers on 10 behind big money signing Robinho of Manchester City, in 2nd with 11 and Nicola Anelka of Chelsea in 1st on 14.
The Latics are currently 7th in the Premier League table and are currently 10 points behind Aston Villa in 4th place and Manchester United in 3rd, with a game in hand over Villa but have played one more than United. Wigan’s game in hand is against the Red Devils at Old Trafford and although many people may right them off, they shouldn’t be underestimated. Chelsea may have lost 3-0 to United on the 11th of January but Wigan are likely to provide a bigger threat, not because they have more talented players than Chelsea, but because they are likely to be up for this match, especially as their manager is a United Legend thus they realise they have little to lose and are likely to take the game to United.
I’m not neccessarily saying Wigan will break the “Big Four” stranglehold, but perhaps with a few changes to strengthen certain areas and with a fair amount of luck and good form, then they could seriously mount a challenge to replace the struggling Arsenal into 4th place.
