Martinez isn't that stupid. He'll set up to do what they did against City and wait for you to open up, as he knows you will. You need the win just as badly as they do.
They are fighting for PL survival and they need two wins, so whilst the win is important for us, the onus is on them.
And they know that they won't get one by going gung-ho and attacking from the opening minute. The onus is on you anyway, as you're at home and you need to win. Martinez is a very smart and aware manager. Anyone that believes he's going to just throw caution to the wind and try to outshoot Arsenal at the Emirates is delusional. He'll do exactly what he did to City. Whether it'll work or not is another thing entirely.
I think the difference with the City game was that Wigan had nothing to lose, nobody expected them to win the cup and so they could just sit back and wait for their opportunity when it arose. The game against us is different though, and whilst I'm not saying they will go 'Gung-ho' they will need to try and attack us more that they did City. It's a tough one for Wigan, sit back and invite pressure and we'll wear them down gradually, come out and attack us and they'll leave themselves open to be ripped apart. My personal feeling is that they will try to come out and attack, because they have to. Simply sitting back and hoping to hit us on the break is not really an option in a must win game for them, they could already be staring down the barrel by the time they get an opportunity to break.
I rest my case! They'll use the tactics and team selection that's most likely to get them a victory. Playing an open game against Arsenal at the Emirates is going to do that. Frustrating you and trying to hit you on the break, as they did effectively against City, is their best bet. Martinez will know that.
Conceded 4 & 4 v Utd, 4 v Liverpool, 4 v Chelsea, as well as countless 2s and 3s. Only 5 clean sheets, all v bottom six sides, except.........Spurs! I think we can see Wigan's problem irrespective of how they play when they have the ball. Fatigue may be a factor too. However, it's effectively a Cup tie for them again and they have the ability to win if they play as they did on Saturday.
Nobody expects them to win so the onus isn't on them. Arsenal 8/11 to get top 4 Wigan 14/1 to stay up The onus is on Arsenal to grab the win they need to take the battle for top 4 into their own hands going into the last day. Wigan have nothing to lose and everything to gain, especially having just won the FA Cup.
Again, for different reasons, they won't be able to approach this game with the same luxury that they did against City. They HAVE to win this game, the cup final was a bonus if they did.
Nope, sorry you're wrong. They are fighting for their PL lives and they HAVE to win, the FA cup was a bonus, a game they didn't need to win so they could afford to approach it differently. Everybody expected City to win, so their tactic was to soak up the pressure and try and hit them on the break. That's fine if you can afford to do it, but in a game where they will be relegated if they don't win, they don't have the luxury of sitting back and hoping for a lucky break.
And again, their manager isn't a moron. He's not going to go all out for a win from the kick-off, as they'll get battered. They know that their best option is to frustrate you, get your fans moaning and hit you on the break.
I know he's not a moron, but he's also not got the luxury of sitting back and hoping for a lucky break. I don't think they'll come out 'gung-ho' but they will need to try and attack us, even if it's not for the full 90mins, in the periods that they do, it will suit our game perfectly.
They do have to win but Arsenal need the win just as much as they do. Everybody wrote Wigan off on Saturday, everybody will write them off on Tuesday. There is no real expectation of seeing them in the Premier League next year whereas now Arsenal are strong favourites to finish in the final Champions League spot. Arsenal are at home and will be expected to beat a side 18th in the table. Wigan don't have to go gung-ho, they are playing away from home so can be more tentative and patient as they were against City. If Arsenal adopt that approach the crowd will go after them. Wenger's philosophy has always been for his side to take the initiative and impose their game on their opponents. I don't see that changing. If this game was at the DW I'd absolutely agree with you PISKIE, but I feel the fact that it is away may be an advantage to Wigan and disadvantage to Arsenal. Arsenal should win but after what I've seen in this weekend (Playoff semi + Wigan beating City) I'm not ruling anything out. Either way both sides play good football and will try to win the game.
If they don't do it - and simply sit back and invite pressure, we could be out of sight by the time they get a chance to break.
I'm sure that City thought the same thing. It's a risk that Wigan have to take. They can't play an open game or they'll lose. Setting out to frustrate you is their best chance of getting all 3 points.
I think the crowd on Tuesday will be grateful for a win, no matter how it comes. I don't see us getting on the players backs at all on Tuesday, it will be more about getting the job done, regardless of how pretty or ugly we do it.
Actually their system only really works well in a counterattacking style. It is 5-3-2 when they don't have the ball and goes to 3-4-1-2 when the do with the wing backs pushing up and the central midfielder getting up to support the front two who play wider than usual. Clichy couldn't get near McManaman on Saturday so I doubt Arsenal's left back will either. I think they will start in the same mode as they used on Saturday but it will be wide open as time passes because whatever the score, one team at least will have to throw caution to the wind.
Possibly . . it could also mean that they risk playing straight into our hands. Giving us possession and time to break them down after we've had a 10 day break and they are coming in on the back of an energy sapping cup final, could mean them playing in their own half for 90mins.
In theory you are right, but in practice you are wrong (with all due respect). Psychologically the FA Cup win was massive for Wigan. It platformed the manager and all of the players. Wigan are not like Sunderland or Villa, it is widely accepted they are punching way above their weight being in this division so if they do go down unlike QPR and Reading there is still a great deal of positivity surrounding the club and nobody would begrudge Martinez/any of the players if they chose to move on. In their mindset, they have achieved something this season, that will give them a sense of freedom. I always said us winning the FA Cup last year was massive for that very reason (going into the Champions League Final). If Wigan go down, the reality is no tears will be shed.
