OT - Martinez to Everton

Were you at the Wigan game? It was anything but attractive football, the whole thing was a disgrace.

 

Therein lies the magic of cup. If there wasn't a degree of luck involved, then Man United, the best team in the land this season would have won.

That is not to say that they didn't deserve to win. However, should the season be repeated in some Groundhog Day like occurance, how many times would the season need to be replayed before Wigan won again?

 

Maybe but there is more than one way to skin a cat. You can set up to frustrate the big teams too, bombard them direct style or just get after them in a hostile atmosphere. Stoke, Everton and Sunderland are good at this. Look at us last year too, we got some canny results against the big teams like Chelsea (a), Arsenal (h), Man U (a and h), Spurs (h) using a variety of different approaches. we have enjoyed some success against the big teams down the years at home in particular. Even this season in our doldrums we managed wins against Chelsea and Spurs (through attacking football to be fair).

No doubt his style does lend itself to the odd hammering because he sometimes attacks better teams, but is that really shrewd management? Personally I think the best managers pick their battles and employ a variety of different tactics.

We were excellent at this last season and employed so many different styles, teams found it hard to nail us. The little run in March, Man U at home, Stoke and Swansea away are prime examples. Stoke we played them at their own game in terms of frustrating tactics, knowing our extra quality would shine through. Swansea we accepted that we weren't going to be different to any other team in terms of conceding possession, but we were compact and played intelligent counter attack. Man U at home we went direct style as Blackburn had caused them untold problems very recently. The little run in March spring we just went into free flowing attackign football mode as confidence soared and our creative bods like Benni and Cabaye were enjoying the sun on their backs.

This year we have been far too predictable and preparation has been awful. We've never found any rhythm and have lacked variety both in our starting tactics and game management tactics.

If you don't have the ability that say a Jurgen Klopp has at his disposal then you have to be a bit cuter. This is where Martinez has failed a little at Wigan. Its also what may make him better suited to top level jobs though when he will often have the upper hand.

I think it will be one of the more interesting angles of next season to see how he gets on. Not just in terms of the above but also as you say when he faced with a different kind of pressure and expectation.

 

No I hear Mike is back on the pies and therefore stocks of Greggs pies are at an all time low. Chomp!

 

Wasn't at the game but watched it on Sky...can't label a team based on one game mate.

 

Do you not see any hypocrisy with your response to my original comment?

 

Judge it as you see it, it was a disgrace in my eyes.

 

No, because Wigan didn't play one game to win the cup, they played 6 or 7.

I agree that the best team doesn't always win the cup, but this year the most deserving team won the cup. I mean they outplayed Everton and City over two games without conceding a goal. So whilst luck can sometimes play a part in a cup win (see Chelsea in the champions league) I just don't feel luck had anything to do with Wigan's cup success this year.

 

One horrific challenge and a hand ball goal for their winner. Ba scored with a hand ball away at Reading and Cabaye & Tiote have made numerous poor and dangerous tackles but doesn't mean I think we're a disgrace just as I'm sure you don't think we are.

Was a horrible tackle and the way it was defended by Whelan and Martinez after wasn't right, but Martinez was always going to try and protect his player, every manager does.

 

I'm sorry. You have just lost all credability with the Champions League remark.

 

How??? Of course Chelsea were lucky to win the Champions League.

 

Say it like this:

Chelsea were lucky to win the Champions League. Wigan deserved to win the FA Cup.
---------
You earn the right to take part in the Champions League, and are therefore of decent enough level to actually have players that can make an impact. You enter the FA Cup by virtue of the fact that you are a football club (for the sake of the argument). A club that has to compete against clubs that have earned the right to even play in Europes premier tournament, and yet they aren't as lucky to win????? Thats not to mention the notion of the FA Cup being a competition with a tradition of surprises.

Beggars belief.

 

Barca and Bayern both battered Chelsea, Messi hit bar with a penalty, Bayern missed a penalty and both teams completely outplayed them. Wigan outplayed every team they came up against in the FA Cup. Hence they deserved to win it, and Chelsea more than rode their luck.

How you qualify for a cup has nothing to do with if you deserve to win it. If England qualify for Euro 2014 by winning a two leg play off with two offside goals but then completely outplay every team at the actual tournament are they then lucky to win it??? Of course not.

 

So the gulf in quality between contenders for the Champoins League is as great as it is for the FA Cup????

Besides, outplaying the opposition can say just as much about the team being dominated as it does about the team in the driving seat.

Yes, you are correct in saying howw you qualify has nothing to do with whtther you deserve to win. However, it does help sort the wheat from the chaff.

So are you suggesting Wigan will be bookies favourites for the Europa LEague?...

 

Of course not, but what does that have to do the fact that they deserved to win the FA Cup?

 

By your reasoning they are just as likely to.

 

Fair play to him and Everton.

 

Cracking red headed lady in the O2 shop in the Eldon Square today, you might want to give her a look over.

 

Not at all. I'm saying they deserved to win the FA Cup as they outplayed every team they came up against. For me Chelsea didn't deserve to win the champions league as they got lucky in a number of games.

All I'm saying is luck played no party in Wigan's FA Cup win which you claimed it did.

 

The best team never loses on the day.