Swansea – Wigan SOCCER PICKS
It has been eight years since Wigan Athletic last won from Swansea City. Earlier this season, the confrontation in Wigan ended in a bloodless 0-0. Do we see a winner in Swansea? A preview of the game between the numbers twelve and nineteen of the Championship.
Swansea City:
The season of Swansea City is characterized by the great variability in results. Remises hardly ever take place anymore. One moment makes the team of Graham Potter impress with handsome victories, the other moment is hopelessly lost. Of the last seven league matches, only two ended in a win for The Swans. The remaining five were lost. This large volatility has, as can be expected, led to a position in the middle section. With 32 points, the Premier League relegation holds the twelfth position of the Championship.
Last Wednesday, Aston Villa was lost in-house. In the first half, The Swans were the better of the game. Amongst others Oliver McBurnie, who preferred Wilfried Bony, and Bersant Celina were not able to find the net in the period that Swansea deserved a goal. In the second half, Villa put things in order and the team from Birmingham managed to find the net, unlike Swansea. After the opening goal was the biggest opportunity for the home team of Mike van der Hoorn. The former player of FC Utrecht and Ajax narrowly missed a big header by aiming at the post.
In the extra time Swansea City seemed to be able to drag a point. Substitute Nathan Dyer was overthrown in the penalty area by former Ajax player Anwar El Ghazi. Bony, now credited to captain Leroy Fer, took the responsibility to stand behind the ball. His penalty, however, was pretty turned and so Swansea remained scoreless. A notable fact is that Bony has not yet scored this year in the Liberty Stadium due to his miss. Against Wigan he gets one last chance to finish his year on a positive note.
Wigan Athletic:
Serious problems threaten Wigan Athletic. The last year’s PhD student lost the last four games and dropped to the nineteenth position of the Championship. Immediately degrading to the League One is by no means excluded this season. Just as worrying is the lack of scoring ability in Paul Cook’s team. In the four defeats that were suffered, The Latics did not manage to find the net once. The last goal was made on 1 December to visit fellow-degradation candidate Bolton Wanderers (1-1). Will Grigg, shared top scorer of Wigan with only four goals, used a penalty in Birmingham.
Last week it went wrong again. The Latics were simply put aside by West Bromwich Albion. On The Hawthorns, Wigan hardly forced any chance. Cook was optimistic about the displayed game, but will not be able to deny that the scoring ability is really becoming a problem for his men. Only Bolton Wanderers (17) and Ipswich Town (19) have made fewer goals this season.
One of the few highlights to visit at West Brom was the incidence of Callum McManaman. Just after half-time, the midfielder fell for Josh Windass and from that moment on a lot more energy came into Wigan’s play. The 27-year-old Englishman, who only served as a substitute this season, seems to be able to make up for his second base place this season.
