JJB Stadium; a football game in a rugby town, a football game on a rugby pitch.  Perhaps that's why the stadium is rarely filled for football?

Both Moyes and Bruce keep improving their sides.  Today though Everton were an example of a team not playing particularly well but taking all three points.  Wigan had more ball but couldn't really use it, Bramble has his usual howler and the pitch more than played a part in an away win. 

...and it was only after I'd finished burying him that I realized his coffin was upside down..!

Almost a local derby; but not quite; plenty of fans made the trip to the JJB Stadium from the City Of Culture.  Expectations were high from both sides.  Moyes' side continues to do well in the Premier League and Bruce's squad seem too good to go down.  The pitch was heavy and was cutting up during pre match practice.  Kept on the heavy side for the rugby games; it's not a great surface to play on, for either side. 

 

Bruce selected a bit of pace and guile wide but more grit and grind in the middle, height and crosses looked to be the order of the day.  Pretty orthodox 4 4 2 for the ex United defender, Kirkland keeps goal behind a back line of Melchiot, Scharner, Bramble and Kilbane (himself an ex Blue).  The middle had new signing Palacios on the right with Brown and Landzaat inside him and Valencia on the left.  Bent and Heskey provide brawn up front. 

 

Moyes goes with his familiar 4 4 1 1.  Howard keeps goal, Hibbert, Lescott, Jagielka and Valente provide the defence.  Carsley sits in front of the back four alongside Neville, Osman; returning after injury and Arteta.  Cahill operates behind Johnson in attack.  Johnson and Osman returning to fitness is a boost as is the form of Jagielka.  This team provides a limited type of attack but plenty of options from midfield. 

 

Palacios looks bright and show some strength on the ball but poor finishing in the early going and for the visitors Arteta shows a good first touch and a heavy second in the Wigan area. 

The opening play is patchy; neither team is helped by the heavy pitch which makes passes harder to pick out and saps the strength of the runners. 

Wigan is playing some neat football on the left with Palacios showing well and in the middle they are overpowering the visitors.  Their second half chance comes on the left with Valencia cutting inside and laying the ball into Melchiot, the ex-Chelsea player misreads the ball and Everton clear. 

Arteta picks up a stupid yellow card, he gets a second chance to deliver a better ball in from another free kick in a similar position and Bramble does well to hurry Carsley whose volley sails over the bar. 

It takes Everton a little over fifteen minutes to create their first good passing move, Johnson win the ball in the middle and plays it to Neville, the return ball finds Johnson in space and he is able to cross under pressure from Melchiot, Arteta has time to pick his spot but only fires straight at Kirkland who is agile enough to parry the ball away. 

Wigan get their first corner kick a little after twenty minutes, poor Everton marking by Neville allows Bent a free header, Howard is alert enough to palm the ball onto the bar before it is cleared. 

Everton are disjointed and struggling, which is as much down to Wigan's harrying physical play than as Everton's incohesiveness and the heavy pitch. 

Wigan is having plenty of the ball, their approach work is good but the final ball in or the finishing touch isn't good enough.  Everton are sitting and defending and Heskey is losing the physical battle with Lescott. 

On thirty eight minutes Wigan come undone, Everton continue with their dogged defending and Arteta plays a speculative ball up the right flank, Johnson chases; as he has all game; Bramble is perfectly positioned to cut across Johnson and play the ball back to his keeper, the defender's touch is terrible and Johnson nips in front to pick up the soft back pass.  one-on-one with Kirkland the striker calmly slots the ball between the keeper's legs for the opener.

Try not to do it against Chelsea!

Wigan's mistake prone defender shows some mettle with a few good challenges and clearances in the moments after the goal. 

Everton; rejuvenated by the goal; come at Wigan and force a corner, Bent's aerial prowess clears the first ball behind but the second corner is horribly defended, a momentary lapse of defensive skills for Wigan as the ball bounces around in the six yard box before Osman hooks it to the back post, Lescott scores with a smash of a volley to net his seventh of the season. 

Melchiot and Valencia combine on the right to put in a good cross but no Wigan player is alive to the delivery.

 

Neither manager makes half time changes. 

 

Wigan start the second half in second gear as Everton look for a third, the home side has to be alert to clear a well delivered Arteta free kick. 

Two substitutions change the complexion of the game.  Bruce brings off Heskey and Landzaat and brings on Sibierski and Koumas.  The midfielder's first touch is priceless, a sweetly delivered ball to the back post which Howard comes for but doesn't reach, an unfortunate Jagielka is unable to move aside as the ball hits him and caroms into the net.  Really poor goalkeeping. 

The goal invigorates Wigan but their best moments all come from Koumas free kicks which Everton aren't inclined to be generous with. 

Plenty of Wigan play in front of the visitors but a lack of a good final ball or a final ball which isn't picked up is a feature of Wigan's play. 

Vaughn's introduction for Neville gives Wigan some defensive problems and the game opens up a touch, but poor passing deprives Wigan of their one sniff off goal as they break quickly and leave Everton vulnerable. 

The home side keeps plugging away but can't prise open he obdurate Everton defence. 

 

Everton didn't play well today, Wigan we're able to frustrate them for most of the game, defensively though the visitors looked calm and collected.  What surprised me most were the substitutions.  The heavy pitch will have taken its toll and Wigan weren't exactly peppering Howard's goal so earlier and more substitutions would have made sense.  Let Anichebe, Vaughn and Fernandes come on and give, Johnson, Cahill and Osman a rest.  A good away win though when not at our best.  Osman's form was bright, with some good passing, tackling and he almost bagged a sweet goal. 

..Andy, it feels so smooth!

Bruce shows what he can do without a huge investment in the team.  Wigan played well for long stretches of the game with Palacios bright throughout.  They might feel they deserved something from the game for their efforts but the contest is about goals and they rarely tested Howard and rarely found balls to test the Everton defence.  The substitution's had an immediate impact and Koumas' free kicks were Wigan's main threat. 

Another game where they played well but didn't win.  That form should stand them in good stead when playing the sides further down the table. 

 

Probert wasn't very good.  Inconsistent.  Lenient.  Authoritarian.  He didn't get anything major wrong but got a lot of the basics wrong.  I'd love to get a read of his match report to see why he booked Arteta.  I don't think I've ever seen a yellow card given in that situation before.  Cahill should have got a yellow.

A Midget Gem about to fall over!

 

 

Wigan Athletic:-

Kirkland

Melchiot

Bramble

Scharner

Kilbane

Valencia

Brown (Aghahowa 81)

Landzaat (Koumas 51)

Palacios

Heskey (Sibierski 51)

Bent

 

Bookings:-

Palacios

 

Goals:-

Jagielka (og) 52

 

 

Everton:-

Howard

Hibbert

Lescott

Jagielka

Valente

Arteta

Carsley

Neville (Vaughn 73)

Cahill

Johnson

 

Bookings:-

Arteta

Hibbert

 

Goals:-

Johnson 38

Lescott 41

 

Attendance:-

18820

 

Referee:-

Lee Probert

 

 

Images courtesy of Evertonfc.com

Images courtesy of BBC.co.uk