Source: Daily_Mail
Andy Townsend's boot room: Wigan can bounce back from Spurs mauling
Extremely heavy defeats, like the 9-1 Wigan suffered at the hands of Spurs, are always hard to take but they can prove to be a pivotal moment for a team. I experienced a couple of sevens in my career - once for Chelsea against Nottingham Forest and the other on Luton's plastic pitch while playing for Southampton.[LNB] It is a gut-wrenching disappointment and an embarrassment that stays with you. You don't really want to put your head outside the door. The quicker your next game comes around the better. When you get beaten by nine, it is time to sit down and discuss what on earth went wrong and get a few things off your chest. You can't just look at the two centre halves or your full backs for the reason. It means every department of the team has capitulated.[LNB] Spurs striker Jermain Defoe celebrates scoring the first of his five goals against Wigan[LNB] After the initial pain of that 9-1 defeat, I am sure there has been a fair bit of mickey-taking going around that training ground this week. That is what makes a dressing room. I liked the fact that Paul Scharner made a quip about offering a replay because his goal came via a handball.[LNB] Opinions will have been aired, but then you have to start to build. The best way to do that is to start to get a bit of life back in the dressing-room. They can be very cruel places but also be very funny ones. Despite all the heartache and debate, I am sure there has been some very healthy laughter in there as well.[LNB] Dave Whelan's comments about Steve Bruce leaving Wigan with a few duff signings was not an example of his finest work. The time for Dave to have said something, if he felt the need, would have been after the game.[LNB] T here was always going to be a focus on Bruce's return with Sunderland today. When he says 'Steve Bruce has left us with a few duff players', which ones does he mean? The players will be wondering whether he is talking about them. He hasn't done his own manager or players any favours at all.[LNB] Nevertheless, anybody worth his salt after a performance like that will be intent on providing a response. It is not about the manner of the 9-1 defeat any more. The players will have enjoyed working hard this week in an attempt to exorcise the game and start believing in themselves again.[LNB] Wigan go from the sublime to the ridiculous and you never know what you are going to get. It seems that the players are still finding the transition from Bruce to Roberto Martinez difficult.[LNB] Spurs' nine goals will definitely have registered with Aston Villa players. When a centre forward has just scored five you know that he is hungry for more and Villa will have to be extremely sharp.[LNB] But Spurs were beaten by Stoke and Arsenal recently, and rather than focusing on the nine goals, Villa will be thinking how to impose themselves and expose weaknesses. It is a proper game at Villa Park, one to really look forward to.[LNB] Head to headZamora...........................Davies(Fulham).........................................(Bolton)[LNB]11...................Appearances....................12[LNB]934..............Minutes on pitch............1,080[LNB]3.............................Goals..............................2[LNB]311................Mins per goal...................540[LNB]8......................Shots on target..................5[LNB]11...............Shots off target....................16[LNB]42%............Shooting accuracy...........24%[LNB]42%..............Chance conversion........10%[LNB]2......................Goal assists.......................4[LNB]23.................Chances created ..............29[LNB]317................Total passes...................395[LNB]65%...........Pass completion................54%[LNB]7................Dribbles & runs.....................11[LNB]29%..........Dribble completion.............18%[LNB]One to watchNathan Delfouneso That's a bit of a mouthful.[LNB] He's a bit of a handful too. At just over 6ft and 12st-plus, the 18-year-old Villa striker is already being compared with Thierry Henry.[LNB] That's not a comparison he'll be happy with this week.[LNB] We're not talking about a tendency to flick the ball from his left hand to his right foot, more his style and speed. Plus he wears the No 14 shirt, in honour of his hero. [LNB]Where's he from then? [LNB]That inspires mixed emotions among his fans, as he was born within sniffing distance of the hotdog stand at Birmingham City. I can feel the science bit coming. OK, he scored on his full debut last season against MSK Zilina. He won the double of Young Player of the Year awards from the club and the fans. He's played for England at U16, U17, U19 and is the best graduate of the amazing Villa academy since, er, the last one.[LNB] Delfouneso sounds a good one to watch.[LNB] Pronounce it Del-fons-o.[LNB] The Fonz . . . Happy Days for Villa then? [LNB]Heyyy![LNB]Match of their daysWest Ham v Burnley1932 West Ham and Burnley gave 14,000 fans a thriller with eight goals, including two hat-tricks in a 4-4 draw. Victor Watson hit three for the Hammers, only to be outshone by Tommy Jones who scored all four for Burnley. John Morton grabbed the other Hammers goal.[LNB] 1962 Burnley's record win over West Ham came in this year. Harry Potts' Burnley were simply unstoppable in a record 6-0 win over hapless Hammers. Jimmy Robson and Ian Towers each scored two each in the rout with one each from Ray Pointer and Jimmy Mcllroy, who later had a stand named after him at Turf Moor.[LNB] 1975 The last time West Ham won a top flight game against Burnley and the 3-2 victory went a long way to helping the Hammers stay up. Burnley, however, were relegated. Alan Taylor scored two and Graham Paddon also found the target. The Burnley goals came from Leighton James and Peter Noble. [LNB] Enlarge [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People:Dave Whelan, Steve Bruce, Paul Scharner, Jermain Defoe, Thierry Henry, Roberto MartinezPlaces:United Kingdom
