Source: Telegraph
Aston Villa 0 Wigan Athletic 2: match report
Ian Holloway once observed that Roberto Martinez is as smooth as a cashmere codpiece. That he might be, but the Wigan manager is also an astute tactician. Even Martin O’Neill, his adversary, had praised the Spaniard’s “sound football principles” in his match-day notes, although he probably wished he hadn’t after watching Wigan put two goals past his Aston Villa side to start off their season in style.
For his first game as a manager of Wigan, Martinez couldn’t have hoped to come to a better ground. Wigan have never lost a league game at Villa Park, winning twice and drawing the other two meetings. Make that winning three times. And although it was Hugo Rodallega and Jason Koumas who scored the goals, one couldn’t help but think that it was Martinez, glued to the sideline throughout, who orchestrated the whole thing.
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In truth, either side could have scored a couple apiece inside the first 20 minutes. Charles N'Zogbia, making his 100th career league start, had hit the post, an Ashley Young free-kick had forced a solid save from Chris Kirkland, a hard, low shot from James Milner, exuding confidence after his excellent debut for England in midweek, had drawn another, and at the other end Milner had cleared a Rodallega header off the line with his knee.
So much build-up and yet so little to show for it. But it was Wigan who saw the weak spot and went for the jugular. Putting Nicky Shorey – a liability for most of the match – under pressure paid off in the 31st minute, when the defender sent a weak header back towards his own goal rather than forward as he had intended. Carlos Cuellar arrived too late to cover and could only watch Rodallega’s luminous yellow boots connect with a first time volley, looping the ball over Friedel.
One became two in the 56th minute when Hendry Thomas, enjoying a solid debut, was inexplicably allowed to run uncontested through the middle and slip a ball to Koumas, who had been bearing down on goal from the left wing. The winger fed the ball through Friedel’s legs almost as an afterthought.
Five minutes from time, Emile Heskey drew Kirkland out of position and squared to Young, who had an open net to hit into for a consolation goal. But Villa were denied even that, Titus Bramble diving in at the last minute and getting in the way. This just was not Villa’s day.
