Source: Team_Talk
Boyce: Latics have won back respect
Wigan were spurred on to victory at Tottenham by the 'mickey-taking' after last year's White Hart Lane drubbing, says defender Emmerson Boyce.[LNB] Boyce was one of five survivors from November's 9-1 demolition at the hands of Spurs to feature in Saturday's shock 1-0 victory, a result which also helped the Latics put their horrendous start to the Premier League season behind them.[LNB]For defender Boyce, the outcome was the perfect redemption for last year's debacle, which saw him and his team-mates become the butt of unflattering jokes.[LNB]"Last year hurt us," said the 30-year-old.[LNB]"Getting beaten 9-1 is not nice and a lot of people took the mickey out of us for that, so to come here and keep a clean sheet, I think we got some of our respect back."[LNB]As well as atoning for last year's corresponding fixture, Wigan made amends for their opening two Premier League games, which saw them ship 10 goals.[LNB]"We want to start our season now," said Boyce.[LNB]"To get a result here and to keep a clean sheet here will hopefully be a springboard for us."[LNB]Boyce believes Wigan paid the price for being too adventurous in their thrashings by Blackpool and Chelsea, with a far more conservative approach proving successful at White Hart Lane.[LNB]"I think that, at the start of the season, maybe we overplayed and caused ourselves some problems so the manager told us to keep it tight and maybe we can nick a goal.[LNB]"And we carried out our game plan to perfection."[LNB]But Boyce cautioned Wigan's problems had not been solved overnight.[LNB]"We have got quite a young team and we are still learning how our manager wants to play," the former Crystal Palace right-back said.[LNB]"Like anything, it takes time to develop how the manager wants to play and we are completely different to how we used to be.[LNB]"When I first came down, we were a hard-working team.[LNB]"Now we are passing the ball around more.[LNB]"We have had a couple of hammerings but hopefully we can learn from that."[LNB]As impressive as Wigan were, Spurs were disappointing in the extreme, Harry Redknapp's men hardly testing visiting goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi until Hugo Rodallega's 80th-minute winner.[LNB]The performance appeared a classic case of a Champions League hangover following the club's historic progress to the group stage of Europe's elite club competition.[LNB]But defender Michael Dawson said "I don't think we can put it down to that.[LNB]"They deserve a lot of credit; they had a good game plan. They came and got everyone behind the ball and we just couldn't break them down.[LNB]"It happened a couple of times last year. Stoke came and did the same and Wolves.[LNB]"We'll have a look at it and see where we can improve. I'm sure a few teams will come and do that again."[LNB]Dawson revealed he could sense an extra determination from Wigan following November's result.[LNB]"Seeing what we did to them last year, they certainly made sure we weren't going to do it to them again.[LNB]"Credit to them, they got everyone behind the ball."[LNB]Dawson admits Spurs will have to get used to their hectic schedule quickly if they are to compete on all fronts this season.[LNB]"It's what we want to do, it's as simple as that," added Dawson, who felt being booed off at full-time was harsh on Spurs' players.[LNB]"Don't get me wrong, the fans want to win as much as we do.[LNB]"They had such a great night the other night like all of us.[LNB]"We always need them behind us."
