History will be kind to me because I intend to write it

WIGAN CLOSE IN ON FRANCE INTERNATIONAL

Wigan manager Steve Bruce is closing in on Marseille’s France international defender Gaël Givet. Bruce, who would prefer to take the centre-back or left-back on loan initially, faces competition from Belgian giants Anderlecht.

Givet is deemed surplus to requirements at the south France club – and manager Eric Gerets has said he will allow the 27-year-old to leave in the January transfer window.

The former Monaco captain, who has earned 13 caps for Les Bleus, is valued at £1m by Marseille and ready to leave the club he joined 18 months ago.

He said: “I am ready to play elsewhere as this is almost impossible at Marseilles now.”

Bruce is believed to be keen on taking Givet to the JJB Stadium on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy.

Labels: Gael Givet, Marseilles, Premier League, Steve Bruce, Wigan

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 11:33 am | Permalink | Comments

MELCHIOT HOPING TO REKINDLE WINNING FEELING AGAINST FORMER CLUB

Wigan Athletic's captain Mario Melchiot won the FA Cup with Chelsea in 2000 and the Dutch international wants to rekindle that winning feeling against his former club in the world's most renowned cup competition in Saturday's Fourth Round.

The 31-year-old dreadlocked defender signed on at Stamford Bridge from home-town club Ajax on a Bosman ruling in the summer of 1999. Within a year he had won the FA Cup under the guidance of Gianluca Vialli.

Of the 1-0 victory over Aston Villa - the last final at Wembley before it was refurbished - Melchiot said: "It was unbelievable. When you win something it is always special.

"I came from winning trophies and then I picked up one straightaway. That is a great feeling.

"It pushed me forward and made me realise how special the FA Cup is to the fans."

Wigan sit precariously one place above the Premier League relegation zone on points difference. Chelsea have dropped only two points in their last ten games.

But Melchiot insists that the form book should be thrown out of the window for FA Cup games.

He said: "Everybody knows our situation in the league, and that is the most important thing. But this is one of those games that puts a cherry on the cake because it's Chelsea.

"It's a big game for us because Chelsea are a great team to play against. When a big team come to Wigan, it's always special to play against them."

Labels: Chelsea, FA Cup, Mario Melchiot, Wigan

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 12:39 pm | Permalink | Comments

Premier League round-up: Wigan edge out Blackburn in eight-goal thriller

Steve Bruce chalked his first win as Wigan manager in a pulsating game at the JJB stadium. The 16,489 spectators were treated to two hat-tricks, a penalty save and a sending off as the home side ended 5-3 victors - it was their first win 14 games. Marcus Bent was the star for Wigan, as he netted his first hat-trick in seven years.

The 29-year-old, on loan from the Championship's Charlton, opened the scoring after 10 minutes and Denny Landzaat doubled the lead four minutes later.

A Paul Scharner bullet header made it 3-0 before Blackburn's South African striker Benni Mccarthy had his penalty tipped around the post by Chris Kirkland.

Mark Hughes' side did pull a goal back before the break, through Paraguayan forward Roque Santa Cruz, who also ended the game with three goals to his name. But just as Blackburn were gaining momentum, Brett Emerton was ejected for a second bookable offence, much to the disgust of Hughes, who spat out his chewing gum.

Having failed to have scored in his previous seven games, summer signing Santa Cruz pulled his side back to 3-3 after the interval with his first hat-trick for the club. But Bent's two second half goals took the game beyond Blackburn. The only disappointment for Bruce was that striker Emile Heskey was stretchered off with an ankle injury.

There were 22 goals in all in the seven Premier League games which kicked off at 3pm. Manchester City continued their 100 per cent home record, winning their ninth consecutive match at the City of Manchester Stadium. Sven-Goran Eriksson's team ran out late winners against Gary Megson's Bolton, who are yet to win away in the league all season.

Conversely Tottenham had a good away day at Fratton Park, defeating Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth - their first defeat in 11 games. Dimitar Berbatov scored the only goal of the game, and Spurs recorded their first away victory.

Everton beat West Ham at Upton Park for the second time in four days. Yakubu, who had tormented the Hammers in the midweek Carling Cup fixture, was again on the scoresheet - his seventh goal in four games - and Andy Johnson scored a late chip to help the Toffees to 2-0. David Moyes' side have now won 10 of their last 12 games, and drew the other two.

Sunderland were unlucky not to make it two consecutive wins as a late header - which looked perfectly legitimate goal - was deemed a foul. As it was the Black Cats drew 1-1 with Aston Villa.

Middlesbrough defeated Paul Jewell's Derby County thanks to a sweet left-foot volley by Tuncay Sanli. The 25-year-old Turkish forwad has now scored in his last three matches.

Alex McLeish was unlucky not to win his first home match at St Andrews. The Birmingham manager saw his team take the lead through Finnish striker Mikael Forssell, only for a contentious Stephen Hunt penalty to level the game.

Labels: Birmingham, football, Manchester City, Premier League, Tottenham, Wigan

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:59 pm | Permalink | Comments

INTERNATIONAL BREAK HALTS STINGY SPURS’ MOMENTUM

Juande Ramos’ first Premier League game at White Hart Lane saw Tottenham comprehensibly defeat a feckless Wigan side 4-0 yesterday. But Spurs, who have won three and drawn one in the Spaniard’s first four games, will now have their momentum halted by the two-week international break.

A first half Jemaine Jenas brace, followed by Aaron Lennon’s 39th minute swerving volley, ensured the points. And with under twenty minutes left record signing Darren Bent, off the bench, crowned his 200th league appearance with a well-taken strike.

The £16.5m summer recruit admitted he would have preferred to play 90 minutes, but is confident that the team can advance further up the league when they travel to Upton Park to play West Ham on November 25.

He said: “I was a little disappointed not to start, but it happens - it’s all part and parcel of football. But I was lucky enough to get on the pitch and get a goal.

“It was good to get on the score sheet. We played well and got the result - that was the most important thing.

“It’s good to go into the international break with three points under our belt. We have definitely got the quality of players to get out of the situation we are in, and we can push up the league when we return.”

Ramos was most pleased that his defence achieved a clean sheet - the third Paul Robinson has kept under the former Sevilla manager. Prior to his appointment Spurs had conceded goals in all but two of their 15 matches.

"We are happy with the scoreline but the thing I'm more happy with is three of the four matches since I've been here have been clean sheets," Ramos said.

"Once you get that clean sheet, players play much better and have more confidence.”

Labels: Darren Bent, Jemaine Jenas, Juande Ramos, Tottenham, Wigan

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 1:27 am | Permalink | Comments

RAMOS EARNS HIS SPURS

Tottenham Hotspur and Wigan began Sunday equal on eight points at the lower end of the Premier League, but after Spurs’ consummate 4-0 victory the teams couldn’t have looked further apart. The north London club are very much in the ascendancy under the guidance of their new manager, Juande Ramos.

It was only Spurs’ second win of the campaign, but under the Spaniard, there will be many more on the way. In Ramos’ first home game in the league, Jermaine Jenas netted a first-half brace, while Aaron Lennon made sure of the result in the 39th minute with a sweet, dipping, inside-out volley. Darren Bent, coming off the bench, crowned his 200th league game with a well-taken strike in the second half.

There could have been many more too, but scoring has not been Spurs’ problem this term - it is their defensive brittleness that has lost them points. Until now, that is. England No1 Paul Robinson, barracked by fans earlier in the season after a number of questionable performances, has conceded only one goal in his last four games.

Considering his team only managed to keep their sheet clean in two of the previous 15 games, this current run will boost Robinson’s confidence - good news for both club and country.

For Wigan, however, things can only get better. Having parted company with manager Chris Hutchings after last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Chelsea, they looked rudderless and posed Robinson’s gloves no problems whatsoever. The north west club continue their dismal run - the worst in the Premier League - of seven straight losses, having leaked 18 goals in that time.

Caretaker manager Frank Barlow looked disinterested, and rose from his dug-out only once in 94 minutes - in the 29th minute, after his team were two goals down. “This is definitely not the job I wanted,” Barlow had admitted in midweek, and it showed.

Starting with Marcus Bent as solitary forward, Wigan looked feckless and disorganised. The only positives for Latics fans at present are Emile Heskey’s immanent return - he is pencilled in for the trip to Arsenal at the end of the month - and news that Paul Jewell is to meet club directors to discuss a possible return tomorrow.

Spurs go into the international break with a spring in their step - Ramos’ four games in charge have brought three wins and a draw. They will go to Upton Park to take on local rivals West Ham United on November 25 hoping to jump even further up the Premier League.

Labels: Darren Bent, Jemaine Jenas, Juande Ramos, Tottenham, Wigan

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 8:06 pm | Permalink | Comments