My all time favourite Latics XI league squad as featured in the Wigan Athletic v Morecambe programme a few weeks ago.
If I am being honest I change my opinion on this every single day, there have been so many players down the years that have been a ‘favourite’ of mine and miss out and could very easily have been included.
Firstly the formation, I’m definitely a 3-2-3-1-1 fan, a very flexible formation that allows for great interaction between positions, allows for the advanced midfield player to have a free role and I just love wingbacks.
In goal John Filan, what a keeper he was for us, signed by Paul Jewell from Blackburn a Premier League quality keeper in the 3rd tier some great performances but I remember him fondly for chasing a pigeon around the pitch on the last game of the season against Barnsley in May 2003.
The back three for me can only be Emmerson Boyce, Antolin Alcaraz and Paul Scharner, the foundation that our FA Cup final success was built upon, each one a Latics Legend, top quality players in their own right and complimented each other so much. Very comfortable on the ball and excellent defenders.
The two sitting midfielders, Wilson Palacios, El Mago, what a player he was, played with a smile on his face and lit up the pitch with his presence, arguably the most gifted player we have ever had, and Roberto Martinez, my all time favourite Latics player, the signing of Martinez along with Diaz and Seba was the start of our journey under Dave Whelan, a technically gifted player with a vision that was second to none.
The wingbacks, Antonee Robinson on the left, pace, technical ability and a great engine, Robinson’s debut for the Latics against Sheffield Wednesday in August 2018 was mind blowing.
On the right Louis Antonio Valencia, brought in by Paul Jewell on loan and signed permanently by Steve Bruce, a World Class player with an eye for goal, could defend, attack, cross, he had it all.
In the middle I’m plumping for Charles N’Zogbia, with a free role, he could – and did – win games on his own, the ball stuck to his feet when he went on his mazy runs, sublime talent with guts and determination.
The number 10 role is going to Shaun Maloney, fabulous in his time with us, two goals stand out, Millwall in the FA Cup semi-final and the winner against Manchester United at the DW Stadium in April 2012, he deserves his place just for those two.
Leading the line it’s got to be probably the most famous Latics striker of all time, Will Grigg, the fame is undoubtedly for the song ‘Will Grigg’s On Fire’ which is quite unfair because Grigg was sensational for us, his goals against Manchester City in the FA Cup and away at Doncaster in the title winning game back in May 2018 stand out but you felt that every time we played, Grigg would score.
Latics All Time XI - John Filan; Emmerson Boyce, Antolin Alcaraz, Paul Scharner; Wilson Palacios, Roberto Martinez; Antonio Valencia, Charles N’Zogbia, Antonee Robinson; Shaun Maloney; Will Grigg
Manager
– Leam Richardson, legend, everything to be said about him has already been said.
Subs – Ali Al Habsi, Jordi Gomez, Ben Watson, Graeme Jones, Callum Lang
Each one of the subs was a near miss, but just as valuable to me as those that made it, Watson for obvious reasons, Al Habsi loved by everyone at the club, Gomez, just wow, what a player, Graeme Jones blood and thunder striker and our record scorer in a season, Callum Lang, the future of the Latics, his goals turned our season a round last year and saved us from relegation, this season he has stepped up another level and is as much a part of the Latics as each and every one of us sat in the stands.
Up the tics!
No comments:
Post a Comment