Keep Calm and Eat More Pies

The tension is mounting and Wiganers will be needing something to calm our nerves, as always pies will be on the menu, as we look to take three points at home to Spurs. It is bound to be another pressurised encounter with Spurs looking to cement a place in the top four and Wigan desperate to get away from the foot of the table.

Many Wigan fans have been calling for Roberto to start with Rodallega and Sammon upfront in a 4-4-2 formation. We will certainly need to have a positive approach, but I think the Manager may start cautiously, initially retaining his 4-5-1 system.

Spurs have some exceptional attacking players in Bale, Lennon, Defoe, Van der Vaart, Pavlyuchenko and Crouch, and if these players are given the freedom to attack we could be in for a high scoring fixture.

A significant threat comes from the wings and if Bale and Lennon are given the freedom run at our full backs we will be in for a very difficult afternoon. However, I think Martinez will try to ensure that his full backs are protected by our midfielders and we will try to restrict Spurs attacking options.

If we can blunt the Spurs attack and take control of the midfield we can then progress to posing a threat going forward. The Wigan formation may have to change to a more attacking 4-4-2 with the introduction of either Sammon or Rodallega depending on who starts the game.

Spurs have a Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid on Tuesday night so I’m hoping they are preoccupied with this fixture, they may even decide to rest key players like Bale, Lennon and Van der Vaart. Spurs have been less than convincing prior to Champions League fixtures, and don’t forget Wigan beat Spurs at White Hart Lane earlier in the season.  It’s going to be another nervous encounter, but I’m going to predict another home win and to celebrate I may have a pie or two.