Worbo – from Vital Wigan answers some questions ahead of the Wigan v Pompey game tomorrow night.
It has been an up and down season for you, full of ‘strange results’. You ‘should’ be ok for survival now though, right?
Well I’m hoping so, though to be honest I’ve never had any doubts and always felt that we are slightly better than at least three other sides, one more win and a draw should do us but I really want us to finish above Bolton, now that would be alright.
I think that Roberto Martinez plays, or tries to play, good football and will go on to be a cracking manager. Are you a fan or do you think he needs replacing?
I am a massive fan of ‘Bobby’s’, I was delighted when he replaced Bruce and I’m still delighted today, he’s had a tough season and I think he’s found life in the top league a little uncompromising but he has stuck to his beliefs and brought us through at least attempting to play football how it should be played.
He has started a footballing revolution at the Latics but like all revolutions once the whirlwind is over time is then needed for the principles to work, I hope he is given the time he needs.
Who do you has been Martinez’s best signing and why?
Three cracking additions in Momo Diame, Gary Caldwell and James McCarthy, but which ones best? (Sound like Harry Hill)
Diame has made a massive step from Spanish second division to Premier League and taken it in his stride, he is destined to go onto become a big name, McCarthy at 19 is probably the find of the season, he is fantastic, plays with a great maturity, the new Steven Gerrard some call him and they could be right, but for me Gary Caldwell would be the best signing Bobby has made.
Caldwell came from Celtic in January at a time when our defence was shaky to say the least, now he isn’t the best defender in the world but what he does bring is leadership, organisation and is he a talker on the pitch, those three things we were missing in abundance and it was a great move by the boss, we finally had a player who would point the finger, gee everyone else up and constantly keep on at the players during the game, he has been fantastic.
And the worst?
Would have to be Jordi Gomez, simply not lived up to expectations, both Jason Scotland and Gomez played for Martinez at Swansea and both had done well last season for him, Gomez had scored 15 goals from midfield and been named in the Championship team of the season so it was inevitable that he would follow his boss to the Latics.
Gomez started the first few games and after a bright start in the opener when we beat Villa away he started to struggle with the pace of the Premier League, he plays a slow game and the fans soon lost their patience with him, he’s never settled and he looks lost when he comes on at the end of games.
Is there a player(s) that you fear losing at the end of the season?
Charles N’Zogbia and Hugo Rodallega, I’m having two, Zog is by far our most creative player and possible fans player of the season whilst Hugo looks to be our only forward who can score goals, both have been linked with moves away and Rodallega has been the subject of a speculated £10 million move to Arsenal, personally I think both will leave.
What were your expectations, or hopes before the season kicked-off? Have they changed since?
Expectations were 14th – 16th and I think we will probably end up 15th or 16th so that wont be too bad, I always knew with the upheaval of the change of manager and loss of four key players from last season Valencia, Palacios, Heskey and Cattermole that we would struggle, in Valencia and Palacios we lost two world class players and for a club of our size that’s a mammoth gap to fill.
I did hope for a run in one of the cups but we were disappointing in both, unlike you lot.
We now know that Pompey are down, although this has been a given for most of the season really! What, as an outsider would you like to see happen to us in the future?
I’d like to see you bounce back, fantastic supporters and a good old fashioned football club, by that I mean at the heart of the community just where clubs originally grew from, some clubs seem to have lost touch with that. I would also like to see the people who put you in the predicament that you are in with the finances be brought to bare, someone is to blame and who ever it is needs to answer for this.
Who is the biggest Wigan threat that Pompey need to watch out for on Wednesday?
Charles N’Zogbia, most teams double up on the Zog, he is a handful and very direct and pacy, plays on the right though he is left footed so expect him cutting in at every opportunity. Plus watch out for Hugo Rodallega.
Are there any Pompey players you would like to put in the Wigan squad?
I’d like to have Brownie back, he is a leader and we’ve missed his presence on the park nattering to the referee for the first half of the season, also I like the look of Jamie O’Hara though he isn’t strictly yours but I’d take him the lad looks class.
What about sending someone the other way? Who would you banish to the no power league with us?
Jordi Gomez would be a raging success for you, I think that its probably his level, also you can take Jason Scotland, though I have to admit that I do like him he just doesn’t score and if you are a striker ten that’s what you are judged on, again Championship is probably the big fellas level.
Strange question I know, but what chance do you think I would have of getting away from the stadium and then driving to Reading to arrive at the train station for 00:37! What hope? Bob hope, Antelope or no f’kin hope?
Wigan to Reading in 2 hours? Pushing it and there are quite a few roadworks on the M6 with speed cameras, not that I’m suggesting that you`d be speeding or anything?The ground is a 5 minute drive from the motorway but you’d need to leave the game just before the end so has not to get stuck in the traffic. I’ve done Wigan to Bedford in two hours on a Saturday morning so its just about doable.
Rug’s note: Baz I think you have lost an hour! Assuming the game, which is a 7.45 kick-off, ends around 9.30pm like it should, we are out the ground – leave before the end of a game? NEVER! – and on the road by 10pm, latest, that gives around 2 ½ hours, so there is hope then!
Who do you want to win the FA cup final, Pompey or Chelski?
Pompey definitely, would be a fantastic end to a very strange season and also would be great to kick the commentators and pundits up the backside with their biased comments, on Sunday on 5 Live Alan Green reckoned that Spurs would win 4-1 minimum and I thought that the commentary team on ITV were two of the most biased I’d heard all season, Jim Beglin and Peter Somebody or other, so for that reason alone I hope you do ’em.
Go on, who’s going to win?
My prediction is Latics 3-0 Pompey, for no other reason than I think we’ll want it more than you, you’ll be knackered after your exploits, the players will still be on cloud 9 and they’ll have their minds on Wembley.
Questions answered by Worbo from Vital Wigan. My answers to Baz’s questions can also be found on Vital Wigan, also on the link above…
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Reminder!
Do not forget that there will be a ‘Pompey match day live’ feature during the game, so join others on Vital Pompey as it unfolds – assuming you are not at it of course!
PLAY UP POMPEY!
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