FA Cup - Third round at home against Wigan.

[bobo the clown]

Having been lambasted for daring to suggest Vela was a good prospect it would be remiss of me not to mention that I've also been beating the drum for Zach Clough as well.

It takes a big man to resist the temptation to say "I told you so !" So I've written it down instead.

.......................................................

[William the White]

Great cup tie. Great debut from Clough. Great goal.

We missed three excellent first half chances in a first half we utterly dominated.

They were in the game a lot more in the second but we still edged it.

I really hope the academy is starting to bring the youngsters through. In Vela and Clough there's real promise. More, please.

[adamworthy2002]

Wigan are really terrible. We should have won by more than one.

Clough was superb, best debut I've seen in ages.

[a1]

Having been lambasted for daring to suggest Vela was a good prospect it would be remiss of me not to mention that I've also been beating the drum for Zach Clough as well.

It takes a big man to resist the temptation to say "I told you so !" So I've written it down instead.

hark at mystic meg .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvmlR1C5pi0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[clapton is god]

Clough had a tremendous game. A little inexperienced first half and he made a couple of poor choices but thereafter he just blossomed and took control. Always very direct and very quick with a brilliant first touch and always able to find space. And didn't he take his goal very nicely! Lennon didn't so much put Eidur on as take Clough off so he could get his much deserved standing ovation, and what was very nice to see was as Clough walked off Lennon had an arm around his shoulder and a very long word with him. That was superb man management right there. I don't know about the bench next week - I expect CD on for Heskey and Clough perhaps has every right to expect a place in the line up after a full debut like that!

[twilight]

listened to GMR and it sounded as though Clough had a brilliant game. Clough's Grandma rang in to GMR after the game just to say how proud she was of him, and that the family had been waiting 11 years for this moment (been at /bwfc since he was Eight). Brought a tear to my eye it did

[Dr Hotdog]

Just got back home, best players on the pitch were Wheater, Clough, Trotter & Vela, the rest were very good with the only downer being Ream at LB - and he wasn't THAT poor, just poor compared to everyone else. Great team performance. Bogdan was excellent and will be pushing Lonergan all the way for the place in the team after that. Laughable to think some people want to cash in on him because Lonergan is in form.

The most impressive thing about Clough was his first touch. It makes such a difference. It was magnificent time and again. Shining like a, like a light. Great debut and he could be a real gem. Lets not get carried away though.

Best thing about the BBC MCR Radio phone-in afterwards was two people sticking the knife into our former manager (He Who Shall Not Be Named MK2) for not playing Clough before. LET IT GO, GANG, IT'S OVER. LIVE IN THE NOW.

I didn't hear his gran phone in, must have been at the end of the show.

[Enoch]

best players on the pitch were Wheater, Clough, Trotter & Vela

Laughable to think some people want to cash in on him because Lonergan is in form.

Or, indeed, because he has chosen not to sign a new contract.

[Dr Hotdog]

best players on the pitch were Wheater, Clough, Trotter & Vela

Laughable to think some people want to cash in on him because Lonergan is in form.

Or, indeed, because he has chosen not to sign a new contract.

Yep. Trotter was superb, barely put a foot wrong.

Has that been confirmed, RE: Bogdan?

[Enoch]

I can confirm it here and now.

I'm sure we would have heard otherwise.

[Dr Hotdog]

Sounds good!

[NiceHotCuppaTea]

The oracle speaks!



Great win - Clough was superb against a team that won the cup a few years ago, too.

[thebish]

Having been lambasted for daring to suggest Vela was a good prospect

you did want to play him - but you were never lambasted for saying so - and you were by no means the only one - so it wasn't even really that daring!!

[thebish]

Clough had a tremendous game. A little inexperienced first half and he made a couple of poor choices but thereafter he just blossomed and took control. Always very direct and very quick with a brilliant first touch and always able to find space.

that's really great to hear - we've had too many players who simply can't/won't run at defenders... when you do - and you have some pace - it scares their pants off!

[thebish]

listened to GMR and it sounded as though Clough had a brilliant game. Clough's Grandma rang in to GMR after the game just to say how proud she was of him, and that the family had been waiting 11 years for this moment (been at /bwfc since he was Eight). Brought a tear to my eye it did

that's younger than when Gerard started at Liverpool dontcha know!

[jaffka]

Just got back after somehow managing to get on the Wigan football special train, all the way to feckin Wigan. B*****ds.

However, what a fantastic game and Wigan were part of that fantastic game, not sure how they are so low in the league.

Overall we deserved it and that was even acknowledged by some tanked up pie eater on the train.

Zac Clough, fantastic. He took some time to settle in but then grew in confidence and scored a fantastic goal against Al Habsi who was looking unbeatable. Early days hope he does great, will have to improve his defensive work though.

Wheater was like a man possessed, he really meant those early challenges and sought to win his personal battle immediately.

Trotter impressed, which was a very nice surprise. He did quite a good mazy little dribble but best of all was his break away but Danns, took the ball off him and shot well, which the impressive Al Habsi pushed wide.

Feeney looked good, tricky and fast. He had a one on one and was tackled superbly just as he was pulling the trigger.

One very happy Wanderer today.

Beat the dingles on boxing day and knocked the pie eaters out of the cup. Merry feckin Christmas. Upwards and onwards for the super whites.

[Burnden Paddock]

Just typed a huge post and somehow managed to delete it. In summary:

Clough - Wow!

Vela - Very good. Best game yet.

Boggers - Excellent!

Trotter - Decent first half. Shite second half. Gave away a stupid free kick that almost cost us at the end.

Company - A good day out and a good few beers with LE and his niece (she drank coke for the record).

9/10

[jaffka]

We were impressive.

A 1-0 scoreline but a great cup Lancashire cup game.

Buzzing!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Apparently since Malky Mackay took over (after we battered 'em in the league) Wigan have W1 D1 L6. Glad all that baggage was worth it. (EDIT In fact, since the start of September they've played 20, W2, D7, L11. Heh!)

Always lovely to hear of young talent coming through - "He's one of our own, he's one of our ohhh-ohhh-own" - and a lovely story about his nan on the wireless.

Looking at the chosen XI, you'd imagine Spearing and Medo will be out before February... if buyers can be found.

[Sponge]

Looking at the chosen XI, you'd imagine Spearing and Medo will be out before February... if buyers can be found.

Spearing's fall from grace is quite something, though by all accounts he was rubbish for most of the season before Lennon came in. But still – from club captain to nowhere near the team...