Wigan Athletic V Blackburn Rovers odds

Wigan Athletic V Blackburn Rovers

Saturday, 5th February – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: DW Stadium

 

Wigan Athletic

As Wigan prepare to play host to Blackburn on Saturday, the Latics can have no excuse should they fail in their bid to end a dismal sequence of results which has seen them go their last seven matches in the Premiership without registering maximum points. Why? Because there is no lack of incentives for Roberto Martinez’s under performing charges, with defeat likely to see them spend the forthcoming week at the foot of the table while victory could catapult them out of the bottom three, at long last.

Although Tuesday’s draw away at West Brom did at least stop one rut, a losing one which had seen Wigan lose their previous two league encounters to Arsenal (3-0) and Aston Villa (1-2), it was nevertheless another reason for the Latics to feel disgruntled after failing to hold on to a 2-1 advantage heading into the closing stages of the game. But, despite the positives; scoring twice away from home for only the third time this season, it only extended the drought and we’re now getting to the stage where the team are pondering where on earth their next win will come from. Which is why their weekend clash with Blackburn Rovers in Greater Manchester is of massive significance, as few of their remaining fixtures are as winnable as this beauty.

Wigan’s record against Rovers is encouraging, having won two of the previous three meetings with an aggregate score of 9-4. Their record at home, inside the DW Stadium, isn’t half-bad either – drawing with Arsenal, Liverpool and Sunderland, although that’s bizarre as few actually turn up nowadays to support the Latics. Only Newcastle and Aston Villa have won a league fixture at the DW since 2nd October, Wigan losing just two of their previous nine home games in the league. So there are positives to be had. However their current lull in form has the power to strangle the life out of them should they allow it to grow.

When you consider that four of their upcoming league fixtures are against Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd and Tottenham, you’re beginning to get the impression that Saturday’s home meeting with an average Blackburn side could literally be a make or break encounter, as you’re struggling to pinpoint where their next win is going to come from thereafter.

Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn have done their very best under new manager Steve Kean to prove virtually everybody wrong, including us, that the murmurings of European football could actually come to fruition. The Lancashire club find themselves just six-points shy of Sunderland who occupy the final Europa League berth, however victory over a hapless Wigan side who haven’t won any of their last seven in the league would cut that deficit down to size and that will be the carrot dangled in front of all the Blackburn players this week as they go in search of a positive response following their midweek reverse at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

A Peter Crouch header in the sixth minute sent Rovers to their twelfth defeat of the season on Wednesday night, continuing this weird sequence of results which has seen Blackburn alternate between winning and losing in the Premier League. But, after their midweek defeat, the pattern would suggest Steve Kean & Co will be celebrating their tenth win of the season on Saturday in Greater Manchester. However, their recent history at the DW Stadium isn’t good, failing to win any of the previous three league meetings with their last back in 2007.

While Kean was devastated with the final result on Wednesday, he was also bemused as to how his side didn’t take at least a point from that game. Kean’s men created almost twice as many chances as Champions League contenders Tottenham and had only an in-form Gomes in the Spurs goal denying them any share of the spoils. No-one would have begrudged them a point, that’s for sure, but Rovers’ performance on the night was nothing short of exceptional in that they were calm and collected in possession, they carved out numerous opportunities and were compact at the back. Replicate that on Saturday at Wigan and three points should be a formality, particularly with the way the Latics have been playing of late.

If Blackburn can produce some similar to that in midweek, in a game they deserved a whole lot more from, then they will fare alright at the DW. However, not only is their record at the DW poor but so is their away record in general, as it has been for several years. This season, though, they’ve only won three of twelve and will arrive in Greater Manchester on the back of back-to-back away losses, both without scoring. In fact, only a 3-1 triumph away at West Brom comes between what would be a drastic sequence of results, with Blackburn having lost five of their last six away contests in the Premier League, albeit all of those against formidable opponents.

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Recent Form (Last 5)

Wigan Athletic

Premiership: West Brom 2-2 Wigan Athletic
FA Cup: Bolton Wanderers 0-0 Wigan Athletic
Premiership: Wigan Athletic 1-2 Aston Villa
Premiership: Arsenal 3-0 Wigan Athletic
Premiership: Wigan Athletic 1-1 Fulham

Blackburn Rovers

Premiership: Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
FA Cup: Aston Villa 3-1 Blackburn Rovers
Premiership: Blackburn Rovers 2-0 West Brom
Premiership: Chelsea 2-0 Blackburn Rovers
FA Cup: Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Queens Park Rangers

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2010/2011 Premiership Statistics

Wigan Athletic

League Position: 18th
Win-Draw-Lose: 4-11-10 (Home: 2-6-5)
Goal Difference: 22-41 (Home: 12-23)
Top Scorer: Hugo Rodallega (6)
Form: DDLLD (Home: DDLDL)

Blackburn Rovers

League Position: 9th
Win-Draw-Lose: 9-4-12 (Away: 3-1-8)
Goal Difference: 31-38 (Away:17-11)
Top Scorer: Morten Gamst Pedersen & Nikola Kalinic (4)
Form: LWLWL (Away: LLWLL)

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Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons):

2010/2011: Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Wigan Athletic

2009/2010: Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Wigan Athletic
2009/2010: Wigan Athletic 1-1 Blackburn Rovers

2008/2009: Blackburn Rovers 2-0 Wigan Athletic
2008/2009: Wigan Athletic 3-0 Blackburn Rovers

2007/2008: Blackburn Rovers 3-1 Wigan Athletic
2007/2008: Wigan Athletic 5-3 Blackburn Rovers

2006/2007: Wigan Athletic 0-3 Blackburn Rovers
2006/2007: Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Wigan Athletic

2005/2006: Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Wigan Athletic
2005/2006: Wigan Athletic 0-3 Blackburn Rovers

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Match Prediction: Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

When the bookies take a quick look at their betting margins, I very much doubt this match will have attracted plenty of interest. Blackburn are renowned for their lacklustre performance when on their travels, while Wigan have forgotten how to win games of football – So take your pick…

Wigan were a little unlucky on Tuesday night and perhaps their so-nearly effort is a sign that the elusive victory is just around the corner. If it is, it’s surely going to come on Saturday against Blackburn Rovers, as their forthcoming league fixtures are excruciatingly difficult. You could probably argue that they are well over due a win as well, and with Wigan you always know they’re good for a surprise win completely out of the blue.

Despite their gutsy display in midweek, where they peppered the Spurs goal and should have taken something from a match they dominated at times, I find myself not being able to trust the Lancashire outfit. Steve Kean appears to have convinced the many doubters, with Chris Samba now back on board and committing his immediate future to the club, while the deadline captures of potential stars of the future has given the fans something to get excited about.

Not a match I’m too eager to get involved with, nor do I have any confidence in either party, so the draw seems the only logical approach to a fixture which does actually have a drab draw written all over it.

Value Bet: Hugo Rodallega First Goalscorer – 7.00 WilliamHill

Match Odds:

Wigan Athletic – 2.60 StanJames
Draw – 3.40 SkyBet
Blackburn Rovers – 3.00 VictorChandler

 

Wigan Athletic V Blackburn Rovers

 

Saturday 26^th December (Boxing Day) – 15:00 GMT

 

 

Wigan Athletic

 

League Position: 16th

Recent Form: LWLDL

 

(Wigan Athletic have scored at least once in their previous six home fixtures)

  

The Latic’s were given the week off after their live Monday night clash with Bolton Wanderers, a potential relegation crunch encounter, was postponed due to ‘adverse weather conditions’ although the pitch at the DW stadium was perfectly fine. However, the North has taken a battering this week with all the snow and ice, so it was advised that the game would be postponed and played at a later date. Something which should benefit the Wigan players as they’ve now had ten days off to recuperate over what is a gruelling period in the season.  

 

The Wigan players should be a lot fresher for Monday nights postponement and that’s just as well as they’ve been pretty poor of late. Not only are Roberto Martinez’s troops without a win in three games but Wigan have managed just one win in their last seven outings in the league, picking up just five points since the beginning of November, dropping thirteen points. They have had a very tough fixture period, though, but the majority of their recent fixtures were still winnable, especially the three home ones.

  

Fulham, Sunderland and Birmingham City are all teams that have paid the DW Stadium a visit since the start of November. However, Wigan’s only win out of three came against Sunderland by virtue of a narrow 1-0 success. They could only draw 1-1 with Fulham, a poor point in our opinion regardless of Fulham’s weekend antics, whilst they suffered their third home defeat of the campaign against Birmingham City, losing 3-2. Add this information to the fact that Wigan have lost two of their last three and it really does make the Latic’s a terrible bet on paper.

  

However, after spending their previous two league games on the road, we are confident Roberto Martinez and Wigan will appreciate the return home to a venue where the Latic’s are far less exposed. Their away record this season (2-1-6) whereas they’ve been a lot harder to overhaul at the DW stadium, with a more appealing home record (3-2-3). Still, both records clearly state how inconsistent a team Wigan are at present but, after a three match run without a win, surely they are well overdue some success and who better to face than a Blackburn side with terrible away tendencies this season.

 

 

 

Blackburn Rovers

 

League Position: 13th

Recent Form: DDDLL

 

(Blackburn Rovers have won just once on their travels all season, in nine attempts)

  

If you thought Wigan were going through a rough patch then you haven’t seen nothing yet. Sam Allardyce, who is still recovering from going under the knife, takes a Blackburn team without a win in six up North in what is expected to be a bitter, cold afternoon in Wigan. After looking at their form, their away results and their slim squad, it really does look a tall order for Rovers, despite Wigan not being at their best recently.  

 

The last time Blackburn Rovers travelled up to the DW stadium they were beaten in a resounding manner, 3-0. With Rovers failing to score in two of their last three away games, perhaps a similar rout could be on the cards this Saturday. Fulham usually take up the mantle of being the worst travelling team in the league but perhaps Blackburn have claimed the unwanted honour of such a bogus tag. However, when you go on a terrible away run such as theirs, just one away win in nine outings, then it’s easy to understand why so many are petrified of backing Blackburn in their away encounters.

  

Blackburn’s last and only away win this season came at The Reebok, against a team not too dissimilar to Wigan and at a similar venue. However, that was four away outings ago and Blackburn have since failed to get anywhere near repeating the same feat. They were smashed 3-0 at Craven Cottage, earned a dull point at Hull City, whilst made a quick return to losing ways when they lost 2-1 at Birmingham. So, it’s now three away games without a win, two defeats in three and Rovers have failed to score in two of their previous three away outings. With this said, it will come as little surprise to hear that Blackburn have one of the leagues worst away offensive records, having scored just six goals in nine away ventures, whilst shipping an horrific 23 goals in return. You would think it was Halloween at Ewood Park and not Christmas, such is the horror surrounding their form in just about every department.

  

 

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

 

Wigan Athletic W: 2 Blackburn Rovers W: 5 Draw: 1

  

Blackburn may be in cruise control on the h2h but they will feel uneasy in the knowledge that they haven’t beaten Wigan at the DW stadium in their previous two visits, with Wigan winning the last two encounters on home soil. What’s more, Blackburn’s defence has been split wide open on both occasions, with Wigan scoring no less than eight goals in two home meetings with Rovers, with Blackburn managing three in return, although they didn’t score any in last seasons DW meeting.

  

Playing at home really was an advantage both last season and the season before. The last four meetings between the two have gone the way of the home side. Moreover, while both encounters finished in home wins, the home side didn’t concede a single goal in the process. However, in Wigan’s 3-0 victory over Rovers last season, the three goalscorers have all moved to pastures new, whereas Blackburn’s goalscorers in their home win are both still plying their trade at the club.

 

 

 

Match Verdict: Wigan Athletic – 2.30 Bet365

 

We hate backing Wigan because they are so blooming hard to predict. However, they won’t get many easier opportunities to notch up three points than a home fixture with a poor travelling Rovers team. Blackburn have only avoided defeated twice on the road, whereas Wigan, when they do decide to play well, tend to produce their better football at the DW stadium. Not one of our more confident selections but a Wigan win for us, nevertheless.

 

 

 

Match Odds:

 

Wigan Athletic – 2.30 Bet365

Draw – 3.25 Boylesports

Blackburn Rovers – 3.40 SkyBet

 

 

Fancy a challenge?! – Last season saw the first two meetings between the two finish with the away side failing to score. In eight league meetings, the home side has only failed to score on two occasions, but this hasn’t happened in the past four fixtures between Wigan & Blackburn. So, our question is, will both teams score at The DW this Saturday, or will one side claim a rare clean sheet?

 

Both teams to score odds:

 

Yes – 1.91 WilliamHill

No – 1.91 WilliamHill

 

Our challenge pick – No!

 

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For those of you who fancy yourself against Matt, feel free to send us your challenge selection and those who do beat Matt will get a mention on the related preview. There is no actual prize up for grabs… just bragging rights?!

 

Send us your challenge pick to: challenge@soccerbetting.info