Wigan Athletic V Bolton Wanderers Betting

Wigan Athletic V Bolton Wanderers

Saturday, 23rd October – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: The DW Stadium

Wigan Athletic

League Position: 15th
League Form: DLDWD

After throwing away a two-goal lead, you’d expect most managers to be livid with his players, absolutely seething. Not Wigan manager Roberto Martinez, who sympathised with his players following the 2-2 draw at St James Park last Saturday. The same cannot be said for us however, the people who came within a minute of landing a 4.50 winner only for the Wigan defence to nod off and kick us straight in the teeth.

Stoppage time was all that stood between Wigan and their first set of back-to-back wins in the Premier League for nearly two years, after the small contingent of Wigan fans were treated to an opening half hour of the Charles N’Zogbia show. The Frenchman has been a revelation since returning to the starting XI following his attempts at engineering a move away from the DW to a ‘bigger’ club. I have no idea why I add the air quotations as there are a tonne of bigger clubs out there than Wigan. N’Zogbia has featured in all three of Wigan’s previous league encounters and the Latics haven’t lost a single one of them. He’s a player Roberto Martinez simply has to keep sweat as he offers something which few other players in the Wigan team does; a potential match winner.

With an extraordinary Charles N’Zogbia aside, Wigan were pretty ordinary at St James Park last Saturday, purely woeful from a defensive point of view. The Frenchman’s goals were outstanding, stuck away with aplomb, and you have to say that without his brilliance in the final third, Wigan would have surely lost that game. Instead, they ended up drawing a game they should have won. An unusual predicament seeing as Wigan rarely do winning these days, and while Martinez may put a brave face on it, the 2-2 draw will have felt like a million daggers to the heart as Wigan are in desperate need of points and Martinez himself will be well aware that victories in the Premier League this season won’t be all that common place.

The weekend’s clash with Bolton, though, is actually a game Wigan will fancy their chances in. their last appearance at the DW resulted in a 2-0 win over Wolves, their first at home this season, and with the confidence levels inside the Wigan camp rising following a three-match run without defeat, there’s every chance that the Latics can go one better than they did last weekend and avoid any last-minute heartache.

Bolton Wanderers

League Position: 7th
League Form: LDDDW

Bolton manager Owen Coyle has received plenty of plaudits since joining the club at the midway point of last season, successfully guiding the club away from the relegation zone and this season adding some resilient qualities to their game, on top of the dogged and industrious traits which you naturally associated with Bolton Wanderers. No longer at the Trotters easy to beat, nor can they be rolled over, and it’s a huge testament to the manager and all the work he has put in over the past eight months or so that his side have begun the new season in pleasing fashion.

The season maybe just eight games old but Bolton have already thrown their name into the ring for the title of this year’s surprise package, after building on their successful bid to avoid the drop last season but starting the new term with just one defeat in eight games. A heavy 4-1 loss away to Arsenal is the only blemish on an otherwise hugely impressive 2010/2011 league CV which has seen the team hold their own against Aston Villa and Manchester United, and even Arsenal to some degree, en route to vacating seventh position in the table.

A home fixture with Stoke City was on the menu last weekend, with Bolton digging in to their Potters meals and reaping the rewards from a typically hard-working and industrious performance in a 2-1 victory. The hero of the hour was substitute Ivan Klasnic, who was later sent off despite scoring the team’s winner late on meaning he will now miss the trip to Wigan as a result. But that minor negative will have done little to dent the post-match celebrations from Bolton, who took their impressive unbeaten streak in the league to four games with that Stoke scalp.

Bolton’s record away from home this season isn’t exactly the greatest, although nor is it terrible. After four outings on the road Bolton have amassed five points from a possible twelve, with their only loss coming at The Emirates against Arsenal. Since then, the Trotters have ground out 1-1 draws with Aston Villa and West Brom, two teams in very good form at home this season, so a trip to Greater Manchester to face Wigan Athletic shouldn’t be all that difficult in comparison.

Match Prediction: Draw – 3.30 Ladbrokes

Meetings between Wigan and Bolton in Greater Manchester tend to be dull affairs, with goals sought after in these parts. The previous three league meetings at the DW stadium have all ended in low scoring affairs, the last ending 0-0 in fact, so on paper this fixture has every chance of appearing last on the highlights reel. However, there are some interesting sub-plots forming which could make this match surprisingly entertaining should we be fortunate enough to see an early goal.

Both these sides have decent little records and streaks to protect, with Wigan unbeaten in their last three league matches and Bolton unbeaten in four. Neither side will want to relinquish what has clearly been a confidence boosting run of form, so expect a wholehearted display from both teams. With that said, we still cannot split the two and will play safe and back another stalemate to occur.

Plus, each of Wigan’s opening five home matches have produced at least two goals, so that statistic should at least fend off the 0-0 draw.

Over/Under: Over 2.5 Goals – 2.10 SportingBet
First Goalscorer: Charles N’Zogbia – 8.50 SkyBet
Correct Score: 2-2 Draw – 17.00 SkyBet

Selected Bet: Both Teams to Score – 1.91 StanJames

Match Odds:

Wigan Athletic – 2.50 WilliamHill
Draw – 3.30 Ladbrokes
Bolton Wanderers – 3.10 Bet365

Wigan Athletic V Bolton Wanderers

Monday 21^st December – 20:00 GMT

TV Coverage: ESPN

Wigan Athletic

League Position: 14th

Recent Form: LWLDL

Wigan went down to their ninth defeat of the campaign on Wednesday night, losing 2-1 at Anfield against a Liverpool side on the rocks. Now they must pick themselves up for a game with Bolton Wanderers, a team they simply have to beat if they want to keep the relegation zone at arms length. Also, defeat for Wigan would see them fall at least one position as Bolton would leapfrog them, dragging Wigan closer to the relegation scrap in the process.

Although Wigan were outplayed for most parts of the game with Liverpool on Wednesday, the Latic’s weren’t without clear cut chances of their own. However, unlike the 2-2 draw at Stoke last Saturday, Wigan spurred the opportunities that did arise and duly paid the price in defeat. Jason Scotland will have to shoulder most of the blame after thumping a sitter against the crossbar, only to see Fernando Torres score up the other end within minutes. The Trinidad & Tabago international is still awaiting his first Premiership strike and misses like that will only result in less opportunities, more likely another bench appearance for him in this ESPN clash.

On the whole, Wigan aren’t all that bad a team… on their day. That’s the problem with Wigan nowadays. If you’re plucky enough to have a bet on them then you’re basically hoping for a good day at the office as betting on Wigan on an off day only ends in tears. However, with Wigan putting in a couple of decent displays against Stoke City (2-2) and Liverpool (2-1), Roberto Martinez must be wary that his side are now overdue another shoddy performance.

The positives for all you Wigan backers is that despite losing on nine occasions already this season, only once have they lost back-to-games although that was a run of three straight defeats and that was in the early part of the season. However, now they  muist avoid a similar fate but do have an ideal opportunity to avoid such a feat when they go head-to-head against a Bolton side rejuvenated by their midweek win over West Ham United. Whereas confidence in the Wigan camp won’t be at it’s highest after a run of three games without a win.

Wigan have been an inconsistent outfit all around and playing at the DW stadium hasn’t made the slightest bit of difference. Their form at home this season; 3-2-3, with Wigan winning just one of their last four games at home. That one win coming over a Sunderland team struggling for form. The Latic’s have also conceded more than they’ve scored at home, shipping 12 whilst managing just 9 in return, which isn’t at all surprising considering Roberto Martinez loves to play Hugo Rodellega as a sole striker which often leads to him being very isolated up top.

Bolton Wanderers

League Position: 17th

Recent Form: LDLDW

Bolton fans were well overdue some good fortune and were duly given something to cheer about on Tuesday when Bolton notched up just their fourth win of the campaign. West Ham were their victims in a 3-1 defeat and now Gary Megson will be plotting his next plan on how to overhaul a Wigan side that can be absolutely anything on the day.

That win over a struggling West Ham did boost their mediocre points tally but it also took them out of the bottom three. A welcome relief all round. They were the better side on the whole but their victory was largely down to West Ham’s defensive mishaps. When you are at the pit of the league, though, you need some rub of the green and Bolton certainly got theirs on the night, although it wasn’t as if it was undeserved as they were better than a poor West Ham.

Now, though, Bolton go on their travels. Just a few words that will send shivers down the backs of all Bolton fans as they’ve been terrible away from home of late. In seven away outings this season, Bolton have lost four times. To add to their travelling fans woes, Bolton have lost three of their last four away games, with their last away win in the league coming back in September, a 2-1 win at Birmingham City. They have, however, managed to score in six successive away games, with their 1-0 defeat away at Hull City their only goalless away game.

Gary Megson knows he has a hard working group of players but players with actual quality are at a premium, but Megson has known that for some time and has coped stoutly. He has instead built around the main strengths of the team and it’s just that – strength. They work hard and battle hard, and although the points don’t stream in on a consistent basis, every single year they just seem to do enough by winning the big games, the crunch encounters, and perhaps their 3-1 success over West Ham in midweek will give them the belief to push on at a venue which Bolton are more than capable of winning at.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

Wigan Athletic W: 4 Bolton Wanderers W: 2 Draws: 2

Although Wigan have edged in front, their record against Bolton at the DW stadium isn’t all that good. In four meetings in Wigan territory, just twice have Wigan recorded victories, with last season’s encounter being the only draw, 0-0, but Bolton did manage a win back in 2007, winning 3-1. Also, an interesting trait is that whenever there has been a goal in this fixture, Wigan have been the first team to strike, three out of four occasions.

Match Verdict: Bolton Wanderers to WIN – 3.80 Boylepsorts

Wigan are too blooming frustrating to back and Bolton are the value at the odds. Wigan are actually odds-on with some firms, absurd, whereas a workmanlike Bolton can be had at nearly 3/1 (3.80) with Boylesports. In a match that won’t attack too many neutral spectators, Bolton get our vote in a game that doesn’t have any stand out selection or picks as neither have put together a consistent run this season. Bolton, though, have began their climb from the pits of the table and we fancy them to continue out of their slumber, leapfrogging Wigan in the process.

Match Odds:

Wigan Athletic – 2.10 Bet365

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Bolton Wanderers – 3.80 Boylesports

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Kevin Davies Anytime Goalscorer – 3.75 SkyBet