WIGAN ATHLETIC V BLACKPOOL
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 14th August 2010
DW Stadium, Wigan
TICKETS
Tickets for this fixture will be available up until kick off, subject to availability. Call 0871 66 33 552* for the latest information or [click here]. Tickets also now available for the home games against Chelsea and Sunderland and the away fixture against Tottenham Hotspur.
The best value way to see Wigan Athletic this season is with a Wigan Athletic season ticket, visit www.laticsseasontickets.com for full details of this season's super value Barclays Premier League pass.
LISTEN
Listen to full match commentary on Latics Player from 2.45pm with your commentary team of Graham Lovett and Neill Rimmer. If you're not already a Latics Player subscriber you can get immediate access by [clicking here].
WATCH
Remember to log on to Latics Player later on Saturday evening for video reaction to the game from the manager and all the key players. There'll also be match highlight available from midnight on Sunday.
See Roberto Martinez's pre match interview on Latics Player. [watch now]
CLUB SHOP
The Club Shop at the DW Stadium will be open from 10am on Saturday morning and will remain open for up to one hour after the fulltime whistle. The shop is now selling the brand new 2010/11 home kit. You can also order online at www.wiganatheltic.com/shop.
PREVIEW
Last season saw Wigan Athletic take 3 points on the opening day of the season for the first time since 2002/03 when Cheltenham Town were defeated courtesy of goals from Lee McCulloch and Andy Liddell. Last season it was also a 2-0 scoreline when Roberto Martinez took his side into action for the first time at Villa Park.
This season, it's newly promoted Blackpool who provide the opposition and it will be up to Ian Holloway and his Seasiders outfit to provide any kind of surprise as Latics are clearly favourites for this one. [Click here] for the latest odds with the club's principal sponsor 188BET.
While Wigan have steadily re-shaped their playing staff through the summer, Blackpool have done all of their business in a last minute dash ahead of this weekend's opener, Craig Cathcart, Marlon Harewood, Ludovic Sylvestre, Elliot Grandin and Malaury Martin all joining this week with Chris Basham also expected to make the switch to Bloomfield Road before Saturday.
TEAM NEWS
Competitive debuts are expected for Mauro Boselli, Antonlin Alcaraz, Ronnie Stam and James McArthur while Ali Al Habsi may have to wait if Chris Kirkland is selected ahead of him.
Latics only injury worries lie with Gary Caldwell, who is expected to back in action in six weeks time following his summer hip operation, and with Steve Gohouri who was substituted early in the friendly at Dundee last week and who also wasn't involved in the Ivory Coast's win over Italy.
THE MANAGER
Wigan Athletic Manager Roberto Martinez remains in a confident ahead of the opening game of the season but is also convinced that Ian Holloway's side will surprise one or two people this season.
"You're looking at a newly promoted side and we saw what Burnley achieved last season.
"You arrive in the league you want to be in and you've been dreaming about, so you're full of enthusiasm and it's quite impossible to match that kind of 'new' freshness going into the league.
"So Blackpool will be playing with their winning mentality and their momentum that made them very successful last campaign, and we saw what Wolves brought last season and Burnley in their early games.
"They're going to be extremely dangerous and we're going to need to be ready for them."
HEAD TO HEAD
| Comp |
Latics Wins |
Draws |
Blackpool Wins |
| League |
11 |
8 |
5 |
| FA Cup |
2 |
1 |
1 |
| League Cup |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| Other |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| Total |
13 |
9 |
9 |
LAST SIX MEETINGS
26/08/09 - League Cup - Blackpool 4 Latics 1
08/02/03 - League 1 - Latics 1 Blackpool 1
09/11/02 - League 1- Blackpool 0 Latics 2
02/02/02 - League 1 - Latics 0 Latics 1
29/09/01 - League 1 - Blackpool 3 Latics 1
21/08/01 - League Cup - Blackpool Latics 2
MEET THE BLACKPOOL SQUAD
1. Paul Rachubka (G)
2. Daniel Coid (D)
3. Stephen Crainey (D)
4. Keith Southern (M)
5. Neil Eardley (D)
6. Ian Evatt (D)
7. Billy Clarke (M)
10. Brett Ormerod (F)
11. David Vaughan (M)
12. Gary Taylor-Fletcher (F)
13. Mark Halstead (G)
15. Alex Baptiste (D)
18. Jason Euell (F)
21. Matthew Gilks (G)
22. Ashley Eastham (D)
24. Rob Edwards (D)
25. Louis Almond (F)
26. Charlie Adam (M) (One To Watch)
30. Stephen Husband (D)
37. Craig Cathcart (D)
- Ishmel Demontagnac (M)
- Elliott Grandin (F)
- Marlon Harewood (F)
- Dekel Keinan (D)
- Malaury Martin (M)
- Ludovic Sylvestre (M)
ONE TO WATCH
24 year-old Charlie Adam joined the Seasiders from Rangers initially on loan in February 2009 before making the deal permanent in August 2009 after a Club Record fee of £500,000 was agreed with his parent club. It wasn't an ideal start for the Scot, who was sent off on his debut during a 3-2 defeat by Doncaster at Bloomfield Road. The midfielder, who has European experience with Rangers, is definitely one of Blackpool's danger men and can deliver a set piece with incredible precision.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Mark Halsey
Assistant Referees: Paul Thompson & Billy Smallwood
4th Official: Martin Atkinson
