Roberto Martinez
Time after time this season you've seen we can play well, we can open teams up quite easily, we can create chances. But against Fulham we lost two points in the 85th minute, against West Brom similar, and we couldn't be mature enough to see results through. This was the opposite. You couldn't find a more physical test. At the end they (Blackburn) played the conditions really well. They put as many bodies as they could in the last third and they were hoping for something. The concentration levels, the physicality that we showed, the good intensity, it was extremely pleasing. And the way we closed the game out, it was probably the good work the players have been doing trying to learn from the painful lessons we've had in the past that made the difference.
Steve Kean
I think we made a very good start, and even after the goal we had a couple of opportunities to increase the lead so it’s disappointing to score three goals away from home and come out with nothing.
I think it was going to be about the team who made the least mistakes on a tricky afternoon with the conditions. Fair play to Wigan, they got a little bit of momentum and they pushed us but I thought we showed good character to come back even though we were finding ourselves in a strange position after a good start.
In the second half we were too open, we got plenty of shots on target but to come out with nothing is really disappointing.
I think the back four and the keeper had too many defensive situations to make because in the middle of the pitch we were creating our own problems by trying to run with the ball and losing possession which let Wigan counter attack us very quickly.
Instead of trying to move the ball out of the middle of the pitch where it was obviously wet and play off the front men. Most of their counter attacks came from us trying to run with the ball.
We’ll get back on the training ground and brush up and take the pressure off the back four by being less open.
Antolin Alcaraz
I was surprised to be back in action so soon after picking up that injury but I am obviously very happy after today's result.
I thought it was an excellent performance by everyone and all the players are very happy with the result that we have got - we now need to build on it and go up the table. We are determined and the feeling is good within the squad, it is now important to continue at the same level we have seen today.
If we can play with the same attitude against other teams, if we can play like that against Liverpool next week - then we have a good chance of getting another crucial result.
The table
Latest match Saturday, 5th February 2011 |
Pld | Home | Away | Overall | Pts | GD | |||||||||||||||||
W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | |||||||||
1 | Manchester United | 24 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 9 | 0 | 54 | 22 | 54 | +32 | ||||
2 | Arsenal | 25 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 27 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 27 | 15 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 54 | 27 | 50 | +27 | ||||
3 | Manchester City | 26 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 12 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 42 | 22 | 49 | +20 | ||||
4 | Chelsea | 24 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 24 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 22 | 14 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 46 | 21 | 44 | +25 | ||||
5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 25 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 19 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 17 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 35 | 27 | 44 | +8 | ||||
6 | Sunderland | 26 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 32 | 31 | 37 | +1 | ||||
7 | Liverpool | 25 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 22 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 21 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 33 | 31 | 35 | +2 | ||||
8 | Bolton Wanderers | 26 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 36 | 37 | 33 | -1 | ||||
9 | Stoke City | 25 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 10 | 3 | 12 | 31 | 32 | 33 | -1 | ||||
10 | Newcastle United | 25 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 30 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 40 | 38 | 31 | +2 | ||||
11 | Blackburn Rovers | 26 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 17 | 31 | 9 | 4 | 13 | 34 | 42 | 31 | -8 | ||||
12 | Fulham | 26 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 6 | 12 | 8 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 0 | ||||
13 | Everton | 25 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 18 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 33 | 34 | 30 | -1 | ||||
14 | Aston Villa | 26 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 18 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 30 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 30 | 45 | 29 | -15 | ||||
15 | Blackpool | 25 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 18 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 20 | 27 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 38 | 49 | 28 | -11 | ||||
16 | West Bromwich Albion | 25 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 18 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 13 | 29 | 7 | 5 | 13 | 31 | 48 | 26 | -17 | ||||
17 | Wigan Athletic | 26 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 26 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 18 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 26 | 44 | 26 | -18 | ||||
18 | Birmingham City | 23 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 12 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 20 | 4 | 12 | 7 | 23 | 33 | 24 | -10 | ||||
19 | West Ham United | 25 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 25 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 27 | 44 | 24 | -17 | ||||
20 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 24 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 24 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 24 | 42 | 21 | -18 |
Next game
Next up for the Latics is the difficult trip to Anfield next weekend to face a resurgent Liverpool side who have won their last four games.