It took Norwich just ten minutes to find the back of the Latics net as first Ali Al Habsi needlessly miscued his clearance into touch before Gary Caldwell was caught napping by Wes Hoolahan who smartly finished at the near post.
Prior to the visit to Carrow Road we had managed to score just 14 goals in 15 away games so immediately a positive result was looking out of reach. Added to the fact that we have conceded over 30 goals in those same 14 games and the travelling support must surely have been wondering why they made the long journey.
Roberto Martinez had spent the past week speaking about how we should expect the ‘real deal’ Wigan Athletic to be on display and so the pressure was on to prove just what this team could do with over a weeks worth of preparation.
The performance was an improvement on Swansea, but that isn’t saying too much. Our defensive fragilities continued at the back and pre Shaun Maloney, our attacking display was contrived and sluggish.
The mind boggles why our manager persists with Jordi Gomez when his replacement, Shaun Maloney, took just minutes to open up the Norwich defence for Victor Moses to score the equalising goal.
Maloney’s second half substitute display is the real positive to yield from the long trip to East Anglia. The former Aston Villa and Celtic man was direct and instinctive in his attacking play. Up until his introduction our forward work, as has been the case all season, had been laboured with efforts on goal seemingly over-worked and predictable for the Canaries defence.
The pint-sized Scot changed the entire picture. His goal assist aside, the beautiful step over to leave Elliot Ward tackling thin air should have led to a second assist, but fellow substitute Momo Diame smashed his effort over the bar from twelve yards.
It is fair to say that the Latics should have come away from Carrow Road with all three points which is no mean feat against a Norwich team who are very strong at home.
Whilst we can certainly take away positives from the performance and result against Paul Lambert’s side, we mustn’t get carried away.
It was just last week in this column where I questioned why Roberto Martinez had wasted £1 million on Maloney, and £3 million on Albert Crusat when resources are so tight. With Hugo Rodallega once again disappointing up front, surely a faster, more direct front four is now in order.
Crusat and Moses occupying the flanks with Maloney in the ‘Gomez role’ behind Franco Di Santo. With Beausejour and Boyce supporting from wing back, and the hard-working Jimmy Mac twins in the middle of the park, we might just have enough about us to teams panicking.
Possession is 9/10 of the law, but it is points that will keep us in this league.
In conclusion, for all the huff and puff of a very impressive away day display in front of the Sky television cameras, we’re always going to be in deep trouble if we continue to score so in frequently whilst leaking sloppy goals at the other end.
Whilst the Norwich game represents a firm foot in the right direction, it serves only to paper over the underlying cracks in the foundations of our team. We need to start defending better and attacking with more purpose.
