Wigan 0-0 Aston Villa: Sorensen thwarts
Latics
Wigan were involved in their first goalless Premiership match at
the 50th time of asking as they fought out a stalemate against
Aston Villa.
The last time the Latics were involved in a scoreless league
encounter was in April 2005, against QPR in the Championship.
A point ended a run of four successive wins for manager Paul
Jewell's side, while Villa are fast becoming the away draw
specialists, with this their fifth in seven games on the
road.
Prior to this game the two sides had each only failed to score in
one previous Premiership game. p> Managers happy to share
spoils
It was perhaps inevitable this encounter would finish scoreless,
and though the woodwork was rattled twice, that was as close as
either side came to clinching the three points.
It all began so brightly as well, with Wigan almost living up to
their new-found reputation as the fastest starters in the
Premiership.
A quarter of all Wigan's goals ahead of this match - four of 16 -
had arrived in the opening five minutes, and on this occasion they
were nearly ahead after 48 seconds.
Henri Camara provided a perfect far-post cross from the right wing
for Lee McCulloch, in attack with record signing Emile Heskey out
due to a persistent calf injury.
McCulloch's angled header from inside the six-yard box was parried
by Thomas Sorensen, with the Scotland international only able to
spoon his attempt to latch onto the rebound into the air.
It signalled a dominant first 30 minutes from Wigan as the closing
15 petered out to what proved a welcome interval.
Before that, Paul Scharner curled a 20-yard right-footed shot a
yard wide in the third minute as the Latics put Villa's defence
under intense pressure.
The visiting rearguard, a significantly tighter unit this season
under O'Neill, were forced to weather the storm of a barrage of
crosses from both flanks.
But much was wasteful, with Jewell's side failing to take full
advantage of the supremacy they were enjoying.
Due of that, Villa were forced to rely on counter-attacks, with
their chances few and far between, although they ironically came
closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half in the 13th
minute.
After the Latics failed to clear their lines, the ball fell to
Peter Whittingham for a first-time 20-yard shot that clipped the
outside of the right-hand post.
McCulloch then snapped a right-foot effort wide from the edge of
the area soon after, while Scharner looped a header over the bar
from six yards in the 20th minute.
McCulloch was again unfortunate a few minutes later, heading over
from eight yards after Gary Teale had supplied the cross courtesy
of fine approach play from skipper Arjan de Zeeuw and Camara.
Wigan were flying at that stage, but in being denied a certain
free-kick on the right wing in the 32nd minute when Wilfred Bouma
fouled Teale, it led to a breakaway that almost proved
costly.
Captain Gareth Barry, recovered from a back strain, and Juan Pablo
Angel combined to play in Chris Sutton, but his curling 20-yard
effort cleared the angle of bar and post.
At least, after the respite at the end of the first period, the
start to the second was all action as both sides had chances to get
on the scoresheet.
Initially, right-back Emmerson Boyce played a low cross into the
heart of the area where a diving Isaiah Osbourne spectacularly
attempted to clear.
However, the ball spun off his head and hit the inside of the
right-hand post before Liam Ridgewell cleared the danger.
Within a minute another incisive delivery, this time from Josip
Skoko, was played in behind the Villa defence where Scharner was
left with just Sorensen to beat.
The Austrian's first touch was poor, however, allowing Sorensen
time to close down and push wide the midfielder's flicked
effort.
Not to be outdone, Villa soon countered in the 52nd minute, with
Sutton playing in Barry for a 15-yard drive that fizzed over the
crossbar.
A 60th-minute clash of heads between Scharner and Gary Cahill,
which lead to both requiring treatment, disrupted the rhythm of the
game at that stage.
Although Wigan resumed their dominance and continued to pepper the
Villa area with more crosses, the visiting defence stayed
resolute.
It allowed them a degree of pressure in the dying stages, but it
was all frantic and frenetic, with little quality.
Managers happy to share spoils
Wigan manager Paul Jewell could not fault his side despite the
Latics producing their first goalless draw in the Premiership at
the 50th time of asking.
Although the draw ends Wigan's run of four successive victories,
Jewell said: 'I thought we were terrific. In the first half that's
as well as we have played in the Premiership. We were really good,
and all that was missing for the icing on the cake was a goal or
goals.
'We missed some really good chances, especially with Lee in the
first minute, but that happens. At least we are creating chances
and we do look like we can score goals, although not on this
occasion.
'But I cannot tell you how pleased I am with the players. They were
great, and for a nil-nil it was a good game. There was no diving,
no time wasting. It was just two very honest teams trying to win
the game.'
Jewell was unconcerned by the fact that his side had finally
registered a goalless draw adding: 'I wish it had been away from
home. It would have felt a bit better.
'But taking the last five games into account, we have won four,
drawn one and kept four clean sheets.
'We are starting to improve and go along the right lines.'
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill also adopted a positive stance
when it was put to him that his side had now drawn five of their
seven league games on the road this season.
He said: 'I would prefer to look at the other side of the coin and
say we have only lost one of 13 matches in the Premiership.
'I also look at the fact that Liverpool are a much better side than
us, yet they have not won away from home so far this season.
'Eventually we are hoping that by the end of the season we would
have won our fair share of away games.
'But you have to remember we have played Chelsea, Arsenal and
Liverpool in that time, and we knew it would not be easy coming
here today, and so it proved.'
O'Neill appreciated the fact his side were perhaps fortunate to
come away with a point, adding: 'I am happy with a draw. If you had
told me 10 days ago that we would take four points from these last
two away games, then of course I would have taken that.
'Thomas (Sorensen) made a great save in the first minute for us and
that set the tone for Wigan. They were miles better than us in the
first half, but then after half-time we came into the game more and
looked more dangerous.
'But it would have been harsh on Wigan if we had sneaked the three
points, so overall I think we have done well.'
