Spurs on Cloud Nine

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe scored five times to send his side back into the Champions League places as Harry Redknapp's men threatened to rack up double figures against Wigan at White Hart Lane.



Paul Scharner appeared to handle when he grabbed Wigan's goal but there was no handball controversy as Defoe was in such rampant form, with Aaron Lennon, Peter Crouch, David Bentley and Niko Kranjcar grabbing the other goals.

The clash was played on a Sunday following an agreement between the clubs so players could rest after the international break - and Defoe seemed the freshest of the players on display by grabbing his goals in the second half.

It takes his tally to 15 for Spurs and England this season and it means his club have scored more than five goals in five matches during the current campaign.

They were his first goals too since his needless dismissal against Portsmouth last month, which Spurs boss Redknapp criticised him for.

Redknapp will also be encouraged by his team looking more balanced following the return of England winger Lennon after missing three matches with an ankle injury.

Croatia midfielder Kranjcar was on the other flank, meaning Redknapp ditched his recent diamond formation and started with Robbie Keane on the bench following his World Cup efforts with Republic of Ireland last week.

Keane returned from international duty drained earlier in the season and after Thierry Henry's infamous handball for France earlier this week, Redknapp had been debating whether his skipper was mentally and physically ready to start.

Instead, he went with Crouch and Defoe in attack and it did not take long for them to get in their stride.

Wilson Palacios, making his first appearance against Wigan since leaving the club in January, started the move for the ninth-minute opener by feeding Lennon on the right, with the England winger sending over a gorgeous cross between goalkeeper Chris Kirkland and centre-back Titus Bramble. Crouch was at the back post to head home.

Lennon almost added a second immediately after creating the opener, forcing Kirkland to save his volley on the rebound after Emmerson Boyce cleared off the line to deny Defoe.

Kirkland also saved from Palacios at full stretch after a 25-yard drive, while Wigan's response was a volley from Mohamed Diame that flew wide.

Wigan had not won in London since 2006 when they defeated West Ham - and the threat Spurs posed meant it appeared unlikely they would break that run. Tom Huddlestone was the next to go close, with a drive that shaved Kirkland's post.

The visitors, however, kept looking for the counter-attack and Jason Scotland forced Heurelho Gomes to save at his near post after former Spurs full-back Erik Edman fed him the ball on the edge of the area. Charles N'Zogbia also went just over with a curling effort and got closer with a free-kick.

Defoe struck the bar before the break, then burst into a scoring frenzy after the restart.
The first came from another Lennon cross, with Defoe getting in front of Bramble and crashing his finish into the roof of the net. His second strike came after Palacios' ball forward was totally missed by Boyce, with Defoe keeping his cool to finish slot his finish into the far post.

Then came Scharner's moment of controversy. Hugo Rodallega crossed the ball from the left and the Austrian midfielder clearly used his hand to control before lashing past Gomes and into the roof of the net.

The Spurs bench were furious with referee Peter Walton for letting the goal stand - but Defoe restored the three-goal cushion with his hat-trick straight away.

Lennon crossed again and this time Defoe volleyed home at the near post, meaning he wrapped up his treble in just seven minutes - still short of Robbie Fowler's record when the Liverpool favourite struck in under five.

Lennon added the fifth himself after Crouch smuggled the ball out to his team-mate from a congested penalty area, with the winger angling his finish into the far post.

Defoe, in full flow now and demanding the ball, grabbed his fourth 21 minutes from the end by latching on to Vedran Corluka's ball and firing home off the post.

His fifth came after a mistake by Edman, with Defoe finishing through Kirkland's legs. Bentley's free-kick accounted for the eighth goal, his effort going in off the bar. Kranjcar's goal, the ninth, also went in off the woodwork.


Source: ESPN Soccernet, November 22, 2009

Latics fail to see off Cottagers

Wigan suffered considerable frustration after failing to finish off Roy Hodgson's hard-working Fulham side in a contest that saw the Londoners return to the capital with a valuable 1-1 draw.

Roberto Martinez's side at least put their embarrassment of last week's drubbing at the hands of the Premier League's bottom club behind them but it could have been so much better.

Wigan dominated almost throughout, driven on by their lanky French midfielder Mohamed Diame, and led through Emmerson Boyce's strike only for Clint Dempsey to grab an equaliser from the spot.

While the Premier League heavyweights were slugging it out at Stamford Bridge, this was very much the undercard - a contest between two super welterweights, and one that, had it been a boxing match, Wigan would have won easily on points.

The experience was more like watching a league match on the continent as style was preferred to muscle and both sides played some attractive stuff.

Wigan cannot afford much more of this generosity at home however or they will soon drop from their mid-table spot.

The home side were threatening from the off as Charles N'Zogbia's wicked free-kick towards the back post came within inches of vital contact from both Titus Bramble and Hugo Rodallega.

Fulham then came even closer as Bobby Zamora carved out a terrific opportunity for his strike partner Erik Nevland with an inviting ball over the defence.

Nevland, who had timed his run to perfection, left Chris Kirkland stranded with a looping header and time seemed to stand still as, amid almost complete silence inside the stadium, the ball dropped towards goal, clipped the inside of the post and bounced along the line before being hacked clear.

Wigan went one better, taking the lead in the 14th minute with a goal that would have had Hodgson tearing his hair out.

Paul Scharner beat two defenders to meet Erik Edman's cross and headed the ball back to Boyce, completely unmarked eight yards out and with time to control the ball and steer it past Mark Schwarzer.

Schwarzer performed heroics two minutes later to keep the visitors in the game, with a stunning save to turn N'Zogbia's thunderous 30-yard strike onto the crossbar.

He had to be alert again after a one-two between Rodallega and Jason Scotland led to the Colombia international trying a first-time shot that the Australian keeper only just managed to smother.

Wigan continued to press and Rodallega threatened with a bending direct free-kick that deflected just over, then Scharner headed over both keeper and crossbar after Bramble delivered a telling pass.

All that good work was undone however as panic in the Wigan ranks led to a penalty for Fulham. Two chances to clear the ball were passed up and, when Dempsey shaped to shoot, Titus Bramble - who was otherwise excellent - dived in from behind to concede the spot-kick.
Dempsey took the penalty himself, rifling to Kirkland's left with a minimum of fuss for the American's third league goal of the season.

An amazing double save by Kirkland kept the scores level as Dempsey and Jonathan Greening were both denied the Wigan keeper.

Dempsey's wickedly-struck free-kick was pushed aside by Kirkland and he was still prone as Greening pounced on the follow-up, somehow managing to get his hands up in time to turn away the shot.

It was a case of 'anything you can do' at the other end then as Schwarzer, at full stretch, tipped over Scharner's curler as it headed towards the top corner.

Rodallega blasted high and wide as Wigan tried to rediscover their first-half dominance, then Schwarzer had to parry Hendry Thomas' bullet header from Rodallega's corner.

A thrilling run from N'Zogbia across the penalty area nearly led to an equally thrilling goal but Schwarzer's fingertips just took the pace off the ball and Brede Hangeland was able to clear.
Rodallega continued to look Wigan's most likely provider of a winner as he landed a free-kick on the roof of the net, then Duff nearly contrived an unlikely winner only for Kirkland to save low down at full stretch.

There was a final chance in the last minute after Dickson Etuhu had barged over Diame, but N'Zogbia's free-kick was tame and straight at Schwarzer.

Source: ESPN Soccernet, November 8, 2009

Report: Latics break Blues' record

Chelsea's proud 100% record under Carlo Ancelotti came to an improbable end at the DW Stadium given Wigan went into this Premier League match without a victory against any of the top four in 34 Premier League games.

But they turned the formbook on its head with not just a victory but an emphatic victory at that. Chelsea's cause was not helped by goalkeeper Petr Cech's second half dismissal but they could have little complaint about the outcome.

Wigan went ahead in the 16th minute through Titus Bramble, only for Didier Drogba to pull Chelsea level two minutes into the second half.

Then Cech was red-carded after tripping Hugo Rodallega and Henrique Hilario was unable to prevent the Colombian converting the spot-kick. Paul Scharner completed the scoring in stoppage-time.

Chelsea carved out a string of chances before Wigan took the lead against the run of play. They almost made the breakthrough after two minutes when Ashley Cole cut the ball back to Michael Essien. The midfielder got a good connection from 25 yards but Chris Kirkland turned his effort around the post.

Chelsea kept up the pace and Florent Malouda released Nicolas Anelka three minutes later but he sent his shot wide of the post. Malouda was then bowled over by Scharner and Frank Lampard tested Kirkland by driving in the free-kick.

Wigan again found themselves on the back foot after 11 minutes when Cole picked out Lampard but his effort went wide of the post. The home side responded and Jason Scotland forced a good block from Cech in the 15th minute.

Chelsea were stunned a minute later when Wigan took the lead after some slack defending. Bramble got away from his marker and sent his header into corner following a cross from Charles N'Zogbia for his first goal of the season.

Chelsea hit back and Malouda got on the end of a ball from Cole but his touch was poor in the 22nd minute and Kirkland was able to make the clearance.

Wigan were playing with plenty of spirit and N'Zogbia whipped in a free-kick in the 26th minute that Cech gathered low down.

This was a good spell by the home side and Scharner clipped a shot over the bar three minutes later after Scotland had carved out the opening.

Then Rodallega spotted Scotland in a good position but put too much weight on the pass and Cech gathered the loose ball.

Scotland was causing the visitors problems and had the ball taken of his toes by John Terry in the 38th minute as he prepared to shoot.

Then Cech made a marvellous point-blank save from Emmerson Boyce a minute later after Scharner had flicked on N'Zogbia's cross.

Chelsea, however, needed only two minutes of the second period to draw level with Kirkland left red-faced. The Wigan goalkeeper allowed a soft shot from Drogba to squirm through his legs following a surging run from Malouda.

Chelsea almost took the lead in the 50th minute, only for Scharner to block Terry's effort after Ricardo Carvalho's flick-on.

The game took a dramatic turn a minute later when Cech was given a straight red card for tripping Rodallega as he raced into the area. Cech was incensed at the decision and so were his team-mates as a penalty was awarded.

Hilario stepped between the posts - with Malouda coming off - and his first job was to pick the ball out of the net with Rodallega converting his spot-kick. It left Chelsea a goal down and playing with 10 men for the last 37 minutes of the match.

Wigan were not content to sit on their lead and Rodallega floated a free-kick from 25 yards narrowly over the bar in the 76th minute after Cole had barged over N'Zogbia. Chelsea almost drew level eight minutes later only for Lampard to see his header clear the bar following a cross from Drogba.

They were getting frustrated, however, and Essien was booked for a challenge on Scharner which left him on the floor in the 86th minute.

Chelsea went down to nine men with Cole going off injured and Scharner scored Wigan's third goal in stoppage-time following a cross from Maynor Figueroa.

Source: ESPN Soccernet, September 26, 2009