Burnley v Wigan

By Tom Pickup
December 28 2004

Burnley go into today’s game against local rivals Wigan rested, after their Boxing Day match against Crewe at Gresty Road was postponed due to the weather. . Wigan however played on the 26th and went down 2-1 to Derby County.

This disappointing result is one of two losses in a row for Jewell’s men, the first against fellow automatic promotion rivals Ipswich Town.

Paul Jewell has recently stated that the Latics need to concentrate on their weakness, which is defending, because they “Already know they are good in attack”. This probably translates into Paul Jewell planning on raiding the transfer market during the Christmas period; one of Burnley’s on-form defenders may be at the top of his list.

The team Jewell is expected to put out is a strong one, obviously going to stop the rot after the two losses and falling to second place in the league, now 2 points behind Ipswich Town. Jewell will be thinking back to last season, when they bottled it nearer the end of the season and ended up out of the playoff places. Jewell has striker Jason Roberts injured, so is likely to go for a 4-4-2 formation, with a midfielder going into the attack.

Burnley are still without defender Frank Sinclair, who is serving out the second game of his 2 match ban for reaching 10 yellow cards. He missed the Sunderland game previously and was due to miss the Boxing Day Crewe clash before it was called off, the suspension then carries over to this game. Will Robbie Blake play? Blake will probably lead his men out for the last time in front of the Turf Moor faithful, and hopefully cheers will meet him as I hope we remember Robbie for the good things he’s done at the club, and not boo him for having a dream of playing in the top flight, I know I would jump at the chance of a move, and deep down, so would most people in his situation.

Burnley:

Jensen

Duff Cahill McGreal Camara

Moore Hyde Grant O’Connor Branch

Blake

Subs: Roche, Scott, Sanokho, Chaplow, O’Neill.

Wigan:

Filan

Eaden Jackson Breckin Baines

Teale Bullard Mahon McCulloch

Graham Ellington

Subs: Walsh, Thome, Flynn, Wright, McMillan.