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| Bruce hits out at state of JJB pitch | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 21 2008, 07:38 AM (249 Views) | |
MUFC
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Jan 21 2008, 07:38 AM Post #1 |
League Two
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Wigan manager Steve Bruce felt the sorry state of the JJB Stadium pitch played a part in his side's 2-1 defeat to Everton on Sunday. Following weeks of rain in the north-west, and the fact Latics share the ground with Wigan Warriors rugby league club, the pitch is a rutted, pitted mess. It is not the first time the state of the turf has come under fire as former boss Paul Jewell occasionally bemoaned its state. During the 2005-06 season, owner Dave Whelan paid £300,000 for the surface to be relaid, a project that played a significant role in the club enjoying such a successful campaign. With Wigan again fighting for survival this season, Bruce feels it is a problem that needs to be addressed, even if the situation is the same for both Latics and any visiting team. Speaking after the 2-1 defeat by Everton, he said: "With that pitch, I felt sorry for both sets of players to be fair. "Both goalkeepers are capable kickers, but whenever a ball came towards them it was like a bouncing bomb. "We have had unbelievable weather just recently. It seems to have rained for six weeks since I returned to the north-west, but it's a concern. "I've some good players here, and yet the pitch is giving us grave concerns, although I'm not sure how we address it. "I'm not a groundsman, and I'm not trying to make excuses, but the pitch is poor. "We haven't been able to train properly on the training ground all week either, so that's another concern. "But if you are a Premier League team, the one thing you need is a decent pitch, and that could affect us." The pitch could have played a part in Titus Bramble's horrendous attempt at a backpass in the 39th minute. It was an error seized upon by Everton striker Andy Johnson, who went on to score his sixth goal of the season. Still reeling from that blow after dominating the game, the Latics conceded a second three minutes later when Joleon Lescott poached his seventh goal of the campaign after Wigan failed to clear a corner. Although a Phil Jagielka own goal early in the second half gave Wigan hope, they failed to turn their possession into chances and so remain one place above the bottom three. To add to Bruce's worries, striker Emile Heskey will undergo a scan on a back injury that saw him depart early after the restart. As for Everton, they are up to fourth, leapfrogging bitter rivals Liverpool, who face Aston Villa at Anfield tonight. For boss David Moyes, it was an impressive three points under the circumstances as he said: "We didn't play well in the first half and were fortunate to go in two goals up at half-time. "The conditions played a massive part, and I thought Wigan were the team most suited to them than ourselves. "I was aware of that before we came. I knew the pitch was going to be poor, so it went the way I thought it would go. "There's no doubt we had the Carling Cup tie (semi-final second leg) with Chelsea on our mind as well. We're all very aware and conscious of the game on Wednesday." |
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