Football Season Guide

Escape artists Wigan return for a seventh consecutive top flight campaign, having narrowly cheated the jaws of relegation on the last day of last season. Most neutrals will feel that Wigan should never have been in this position, having deployed an attractive brand of football enacted by a number of top class players. Still, Wigan have flattered to deceive in the past three seasons now and Dave Wheelan and the fans will hope for a smoother ride this time round. Charles N’Zogbia has departed in the summer while the useful Tom Cleverley is back at Man Utd but Roberto Martinez can still count on the services of Hugo Rodallega, James McCarthy, Victor Moses and Conor Sammon upfront. At the back, Gary Caldwell should return to anchor the defence with Emerson Boyce, Antolin Alcaraz and Maynor Figueroa completing a solid-looking backline. There hasn’t been much action on the transfer front so far this summer, though Martinez did make sure keeper Al Habsi was handed a permanent move. The Omani’s saves kept Wigan in the top flight last season undoubtedly as much as N’Zogbia and Rodallega’s goals did. Former Wolves ball winner Dave Jones looks a useful addition to the midfield alongside Mohammed Diame but Martinez will certainly look to streamline his squad in the next few weeks while adding to his strikeforce.