Wigan Athletic vs Arsenal, 2012-2013 Barclays Premier League

· English Premier League

Wigan Athletic

FT
0 - 1

Arsenal

60': Mikel Arteta (P)

About

Wigan Athletic are hosting Arsenal at The Brick Community Stadium, Wigan, England, starting on . The match is a part of the English Premier League.

Match Timeline

0': Join us from 12.45 GMT for live text commentary of Arsenal's trip to Wigan as the Gunners look to build on their 5-2 victory at Reading on Monday.
0': Join us from 12.45 GMT for live text commentary of Arsenal's trip to Wigan as the Gunners look to build on their 5-2 victory at Reading on Monday.
0': Hello and welcome.
0': Theo Walcott will once again play in the centre of the Arsenal attack, with Arsene Wenger having praised his efforts in the victory over Reading.
0': Interestingly, Wigan midfielder James McCarthy will - according to Sky Sports - be playing as Wigan's centre back.
0': Roberto Martinez has told Sky it's a "big, big challenge". Injuries have caused problems for the Wigan boss today, although he can at least include captain Gary Caldwell among the bench.
0': KICK OFF Wigan get the game underway!
2': Arsenal are looking comfortable, knocking the ball around in these early stages.
2': Sagna just keeps the ball in play as he races along the line to earn a corner for the visitors.
3': Arsenal fail to make anything of the corner.
4': There's a cracking atmosphere at the DW Stadium as Wigan look to build an attack through Beausejour.
4': Stam eventually gets a cross in but it's hooked clear by Arteta.
6': Neither side is able to hold onto the ball in a lengthy spell in the middle fo the field, but Di Santo eventually has the chance to centre, although his cross is cleared.
8': Kone collects a pass over the top of the defence but he's offside. It's not been the tidiest of starts to the game but Wigan are starting to get a foothold.
9': ESPN FC's Michael Wade tweets: "Cazorla's hat trick against Reading has commentators fawning all over him. Don't think it is that big an achievement myself."
9': CHANCE! Arteta finds Oxlade-Chamberlain in the box and the England winger's shot is pushed behind for a corner.
10': Arsenal once more fail to make anything of the corner.
11': Kone looks to seize on a defensive error and charges at the Arsenal defence. However, when Stam is clear to his right, he attempts a shot from range that does nothing to threaten the keeper.
12': At the other end, Podolski unleashes a shot that Al Habsi is able to parry and then, a few seconds later, the German sees a shot blocked.
12': Walcott slides in a dangerous-looking cross but Boyce is able to get it clear.
14': Di Santo flicks the ball cleverly towards Maloney, whose throughball is misread and collected by Szczesny.
15': Maloney again goes on the attack, forcing the Arsenal defenders onto the backfoot, but his pass for Kone fails to bear fruit.
16': Podolski works a bit of space on the edge of the area before letting fly with a shot that is always rising a ends up high and wide.
17': The game's being played a decent tempo but just needs a bit of cutting-edge if we're to see the deadlock broken. Wigan in particular have struggled to turn their build-up play into anything more threatening.
18': Wilshere goes down after appearing to have his foot trodden on, but the ref's not interested.
19': Beausejour swings in a cross but Szczesny is able to leave it to go behind.
20': Gibbs races into the box and cuts back to Walcott, whose shot is blocked. That could easily have been the opener.
21': Beusejour looks to make something happen but Arsenal quickly snuff out the danger, as they have done throughout the game so far.
23': The Arsenal fans are now looking to give their team a bit of a lift during a lull in the game.
24': KONE MISSES! Di Santo plays a wonderful ball through for Kone but, with only the goalkeeper to beat, the Wigan forward steers wide. That should have been the opener.
26': Oxlade-Chamberlain tries to wriggle past three or four Wigan players and, inevitably, fails.
26': ...but then the Ox wins a free-kick from Beausejour out on the right.
27': Arteta bends the free-kick into the danger area but it's headed clear for a throw-in.
28': McCarthy sends a long ball up, losing possession. There haven't been many long balls today - as Martinez noted ahead of the game, these are two teams with a similar philosophy.
29': McArthur bends a pass out to Stam on the right, but the cross in the end fails to cause any problems.
31': Stam once more gets himself into an excellent position out on the right, but once more the cross is poor.
32': Di Santo receives the ball out on the left, beats Sagna to work an angle, but his centre curls past everyone and out of play.
34': Cazorla finds Walcott in the area, but he's closed down quickly and his shot is blocked. Neat work from the Spaniard, though.
35': McArthur does well to win the ball down the right, but his cross is blocked. Stam picks it up and his cross appears to be met by a hand - to the crowd at least - but the ref doesn't deem it handball.
36': Beausejour gets to the byline but then sends his cross into row Z.
37': A handball is given against Maloney in thw Wigan half, drawing boos from the home faithful.
38': Maloney feeds Beausejour, but the linesman dubiously calls it offside.
39': Arsenal look to have won a corner from Figueroa, but it hits the corner flag and goes for a throw-in. From the throw-in, Arsenal finally win a corner.
40': The corner is hit deep but Wigan get it clear once more.
41': Wilshere fouls Maloney and, amid calls for a red from the home fans, is shown yellow. It was one-footed and looked to be controlled.
42': Di Santo tries his luck from range. While he catches it sweetly, it's comfortably over the bar.
42': McCarthy jumps up for a challenge and does Wilshere a bit of damage in the process. The ref's called a drop ball.
44': Oxlade-Chamberlain races down the right but Figueroa makes a strong challenge and it's a goal kick to Wigan.
45': Beausejour goes through but in the end can't seem to decide whether to cross or shoot and his effort is easily dealt with.
45': Walcott looks to collect a pass over the top but has to settle for a throw-in. He's not had too much to work with in this first half.
45': HALF-TIME
0': A fairly even first half, with both sides struggling to force any real chances. Arsenal, you suspect, would like to have Giroud available to give them another option.
0': The Wigan defence, despite the injury woes and McCarthy deployed out of position, can be very pleased with how they've handled this first half.
0':
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jean Beausejour do battle.
0': Sky pundit Jamie Redknapp says it "does his head in" that tackles like that for which Wilshere was booked are considered verboten these days.
0': ESPN's Janusz Michallik tweets: "Walcott can play as a striker but tons to learn. Forces some runs. Not instinctive."
46': ARSENAL GET THE SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
47': Oxlade-Chamberlain gets in behind the back after selling Beausejour a dummy before cutting back for Walcott, but Boyce makes a timely interception.
48': Maloney makes an impressive run down the left, beating Sagna, but Merteseacker shows enough tenacity to force a goal kick.
49': McCarthy makes a burst into the box but takes a touch too many and Arsenal get it clear.
49': AL HABSI SAVES FROM WALCOTT! Chamberlain cuts back for Walcott, who this time gets a shot away, but he's slightly off balance and the Wigan 'keeper is able to make the save. Great chance for the visitors.
50': Figueroa, famed for his long-range goal against Stoke, attempts a speculative effort that never threatens to cause any problems.
51': Oxlade-Chamberlain wins a slightly dubious free-kick as his flailing heel ctahces McCarthy as he takes a shot.
52': Pododolski fails to clear the wall, and Oxlade-Chamberlain's blocked follow-up ends up with Al Habsi.
53': Cazorla wins a free-kick out on the left flank as Stam attempts a bit of skill that ends up with him losing possession.
54': Arsenal get a cross in from the right but it's out of play for a goal kick, seemingly bouncing off Podolski.
55': Beausejour sends in a cross from the left that catches a few players on both sides out. Eventually, Maloney handballs and the Gunners win a free-kick.
56': Walcott is dispossessed as he attempts to turn and run.
57': Oxlade-Chamberlain swings another cross in and Arsenal win a corner. Once more, they're unable to make any real use of it.
58': Gibbs chests the ball down to Szczesny, and it just has enough momentum to reach the goalkeeper.
59': PENALTY TO ARSENAL!
59': Gibbs sends a long cross from the left that Walcott collects out on the right. After playing a one-two with Cazorla, he's bundled over by Beausejour. Arteta steps up...
60': GOAL FOR ARSENAL! The Spaniard makes no mistake, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.
61': Wigan look to respond instantly, and McCarthy races at the defence before feeding Beausejour, who hits the ball across goal for a goal kick. Disappointing once more.
62': Podolski looks to feed the ball through for Gibbs, but it's overhit and the left-back can't latch onto it.
64': Di Santo is penalised for a foul on Gibbs, and the ref has a word with him for his constant complaints. The home fans are not happy with the officiating today.
65': Di Santo is off the field for reasons no one seems to be able to understand.
66': Wigan are still down to ten men - and the crowd are furious. Walcott, in the meantime, fails to make a chance count.
67': Di Santo is finally allowed back on. We might need to wait until after the game to find out what happened there.
68': Maloney sends in a cross that comes off Mertesacker for a corner.
69': It's taken short and Jones ends up flicking it out of play.
69': The Di Santo sinbin explained: the ref noticed, during his chat, that the Argentine was wearing an earring and sent him off the field to remove it.
70': Beausejour sends in a decent cross and earns another corner.
70': The corner is cleared only as far as Figueroa, whose shot deflected off Arteta and nearly caught Szczesny out.
70': Kone collects a pass from Beausejour, does brilliantly to make room for the shot, and then forces a save from the 'keeper.
72': Oxlade-Chamberlain tries a speculative shot that is deflected behind for a corner.
73': Wigan get the corner - and a subsequent cross - clear and look to counter.
73': McArthur feeds Jones on the edge of the area and his shot bounces back off the stanchion.
74': Oxlade-Chamberlain once more makes space for a cross, but Stam is able to head it away.
75': Figueroa fouls Wilshere and Arsenal have a free-kick in a potentially dangerous area.
75': Ramsey comes on for Oxlade-Chamberlain. The winger had been causing problems but Wenger may just want to settle things down at this stage.
76': Walcott curls the free-kick over the bar. Not a bad effort but Al Habsi was never troubled.
77': McManaman is on for Di Santo.
78': Stam once more sends over a cross from the right that fails to find its target.
78': Wilshere runs into traffic and loses possession.
79': Kone is belatedly but correctly given offside.
79': Coquelin comes on for Podolski. Wenger certainly looking to settle for the one goal here.
80': Wigan win a throw-in from Gibbs.
81': Sagna looks to burst free, but ends up fouling Figueroa.
82': Stam centres the ball but Mertesacker makes a vital interception with Kone ready to turn home.
82': Figueroa once more tries a speculative shot as the corner falls in his direction. Over the bar once again.
83': Wigan earn a corner and it appears McManaman has earned a second, but Sagna's interception took a nick off the substitute.
85': Wigan are on top, but they're struggling to make any real headway.
86': Maloney gets a bit of a soft booking for a push on Coquelin in the centre circle.
87': Stam makes a dangerous looking run but ends up too central. He finds McArthur, who knocks it on for Beausejour, but the momentum is lost and Arsenal get it away.
88': McManaman turns well but Coquelin there to tidy up.
89': Figueroa puts in a cross from the left, but McArthur can't make anything of it as he heads wide from the edge of the area.
90': Gomez comes on for Maloney, who has put in a decent showing in attack.
90': Gomez unleashes a shot that - the crowd believe - was handballed in the area. Kone could make the shouts irrelevant but Mertesacker does well and Wigan get nothing.
90': Gomez shoots against Vermaelen and there are more, slightly less vociferous, shouts for handball.
90': Koscielny is on for Cazorla.
90': Sagna tries a throughball for Walcott, but it's straight to the 'keeper.
90': Wigan try to work space around the edge of the box. Beausejour, at the second attempt, finds McArthur in the centre but the midfielder can't find the target with his shot.
90': Koscielny does well to pressurise Gomez on the edge of the area and Arsenal break away.
0': FULL TIME
0': Arsenal secure a hard-fought victory. Wigan will rue missed chances - particularly Kone's one-on-one effort in the first half - but the hosts can be proud of their efforts given the injury problems that have beset them.
0': For Arsenal, it's another three points and keeps the momentum going after the victory over Reading. Walcott failed to shine throughout much of the match as the central striker, but he earned the penalty that decided the game.
0': Thanks for joining us and stick with ESPN FC for the report and post-match reaction.

Statistics

ARS		WGA
0	Fouls	0
0	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
0	Offsides	0
0	Corner Kicks	0
0	Saves	0
0	Possession	0
0	SHOTS	0
0	ON GOAL	0
0.0	On Target %	0.0
0	Penalty Goals	0
0	Penalty Kicks Taken	0
0	Accurate Passes	0
0	Passes	0
0.0	Pass Completion %	0.0
0	Accurate Crosses	0
0	Crosses	0
0.0	Cross %	0.0
0	Long Balls	0
0	Accurate Long Balls	0
0.0	Long Balls %	0.0
0	Blocked Shots	0
0	Effective Tackles	0
0	Tackles	0
0.0	Tackle %	0.0
0	Interceptions	0
0	Effective Clearances	0
0	Clearances	0

Game Information

Competition: English Premier League

Venue: The Brick Community Stadium
Location: Wigan, England
Attendance: 21,754

Premier League Table

#	TEAM	GP	GD	PTS
1	Arsenal	21	+26	49
2	Manchester City	21	+26	43
3	Aston Villa	21	+9	43
4	Liverpool	21	+4	35

Full Table

Line-Ups

Wigan Athletic (3-4-3)

No.	Name
26	Ali Al-Habsi (GK)
4	James McCarthy
31	Maynor Figueroa
17	Emmerson Boyce
6	David Jones
16	James McArthur
22	Jean Beausejour
23	Ronnie Stam
9	Franco Di Santo
10	Shaun Maloney
2	Arouna Koné

Wigan Athletic Substitutes:

Jordi Gómez, Roman Golobart, Fraser Fyvie, Mauro Boselli, Callum McManaman, Gary Caldwell, Michael Pollitt.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1)

No.	Name
1	Wojciech Szczesny (GK)
5	Thomas Vermaelen
4	Per Mertesacker
28	Kieran Gibbs
3	Bacary Sagna
19	Santi Cazorla
8	Mikel Arteta
10	Jack Wilshere
14	Theo Walcott
9	Lukas Podolski
15	Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Arsenal Substitutes:

Carl Jenkinson, Andrey Arshavin, Vito Mannone, Gervinho, Laurent Koscielny, Aaron Ramsey, Francis Coquelin.

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