SILKY GOMEZ HAS THE FINAL WORD
JORDI Gomez summed up Wigan’s new-found confidence with a wonder fourth goal as they destroyed Nottingham Forest to move up to sixth in the Championship.
The Spaniard let fly from all of 35 yards in the final minute and even had the home fans applauding after earlier goals from Martyn Waghorn, Emmerson Boyce and James McArthur had set up this win.
He also received praise from manager Uwe Rosler for his display and there is now no doubt the Latics are going places, possibly back to the Premier League if this evidence is to go by.
“We were terrific, especially the way we won it,” said Rosler who takes his side to former club Manchester City in the FA Cup next week. “It was outstanding.
“One player in particular I would like to mention is Jordi Gomez and his goal was outstanding. His overall performance technically was outstanding.
“He controlled the game and his effort off the ball was tremendous and unbelievable.
“When we get him performing like that we have a very good chance.
“What I see now is we can produce over 90 minutes. We’ve had a week and were refreshed.
“We will have eight games in 28 days after City and we will have to refresh things.
“The message now is very important, we are trying not to look back, just forward.”
Whilst Wigan are on the up, Forest appear to be on a downward spiral thanks to their injury problems more than any other.
They have lost the spine of the team in Chris Cohen, Jack Hobbs, Kelvin Wilson, Henri Lansbury, Andy Reid and David Vaughan along with four others including Eric Lichaj, who was forced off before the break with a reoccurrence of his pelvic injury.
They were forced to name Jonathan Greening, now Under21 coach at the City Ground, in their starting XI for the first time in two years.
Forest started reasonably enough with Simon Cox capitalising on a Leon Barnett poor backpass but he put his shot wide.
Wigan though looked the more dominant and were ahead on 36 minutes, Gomez’s shot deflecting off two Forest defenders and finding its way to Waghorn who had a tap in.
The hosts were level on 54 minutes with a well-worked goal as Jamie Mackie crossed for Cox, who found Jamie Paterson to hammer in his tenth goal in 13 matches.
But Forest’s lack of midfield was exposed as Wigan clinically turned the tide again. First, Greg Halford’s sloppy 66th-minute clearance went straight to Waghorn whose shot against the ground found the net via Boyce’s head.
Five minutes later it was game over as McArthur coolly converted from James McClean’s pass before Gomez’s wonder strike rounded things off.
“If someone had said at the start of the season this football club would have had eight or nine of this team out and still in the top six I would have said they were delusional,” said Forest boss Billy Davies.
“At the start of the season we announced Jonathan Greening was Under-21 coach and we didn’t expect him to start.
“Jonathan was running around with a staff training kit at the start of the week.
“Until it is mathematically impossible anything is possible. I’ve told the players to come in on Monday with a spring in their step.
“I still believe with a couple of bodies back in that will change the balance.
“I’m very confident at this stage still and we will be looking to put it right.”