Chapter 661: Patient Opening!

The FA Cup commentary team had little interest in letting the occasion overwhelm them.

As the players settled into their positions, the main commentator began setting the scene for viewers at home.

"Good afternoon, everyone. We’re at the DW Stadium for what promises to be an interesting fifth-round tie in the famed FA Cup. It’s Wigan Athletic against Manchester City.

Two sides with a little history between them, and certainly no shortage of motivation today."

"Third time’s the charm, I guess, for Wigan, who have lost in the two times that these two sides have met," the co-commentator came in with a little chuckle.

"And City, of course, will be looking to make sure it doesn’t."

"Yeah, but Wigan have come a long way since the last time these two sides met."

The main commentator allowed the crowd noise to fill the broadcast for a moment before returning to the team sheets.

"There is, however, one rather interesting decision in the Wigan lineup. Leo Calderon is not starting this afternoon."

"Yeah, and that’s something I’ll be keeping a close eye on. He’s been central to almost everything Wigan have done this season. Goals, assists, the way they move the ball through midfield.

You don’t usually leave a player like that out of a game against Manchester City without having a reason, but I understand the manager’s intent, or at least what it looks like on the surface.

Especially after what happened at Anfield."

"Exactly. Dawson has had a few days to look at that defeat, and perhaps he’s decided this is the right game to try something different. We’ll have to see whether it’s tactical or whether he’s simply being careful with him. Either way, it changes the picture."

His partner leaned forward, shifting into the analysis.

"Because it affects both teams, really. City have prepared for a Wigan side with Calderon in it. They know the problems he can cause between the lines, how quickly he can turn a loose pass into an attack. Without him, they have a different midfield to deal with. But that doesn’t necessarily make Wigan easier to play against."

As the two went at it, getting their respective roles done on the broadcast, the camera moved across the pitch, briefly catching the managers for the sides before pulling back towards the match official who stood checking his watch.

He then looked towards the Wigan players, making sure everyone was in position.

His gaze then moved across to the City half where a brief exchange followed with the nearest players before he gave a final nod.

And without waiting any longer, the whistle sounded.

"And we’re underway at the DW Stadium! Wigan Athletic, in front of their home supporters, get us started."

Jake rolled the ball back to Henderson, who immediately shifted it across to Max Power, setting the match in play.

Wigan spread out, using the full width of the pitch as they began working the ball between their defenders and midfielders.

And Manchester City just watched them do it without a care in the world.

Haaland and Grealish occupied the first line, but neither committed himself to an aggressive press.

They moved across together, keeping the passing lanes in front of them covered.

Behind them, Foden and Bernardo Silva watched Wigan’s midfield, ready to close down any pass played into their feet while Wigan continued to circulate possession.

Darikwa received on the right and returned the ball inside, looking to get the away.

Power got onto the end of it, switched it towards the opposite side, where Carlo collected near the touchline.

The Italian looked up, but there was little movement ahead of him, and so he played it back to Henderson, who recycled possession through the defence.

It was patient football from both sides.

City seemed content to let Wigan have the ball in harmless areas.

They held their shape rather than chasing every pass, forcing the home side to find a way through them.

Wigan, for their part, showed little urgency to force anything.

There were no ambitious passes through crowded midfield areas.

No sudden runs from Reyes to pull City’s defensive line apart.

Even Foden, usually so willing to drift into tight spaces and create something unexpected, was keeping his movements measured.

He collected, released the ball and moved again, but rarely attempted anything particularly adventurous.

Reyes was much the same.

He found space on a few occasions, but his first instinct was to keep possession rather than turn and run at the defenders.

When he received under pressure, he played the safer pass, allowing the game to settle into a cautious rhythm.

"Not an awful lot happening in the final third at the moment," the main commentator observed as Power passed the ball back towards Henderson.

"Both sides are keeping possession, but neither has really threatened to open the game up."

"I think that tells you quite a bit about the occasion," his partner replied.

"This is a cup tie with a place in the next round at stake. Wigan have already lost twice against this opposition. City know exactly how dangerous Wigan can be when they find their rhythm. Neither manager wants to give the other an easy opening."

"Still, you would imagine somebody has to take a few risks eventually."

"Of course. Unless both sides are happy to take this all the way to penalties, someone has to step forward. Possession is fine, but you need to do something with it."

For the first fifteen minutes, neither side seemed particularly interested in being that team.

Then, approaching the twentieth minute, Wigan finally found an opening.

Carlo received the ball on the left flank, with Kyle Walker positioned between him and the penalty area.

The Italian took a touch forward, then another, trying to draw the City defender towards him, but it wasn’t easy to do against Walker.

There was little room to accelerate past the fullback, and Carlo recognised that forcing the issue would probably end with him running into a wall of blue shirts.

And so he looked inside instead for another way out.