England

Tom Oldfield

When Steve Bruce took over for his second stint as Wigan manager in late November 2007, things looked bleak at the JJB Stadium. The team sat in 19th place, were low on confidence and relegation seemed increasing likely as the players lurched from one disaster to the next.

Chairman Dave Whelan gave a promise to the media after Bruce’s arrival. He said: ‘Steve Bruce will make Wigan Athletic a fighting machine again, that’s what we’ve been lacking.’ It proved a shrewd move as Bruce turned the club’s fortunes around, clinching survival prior to the last day of the season. One of the major factors in Wigan’s revival was the form of wide man Luis Antonio Valencia.

Valencia, an international for Ecuador, was signed on a one-year loan by Paul Jewell back in August 2006 after the winger’s impressive displays for his country at the 2006 World Cup. He had proved a real threat on the right flank for Ecuador as they surprised many by qualifying for the second round before losing out against England.

Adjusting to the pace and physicality of Premier League football took Valencia some time. The different culture and language made the transition tricky at times but he became more comfortable as the months passed by. He opened his goalscoring account in October against Manchester City but this was his only strike in 22 appearances in the 2006/07 campaign. Nonetheless, his performances were often eye-catching.

Bruce managed to get more out of the Ecuadorian and was sufficiently impressed to make Valencia’s move permanent in January 2008. The winger had failed to score in his first 15 appearances of the 2007/08 campaign but he hit form just when Wigan needed it most.

Along with Emile Heskey and Honduran Wilson Palacios, Valencia helped to mastermind the club’s escape from relegation. His ability to run at defenders was a huge asset as Wigan looked to soak up pressure and hit the opposition on the counter attack. His mazy dribbling often left full-backs confused as he raced towards the by-line.

Heskey, who was plagued by injury for chunks of the year, profited from Valencia’s crossing and scored some priceless goals, including a late equaliser at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea that put a massive dent in the Blues’ title hopes. Valencia was usually at the heart of Wigan’s best moves and the whole team seemed to play more flowing football when the Ecuadorian was involved.

Valencia netted an important goal against Derby County in late February as Wigan continued to march away from relegation danger. His slight build was often deceptive as defenders thought they could bully him out of the game. But he had toughened himself up during his time in England and had the speed to leave full-backs trailing.

When Bruce faced former club Birmingham in April, there was plenty of tension in the air as both teams looked to beat the drop. Wigan came out on top that day as Valencia shone. He provided the ammunition for Ryan Taylor’s brace in a 2-0 win.

But Valencia’s most impressive contribution was saved for Villa Park in early May as his double clinched survival for Wigan, avoiding the potential heartbreak of last day drama. His first effort was fortuitous as it deflected in off Villa defender Wilfried Bouma but there was nothing lucky about his second as he drove into the penalty area and fired home a brilliant right-footed effort. Wigan would play Premier League football again in 2008/09.

After the match, Bruce told the media: ‘It’s as good as I’ve ever done in management, in terms of where we were going into the Blackburn game in mid-December with nine points. To get 31 points since the turn of the year is fantastic for the players.’

And Valencia had certainly played his part. His excellent displays since Bruce’s arrival had not gone unnoticed either. Before long, there was speculation linking the Ecuadorian with a move to one of the Premier League’s elite clubs. Manchester United and Liverpool were both reportedly chasing the wide man, according to his agent Diego Herrera.

However, Bruce has managed to keep hold of his star man and the Wigan side looks vastly better for having Valencia’s presence on the right flank. The club are hoping to improve on last year’s finish and will need the Ecuadorian on top form to achieve this goal.

While he has impressed many with his performances, Valencia can still make several improvements to his game. He needs to be more consistent with his end product. When a team possesses an aerial threat like Heskey, it is vital that the wide men provide quality crosses on a regular basis and Valencia must work on this aspect of his play.

Also, with his pace and skill, he should score more goals. He managed three in 31 appearances during the last campaign but they all came in late February onwards. The Ecuadorian ought to be scoring closer to ten goals a season.

As the 2008/09 campaign begins, Wigan are looking for Valencia to be their spark. Judging by his form in the closing stages of last season, he will not let them down.

AEK 08/09 Away RIVALDO                               Lazio 08/09 Third