Jordi Gomez scored all three goals for Wigan Athletic as they beat Reading 3-2 at the DW Stadium on Saturday, in the process becoming only the second Spaniard after Fernando Torres to score a Premier League hat-trick. He’s not been the most popular of players amongst the Latics faithful in recent times, so we visited the Cockney Latic, This Northern Soul and Latics Speyk forums to say what folk had to say about him, and found an interestingly broad spectrum of views…

mighty_aff, Cockney Latic…

Awesome today. I was a big critic of his two seasons back. The lad proved himself today. And spared the blushes of al habsi.

Superb.

DRAGNET, Latics Speyk…

All players are blessed with days, were if they put their hand down a toilet basin would come up with a gold watch and chain, and Jordi had one of those days. It was a game were in the second half both teams played open football and space was at a premium, and how Jordi exploited it. My eyes being what they are I see more of whats happening on match of the day than I do when I am in the East stand, and how I noticed how fast the lad covers ground, and some of his balls into the open spaces were special. Long may it continue.

springfield, This Northern Soul…

First half, Gomez in midfield is a waste of time. His first half performance was what everyone comes to expect. But you can’t just blame one player. We did what we do, had lots of possession and did naff all with it. Off the ball movement was pretty much none existent.

Enter the second half and the much needed tactical change…….bring on Di Santo. His movement created space for Gomez up front, who to be fair, made as good runs as you’ll ever see in the Premiership, very intelligent. ( Striker should be his new spot).

I do think Gomez is in the main too easily affected by what fans think, and I hope the goals have given his confidence a boost. For goodness sake Bob, make sure you play him in his best position from now on.

jrfatfan, Cockney Latic…

I actually thought he was having a mixed day, some great touches, but got caught in possession numerous times. The 3 goals made up for that.
Does anyone know if he knocked the third one in with his left foot? I couldn’t see when everyone jumped up. If he did it’s the perfect hat trick, left foot, right foot header.

Old_Wolf, This Northern Soul…

The big problem for many and him is that when he makes early errors he confirms all the bad things people have said about him and then missing two or three relatively easy chances just adds more fuel to the fire. However, even though I’ve never been a Gomez fan, he was getting into those positions to miss the shots, so he deserved a bit more leeway.

loudmouthblue, Latics Speyk…

I watched the extended highlights of the game again on sky tonight, and although I thought gomez was alot better than the boo boys on the ground gave him credit for I didn’t realise how well he did at times.
Yes he is often lightweight in tackles and perhaps a little to slow reacting when faced with players closing him down, but he doesn’t half get into some fabulous positions in and just out side the box, and when he does play passes forward like he did today some of them were sublime.
Perhaps we should stick him in the middle up front, he could certainly hold the ball and lay it off to players running onto or past him and let di santo and kone play either side of him in free roles.
It is certainly something to think about if Maloney is injured.

Oscarbon, Latics Speyk…

Agreed LMB and if he is caught in possession, more often than not he is clever in getting rid of the ball just before the challenge comes in, thus drawing the free kick. If he was doing that in a more advanced position it could be very useful.

JPC01, Cockney Latic…

The guy is an enigma. Admittedly, no Gomez lover, too hit and miss. If anyone was to be taken off at half-time today then it was Gomez. Took him 15-20 minutes to get into the game (poor first touch, not up to pace of the game). Spurned a great opportunity.

Credit where due, stuck to his guns,pushed himself to get into dangerous areas. He had probably three chances in the 2nd half and took the lot. The 2nd fantastic !

That said, Roberto must come in for some praise. Di Santo substitution inspired. Changed the course of the game, even if Ali insisted on keeping us all on the edge of our seats.

Di Santo, back to his energetic self (WBA non-show hopefully a thing of the past); Kone, a handful as ever, once again coolness personified and touch of quality playing Gomez in the for the winner; Beausejour, firing in some great balls from the left.

For me, credit to all who came into the team today – Stam was excellent down the right; Jones, tidy in midfield.

Great team performance all-round, given the context (0-1, ‘must-win, significant injuries). Had to go and win the game a second time after Ali’s exceptional blip. Speak’s volumes for team spirit.

Ali got a decent reception at the end, the fans recognise his contribution to date to the cause. If Gomez carries on in a similar vein (no, he musn’t score 3 EVERY week!), then hopefully, better times lie ahead for him. If today, doesn’t give him a little more confidence, hell nothing well.

WELL DONE ALL – JORDI, match-winner, included

OPM, This Northern Soul…

There were times today when Jordi was getting grief BEFORE the ball had even hit his feet. It’s getting boring now.

Gomez had a bloody stormer! Driving from midfield, killer passes and could’ve had 5.

centrelink1, Latics Speyk…

He was magnificent. Franco nearly scored with his first touch after Gomez played him through, and Kone could have scored from another Gomez ball.

Actually, I think Kone spurned two Gomez-given chances.

garswood_latic, Cockney Latic…

Really really really well done to Jordi today. I’ll ignore the other couple you should have had. But he came up trumps today. So genuine praise.

But would I have him in my starting eleven regularly? No. One game doesn’t turn someone into a world beater.

He’s had a good day. Let’s enjoy it. But I think the St Jordi campaign has to reveal a few more miracles.

Moonay, This Northern Soul…

The problem was, his first 3 touches within the first 5 mins were all poor – even atrocious – and for many, that’s their minds made up. Even in the 2nd half, with 2 goals in the bag, when Gomez didn’t come to meet an under-hit pass (and therefore lost possession) the calls for him to get off the pitch rang out again ……….. it’s an inbuilt impulse for many. I almost feel sorry for ’em.

Let’s hope the hat-trick gives him an appetite !

bigroy, Cockney Latic…

Goal scoring record similar to Di Santo in his time here despite being a midfielder who starts majority of games on bench. Always gets in right places and constantly looks for killer pass more than any other midfielder we have. He isn’t a typical English style midfielder and often looks slow and is weak tackling but most fans can’t understand that ain’t his game. Improved every season he has been here. Unfortunately our fans are unbelievably fickle. How many times this season do we hear it? Watson should never put the shirt on again. Beausejour a disgrace. Ramis out of his depth. Boyce finished. Gomez ain’t on his own!

If you can get better entertainment than that yesterday for £13 per game equivalent of my season ticket good luck to you.

Old_Wolf, This Northern Soul…

The big problem for many and him is that when he makes early errors he confirms all the bad things people have said about him and then missing two or three relatively easy chances just adds more fuel to the fire. However, even though I’ve never been a Gomez fan, he was getting into those positions to miss the shots, so he deserved a bit more leeway.

Sheikh_Mahand, Latics Speyk…

Half of the time Gomez is ‘caught in possession’ it’s because he’s looking for a forward pass that isn’t there thanks to his teammates not moving off the ball. The more movement he gets, the better he looks. If you compare him to the properly awesome playmakers of our time – I’m thinking Xavi and Iniesta – they have so many options they hardly ever get caught. I’m not saying Gomez is that good but it certainly helps. And as for lightweight in the tackle – just as for the second goal at the Emirates last year, for his third goal yesterday he won the ball in midfield to start the move.

I honestly believe that what I saw yesterday was one of the best all-round individual performances I’ve seen in a Wigan shirt. Jordi was absolutely everywhere, at the heart of everything good Wigan did, our most creative player and more than deserved his hat trick. Long may it continue.

Sammy, Cockney Latic…

I wonder who the new whipping boy is going to be then?
Watson is out of contention for a couple of months so perhaps it will be Jones, Stam or Lopez if they get a run in the team. Maybe Beausejour, he’s been vying for that top spot for a while now.
My money is still on Jordi though. A couple of misplaced passes on Wednesday or not making an effort for that 70-30 ball in favour of the opponent and his hat-trick will soon be forgotten.

Nelly, This Northern Soul…

As much as I’m glad Jordi stuck two fingers up at his critics I still think it’s best for all parties if he leaves in January. When there’s arseholes on Twitter giving him shit after he’s single handedly won us a game with a perfect hattrick – it just shows there’s nothing he can do to win any praise from these scumbags. Hope he goes elsewhere and does well, because at the right club he could be a top player.

griff, Cockney Latic…

As Jordi trudged off tonight, some bloke said to me he doesn’t seem too pleased. If I was Gomez, I’d have been telling the whole crowd to f*** off when they started to chant his name. Fickle set of twats, the lot of you.

Were’s the “Kone is a wanker” thread for missing that open goal header in the first half? Hmmm, thought not.

Bert the Janitor, This Northern Soul…

Dead pleased for Jordi but…….

This was against Reading who are basically a Championship side (sorry Diabo) and we know he can rip anyone a new arsehole from that division. He struggles against better opposition.
There are a bunch of players who are too good for the Championship, but are not good enough for the PL, Nathan Ellington being a prime example. Earnshaw another.

Blue_C, Latics Speyk…

He gave the ball away on numerous occasions, was weak in the tackle and couldn’t hold on to the ball. He was supposed to be playing wide right and was offering little support to Stam whereas JB was getting loads of support from SM and Jones. However when he moved to the more central role he was more comfortable, and started playing his own game and was arguably the best player out there. I haven’t said I agree with anyone booing, or that the team were crap, or that we were going to lose.

Edited to add that a number of commentators and reporters also commented on this fact after the game, so it’s not imagination on my part.

MarkSparko, Latics Speyk…

I am completely against booing at any time. I can understand it slightly more at the end of a game. To boo the players off at half time is idiotic, but to boo an individual player during the match is absolutely ludicrous. Then again, he did score a hat trick after the boos so cant have done him that bad!

The point I wanted to make though is you have to remember, if 300 or even less people boo in a stadium of 18000 you can hear it clearly. I do believe it is a minority, but a minority that shouldnt even be there. What Jordi did to today was out of this world, not just his importance on the pitch but to over come that mental side of the game he had to come over with everybody on his back. He must be scared to try anything.

Roberto Martinez, post-match interview…

The role Jordi had to play today was as unfair as you’re going to get. Because he missed the first two or three passes, all of a sudden the crowd let him know.

I’ve seen it so many times and it’s very difficult to compose yourself, and it would have been all too easy for him to hide and look away from the challenge.

But that’s not Jordi at all. Nobody deserved a hat-trick more today than him. It’s not just the three goals, he always shows for the ball, he had another two great opportunities.

The crowd were too vocal against him and I hope that today they realise that the only thing Jordi does is give his life for Wigan Athletic and to win football games.

I hope we all realise that and he gets a bit of warmth the next time he’s on the pitch.

Do you think Jordi Gomez has earned a run in the side, Wigan fans? If so, would you play him up front? Have your say in the comments section below…