Martinez targets winning run

Martinez targets winning run

Published Nov. 26, 2010 1:15 p.m. ET

Wigan have won just one of their last seven league games and slipped back into the bottom three with defeat at Manchester United last weekend. They now face a crucial encounter against bottom side West Ham on Saturday. Martinez said: "Overall the consistency in our performances has been really good. "There is only one performance in the last 10 I haven't been happy with. "As a squad we are getting closer together. We are getting stronger and slowly you can see good signs of the potential of our squad. "The talent in the squad is huge. I am delighted and extremely proud of every single member of the squad." Martinez does not believe Wigan's 18th position in the table is a true reflection of their ability and feels in such a tight competition it can quickly improve. Yet while he may not be overly concerned at the moment, he does accept spending too long in the lower reaches could have a negative psychological impact. He added: "The table probably tells you a short-term situation depending on the opposition you have been facing of late. "But it is something we want to improve, we want to get in a better position. "We don't want to have any negative effect from the media or the outside. "But clearly the differences between the top 10 and the bottom 10 are small details. "We want a good run of results and for that to be reflected in the table. "The first third of the competition has been really intense and has been very productive. "It has created good competition within our squad, a good understanding and a clear way of how we play. "Now it is a matter of focusing on results to get into a good position in the table for the last third of the season." Saturday's game carries huge importance for West Ham, who along with Wolves have been cut five points adrift of Latics. Avram Grant is under growing pressure after winning just one of his first 14 league games in charge. The Hammers were also heavily criticised for their performance in last week's dismal 3-0 loss at Liverpool. Despite their closeness in the table, the outlook appears to contrast sharply with that at Wigan, who are actually just six points behind seventh-placed Sunderland. Martinez said: "I am not sure about them because I am concentrating on our own side. "We have our own situations to deal with. "But expectations are high at West Ham, a football club with huge tradition. It is a situation I am sure they want to get rid of. "Being bottom is not a position where anyone wants to be. "For ourselves we come in on the back of a disappointing experience against Manchester United. "We want to make sure we get back to the level we can show. Saturday for us is a huge game." Wigan must overcome the loss of striker Hugo Rodallega and Antolin Alcaraz, who are both suspended after being sent off at Old Trafford. The game also comes too soon for another defender in Emmerson Boyce but club captain Gary Caldwell has an outside chance of featuring after a thigh injury. Martinez added: "We have two suspensions and a couple of injuries. "We need to deal with that before we travel down to West Ham. "But all our focus goes into ourselves, making sure we can adapt to being without the players we are going to have missing and we are ready for what is going to be a very demanding, but really exciting, game."

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