Dave Penney is up for the challenge as Latics prepare to play the top three teams in Coca-Cola League One in successive matches.
Latics visit Colchester on Saturday and Leeds on Tuesday before playing hosts to leaders Norwich next Saturday.
The Latics manager said; "We always knew it would be a really tough week against the teams which are third, second and first. It was important, therefore, that we picked up three points last Saturday against Walsall.
"They are tests that players should thrive on because they are big games played in front of big crowds, and they ought to enjoy them.
"These three games ought to provider a barometer as to where we are in terms of our development,"
After having a season disrupted by injuries and bad weather, Penney added that he has purposely tried to keep a settled side in recent matches.
He said: "We have tried to keep the team as unchanged as we can for the last three games.
"We brought in Chris Taylor to give us more width on the left against Walsall which worked well. There won't be too many changes for Saturday.
"The players have been great in training this week after you would expect after a couple of wins."
After having three games in seven days, Penney has welcomed a full week to prepare for the visit to Colchester.
The Latics manager added that confidence is high having won two of the last three matches with the squad strengthened by the return of players after injury, notably Pawel Abbott and Chris Taylor who are big players for the club.
Penney believes Abbott has benefitted from having on-loan Jason Price to play alongside him saying he prefers a big man to take weight off him.
"Jason has the know-how as a centre forward. He holds up the ball, backs into defenders and liable to get a flick on, win a free kick and get you a goal," he continued.
Penney added the team needed more presence up front and Price has done a good job during his one-month loan which ends after next Saturday's home game against Norwich.
The Latics manager added he has not been surprised by Colchester's successful season saying he knows Aidy Boothroyd well pointing out he has the team playing in the styloe he wants.
"They are big, strong, well organised and they will be a tough test for us," he explained.
Penney is impressed by the way Colchester can mix their play saying they also have good footballers like David Prutton John O'Toole, Kem Izzet and Anthony Wordsworth.
Colchester, unbeaten in their last four league matches, could have 11-goal top scorer back in the squad following a lay off caused by injury and illness. Second leading marksman Kayode Odejayi limped out of the midweek win at Yeovil, but he is expected to shake off the knee injury sustained at Huish Park.
Former Latics player Marc Tierney picked up a facial injury at Yeovil, but he is expected to overcome that for Saturday.
