We also need a slice of luck - Dickov
Latics will be looking for a greater level of consistency and a modicum of luck in Saturday’s npower League One match at Brentford.
Paul Dickov admitted fans saw the worst and best of his side in equal measure in the 1-1 midweek draw against Scunthorpe United at Boundary Park.
Latics’ manager explained that his team is at its best on the front foot hunting down opponents, something they failed to do in the opening half on Tuesday.
Dickov added the defence sat too deep in the first period against the Iron and this made it nigh impossible for the midfield men to win second balls.
"We sorted it out at half time and in the second period I thought we were the stronger team, created the better chances and Scunthorpe were hanging on at the end," he said.
Dickov also explained that his side also needs a slice of good fortune after being held by both Notts County and Scunthorpe in the last week.
He continued: "There are two games we could have won had we had a bit of luck with decisions at the end of both.
"We could have been talking about six points but, we haven’t got them and cannot change the decisions.
"We take the positives from Tuesday and work on the negatives as we prepare for Saturday as I believe we have the makings of a good team here."
Dickov called for patience pointing to the fact that three of the back four, the two wide players and Matt Derbyshire are all new boys.
He said: "That is six players who are still gelling into how we want to play and the more games they have, the better we will become.
"It’s a new team and new squad, but slowly but surely we are getting things together."
Derbyshire, who joined Latics on loan from Nottingham Forest last Friday, has certainly hit the ground running scoring in each of his two appearances for the club. He is pictured celebrating his goal against the Scunthorpe.
Latics head to Griffin Park on the back of a three game unbeaten run in League One.
"It’s a good habit to be unbeaten, but we want to be picking up three points from games," he said.
Dickov described it as being a tough game, but believes they can repeat their 3-1 win at Griffin Park in October 2010.
Latics’ manager says it will be a good test bearing in mind the Bees are being tipped for a top-six finish.
He explained: "If we start the game as we did against Scunthorpe, we will be in trouble. We cannot go there and defend deep and leave big spaces between defence and midfield.
"If we make it compact without the ball and express ourselves as we can with the ball we can cause them problems."
There will be various reunions at Griffin Park.
Dickov and his former Manchester City co-striker Uwe Rosler will go head to head in the technical area.
Latics will also be up against Tom Adeyemi, the player who spent most of last season on loan at Boundary Park from Norwich City who have now loaned him to the Bees.
Jose Baxter comes up against his former Everton team mates Adam Forshaw and Jake Bidwell.
Brentford have made an indifferent start to the campaign and they have been almost as inconsistent as Latics.
They are in 12th place having collected nine points from seven games. Latics have six points from six matches as they lie 18th.
Latics’ defence will be kept on its toes by the Bees’ front duo of Clayton Donaldson and Moroccan new-boy Farid El Allagui who have scored four and three goals respectively.