Defender itching to get back on the field this weekend
Saturday's trip to West Ham sees the long waited return of Gary Caldwell to the Latics team having served his three-match suspension after the weekend's triumph over Arsenal.
The centre-half told us how agonising a wait it's been on the sidelines and in training, and now cannot wait to get back involved for the season finale;
"It's been horrendous. It's terrible, hard to watch because you want to be out there contributing to the game," said Caldwell.
"So it was nerve-wracking against Arsenal but a big relief to get the win in the end, and to get three massive points in the run-in.
"We want to now get back-to-back wins, is something we haven't been able to do so far this season. We'll come down from the ceiling after this game, focus and work-hard in training this week and try to achieve that at West Ham on Saturday.
"It'll be great to be back. It's been a long time just training and not having games so it'll be good to get back and be involved again."
Caldwell was speaking after watching Latics overcome Arsenal at the DW Stadium on Sunday and admitted that whilst things looked bleak with ten minutes to go, he was delighted with the character and effort the lads showed to claim all three points in such dramatic fashion;
"I don't think anyone could see a way into the game at that point, although we didn't give up and kept pushing men forward.
"Then all of a sudden Ben (Watson) gets his goal and the rest is history. It's a funny game football, Arsenal will still be thinking what has happened to them here, but for us it's a lesson that you always have to keep believing. If you do that you'll get your rewards in the end.
"It just goes to show what this group can achieve when we put our heads together and have a real go. We've beaten Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal here in the same season, and that's no coincidence.
"You could see the boys' character, it was fantastic. You're 2-0 down against one of the best teams in the country, but still they kept going, kept pushing and when you get one goal back it totally changes the game.
"Ben got the goal that got us back in the game and I thought he was outstanding, he deserved that for the performance he put in. After that we kept going, never gave in and went on to get the win.
best result ever?
"We have to build on that now and gain momentum from results like this so that we don't ever find ourselves in this kind of situation again.2
The was also a final word on the man who has stepped in to cover Caldwell at the back and in the meantime form a solid partnership with Titus Bramble, Steve Gohouri. The Ivoirian's performances
against Portsmouth and Arsenal showed real quality and will no doubt give Roberto Martinez a tough decision to make come Saturday;
"He's been outstanding in both games that he's featured in. Again against a top side like Arsenal who ask a lot of questions he put in another great shift."
