Martinez takes positives from first-half but insists team must learn from 'harsh lessons'
Roberto Martinez insisted that despite a disappointing evening at the DW Stadium there were many positives to take from the game against Chelsea, particularly during the first-half.
Latics were the better side heading into the break, and unlucky to be behind. And although the gaffer was upset with the goals his side conceded in the second-half he hopes to build on what went before;
"I am shell-shocked at the score-line, because I just couldn't see that coming at all after the performance in the first half," said Martinez.
"We need to correct certain aspects, but it is disgraceful to have to be explaining away a 6-0 defeat from that game.
"The players gave everything, but physically and we could not maintain our first-half performance.
"We were in the game until the third goal went in, but the goals that followed were far too cheap.
"It was a heavy defeat, but we can take many, many positives from the first half and that is what we must build on."
Dissecting the game further the gaffer went on to explain that although there was plenty to build on from the first 45 minutes, the team must learn from what happened after the break;
He said; "They scored from their first shot on target, then with their first effort in the second half, and mentally it is tough for you to respond.
"Goals change games, individually and collectively, and today we have learned a few nasty lessons.
"When you are playing against outstanding individuals, they are going to make the right decisions and hurt you.
"But to concede goals in the manner we did is going to be damaging, and we couldn't get back into the game.
"We cannot be that weak and naive when things are not going our way, and that has been the case for the past year not just this season.
"It's something we need to eradicate from our football club quickly.
"I couldn't have been any happier with our first-half performance.
"We were the better side in every single department and we didn't deserve to be 1-0 down at half-time.
"In the second half we did have some half-chances but we just didn't have the quality to make the most of them.
"It's time to stop giving silly goals away and do justice to the quality we have got."
Finally the gaffer urged fans to get behind the team once again in helping the club through a difficult spell;
"I can understand the fans booing us off because it is another game that we have not got any points from.
"I would just ask the fans to forget about the score-line, if they can, and get behind this group of players."
