Wigan Athletic head coach Gary Caldwell expressed satisfaction with his squad's fitness levels after the Latics completed their pre-season schedule with a 0-0 draw at Southport and a 2-0 defeat to Grimsby Town.
Caldwell noted that most of his squad managed to play 90 minutes of football across the two-game weekend. While performance levels varied between the fixtures, he highlighted that the preparation time was valuable with the competitive season just days away.
Grimsby defeat highlights defensive issues
The loss to Grimsby exposed defensive weaknesses that Caldwell acknowledged must be addressed. He stressed that similar lapses could prove costly in the weeks ahead, telling the club that "if this happens next week, we are out of the cup."
Despite the defeat, Caldwell pointed to improvements shown across the broader pre-season run, with the final week of training before the competitive campaign begins crucial for the developing squad.
Carabao Cup tie marks start of season
Wigan Athletic's competitive action begins with a Carabao Cup Round One tie at Barnsley next weekend.