Caldwell bemoans inability to take 'huge chances' during Barnsley setback
· Paul Kendrick · 2026-08-08 · nguồn gốc
Gary Caldwell bemoans Wigan Athletic's inability to take 'huge chances' during Barnsley setback
Gary Caldwell admitted to being pleased with almost every aspect of Wigan Athletic’s Carabao Cup first-round tie at Barnsley – apart from the failure to make the most out of their ‘huge chances’ which allowed the home side to sneak through on penalties.
Latics led 1-0 at the break through Dara Costelloe, but they should have been out of sight such was their superiority.
Costelloe (twice), Chris Sze (twice) and Fraser Murray (twice) were among the players who couldn’t take advantage of great chances to net further goals, with Murray also hitting a post when clean through.
And Latics paid a huge price as Cameron McGeehan equalised with nine minutes remaining.
After K’Marni Miller was denied what looked to be a winning goal in stoppage-time chalked off for offside, Jon Mellish was the only misser in the penalty shoot-out, as Latics bowed out 6-5.
Caldwell, though, insisted there were plenty of positives to be taken into the League One opener at Cambridge United next weekend.
"I thought we were brilliant...very, very good...in terms of understanding how to play the game, especially in the first half,” he said.
"They are a very 'front foot', aggressive team, who like to apply pressure, but I don't think they had any entries into our half before the break.
"And the chances we created...they just kept coming, it was one after the other...and not half chances, they were huge chances.
"We also hit the post, the goalkeeper made some good saves, and it's credit to the players that they managed to carry that out so early in the season.
"We totally dominated a good team, away from home, and you just have to put a game like that to bed and not give them any hope.
"They got better in the second half, while we dipped a bit towards the end, and that shows the need to strengthen the squad, and make that competition for places even better.
"But on the whole, I'm delighted with the group, what they've given me, and we thoroughly deserved to win the game.
"If we can take this performance into the league season, being that aggressive and that hard to play against, then I'm sure we'll win a lot of games."
Caldwell was also understandably frustrated at seeing Miller’s last-gasp goal disallowed, which prevented Latics from winning the game in 90 minutes.
"We did win it...we scored a winning goal, which is clearly onside,” he added. "We were ready to play a game today, but I don’t think the officials were.
"All we want them to do is get big decisions right, and we’ll all be happier.”