'I sensed mentality was wrong before game', admits Wigan Athletic chief

Latics' three-match win streak hit a brick wall against the Addicks, who opened up a three-goal lead by half-time.

A much-improved second-half showing from Latics, sparked by a triple substitution at the break, saw them claw back goals from Thelo Aasgaard - who also, along with Callum Lang, hit the bar - and Stephen Humphrys.

Maloney took 'full responsibility' for the setback in the post-match press conference, but also suggested the problem went far deeper than mere tactics.

"It's my responsibility to make sure the culture of the team is right, the culture of the club is right," he said.

"And not just the players, it's the staff as well.

"I take that very seriously, and you could sense that pretty early.

"I know we hit the bar with Langy's free-kick, but that would have been against the run of play.

"Even then I knew things weren't right, and we made three changes at half-time, but the players also needed to know how angry I was, with a lot.

"The players who came on all had a big impact, the players who'd underperformed in the first half also stepped up, and it was everything I wanted to see from my team.

"Look, I think we can trouble any team in this league. But when our mentality isn't right, any team can hurt us, and the first half showed us that.

"When we have a mentality like that - when we don't run as quickly without the ball as we do with it - we're going to get hurt.

"At half-time they had to be reminded of that, and the second half was just the complete opposite in every way."

While enthused with the way his players responded to adversity, Maloney is adamant big lessons have to be learned to avoid a repeat.

"I know it's very difficult for the supporters to see that, because we got beat," he said.

"The way the first half went, if we'd had another half like that, it would have been extremely difficult to watch - for the supporters and also myself.

"The second half was a big positive, and we have to take with us the feelings from that, as well as understanding what happened in the first half and why.

"If we ever - and this goes for the whole club, from top to bottom - think we can turn up to a game and win, without giving 100 per cent and having the right mentality, then we're going to get hurt a lot.

"It's my job as manager - and that's why I take full responsibility - that I make sure that first halves like that cannot happen again.

"I could sense it...I could sense it before the game."

The Latics boss also explained his team selection, which saw in-form duo Humphrys and Martial Godo - along with the injured Steven Sessegnon - drop out of the starting XI.

"It was just the amount of games we've had recently, and the type of players they are really," he added.

"Looking at the schedule, and five games in the space of a fortnight, with the run we've been on, and also the strength of squad I believe we have, that was the thinking.

"I've seen it with Liam Morrison, and the danger of relying on a young player in every single minute of the game.

"I wanted to give Martial some form of break physically, but I couldn't, I had to bring him on in the second half.

"He's been so good for us, and you saw in the second half, he's basically dragging our team forward.

"We look so reliant on him, and Stephen Humphrys...and I thought Thelo was brilliant again, he really led us.

"I know we're very reliant on some of the younger lads, but that's where we are at the moment."