Wigan Athletic currently sit 18th in the Championship table ahead of their match against Swansea City at the DW Stadium on Saturday. 

Similarly to last season, Paul Cook’s side have started excellently at home, but very poorly away.

So far, Wigan have recorded wins over Cardiff City, Birmingham City, Charlton Athletic and Nottingham Forest at home. On the flip side, they are yet to win an away match and have picked up just two points on the road.

Latics’ solid home form will likely be enough to keep them in the league, but if they have aspirations to climb into the top-half, they must improve away from home.

To do that, Wigan must start scoring more goals from open play and get Josh Windass back into the side.

Let's take a look at three players that Paul Cook needs more out of at the minute to get them going...

Michael Jacobs

Many Wigan fans see Jacobs as too good for League One but not good enough for the Championship, this season is supporting such claims.

In the two seasons Wigan spent in League One, Jacobs scored 22 goals. In comparison, he’s managed just eight goals for the club while playing in the Championship.

He is better than what he’s shown so far this season. The winger still works very hard, is positive on the ball and tries to make things happen. Jacobs just lacks that speed you need to be a top Championship winger.

His performances haven’t been good enough this campaign, and Wigan need more from him.

Gavin Massey

You could say the exact same thing about Massey, as I’ve just said about Jacobs. Massey played a big role in getting Wigan promoted from League One in 2017/18. In the Championship, he’s still learning to adapt his game and be more clever around the box.

Players like Massey, Jacobs and Jamal Lowe are unproven at the level and will need time, but being brutally honest, Wigan need performers now otherwise they’ll be relegated.

The Championship is an unforgiving league, and lack of quality will be exposed. Wigan’s attacking players haven’t scored enough goals so far this season, and they’ve been punished for that.

Josh Windass 

The former Rangers man wasn’t part of the squad that faced Bristol City on Sunday, for a reason unknown to fans.

Wigan need him fit and firing, otherwise I can’t see where their goals will come from. Windass has waited patiently for a chance, after Nick Powell filled the number 10 spot for the majority of last season.

Windass was superb on the opening day against Cardiff City, it looked as if he could be the new main man. Since then he’s had injuries.

Whatever is going on needs solving immediately, he’s too important to Wigan to be sitting on the sidelines.