Rewind to a time before Christmas where the Latics were on the verge of losing ten straight league games and there was little optimism that our side had the fight required to survive in the Premier League.
Furthermore we had what could have only been described as a nightmare December ahead of us.
Arsenal at home aside and the Latics have performed admirably throughout a very difficult and compact month to pick up some vital points at the foot of the table.
No longer are we the whipping boys of the past few months. Rather there is a steel and determination that makes us difficult to break down and hard to beat.
The way the Latics fought back against Chelsea, and Stoke, showed character of a team that doesn't want to get relegated.
With the table very tight all the way up to 8/9th place, there is plenty to play for. With a difficult run of fixtures behind us, now is the time to drive on and pick up three points against some fellow strugglers in the month of January.
The season is at the halfway point, and Roberto Martinez is more aware of where his team needs strengthening. The January transfer window could well see an addition of two being made in key areas as the Latics look to push away from the relegation zone.
