KEITH Curle says going head to head with Brentford highlighted Latics’ need to do the “simple things” better.

The League Two strugglers were exposed against the Premier League newcomers when a second minute spot kick was the start of a 7-0 rout.

Scoreline aside, there were moments in the game that pleased the head coach, and he also drew encouragement from a following of 599 Latics fans.

But he feels playing on that bigger stage emphasised the need to work on the basics.

"Break it down, have a look at what we did. What do we emphasise in training? Passing and moving, possession football, possession with direction,” said Curle.

“We don't do the simple things well naturally, and we need to respect the simple things because you're going to need them.

“How many times do we give the ball away?

“How many times do we have to take two or three touches to set off ourselves? If you take another touch, the picture that you had in your mind has changed because they're good.

“They (Brentford) are athletes. When they press they press like athletes, they're getting there, they're going with determination.

“They're not on the next page, they're on the next chapter. Brentford as a football club are on the next chapter.

"A few years ago Oldham were playing Brentford (in the league) and look at where Brentford have gone now.

“It doesn't just happen overnight, there's got to be planning in place and you've got to be brave at times.”

But, equally, Curle knows he is not comparing like for like.

"Put it into perspective because football is about perspective as well, at times. Their prize money for achieving promotion to the Premier League, £160-odd million, probably another £30-odd million gathered along the way gaining promotions, full houses week in, week out, so they will generate a lot of income,” he said.

"We're probably in and around the bottom sector of League Two, probably very close to the bottom sector of League Two so that's your perspective of where you're at.

"They've got good athletes, they've got hungry athletes because there are Premier League places up for grabs here and those players have had a taste and they are on the fringes of it and they want to take that next step, so it's a great opportunity for them to go out there and show their manager that they're close.

"Some of the finishing, excellent. Some of the opportunities we gave them shows that we need to improve a lot, but some of the finishing was excellent. The first goal, the penalty, kills us. The last goal was a great finish. Poor decision by Clarkey to step up, should have blocked the lad and not let him get across him, but great finish.”

He added: “I remember going to the old Brentford and it didn't look anything like the Brentford today and it's got a feelgood factor about it.

“They've had a vision, they've had investment and they've got a plan.”