The Latics dominated possession and Darren Bent's first half effort aside always looked like the only side who would make the break through.
McLeish however seems to have been watching a different game as he told the Aston Villa official website: "I thought we had the better chances. I was disappointed we didn't take any of those.
"I was pleased with the chances if not the finishing. The finishing will need to be touched up on.
"Benty [Darren Bent] will feel he should have scored, he side-footed it and probably will think he should have put the laces through it. The goalkeeper may have had more difficulty with it.
"But that again illustrates what Benty is good at, peeling off the shoulder of the defender, that's his forte."
The former Rangers and Birmingham City manager did have words of praise for the Latics, he added: "We had to work hard. They played 3-4-3 and they have that good fluency in their midfield and attack. Our defenders had to do well and they did just that.
"They did extremely well, the concentration was much better at set-pieces and Wigan did not really get through us and penetrate us on too many parts of the game at all.
"Shay made a good save at the end but I felt the best chances fell to Aston Villa."
For Latics fans, it was somewhat disappointing to see Emile Heskey, and Charles N'Zogbia, two fantastic players used so sparingly at the expense of under performing others by Aston Villa. Both would be more than welcome within the present Latics set up.
