Stephen Ward is confident the current cold snap won't deprive Wolves of any of their intensity as they prepare to return to action in Saturday's crucial Barclays Premier League clash with Wigan.

Like many clubs across the country, training regimes have had to be changed with the ground frozen for the best part of a fortnight and the postponement of Sunday's trip to West Ham means Wolves will have gone almost two weeks without a fixture.

But the team have been able to regularly train at Molineux and Stephen believes it's a stage of the season where it's all about keeping fitness levels topped up.

"It was disappointing the West Ham game was postponed because we were all ready to play," he said.

"As footballers you are always training and working towards getting out on the pitch at the weekend and so it's a shame the game was off.

"But at the same time when it comes to the safety of spectators who are travelling to the stadium then obviously the decision is understandable and we accept it.

"We just get back to work this week ahead of Wigan and just have to make sure we are just as well prepared for West Ham when the game comes around.

"I don't think the weather will have any effect on us and hopefully the postponement won't either.

"We can do work in the gym or the Dome and then can also do outdoor training at Molineux as much as we need to.

"Even when we don't train outside as much as normal it is always still at a high intensity to ensure we are fully prepared for a game.

"I think we're at a stage of the season where fitness levels are already high for the lads who have played a lot of the games and particularly after all the games over Christmas, it's more a case of topping up the levels.

"In my case I've obviously been out for a while with injury but I still feel fresh and sharp and just looking forward to the games we've got coming up."

The visit of Wigan, just like West Ham, sees Wolves locking horns with a team in very close proximity in the bottom half of the table.

The Irishman recognises that these are the sorts of games from which Wolves - and indeed Wigan for that matter - will be particularly keen to pick up points.

"It is important that we take something from the game to keep ourselves in a decent position and out of the bottom three," he added.

"It is so tight down there any points that you get will be vital come the end of the season so this is another of the games we need to take something from them if we are going to stay in the league.

"Every game is important, but there is just a bit more significance put on these games because people will expect us to get more out of these games than maybe against the likes of the top four or five.

"But, having said that, I don't think that anyone expected us to go to Tottenham and win so you do get the odd result that people don't expect.

"We know these are the games people will look more at us and they will probably determine our season rather than against the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.

"There is pressure all the time in the Premier League and at the end of the day it is about who performs best on the day."

It's extremely close towards the lower half of the table heading into the New Year's fixtures, and Stephen expects it to remain nip-and-tuck all the way.

"I think it will be tight at the bottom of the table for the rest of the season," he said.

"Right from the off it has been tight and you look at it now and there is only three or four points between the relegation zone and ninth or tenth place.

"It is a mini-league involving the bottom half of the table and that is why every point is so vital.

"Everyone will be looking over their shoulder between now and the end of the season."