Kortney Hause today said the Wolves defence will need to take their ‘A game’ to Burnley tomorrow (3pm) to keep the league-leaders’ strike force quiet.
Hause, recently restored to the side after a long term injury, formed a solid backline with Danny Batth in Sunday’s goalless draw with Birmingham, and knows more of the same will be needed at Turf Moor.
The Clarets are six points clear at the top of the table having won six in succession and not lost in 14 in the league.
And between them, strike pairing Andre Gray and Sam Vokes, both of whom have been at Wolves in different stages of their career, have chalked up 35 goals.
“As a player every game you play is a big game,” says Hause.
“Every game is a cup final – that is how I see it and how I get through games.
“Burnley will be tough as they are a very good team who came down from the Premier League last season.
“But there is no reason why we can’t go there and upset them.
“They have got some good players but so have we on our day.
“Andre Gray and Sam Vokes are one of the best partnerships in the Championship.
“I think me and Danny have done well against other good strikers in the league and kept good partnerships quiet in the past.
“We will have to be on our ‘A’ game because Andre Gray has scored a lot of goals and he is sharp and intelligent.
“We have got to make sure we are focused and we are switched on.”
Hause is pleased to be back in the ranks after a troublesome hamstring injury picked up against Middlesbrough in October, which later flared up again, derailed his promising start to the season.
He does admit taking a back seat during his rehabilitation prompted him to re-assess his game with a view to coming back stronger.
“It was a very frustrating injury for me,” he adds.
“I spent six weeks out and then returned to training and it happened again which meant further time out.
“I have listened to all the physios and backroom staff and just need to continue to look after my body and particularly the hamstring.
“Being a young player it is good to be playing at Championship level and I am excited about that and want to be out there every week proving myself to the gaffer and to the fans.
“When you are not playing the only thing in your mind is to get back fit but you can’t rush back and that comes with experience.
“This is the first time I have had a muscle injury and maybe I pushed it a bit but I know now what to do in the future and how to deal with it.
“When I was out people like Rob and Joe and Dales (Tony Daley) and the backroom staff were always talking to me and giving me advice about my game and so I was always learning.
“I also did some work with sports psychologist David Young, looking back at my clips and all the different aspects of my game.
“It was about getting everything programmed back into my head because when you out for a long time you need that and I think the sessions that I did with him really helped me.
“I needed to put what they told me into play and I think I have done so far and have been quite solid.
“I played a few games with Danny earlier in the season as well, and it was looking a decent partnership until I got injured.
“I think there was a good partnership with Danny and Ethan as well but now with Ethan being injured I want to pick up where we left off.”
Hause has also picked up from where he left off by being named in the England Under-21 squad – alongside defensive team-mate Dominic Iorfa – for the forthcoming European Championships qualifier in Switzerland.
“It’s nice to be called up again,” he admits.
“Having had a good start to the season, I then got injured and was out for three to four months.
“I have played a couple of games back at centre back since coming back and am happy that England have seen my comeback and have called me up.
“It’s something I am grateful for because when you are injured for a long time it can be mentally tough and you are thinking whether you can get back into the Wolves team or the England set-up.
“I am just thankful that Gareth Southgate has seen my comeback and called me up.
“It’s good too that Dom is involved.
“We spend a lot of time together on a weekly basis and we get on well so it’s good to have him in the squad as well.”
Back on club duty, with Wolves some way off both the play-off places on the one hand and the relegation zone on the other, Hause says the final nine games – starting at Burnley – are all about impressing and trying to build up some momentum.
“I have been back three weeks now and as a team I think we have done ok,” he says.
“We have been solid at the back and solid throughout the whole team.
We have picked up some decent results and need to continue to keep solid, do the basics, and then create more chances and play more free-flowing football up top.
“It has been quite an odd season and we have had big injuries which have left he team disjointed.
“I think without those injuries we would have been right up there and pushing for the play-offs because we have some good players - but this is what can happen in football.
“Hopefully whatever happens for the rest of the season we will have people back for the start of the next and ready to give it a really good push.”
*Tickets for tomorrow’s game are available from the Molineux Ticket Office up until 12 noon today (Friday). They will also be available on the day, cash only, from the main ticket office. If planning to purchase on the day, please arrive early as the Ticket Office is expected to be busy.
