Paul Lambert says Wolves must embrace the expectation levels of playing at Molineux and make the most of home advantage as they look to end a dismal recent run.
Wolves have lost their last four home games, albeit under one since Lambert’s arrival, but he says he would far sooner have the big crowds and those expectation levels than the other way around.
And he says it is about the players using the passionate support to their advantage, as they aim to end that disappointing run against Fulham on Saturday (3pm).
“I think the home form is vital,” says the Head Coach.
“That's where you get most of your supporters coming to the home games.
“We have to try and entertain them as well as trying to win games.
“The crowd have been brilliant. They'll come in their thousands again on Saturday to get behind us.
“We need them. And we need them right behind us to help us when we have hard times. They'll drag us on.
“The important thing for me is that everyone sees we're fighting for each other because the crowd will get right behind us.
“We've got a young team – it does make you mentally tough.
“The supporters don't want the team turning up and dying or not fighting.
“Mental toughness is part of the game, being mentally strong to play in front of a great home crowd.
“Listen, you'd rather have it than not have it. You play in front of thousands, or hundreds, and any footballer would say thousands.”
Last Thursday’s win at QPR was Wolves first in ten games after a run which had seen them drop down the Sky Bet Championship table prior to Lambert’s arrival.
But he says the time now is for looking forward and aiming for improvement, rather than focusing on what went on before.
“I’m not going to sugar coat everything and say it’s a bed of roses,” he says.
“The league position tells you it’s been a rough ride since the start of the season.
“I’m probably a realist. We have to fight, we have to be professional and disciplined and work hard.
“If you train hard you play hard, I’m a great believer in that.
“I’ve no interest in what happened before because I can’t influence that, but I can influence what happens now.
“Hopefully they’re enjoying their football and we start to get better.
“The players seem good. What last Thursday's win has done is broke the back of what’s happened in the past 10 games or so.
“They had to get the feeling of what it’s like to win again and see the game through, although if truth be told what happened in those last five minutes shouldn’t have happened.”
