Jorgen Strand Larsen insists the Wolves players will run themselves into the ground against Burnley on Sunday as the side go in search of their first Premier League win of the season.
The striker, who revealed he is feeling much better this week after struggling during the last few months with an Achilles problem, is remaining confident in the squad’s chance to their turn season around
Without a win at Molineux since April, Strand Larsen believes home form will be key to the team’s turnaround this season, and knows the players need to be the ones to step up and offer something for the fans to cheer if the stadium is to become a fortress once again.
On being positive ahead of Burnley
“It’s a mix of us trying to be ourselves in the way we’ve improved our playing in the last few games. Even though we lost against Sunderland last game, I think the second half, especially, we were the dominating side, and that’s what we want to be, especially on the ball.
“We’ve still got a lot to improve, but I feel like we’re in a good way. The atmosphere in training is good because we know it’s a long run, there are still many games to be played, and we have a really big game on Sunday.
“We’re very competitive, and we’re always trying to get better, so I feel like the group is still very intact and ready for the weekend.”
On connecting as a group
“We tried to do it last season too, but we also understood that we have quality players to counter-attack. This year, I feel like we’ve got more of a football side to us. We lost a few big names in the summer, and you have some new players wanting to adapt, who are really good technically and need probably more of the ball than for us to be without the ball.
“Especially with the new formation, we’re trying to be more dominant, and that also means less running without the ball. Hopefully we can keep building on that, because Sunderland away was obviously a really tough game, but there are many tough games in the Premier League.
“But we also need to be brave enough to keep doing that when it’s a tough away game. That’s what we need to keep improving, but hopefully now at home, we can go out there and set the standards from the first minutes.”
On aiming for a first Premier League win
“We really don’t think about when the last win was, but obviously we know that our form hasn’t been where we wanted to be. We’re preparing for this game the same as every other game.
“We know it’s early in the season, but it’s a massive game for us because it can close the gap a little bit and give us some confidence. At home, we’ll definitely be trying to create a really good atmosphere with the fans, trying to bring the most positivity out of them by giving them good football and run until we can’t anymore.
“That’s the plan because we’ve been losing too much at home this season and last season, so we need to try turn that around and make it a really tough place to come.”
On being a leader in the squad
“We’ve got loads of voices, but what’s good is that we have a big group of captains, and we also have leaders outside the captain group, players that care for the team and want to improve. It doesn’t really matter who the captain is with the armband, because I think most of them could have worn it.
“Obviously, Toti is a great captain and Doc next to him, so we are not thinking about that. It’s more about having the voices who are driving the trainings to a top level, coming into the game, making sure everyone’s ready and doing the right things. I haven’t thought about that once, because it’s always been good, so it’s not something we’re lacking at the moment, but I think it’s a mix of having lost the quality last season, but also with their voice.
“Now, it’s about trying to find the right way to play. For me, I got a lot of assists from the people that left last season, so we need to find the way we can make each other better. That probably takes some time, but I feel like we’re getting closer.
“For myself, I also haven’t been training much these last few weeks and months because of my Achilles problems, so it’s hard to keep playing games and not feeling perfectly fit, but at the same time, not bad enough that you can’t play.
“It’s a tough decision, because you always want to help the team, especially because you know what I did last season, but coming into this season it’s been a slow start for me and for all of us, but we know that the quality is definitely in the group, so when we start finding each other, it’s going to be really good for us.”
On being affected by an Achilles issue
“It’s really tough. It would be easier if we had 15, 20 points and I had three goals already, because I could probably rest a bit more, but I feel like I want to help the team. Some games you’re not perfectly fit, but you still want to help.
“But at the same time, he [Pereira] also knows that he’s got other options, so sometimes I come off earlier and I start on the bench, like I did in the cup once, and we’re trying to find the best way. But the good news is I’m feeling a lot better, and the past week has been a really good, and a really positive week for me.
“Achilles is not nice because it’s [affecting] every step you take, so obviously it’s a bit annoying, but at the same time, that’s not the reason why we haven’t won our games. It obviously helps if your striker is 100% fit, but I’m really close to being that now, and hopefully I can start making more damage like last season.”
On getting back to fitness
“It will get better. Already during the last three or four weeks I’ve been feeling a lot better – not at my at my best level, but that will take day by day to get a little bit better.
“Especially in training, I’ve been feeling a lot better this past week, so that also gave me confidence to come into the game, be a bit more free in my mind, to play a bit more freely, and it’s also good for the players around me to see that I’m fresh and driving forward – last season that was very important to the way we were pressing – scoring the important goal, so as long as we do that on Sunday, we can get started.”
