David Jones ready to go for the kill

Midfielder David Jones has insisted Wolves are in the right frame of mind to win one of their biggest games in recent times.

Nine defeats in 11 have seen the early season sunny skies replaced by storm clouds, for what manager Mick McCarthy has described as a 'must-win' clash against Sunderland tomorrow.

At Blackpool last Saturday, it looked as if the poor run had got to the players for the first time.

Shots didn't always go in when they should have and people snatched at opportunities.

But Jones and his team-mates have been working on the mental side to ensure the costly mistakes of recent games aren't repeated.

Sports therapist Bill Stevens has been a key influence in the background.

He said: "The mental side of the game is huge and it has a lot to do with your performance on the pitch. Bill's been working with us for two years now and nothing's changed really.

"He's done a great job and that's something I've sought out - every week, after every match, I'm always trying to gain more confidence in certain areas of my game.

"Especially for this one, because I need to be up to that level. Working on the mental side is an ongoing thing because if you're confident, then everything looks easy and things come off for you.

"That's the level I want to get up to, that comes with playing well and getting results.

"That hasn't been happening so it's tough to get yourself up to that level of confidence.

"But we're all men and we're all professional players so we should be able to shrug it off mentally, regardless of how things are going.

"We have to get ourselves into a state tomorrow where we're still confident."

That state of mind, according to Jones, means being prepared to shoot on sight even if it's just a half chance.

He said: "When we're not full of confidence, one of us has to take an opportunity that isn't a clear-cut chance.

"If something drops for me on the edge of the box, that's a chance for me to score. We just need someone to step up to the plate and everyone has been working on that this week.

"That might be a defender getting a header on a free kick, me shooting if I get a chance or someone else - we've all got to make the goalkeeper work.

"That's what we've been working on, trying to perfect our technique so we can transfer it to the match with that ice-cold, clinical approach to put the ball in the back of the net.

"If I do get those chances tomorrow, I'm going to put them away."

Wolves players have had to work on the mental side with Jones admitting the transition from playing against the big teams to the so-called lesser sides was something of a shock to the system.

He said: "We know the pressure isn't on to get anything from games against the top teams.

"When we came into the Bolton and Blackpool matches, we thought it was going to be easier.

"But they're completely different matches because the top clubs possibly let you play a bit more.

"So maybe we've got to get our head around the fact that we've got to win these games.

"We need to get back to that ruthless winning mentality in terms of putting bodies on the line and keeping the ball out of the net and scoring goals."

Jones believes there are mitigating circumstances but admits they count for nothing now.

He said: "Wrong decisions in both penalty areas have cost us. Against Blackpool, there wasn't a lot wrong in our general play and creating chances.

"But that doesn't count for a lot when you're not putting the ball in the net and letting goals in. I had two opportunities I should have done better with.

"If those chances come along tomorrow, I've got to take them."