Defender makes 'change the season' claim as Rob Edwards prepares for Wolves bow
Jackson Tchatchoua has called on Wolves to “change their season” by beating Crystal Palace in Rob Edwards’ first match in charge.
The full-back reckons just one victory can spark the campaign and set the club on its way to pulling off another Great Escape from relegation.
Winless Wolves sit bottom of the table, eight points from safety, after taking just two points from their first 11 Premier League matches.
But Tchatchoua claims the arrival of Edwards has provided the squad with fresh energy and now wants a win over the Eagles on Saturday to further lift the mood.
“Everybody knows this match is very important for the team,” he said. “I think it can change the season for us because after one victory, the spirit, the confidence, all these things can be with us.
“This match is very important. Everybody knows this and we all work very hard this week to be ready for this match.
“It’s like a domino effect. We know that if we win one, then we can keep adding more and more victories with time.”
Tchatchoua returned to Compton Park earlier than he would have desired after Cameroon were knocked out of the World Cup play-offs by DR Congo.
But the silver lining to the 24-year-old’s international heartbreak has been additional time working with Edwards.
Tchatchoua explained how the new boss has demanded an increased intensity from his players, while also stressing the importance of playing to the final whistle.
Wolves have dropped five points from goals conceded after the 85th minute, including costly stoppage time strikes against Tottenham and Burnley.
Tchatchoua said: “I think we can sometimes be more together on the pitch, because at the beginning of this season, you’ve seen that sometimes we’ve lost the matches in the last minute or in the last 10 minutes, and I think we need to be together more and focus until the last minute.
“The Premier League is a very tough championship, but I think we all have the quality to play well. The results have not been what I wanted with the team but I feel we can do something good.”
He continued: “The coach said he wants us to put more intensity into the match, more duels, and more running together. When one person loses the ball, everybody should want to get the ball back for him.
“I think it's all in the little details. One by one, they will make a big difference. If we can do this in the matches and make these little changes, as well as having more luck with us because we’ve had a little bit of bad luck in certain moments, then the positive energy will come to us.”
Despite the current outlook, Edwards has reminded his players there are still plenty of matches left to play.
Tchatchoua added: “At this moment, the situation is not easy, but you need to find something good for us to stay positive, because it’s important to be positive.
“The season is long and there are still a lot of points to take, so this is not the moment to lose confidence.”
