Dave Edwards: Wolves must make sure break doesn't stifle improvement

After what has been a big upturn in form, compared to the early weeks of the season, Vitor Pereira would no doubt have liked to be on the training ground working with his players to give them the best chance of continuing the improvement.

Instead, the majority of his starting XI have been away with their national teams, several travelling long distances.

It means preparation time for Saturday’s huge match at Sunderland will be short.

Players will be arriving back on Thursday, or in some cases Friday, then you have the long trip up to the north-east.

It will be about making sure the players are right physically and getting over analysis through videos. There won’t be a huge amount of time, if any, to work on the grass so they just have to focus on what they have done well these last three games and build on that.

The next two games, with Burnley to come the following weekend, are massive but the way Wolves approach each will be different.

For Burnley at home, Wolves will need to be on the front foot straight away. They will need to make it uncomfortable for the Clarets.

Being away at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, I believe Wolves can afford to be a bit more pragmatic. They don’t need to be the team on the front foot, trying to win from the start. It is all about quieting the crowd, keeping the ball as much as they can to frustrate them.

Wolves have shown in recent games what a threat they can be on the counter attack.

If we do go 1-0 up, that is where things need to change a little bit. Wolves will need to be a bit braver and not just sit on that lead, to try and get the second goal and really kill the game off.

There have been formation changes the last two games when they’ve been ahead. Against Tottenham arguably it worked, before perhaps too many defensive changes late on. Against Brighton it definitely worked against Wolves as they dropped deeper and deeper. That was a game they should have won.

Staying in a more attacking mindset for longer, staying with four at the back for a little longer, would really help. I am sure Pereira, having sat down and watched back the last two matches, will be a bit more aggressive.

The switch to a back four has worked really well and the whole team looks stronger defensively.

Sam Johnstone’s performances in goal have also been a big factor. He’s had to be patient since joining Wolves last year, having first come into the team when we were in a really bad spot. It wasn’t his fault but his first few months at the club were very turbulent and I feel he was a bit of a victim in all of that.

But he has worked away. When he has been called upon he has done well in cup games. Since he has come into the starting XI this season he has been brilliant. He is calm, assured and not erratic whatsoever. He’s made some brilliant saves and takes no real risks in his distribution. He has been a calming presence, which has helped the team in this difficult moment.

He should be delighted with his form and he seems a lot happier, as well.

You have to give him loads of credit for not throwing his toys out of the pram. He got his head down, worked hard and he is showing now why he has been an England goalkeeper.