Wolves points needed more than performances

In fact, a draw wouldn’t do them much good either. It is simply, as Lambert has stated, a ‘must–win’ match. Wolves’ need for three points is as imperative as it’s been since they were chasing a play-off place almost two years ago. Anything less than victory is unthinkable.

If Lambert could hand-pick the opposition at Molineux tomorrow he’d have chosen the Millers, who’ve lost 17 of 18 away matches this season and are freefalling into League One.

It’s the kind of game for which the term ‘home banker’ was invented. But this is Wolves we’re talking about. A confidence-shy Wolves at that, who haven’t won since January 31.

A disastrous run of one point in six league games has seen them plummet to 21st in the Championship table, just one point and one place above the bottom three.

Performances have improved in the past week – Wolves were arguably the better side against both Reading and Ipswich – but those displays have still only yielded one point.

The problem on both occasions, as has been the case for the past month or so, was putting the ball in the back of the net. Or, more specifically, creating those golden chances when in and around the final third.

Wolves seem to have little problem getting into decent areas – or indeed having plenty of possession – but it’s the clinical, decisive touch that’s deserting them.

Again, the team you’d want to play to remedy that, in theory, is Rotherham who’ve conceded no fewer than 81 goals already this season – an average of more than two per game. Yet while the Millers comfortably have the league’s worst away record, the Championship’s poorest home record belongs to Wolves. They’ve won just four of their 16 matches at Molineux, losing nine.

It all points to a potentially fraught afternoon. Wolves aren’t doing anything the easy way at the moment and a goalless first half would generate a jittery atmosphere at a time when confidence is already low.

Lambert has a number of selection dilemmas to resolve.

Mike Williamson is back from suspension, while Helder Costa will surely return to the XI, although whose place he’d take is less clear after both Andreas Weimann and Ben Marshall impressed out wide on Tuesday.

Ivan Cavaleiro, crucially, is back in contention, while Lambert may also turn to the pace of Nouha Dicko up front.

With Conor Coady and Dominic Iorfa also pushing for starts there are sure to be changes. Lambert’s XI at Ipswich was selected with the intention of not losing the game. That isn’t the case tomorrow.

He said of his Ipswich selection, and dropping £13m man Costa: “The way things are going we probably had to be a bit more conservative, take the point, take a clean sheet and go back up the road.

“We can’t keep relying on Helder at every point, it’s unfair on him. I had a chat with him yesterday, he was tired from the amount of games he’s had, and I knew it would be a battle here, similar to the Cardiff game.

“He’s a young lad, the pressure heaps on him, so we have to spread that around the team. But a lot of that was the type of game it was going to be.”