Steven Schumacher wants a killer instinct from his players to turn performances into points, writes Pete Oliver.
Wanderers face Championship heavyweights West Ham on Tuesday night on the back of a three-match losing run which has slowed their early momentum.
The Whites feel they should have had much more to show for their efforts during that barren spell after being on top for lengthy periods in each game against Lincoln City, Sheffield United and Millwall.
But only one of them – the last-gasp 3-2 defeat at Bramall Lane last Tuesday night – has seen Wanderers find the net. And the Whites’ boss wants that to be difference as his side kicks off big back-to-back home games against the Hammers.
“We spoke this morning about trying to be more clinical when we're on top of games, being more ruthless, and when we can smell blood, trying to hurt teams, because that's what they do to us,” said Schumacher.
“If they get one sniff of an opportunity, we’ve found their taking it. That’s the reality of the level that we're in but there isn't too much to be overly concerned about here, because we're doing a lot of good things.
“The players are a really good group. We've brought some good characters to the squad and the players that we had last year have all shown what type of mentality they've got, because we were successful.
“They understand. They don't sit here and disagree with a lot of the stuff that all of the coaching staff are saying. We're an honest group and we don't want to come away too much from how we're playing, or the style, or trying to be more pragmatic and not commit as many numbers forward.
“That's not what we feel is our best way of winning games. But also, we have to be spot on with the detail. We can't afford to get the small margins wrong, because teams at this level punish you for it, but it's five games into the season and there's no major drama.”
Big-spending West Ham come to the Toughsheet Community Stadium – where they have never won – for the first time since April, 2011 as favourites to bounce straight back up to the Premier League.
The Londoners have won their last two games, scoring seven times in the process, but Schumacher insists Wanderers won’t change their attack-minded approach to try and secure a first win since the opening day.
“There's no point in us going into our shells and standing off West Ham and admiring them. We're in the same division, so we're going up against them, trying to compete and trying to get a result,” he told Wanderers TV.
“There's no denying the fact that they've got really good players and so much experience, Premier League, international players. We’re aware of the task, but what we won't do is change what we're doing.
“We have to try and pass the ball, try and commit bodies to our attacks but just be more clinical in both boxes. That is what's summed up the past week. In between both18-yard boxes we've been excellent. So, it's just about getting the final bits of the jigsaw right.
“We love playing at home. I know our pitch is fantastic and our home fans, especially when it's full like it's going to be again on Tuesday night, can give us that added energy that we're going to need.
“We're going to need everybody to stick together and really buy into a whole all-round performance that we're going to need if we're going to get the results that we need to put points on the board.
“We have to be mindful of what their strengths are but we've also watched a few things in their opening five games where they haven't been squeaky clean either.
“Charlton have been to their place and won, Watford have got a result against them, so they're not a team that are unbeatable if you get your plan right. We go into it with confidence, but also with an eye on the fact that we have to do better in the key areas that I've spoken about.”
Wanderers will be missing Lewis Blunt with the injury he picked up at Millwall on Saturday, when the Whites finished the game with nine men and shipped three late goals in a 4-0 defeat.
Defender Akin Famewo also came off early in that game and is a doubt, while Wanderers have appealed the red card shown to captain Josh Sheehan at the New Den and are awaiting the outcome before finalising plans to tackle the Hammers.
Tickets for the game against West Ham and Saturday’s visit of Cardiff City are available to buy HERE
Watch the full pre-match interview with the boss on Wanderers TV