Wolves v Watford: Cesar Peixoto hunts needed Molineux cheer

Cesar Peixoto has urged Wolves to grasp the chance to raise the mood at Molineux when they host struggling Watford on Saturday.

The boss is eager to rediscover some home cheer after his team took just one point from the last two matches in front of their own supporters.

A chastening defeat to Bolton and Tuesday’s frustrating draw with Portsmouth, which saw Peixoto’s men pegged back late on, have raised frustration levels among the fanbase.

Peixoto felt the second result was partly a consequence of the first, after he accused players of lacking “courage” in the first half against Pompey.

He knows the pressure is on to produce a performance against the Hornets, who had lost four straight matches before last weekend’s win over Charlton.

“We have a game again in our home and we need a victory in our home to help our players play here,” he said.

“It is one more opportunity to win, another opportunity to bring three points and we need them.

“The Championship is too long. We have to stay with mental stability and consistency in these kind of moments.

“We have had a lot of injuries, a lot of games, a lot of things happened in the last week and a half.

“We have to manage that situation, stay together and keep working and keep pushing to try and find the win in the next game. It is another opportunity to win.”

Wolves appeared to be building momentum heading into the international break after recording back-to-back wins over Sheffield United and Albion.

But they have taken just four points from four matches since the season resumed.

While last Friday’s win at Burnley felt a big result after defeats to Middlesbrough and Bolton, they missed the chance to build on it with a largely underwhelming performance against Portsmouth, after which Peixoto highlighted concerns with the mentality of his players, particularly in home matches. Wolves have won just two out of five league matches at Molineux.

“We have to fix it. I don’t want this kind of mentality,” he said. “Against Burnley we had the right mentality. On Tuesday we played secure all the time in the first half.

“In the second half we go with the right mentality and push and score. And in the last few minutes we dropped deep, which we don’t want.

“But I think it is the way we wanted to win this game because we lost the one before. We went deeper than we wanted.”

Peixoto hopes to have Adam Armstrong and Kieran Trippier back for the weekend. Armstrong has missed the last two matches with a back injury, with Trippier sitting out Tuesday night’s draw due to a groin complaint.

The boss has continually tinkered with his starting XI, making 13 changes over the past three matches but he insists these have been necessary to cope with the busy schedule.

“I have to make changes,” he said. “I have confidence in all the players but I think in this moment we have to do this. If we don’t do this it is worse, I think.”