Marcelo Bielsa is readying the troops for a potentially season-defining clash with Sheffield United, but Pablo Hernandez has revealed that the dressing room could not be more confident ahead of kick-off, according to quotes published by the Mirror.
A win at the weekend will move the Whites to five points clear of the Blades and distance ourselves from the Play-Off picture with eight games to go, all the while keeping the pressure on Norwich.
Three points on Saturday will also keep our current winning streak going, something that our influential midfielder believes is playing a part in the confidence the team are displaying.
“It’s a big game for us,” Hernandez claims. “I know all the people are waiting for this game now, but what’s more important is that we’ve arrived in a good moment with a lot of confidence.
“The team played a great game against Reading on Tuesday. We scored three goals, but we maybe could have scored five or six.
“We have a good feeling of confidence and we haven’t conceded any goals in the last three games. Now we’re only thinking about the next big game.
“We know that if we win our games we’ll be promoted. Sometimes I think it’s a mistake when you spend a lot of time watching the other teams – if they lose, if they win.
“The most important thing is to focus on our games and to try to win them all. If we win there’s no problem, even if the other teams win all their games.”
Our little wizard will have to ensure the confidence swirling around Thorpe Arch does not turn into arrogance, but it is great to hear that the players aren’t dwelling on the potential implications Saturday’s result could have on our season.
If the lads can also turn their self-belief into a strong result against Sheffield United, the conviction they display could even take us to the Championship title and brush-off Norwich’s current lead.