Strand Larsen singles out Wolves' mentality after fifth straight defeat

Jorgen Strand Larsen delivered a pointed assessment of his Wolves teammates after a 3-1 home defeat to Leeds United left the club rooted bottom of the Premier League with five consecutive losses. The summer signing spoke openly about what he described as a troubling mindset among those around him and warned that the run would not end without meaningful changes in attitude and approach. "We are in a really tough spot right now," Strand Larsen said. "We were 1-0 up and we cannot give the goals away we did today. The goals we conceded were easy crosses and we had give-away passes. It kills us, and it kills the people who want to come into the game, too. It's about the mentality of the players and we need to do better. We need to change our mentality. It's going to be a long season."

Vladislav Krejci gave Wolves the early lead, but Leeds hit back before halftime to lead 3-1, with goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anton Stach and Noah Okafor turning the game on its head. The result intensified the sense of crisis at Molineux as fans, frustrated by the club’s slide, could be seen leaving in the final stages and calling on owners Fosun to act. In the same week, manager Vitor Pereira signed a new three-year contract, extending a period of stability amid the club’s struggles. Pereira said the side needed a result to restore confidence and insisted he is still searching for the best XI and the right balance in a squad that has looked disjointed at times this season. "Mentally I think we need a result to give us the confidence to not commit easy mistakes. Sometimes a result can change everything. I'm trying to find out best XI. I'm trying to find the balance in our team," he said.

Calvert-Lewin's equaliser for Leeds was his first goal for the club and only his second in 2025. After the match, the England forward spoke about the boost of breaking the deadlock against a team facing its own internal turmoil. "Strikers feed off goals. It gives you confidence. It's nice to get my first one for the club and I'll look to build on it," Calvert-Lewin said. "I think the goal they scored shows the quality we have, but then again we cannot only be good on the ball. Sometimes we need to win 1-0 at home, or 2-0, or not concede. That's about all of us." He also reflected on the atmosphere at Molineux, noting a sense of impatience among the crowd. "I think they [the Wolves fans] had a chant going. I heard my name, and I thought 'why are they singing my name?'. So obviously the best way to shut them up is score a goal at that end and point to my shirt."

The capitulation at Molineux comes in a week when Wolves secured a long-term commitment from Pereira, who extended his stay as manager even as results lagged. The club's leadership has stressed that changes at the playing level must be matched by improvements in mentality and consistency if the season is to be saved. Strand Larsen’s remarks underscored a growing sense among players that more accountability is needed across the squad.

As the season presses on, Wolves will be under pressure to translate talk of change into tangible on-field improvements. The next test will be balancing the lineup and building a reliable defensive structure while also getting the best out of a squad that has shown flashes of quality but repeatedly failed to convert them into points. Pereira’s insistence on a clearer identity and Strand Larsen’s call for a collective shift in mentality set the stage for a pivotal period as Wolves confront a daunting run of fixtures and the urgent need to arrest a slide that could define their campaign.