"I ENJOY THIS PRESSURE!" SAYS LAURENT

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Midfielder on today's trip to former Club Stoke City

2024-11-30T09:30:00.000Z

"I ENJOY THIS PRESSURE!" SAYS LAURENT

Midfielder on today's trip to former Club Stoke City

2024-11-30T09:30:00.000Z

Midfielder excited by upcoming festive fixture schedule

Josh Laurent is looking forward to heading back to the bet365 Stadium on Saturday, where he made 72 appearances before joining the Clarets this summer.

However, despite being back in familiar territory the 29-year-old says he's treating it like any other game and is enjoying the pressure of continuing the positive momentum gained from recent results.

“It’s always good having two, three wins on the bounce. We spoke between us, the boys, about having a nine-point week so I don’t think there’s anything better when you have three games, and you get a full sweep. That’s what we’re aiming for.

“Hopefully this momentum keeps going. It’s just one game at a time and it’s onto the next one. We do that one and then look forward to the one after.”

And is he approaching the game against the Potters any differently given his former link?

“To be fair it’s not really something I’ve thought about like that, it’s just another game to me. I want to play this game like I want to play any other game, and I want to win this game like I want to win any other game for the Club.

“It’s not something I’ve really thought about. I still talk to some of the boys, but it’s not a special occasion or anything for me. It’s just another football game, playing for my Club and wanting to win three points.”

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There's a new man in the Stoke City dugout with Narcís Pelach taking charge two months ago and the midfielder is expecting a tough game.

“It’s a new manager there for me but from speaking to the boys a bit, they have got some good players, they’ve got ability in that changing room. It’s something that we’ve got to be aware of and they will like to play with intensity and try and get the crowd behind them. Try and make it hostile for us. But the Gaffer and his coaching staff are good and I’m sure they’ll come up with a good plan for us to approach the game. And fair play to the boys as well, we’ve carried out those plans 95% of the time this season, maybe even close to 100%. Obviously, we can never be perfect, but the boys have been really good.

“I expect a tough, hostile game but I think we can use that to our advantage as well, to go and get the three points.”

Scott Parker's men arrive in Stoke-on-Trent on the back of wins against Coventry City, Bristol City and Swansea City and sit 3rd in the table at the time of writing. Does Laurent enjoy the pressure and expectation that comes with Burnley's Sky Bet Championship campaign?

“I think being more experienced now, there’s a quite a new group, a lot of change at this Club, I think everyone’s been aware of that. To me, the expectation is good, the pressure is good. As players, as coaches, as a Club, you’ve got to embrace it and enjoy that pressure. That pressure is a privilege, it’s a good pressure to have. It’s better having that than having the pressure of looking over your shoulder. It’s about taking it on and enjoying it but working to the plan of what the Gaffer says and keep talking between us, saying ‘look be relaxed, be calm, we know what we’re doing and be in control of it’.

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“It’s about listening to the Gaffer. Him and his coaching staff, they’re good. Taking on their plans and really improving each week. As players just sticking to the task and just keep knocking out one game at a time, nudging forward. That’s what it’s about and our tally grows more and more each game. Hopefully by the time we come to 46 games of this season, we’ll all be celebrating together.”

The midfielder believes that alongside improving each game, the squad is growing closer week by week as well.

“I’d say it happened fairly quickly to be fair [the squad growing close]. There was a lot of togetherness on the pitch and probably off the pitch quite quickly. As time goes on though you’re getting closer and you’re getting to know the ins and outs of people more and more. You know how they work, and they know how you work.

“For me I get to understand the Gaffer more and the coaches, the staff, the players more. You talk to players in different ways because say a younger player might respond in a certain way than what an older player might respond. All those things play a big part, and I think we’re seeing now us growing as a squad, I think everyone can see that. However, the work has not stopped, we’ve got to continue. There’s going to be bumps in the road but it’s just how we respond. I think every little bump we’ve had so far; we’ve responded well and that’s what we’ve got to keep doing, we’ve got to keep pushing forward, keep nudging forward.”