Mick McCarthy admits Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Kevin Doyle was not an option for the Chelsea clash

Nov 23 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

TALISMANIC striker Kevin Doyle was never likely to play at Chelsea, Mick McCarthy has admitted.

The Ireland international was not even on the bench after playing in Paris in last week’s controversial World Cup play-off defeat to France.

“He was never going to play because he played 120 minutes on Wednesday,” said McCarthy.

“I know Nicolas Anelka did, but I didn’t think he would have to run about as much as Doyle.

“Anelka was playing in a team that was passing it around and keeping it and he didn’t have to put in as much effort as Doyle would have had to.”

Wolves have scored 12 goals in 13 games and McCarthy said: “Michael Kightly had an operation on his toe and on his hip, Chris Iwelumo had an operation on his foot and damaged it again, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake injured his hamstring and Doyle had a hernia.

“Maybe that is the reason we have not scored more goals. Let’s get them all fit and see what we can do.”

McCarthy said he does not doubt his side’s spirit and says Chelsea are the “best I’ve seen” this season.

“I don’t doubt their team spirit or the camaraderie or the fight they have within them,” he said of his side.

“Petr Cech made a wonderful save (from Ebanks-Blake) and I think we had five good chances in the first half and I think they had eight and were 3-0 up.

“They put a fair percentage of theirs away.

“If anything epitomises Chelsea, it’s that we had a chance after 85 minutes when Matt Jarvis got in behind them again, and two players were there fighting to keep it off the line and keep a clean sheet.”