Mick McCarthy: No hiding place for Wolves now

Nov 23 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

MICK McCarthy has told his players there can be “no hiding” or “pussy-footing around” and that they must understand they are immersed in a relegation dogfight.

Three points from six matches following Saturday’s 4-0 hammering at Chelsea has his side deep in trouble ahead of Sunday’s vital derby at home to Blues.

“We are in a relegation fight and I have said that to the lads,” McCarthy said.

“They might as well understand that now than in a few weeks’ time. Let’s make no bones about it.”

Wolves have been hit for eight goals in two games against Arsenal and Chelsea after three highly commendable draws against Everton, Villa and Stoke City.

“They didn’t need to be told they were in a fight when we started because they were doing okay and playing well,” continued McCarthy.

“But everyone has to realise that we have to get it out in the open and there can’t be any pussy-footing around.

“We are in a relegation dogfight. There’s no question.

“We can’t hide away from it. We can’t keep saying we are playing well and get to half-way in the season and still say we are fine if we are in the same position.

“Let’s put the chips on the table and get on with it.”

Whether a clever ploy designed to kickstart a fast faltering season or not, McCarthy says he senses that his side now have the hallmark of a doomed outfit.

“What changes is the fact that we look like a team that could get relegated,” he said.

“If you don’t understand that as opposed to a team that are just in the relegation zone then I don’t know how I can explain it.

“Everton were in the bottom three for a while but are they are team that looked liked getting relegated?

“You can look back at our performances and say we did alright against so and so and created about seven chances but we didn’t score any.

“We created chances against Chelsea but we didn’t score and we let four in. We have to understand where we are.

“The practicality is that the players go away this weekend thinking: ‘We are not bad’.

“The fact is that we are in the bottom three.

“We understood at the start that there would be a few hard games along the way and we have just had two on the bounce.

“We knew when we looked at the fixtures that that might happen but I don’t worry about how we are going to rebound at all because the players knew, just like everyone else, that Chelsea was going to be difficult.”