Mick McCarthy believes Watford will remain the team to catch after his side moved fourth in the scramble for Championship promotion points.
After some uneven early form and results, Wolves have put together a five-game unbeaten run which has kept them up with the leading pack and faces its next test at Cardiff on Wednesday.
But Watford remain six points ahead of the field and McCarthy clearly believes that they are already justified favourites to take one of the promotion places.
“Watford are the strongest and most powerful team in the league,” said McCarthy.
“I didn’t think they were that far away last season in the Premiership.
“Ultimately, they were not good enough but they are going to be the team to catch.
“They have a powerful strike force now that the lad from West Brom (Nathan Ellington) has joined them.
“But after them, who knows? We’ve gone fourth but if I was sixth from bottom I would be saying it doesn’t matter at this stage so I am not going to change that view because we’re fourth from top.”
Former Wolves boss Dave Jones saw his Cardiff side slip to 15th although the 1-0 defeat at Southampton paid scant justice to the Welsh club’s performance.
McCarthy will assess the fitness of his most recent casualtie Stephen Elliott, Michael Gray, Gary Breen and Freddy Eastwood before sorting out a team for the Cardiff clash - but Welsh international Wayne Hennessey is sure to figure back in capital of the principality’s football.
McCarthy was full of praise for Hennessey after the victory over Charlton and said: “Those who score the goals always get the plaudits but managers and coaches also appreciate clean sheets.
“Wayne made a fantastic save and Darren Ward, who has had his nose put out of joint being left out of the team, came back and played well.”
See Also:
45 Comments
He’s right you know, King and Henderson seem to be doing very well for them at the moment. They’ve gone from the weakest team out of the three that came down to the strongest. McAnuff is a good player too, But I think on our day we can match them. Now we have some supply to the front men we seem to be getting our season back on track, but losses to Hull and Sheffield wont help things because we really should have won em.
I still trust Mick although most of our fans are very fickle at the moment.
Report abuse
Before we get silly comments from the Tesco’s, it’s not a picture of MM thumbing a lift to the jobcentre!
On our day, we CAN beat the best & BE the best!!!
Report abuse
Hmmmm! Nathan Ellington, why didn’t we go in for him? Watford are a big strong team and as a result have plenty of muscle. Not too much guile though. You need both in abundance in the premiership. We need it as well.
A result at Cardiff would be good after what happened there last season..
Report abuse
haha Mick is holding Eastwood back in the pic - He really wants to come on but Mick aint having none of it.
Report abuse
very much agreed about ward, maybe he can be breen/craddock player
early critism but comes back strong
Report abuse
What do we need Nathan Ellington for? What’s he done in his career
Report abuse
2 - ha ha. Beat me to it - LOL !!
I thought it was a pic of MM with his arm round his favorite non-irish Wolves player
Report abuse
loyal cannock, fickle indeed, one swallow does not make a spring…the team did well and I hope they continue to do it. Long way to go with a low budget team..
Report abuse
Hey happy, what was your comments again about us getting a draw with Charlton to do YOU a favour when you beat colchester. Ha ha. Just goes to show how silly and presumptuous you and the rest of your lot are. Need I point you to the league positions…
I’m not getting carried away by any means but it really made me laugh after your comments about us doing you a favour because your going to be up there after Saturday!
Report abuse
Re comment 2…
Where are the Tescos lot today? Haven’t seen much of them for some reason!
Comment 5. we8wba, I agree entirely. Ward didn’t have the best of starts. I do think he was a bit of a scapegoat for the poor team performances though. He was one of the best defenders in this division a short while ago. I hope he can get back to his best form and hold down his place on merit. Got to be good for us if he does.
Report abuse
OH LOOK ….. we re above albion in the league !!!
Report abuse
Nathan - not getting carried away, but already pointing out league positions again (as you also did after 2 games)…
If we had have beaten Colchester your result WOULD have been great for us - as it is I’m still pleased you beat them as it keeps us closer to them.
I have already said you had a great result and I’m not going back on that - but i still see Charlton as a bigger threat to us getting promotion than wolves - although you are coming into a good run at the moment.
So yes, I expected us to win on saturday - if thats presumptuos then so be it…and if we had we would have been above wolves AND Charlton - but thats football.
Report abuse
Wow, happy_baggie has poked his head above the parapet. It must be half term and he’s only just got up! He’s probably slept through the weekend and doesn’t realise he should stay in hiding.
Qualitycounts surfaces at the same time for the first comment today too… perhaps they are one and the same as we all suspect
Report abuse
11 londonwolf:
Lets not count out chickens, it’s a long hard season that we’re not a quarter into yet!
Mind you, it’s always nice to be on top!
Report abuse
“It’s all gone quiet over there”
Report abuse
“Can you hear the Baggies sing?”
Report abuse
What a shame that Quality Counts has access to the internet.
Report abuse
But happy - when you make comments like:
Happy_Baggie said: Oct 20th, 2007 at 9:04 am Oh NO - one of those fixtures where a wolves win would help the Albion…. so go on lads, get a draw - that would be a good result for you and a good result for us.
So go get them…I don’t want to be typing “you let us down again”!!
how arrogant does that sound!!!!!
Report abuse
wetwolf - try reading the other posts… no one is hiding pal.
15/16 - at least you aint chanting for the managers head this week…
Report abuse
back in capital of the principality’s football- What???
My team for tomorrow would be:
Hennessey
Foley
Craddock
Ward
Collins
Kites
Oli
Henry
Jarvis
Bothroyd
Keogh/Freddy
Subs:
Stack
Keogh/Freddy
Gibson
Little
Potter???
Great Result on Saturday n ow lets follow it up with a couple of wins on the road… Remember winning is a habbit.
Report abuse
sorry london wolf (post 11)… where are we in the league? my mind wandered for a minute
Report abuse
It doesn’t take at lot to make you lot happy does it. Enjoy it you are above us so be it.
Report abuse
16. I can still hear the “easy easy easy” from last year! Not to mention the “You sold your seats for a pie and a pint” what about “we’re just too good for you”.. Roll on Nov another easy 3points from dingles..
And yes No 11.. You’re above us, it’s a shock to everyone!!!! But will it last???? I really don’t think so.
Report abuse
i think that pic is after Jay scoring, he said…. Elliott would have put it this wide!
Report abuse
When the manager says we are no better than a team like Watford it makes me realise how far we are behind even the lower ranked teams in the Premiership.Will we ever catch them up?
Report abuse
tesco are like grimsby they only sing when they are fishing and there,s a hole in the net at the moment.
Report abuse
were going up were going up westbroms going up.
Report abuse
Excuse me 16. You’re 4th.. oh sorry your only ambition is to finish above us.. P.S It ain’t happened for 8 years and do you honestly think it will change?? Seriously..
Report abuse
KEEP A CLEAN SHEET AND PUT THE PRESSURE ON THE REST OF THE TEAM TO SCORE, LEAST YOU GET IS ONE POINT, KIGHTLEY DID VERY WELL WHEN HE STARTS DELIVERING THE FINAL BALL LOOK OUT FOR A GOAL RUSH.
JAMIE AND CUBS JAMES AND JENNY
Report abuse
Ififif says Happy_Baggie sounding like a puppy being scared to death by the big bad Wolf.
How many players did you buy for this season? Why don’t they win away?
Tesco is not a team. It´s a bunch
of overrated individuals who cant
function together. And when they
learn, it will be too late.
Report abuse
14 15 16, what do we want to hear the baggies singing 4 there stupid talk is enough is it not.
Report abuse
what do we want to here the baggies sing 4,there talking rubbish is enough 4 me,boing boing
Report abuse
fair play to you mick for working that out for yourself, was it the 6 point lead they have at top that gave it away.
as for the picture, let’s set the scene, it’s a cold november day, the wolves are playing some small team from sandwell ???
“look freddy we’re 4-0 up already, stay on the bench son, it’s not fair to send you on, they can’t defend for god sake, 4 is enough”
Report abuse
Wolves have simply got to stay in touch - Then click.
David Bartley, Tipton.
Report abuse
call me a fool but i would love Wolves and WBA to go up and put the midlands on the map with Villa and Brum in the premier…….long way top go yet so im not getting excited
Report abuse
noooooooooooooooo!
Report abuse
New York Wolves say ….super…super Mick….super Mick Mcarthy…..up the Wolves!!
Report abuse
(20)
My Team would be:
Same as Saturday, it seemed to work with Henry on the right, Kites on left, and Gibson was great, so deserves a first team.
Rosa on Bench??
Leave Potter in the car park or summat…
Report abuse
I can see Eastwood getting some some of a game this week. Even just for a 20 minute run out, gonna be two tough games! If we’re still in the top 6 by Saturday evening I’ll be dead chuffed. Going to Ipswich this weekend, can’t wait! Anyone else?
Report abuse
Nathan 10-3
And you havent won the honours we have and aren’t even close. Do you think that will change? Doubt it.
If your only comfort is that you’ve done a little bit better than us in recent years, (dont mention staying up in prem. you obviously paid pompy off) then you need help mate, look at ya still dwelling on last season with your stupid name…
Report abuse
28.
Have a look again at those stats you offer us, think you’ll find they are wrong.
Report abuse
31-YES
Report abuse
Essex
I am going to Ipswich aswell got to say I aint looking forward tio the ridiculous journey…
Report abuse
43. Well that’s my journey everytime I go to the Mol (which I admit isn’t as frequent as I’d like) so I share your pain!
Report abuse
Now see how stupid it is to bleat on about league positions ???
You bunch of mugs !!!
Report abuse