McCarthy’s plan to attack Arsenal

STOKE V WOLVES 19 GD 31 Wolves boss Mick McCarthy insists his side will attempt to blast Arsenal with a plan to attack – so he has no regrets.

The manager is determined to fight fire with fire against the Gunners tomorrow, who have scored 51 goals in 18 games this season and are 12 games unbeaten.

He said: “I won’t be sat tomorrow night with a beer in my hand thinking we never had a go because we just let them roll us over and tickle our belly.

“I watched Arsenal play AZ Alkmaar, who in the last few years have won the Dutch League and been fabulous. Yet they got slapped completely by playing one up front and sitting back on the edge of their box.

“Arsenal played round them, over them, through them, they just got mullered completely. So what can we do to them to cause them a problem?”

McCarthy revealed positive psychology will play a major part of his team talk to avoid making his players too concerned about Arsenal.

He said: “We know who we’re playing,. If I run through their team and highlight their strengths, I’d just put our lads on the back foot. There’s no point.

“They all watch them play. I can highlight the way they play. They’re the best passing, footballing, entertaining team in the country and can pick a hole in you.

“But is there something we can do to counteract it in any shape or form? They let a two-goal lead slip at West Ham, and they conceded one on Wednesday when they were four goals up.

“So they can concede. There’s no doubt we’ll have free-kicks, corners and throw-ins. That could be our route to goal.”

McCarthy is happy to be the underdog despite being the home team.

He added: “When you see a top team against a so-called lesser one – has the best team always won?

“I’ve been in big teams who have lost games they should have won. I do believe all things are possible in football. If you don’t believe that, you might as well not turn up.

“If I give that feeling to the lads then they might as well not bother. You can be rest assured it’s quite the opposite. Arsenal are going to lose some games – and one might just be tomorrow.”

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