Matt Doherty: Wolves playing for next season

Matt Doherty says the Wolves players are fighting for their first-team places - for next season.

With just three games to go Wolves' season is meandering to a close with Kenny Jackett's team firmly in mid-table.

Two defeats on the spin including Tuesday's 2-1 loss at Leeds have quelled any optimism gained by a six-game unbeaten run, with Wolves now having won just one game in their last seven.

Doherty - who admitted the team are finding it hard to create chances - says their attitude has to be spot on if they're to impress Jackett and earn their places in next season's team.

"We're playing for next season already," he said.

"Our attitude is going to stay the same because if it doesn't the manager will see that and it could work against you next season.

"We're all trying to be in the team for the start of the season, so we're working towards it even with the remaining games that we have.

"We're playing for places - there's boys coming back from injury and I'm sure they might sign a few players.

"We're all looking to be in form at the end of the season.

"And we're trying to find a consistent way to play, and we'll work on a lot of things in pre-season."

Goals have been Wolves' problem of late. They've netted five in their last season, and haven't scored at Molineux since Doherty scored a last-minute winner against Bristol City on March 8 - three games and six weeks ago.

Doherty said of the drought: "You can see we're not scoring many goals. We're trying to get in behind teams a bit more down the sides.

"It didn't really come off for us at Leeds, but that's what we're working on. We're finding it quite hard to do that.

"Sometimes we just don't see the passes, it's kind of frustrating.

"In the first 20 minutes we were quite good, they didn't quite come to terms with out formation, we got in behind a couple of times and should have scored.

"After they clocked it and they changed formation, putting their midfielders out a bit wider, we struggled, and from there on we were a bit off it."

Away from Wolves the 24-year-old recently earned his first international call-up with Ireland.

Doherty didn't get off the bench for either of Ireland's two Dublin-based friendlies, but now he's got a taste of it the full back wants more.

"It was a great experience," he said. "Ten days long, two games I was on the bench but didn't come on, and got to train almost every day.

"It's something I'd like to do again.

"I was slightly out of my comfort zone, it's like going to a new club, the first time is a bit weird, but as the week goes on you start talking to a few players and get comfortable with them.

"I think Martin O'Neill views me as a right back. But being able to play both (and left back) can obviously help me."

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