Express & Star

Wolves' Kenny Jackett plotting new tactics to fox opposition

Cunning Kenny Jackett today admitted he is having to coming up with more ways for Wolves to win as he bids to stay one step ahead of their rivals in the battle to go up.

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Saturday's 3-0 win against Port Vale was ultimately comfortable but only after their Staffordshire neighbours matched their 4-2-3-1 formation and gave them a scare by wasting the chance to take a first-half lead through Tom Pope.

Bakary Sako's deflected drive eventually gave Wolves the breakthrough six minutes into the second half and they never looked back as Nouha Dicko's brace inside three minutes sealed their seventh win in a row.

"Tactically we need to work out a second or a third way of doing things if this particular way at present doesn't work for any individual case – which looked the case on Saturday for quite a long while," said head coach Jackett.

"We were playing well but not necessarily getting that breakthrough. Saturday was a good example.

"I was just thinking about changing things when we scored the first goal and then the game changed completely. It opened out and went end to end and I'm pleased to say we got more goals.

"I think you have to find different ways of doing it. Injuries, loss of form and other teams perhaps working you out at times can lead to you needing to make changes.

"Substitutions are an obvious way – whether it just be personnel or a system change – making sure we're all organised should we need to make those changes."

Several weeks ago, Jackett challenged Wolves to go on a 10-match winning run – and he still thinks they need to get to double figures to ensure some daylight between them and their rivals at the top.

"Looking forward, it's still going to take that type of run to continue to do it," he said. "We have to be under no illusions what we need to do.

"It's not something we can be half-hearted about or not perform because other sides will go above us."

"Look at the top sides: Preston and Rotherham, who have a new ground and are an up-and-coming club, have a bigger budget than Sheffield United, for instance.

"So with that competition it was always going to be needed."

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