Boss hails Wolves' workrate

Mick McCarthy hailed Wolves' phenomenal workrate as the key to their 'best performance' of the season against Norwich.

The Molineux men delivered the perfect riposte to their doubters with a comprehensive victory over Norwich, with McCarthy claiming his side have now set the 'standard' for the rest of the season.

And the Wolves boss revealed it was a impromptu showing of one of their best performances of last season that helped inspire them to victory.

"I'm sure Peter Grant will be chewing like I was on Tuesday night. I played with him for two years and roomed with him - we're great mates," said McCarthy.

"We should have won by more - even when they had 11. It was the best performance of the season, definitely.

"I put the Birmingham tape on for the players to watch on Friday. Sometimes they maybe think I'm a doddery old bugger to keep showing them videos.

"But we played Birmingham here last season and we murdered them for 45 minutes. That was the last thing I showed the players before they went home on Friday.

"I think they were sick of me showing them games where they've played badly so I thought I'd better show them something different."

McCarthy was delighted that his side matched the effort and non-stop running that helped them into the play-offs last season.

"Somebody suggested there was a lack of passion on Tuesday night which I don't particularly agree with, but it wasn't a performance that represents this group of players and me as a manager," he said.

"I thought it was really important to get back to how we were. They can all play, but they also worked their socks off. I thought they were brilliant."

McCarthy singled out goalscorers Kevin Foley and Andy Keogh as key men in the comprehensive Molineux victory.

Foley fired his first goal in gold and black to get the ball rolling before Keogh capped a fine run with a low drive off the post.

"I've been really pleased with Kevin Foley," he said. "I didn't sign him to score goals, that was an added bonus, but I thought his all-round performance was terrific.

"As for Keogh, he looked like that on Friday in training, he scored a couple in the old versus young game which is always a bit spicy."

McCarthy revealed a training session with Michael Kightly helped pave the way for the winger's Molineux renaissance on Saturday.

"Sometimes you put coaching sessions on and maybe the players get a bit brassed off with you telling them how they should be playing," he said.

"We had a coaching session with Kites on Monday, something specifically for him, and I thought he was excellent on Tuesday and outstanding on Saturday.

"He does his best work out wide, up against a full-back, when he's up there he's a real threat.

"That sort of performance is why he's playing every week, why he's had a new contract and why he's got his England under-21 caps."