Wolves lucky to win - Mick

The Wolves boss agreed with the accepted wisdom that his Molineux men were comprehensively second best until Freddy Eastwood's double intervention.

But after seeing his side on the end of their fair share of undeserved defeats last season McCarthy had little sympathy for their impressive visitors.

"There were games last year when we played great, but goalscorers like Kamara and Phillips punished us," he said.

"We battered Albion and Birmingham and lost 3-2 so I don't really bother too much about the performance because I know we will play better.

"We were never going to underestimate Blackpool. We watched them against Leicester on video and we knew what to expect.

"At half time I asked the players if they were disappointed because we had said how tough it was going to be.

"We had Freddy on the spot. His goals speak for themselves, I don't have to articulate about him.

"He scored a great goal in the week as well, he lets his goals do the talking. He's a smashing lad, he's got himself fit and he looks the part."

Eastwood's goals handed Wolves the win, but didn't convince McCarthy that his side had been anything other than below par.

And after introducing himself to the assembled reporters as Dick Turpin, McCarthy admitted the performance had been well below the required standard.

"I can't think of any one thing that we did better than them except for putting the ball in the back of the net," he said.

"They had a glaring opportunity at 1-0 and missed it high, wide and ugly and that gave us a bit of a lift.

"But we were rubbish and the performance was absolute tosh.

"We know we got away with murder. At half time I was in the dressing room trying to get us to play.

"I wasn't ranting and raving, but we were all over the shop.

"We were not looking a cohesive unit or doing the things we normally do and I thought Blackpool were excellent to be honest.

"I was just trying to get our two centre forwards up the pitch and playing in the 18 yard box and not running all over and passing.

"I can't remember the amount of times I've looked at one of our players seeing a pass and giving someone the eye and then not giving it."

McCarthy pointed out that mid-week exertions of his growing pack of internationals had a big impact on the game.

"We had seven away with internationals. If we'd lost I would have kept my gob shut and bit my lip," he said.

"But I don't think we'd have played like that without the seven away which I guess is the downside of having good players who are internationals.

"I always remember Billy McNeil talking to me at Celtic after the 1988 European Championships.

"Myself, Packie Bonner and Chris Morris went away and when we came back after that two months, he pulled me and said 'The FAI are some organisation, we send three players to Germany and they don't let any of you come back'. I knew that feeling on Saturday."