Boss Mick McCarthy insists Wolves will have to once again be flexible friends next season in their bid for consolidation in the Barclays Premier League.

 

Being able to switch between a 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 formation could prove a key part of Wolves' efforts next season and the boss is pleased with the way his players have been adapting to the different formations.

 

And that also filters through to his strikers, who will need to be ready to operate in various guises depending on the situation.

 

"I have got two good strikers in Fletch and Kevin Doyle but Sylvan's been excellent as well in pre-season," he said.

 

"It's great to have competition for places.

 

"We played one up front towards the end of the season which was a shift I made to stop us losing games.

 

"It cost us a bit of our goalscoring but I'd like to think we can play different ways maybe with two up front or sometimes with five across the middle.

 

"We'll have to do different things for different games and to be adaptable.

 

"We were last season and we'll have to be again.

 

"I can play all the different combinations up front but I will pick the team accordingly."

 

Mick continued:  "I'd like to be able to play 4-4-2 more.

 

"If we're all organised enough and the players work hard enough in certain roles we might be able to do it.

 

"Playing 4-4-2 can be a problem when they've got an extra man in midfield.

 

"But going to 4-3-3 is no problem for us either - we can cope with that and make those changes when needed.

 

"Against Charleroi, we played 4-4-2 in the first and the second half but we conceded a goal and they were getting on top of the game.

 

"Terry Connor said 'do you think we could go 4-3-3?' to get back into the game and to add more stability to us, and we did.

 

"What was nice was the adaptability of Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Kevin Doyle, Andy Keogh and Adlene Guedioura.

 

"They all just slotted into position and they made us very hard to break down.

 

"They were very disciplined and they did their jobs whereas last season I might have had to change people to do it."

 

Mick meanwhile is confident Wolves will hit their peak for fitness and sharpness when it comes to the first game of the season against Stoke.

 

Wolves suffered their first pre-season defeat last night against a Reading side a week ahead in their preparation given the earlier start of the Championship season.

 

Mick said:  "We're about two-and-a-half weeks away from where we want to be when it comes to fitness and sharpness!

 

"We've done o-k so far.

 

"We've had three away games which we'd won but the games had gradually got better and tougher and harder.

"That was our toughest test last night.

 

"It was quiet an even game to start with but we gave a penalty away which always sets you back.

 

"Reading are a very accomplished team though."

 

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