Points dominate McCarthy's mind

McCarthy: Difficult season so far

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Mick McCarthy insists 'points not performances' are all that matter to Wolves this season.

The Premier League new-boys have made a less than auspicious start to life back in the big time this term, and currently sit second from bottom in the table.

The have taken just two wins from their 12 fixtures to date, with the last of those coming seven games ago.

McCarthy knows it is vital his side get back on track as soon as possible, and he is not bothered how they do it.

A local derby against Birmingham on Sunday will provide Wolves with an ideal opportunity to start rebuilding their shattered confidence, and everyone connected with the club is determined to start righting a few wrongs.

McCarthy said: "It is a really important game for us. We need to get some wins, not particularly good performances.

"It does generally go hand in hand that if you are playing well you will get good results. But we need points, not performances.

"We have not been trying to play style over substance that's for sure. We want to win games and we haven't managed to do it for whatever reason."

Wolves enter the crunch clash with the Blues on the back of two crushing defeats against high-flying Arsenal and Chelsea.

Slapped

The men from Molineux shipped eight goals during those two games, four in each, but McCarthy insists the mood within his squad remains upbeat.

He added: "It is not easy being slapped but it has not been hard to pick them up for this game (against Birmingham).

"The players have been excellent but have the points reflected the performance? No they haven't for whatever reason.

"It is not bad luck. It is either a bad pass, bad finishing or bad defending. In between there has been some really good stuff.

"But it is putting the ball in the net and keeping it out at the other end that is going to win us points.

"We have just been beaten by two of the premier teams in the Premier League but they have exposed everyone, not just us.

"They exposed us for what we are, a hard working, grafting, honest team. But we are not going to compete against them.

"Let's take those two games out of the way, there was always a chance that would happen.

"Let's remember how we played against Everton away, Aston Villa at home, Stoke City away in the second half. Those are the kind of performances that we need."