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McCarthy defends second-tier lineup
Source: Agencies |
December 17, 2009, Thursday
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WOLVERHAMPTON Wanderers manager Mick McCarthy defended his decision to select a virtual second string line-up after a 0-3 defeat at Manchester United on Tuesday left his team back in the relegation zone.
Only goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann survived from the side that started in the impressive 1-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
Some of Wolves' travelling fans chanted "we want our money back" near the end of a one-sided match.
Premier League Rule E20 states that clubs are required to field full-strength sides in every match but a League spokesman said it was very hard to enforce because managers often rotated their squads.
Wolves play Burnley on Sunday and McCarthy made little attempt to disguise which match he had earmarked as the most important in his side's battle to stay in the top flight of the English league.
"Having played Tottenham on Saturday and all the ratings were nine or nine and a half out of 10, every single player, and we lost a couple through cramp, and we've just got a really busy period coming up," McCarthy told BBC Radio Five.
"They were all first-team squad players who played tonight, not reserves and I have to say there were some really good performances.
"That team did as well as we did against Arsenal and Chelsea.
"Maybe I will have to have a counter-argument but that was my decision to do it.
"We could have got beat whatever team I put out and I might have lost somebody with a hamstring or calf strain because they were all struggling after beating Spurs.
"It was my decision and I took it and the responsibility lies with me. Burnley are having a good season and we have to be fully at it. ... I'm not prepared to get injuries before Sunday because then we have Liverpool, Manchester City and West Ham.
"I've got 20 players in my squad and I'll need all of them between now and January."
900th game
The win put United level on points with leader Chelsea while manager Alex Ferguson marked his 900th league game in charge.
A Wayne Rooney penalty and a Nemanja Vidic header gave United a 2-0 halftime lead. Antonio Valencia added a third goal in a pedestrian second half to put United joint top of the Premier League with 37 points.
Aston Villa, which stunned United 1-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday, is third with 32 points after beating Sunderland 2-0 at the Stadium of Light.
Birmingham City is up to sixth after a 2-1 home win against Blackburn Rovers, its fifth league win in succession.
Bolton Wanderers moved out of the relegation zone, above Wolves, with a 3-1 home victory against fellow struggling side West Ham United which slipped to second from bottom.
Only goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann survived from the side that started in the impressive 1-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
Some of Wolves' travelling fans chanted "we want our money back" near the end of a one-sided match.
Premier League Rule E20 states that clubs are required to field full-strength sides in every match but a League spokesman said it was very hard to enforce because managers often rotated their squads.
Wolves play Burnley on Sunday and McCarthy made little attempt to disguise which match he had earmarked as the most important in his side's battle to stay in the top flight of the English league.
"Having played Tottenham on Saturday and all the ratings were nine or nine and a half out of 10, every single player, and we lost a couple through cramp, and we've just got a really busy period coming up," McCarthy told BBC Radio Five.
"They were all first-team squad players who played tonight, not reserves and I have to say there were some really good performances.
"That team did as well as we did against Arsenal and Chelsea.
"Maybe I will have to have a counter-argument but that was my decision to do it.
"We could have got beat whatever team I put out and I might have lost somebody with a hamstring or calf strain because they were all struggling after beating Spurs.
"It was my decision and I took it and the responsibility lies with me. Burnley are having a good season and we have to be fully at it. ... I'm not prepared to get injuries before Sunday because then we have Liverpool, Manchester City and West Ham.
"I've got 20 players in my squad and I'll need all of them between now and January."
900th game
The win put United level on points with leader Chelsea while manager Alex Ferguson marked his 900th league game in charge.
A Wayne Rooney penalty and a Nemanja Vidic header gave United a 2-0 halftime lead. Antonio Valencia added a third goal in a pedestrian second half to put United joint top of the Premier League with 37 points.
Aston Villa, which stunned United 1-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday, is third with 32 points after beating Sunderland 2-0 at the Stadium of Light.
Birmingham City is up to sixth after a 2-1 home win against Blackburn Rovers, its fifth league win in succession.
Bolton Wanderers moved out of the relegation zone, above Wolves, with a 3-1 home victory against fellow struggling side West Ham United which slipped to second from bottom.
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