Source: Team_Talk
McCarthy: No regrets over selection
McCarthy made 10 changes to the side that defeated Tottenham at White Hart Lane and, although his line-up competed well for half an hour, once Wayne Rooney opened United's account from the penalty spot, there was never any doubt about the result.[LNB]Nemanja Vidic headed home number two just before the break and Antonio Valencia profited from an excellent piece of skill from Dimitar Berbatov to crash home the third.[LNB]It was too much for the travelling Wolves faithful, who chanted "we want our money back", "where is our first team" and "£40 to watch the reserves" before making their way back down the M6.[LNB]"I can understand that reaction," said McCarthy.[LNB]"But at the end of the season I will be judged on whether Wolves have stayed in the Premier League or not.[LNB]"It was my strongest team - because it was a team with fresh legs."[LNB]McCarthy was clearly aware of the criticism his decision would unleash because he came to the post-match press conference armed with a piece of evidence that shows players' performances reduce by up to 40 per cent when they are forced to compete twice in three or four days.[LNB]And, having asked his players to mark their efforts at Spurs and been presented with a succession of 9.5s, he opted against asking the same players to push themselves again so soon afterwards.[LNB]"It was not a plan but when I saw those figures I knew there was no chance of the same type of performance on a Tuesday after a Saturday game," he said.[LNB]"I have a squad of 21 to pick from and I regard them all as first-team players."[LNB]McCarthy then picked through a succession of matches against high-profile opposition and questioned why his team selections on those occasions had not prompted so much debate.[LNB]"If I go into an opposition manager's office, or they come into mine, I don't get any sympathy if my team has just been slapped," he said.[LNB]"The pressure was off me on Saturday and I was starting to relax. I thought I would put it back on me again."[LNB]As one of the pioneers of making mass changes for certain games, Sir Alex Ferguson - who was celebrating his 900th league game in charge of the Old Trafford outfit - claimed he was not surprised at McCarthy's decision and that it made sense given Wolves face a crucial game against Burnley at Molineux on Sunday.[LNB]In any case, Ferguson has enough problems of his own at the moment, with skipper Nemanja Vidic picking up a calf strain that is almost certain to rule him out of Saturday's trip to Fulham.[LNB]Wes Brown also faces a two-week lay-off, which would be enough to rule him out of the entire festive programme, after suffering a hamstring injury against Aston Villa on Saturday.[LNB]It means Michael Carrick will be forced to continue in central defence at Craven Cottage, probably alongside 21-year-old rookie Ritchie De Laet.[LNB]"Ritchie showed some promise and he will probably be there on Saturday," said Ferguson. "We just have to get on with it."[LNB]Ferguson offered particular praise to Rooney, who scored his 13th goal of the season when he drilled home a 30th-minute opener from the penalty spot.[LNB]And Valencia is now up to six following his well-taken effort after a brilliant overhead kick from Berbatov.[LNB]"Antonio is improving, there is no question about that," said Ferguson.[LNB]"He was only a quiet lad when he came but he is more expansive now and he is expressing himself on the pitch very well.[LNB]"Six goals is a decent return because we know it is an area he can do better in. Overall we are really pleased with him."[LNB][LNB]
