McCarthy – Michael Mancienne is versatile and improving steadily

The Wolves manager Mick McCarthy is really pleased with his Chelsea loanee, Michael Mancienne. The England U21 international defender was struggling to get a game at star-studded Chelsea but has steadily improved since playing regularly at Molineaux.

McCarthy even asked Mancienne to move forward into the midfield to prove his versatility, and he hasn’t let him down.

McCarthy said: “To get into a team like Chelsea, you’ve really got to be top drawer doing it. Michael is learning it but he is certainly improving at it.”

He added: Michael has been excellent. We know he is a good player. He is a centre-back but, from the moment I asked him to do the midfield role, he said ‘I love that.’

“He did it when we won at Tottenham. He is improving. He is a really talented lad.”

“It is great if you have got two strings to your bow.

“If you can play at centre-back, as well as he does, and then just step into midfield, and play as he does, he is always going to get a game somewhere.”

But is he yet good enough to get a game for Chelsea?