'Angry' Ince seeks to rally Wolves pack

Paul Ince refused to use Chelsea’s riches as an excuse for the multi-million pound mauling handed out to his beleaguered Wolves team at Molineux.

Claudio Ranieri’s buoyant Blues sealed a dominant display with the luxurious second-half introduction of Hernan Crespo – who alone cost more than three times the entire sum of the home side’s summer acquisitions.

Crespo’s clinical double gave the visitors the victory margin they deserved and was enough to take them to the top of the table – while Wolves remain bottom without a win, or a goal in seven hours and 49 minutes of football.

But despite the obvious gulf in class, angry Ince blasted his side for giving up and insisted they need to adopt a new attitude if they are to survive in the Barclaycard Premiership this season.

Ince said: “I’m not used to losing games like that, but the fact that so many heads went down made me even more angry.

“I don’t care who it is we’re playing – it doesn’t matter who comes to Molineux or how much money they’ve spent. No team should come here and be allowed to beat us 5-0.

“Some people just gave up far too quickly and I won’t have that in my team. We always knew it wouldn’t be easy – but we should still be in there battling and kicking for every ball.”

Frank Lampard’s sweet 17th-minute opener set up the predictable rout of a team which even before yesterday had already leaked 12 goals this season.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – one of seven players to return to the starting line-up following the midweek win in Prague – did his reputation no harm with a second which made him Chelsea’s leading scorer so far this season.

Wolves, with their midfield completely over-run and Henri Camara’s skills negated by being posted out wide on the left flank, had no first-half chances and were ultimately flattered by a final scoreline which might have been doubled.

Ranieri’s men eased further ahead in the 53rd minute when Damien Duff grabbed his first Chelsea goal by finishing off an Eidur Gudjohnsen cross from point-blank range.

Wolves boss Jones responded by throwing on Colin Cameron, while Ranieri elected to send his £17m (€24.4m) man Crespo into the fray.

The Argentinian promptly scored with his very first touch by rounding off a cross from Duff – then completed the scoring spree one minute from time.

Chelsea boss Ranieri praised his side for overcoming a potential banana skin and laughed off persistent rumours of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s appointment at Stamford Bridge as “rubbish”.

Ranieri said: “I know everything is rubbish. I am not under pressure and the only job I have now is how to motivate my players.

“Of course the directors have spoken to me, but it doesn’t matter because I know it is rubbish.”

Ranieri’s decision to tinker with his line-up to such an extent was vindicated once again and the £100m (€143.8m) difference was there to see.

The Chelsea chief shrugged off the achievement of top place in the Premier League, but the increasing signs are that his side have a magnificent chance of still being in pole position in May.

Ranieri said: “Some players received bad tackles in Prague and I have so many champions, so why must I risk some other champions?

“I have 22 champions and their attitude and performance was excellent. The fans understand that we are building and when you are still building and you win then everything is okay. I am an ambitious man.”

Wolves’ solitary chance of the whole came in the 79th minute when Paul Butler and Steffen Iversen rattled the crossbar in quick succession.

Lacking in spirit and quality, the home side are having a dreadful time of things and it is hard to see things improving before they get another chance in the New Year transfer window.

Some of their modest summer spending is beginning to look increasingly bizarre. Last season’s FA Cup final man of the match Oleg Luzhny has not played despite being fit enough to turn out twice for his country.

Silas and the hitherto unseen Isaac Okoronkwo are struggling desperately to adapt to the British game, Iversen has been utterly ineffective so far, and only Jody Craddock and Camara have made any sort of impression.

Like Ince, Wolves boss Jones refused to use the chasm in quality as an excuse.

He said: “It is frustrating and annoying. Next time I am going to ask my players to do the opposite of what I want them to do, because that is what they are doing at the moment.”