Mick McCarthy insists his team must smarten up if they are going to be competing at the right end of the Championship this season.

The Blues suffered a 2-0 defeat at Brentford on Saturday but can put that right tonight at McCarthy’s former club, Wolves, tonight.

Town have taken three points from their opening two games, Saturday’s reverse against the Bees coming a week after the 4-2 opening day home win against Barnsley.

However, the last week has also seen Ipswich exit the EFL Cup, going down to a 1-0 home defeat against League Two Stevenage.

While Stevenage were helped by a deflection and rebound for their winner, the Blues’ defending for goals against Brentford and Barnsley has already come under fire.

Tonight’s opponents have been boosted by a summer takeover and a sprinkling of new foreign talent and they won their first game under new coach Walter Zenga at the weekend, 2-0 at home to Reading.

McCarthy knows his side will have to be defensively savvy if they are going to quell the feel good factor at Molineux, and be successful this season.

“I could give them players the DVD of the Brentford game on Sunday and they could find out what went wrong,” said McCarthy, who is without Brett Pitman (thigh), Conor Grant (groin), David McGoldrick (ankle) and Luke Hyam (knee) for tonight’s clash.

“But it’s all about being pro-active and doing it prior to the event so all those little tiny details don’t end up with the ball being in the back of our net.

“They (the players) don’t have to be shouters and screamers, but it’s just a case of organising, someone telling a team-mate to tuck in, or pick up a man or push on.

“That requires nothing other than a bit of gumption and savvy and being prepared to do it.

“Team that have those players are better teams for it.”