Wolves are to widen their playing surface in a bid to overcome the negative tactics of next season's visitors to Molineux.

Boss Glenn Hoddle quickly discovered on arrival last season that many teams check in at Wolves happy to shut up shop in the hope of sneaking a point or all three, a target aided and abetted towards the end of the campaign-by the dreadful state of the Molineux pitch.

Remedial work has taken place on the playing surface over the summer, although more growth is still required, while the coordinates have also been changed in the hope of providing a more expansive style for Wolves' 23 home games. "The pitch is looking good but it's not quite right yet," said Hoddle. "And that is important because it is vital to the way we try and play.

"I learned a lot during my first six months here including how, with perhaps the exception of Ipswich and Sunderland, teams tended to come here and stick five men across midfield.

"We have to try and counteract teams who play a congested-game in a bid to break them down.

"We need different options and in that respect the pitch is to be widened just a little bit.

"At the same time we will also be working on different shapes and patterns of play so that we can change our style, even during a game if necessary."