|
" Carlisle have never surprised me at all because I think particularly at home they have always been fairly strong over a period of time. I don't think it has really surprised anybody that they win home games. It is never an easy place to go, we have had some very tough encounters and I certainly have over the last few years there, and very close games.
" But, this particular this season they have clicked with the results, so it gives them the extra confidence and that makes it even more of a tough task to go up there and get something. They'll miss Ian (Harte) because he's a quality player, but they've brought in Lubomir Michalik from Leeds who is a totally different animal. He (Greg Abbott) has brought in Ben Marshall as well who's a very good player too, so they'll both add to their squad.
" So if their squad's not full of confidence already from being top of the league, then bringing in those players certainly will do it. But, If we can replicate what we did on Tuesday and take it up there with the same attitude and application that we have shown, and really respect them like we respected Southampton then I would expect us to come away with a result.
" I think Carlisle have changed their personnel in quite a few cases so it is difficult for Vince (Pericard) to know that much about them. He will still know one or two of the players so he will give us a bit of input on one or two individuals. Overall their team has changed dramatically over a period of time since Vincent has left.
" But, the one thing that we can be sure of is that Vincent will be going up there looking to do well. I think against your former employers you always want to get a goal against them and particularly if you are a striker.
" I think deep down in your mind strikers always know the teams that they score against and they all seem to feel that they are lucky against certain teams. There are certain clubs that will throw up little connotations where you think if it's right that you always score against them or not. But, they have this feeling that they possibly have, so maybe Charlie (Austin) will have that feeling within himself.
" We will look at the personnel we have on the day and we will look at the way that they play before we choose the team. Southampton played in a certain way, which I am not saying suited us but we knew how to combat it to a certain degree, and we knew the players that we had in that formation, and our formula that we set out how we could cause them problems as well. "
" There will be a certain way I think that we can apply ourselves against Carlisle as well. But, we have worked on that and then when we go up there, we have spoken about it already. So, the lads who went in the team did absolutely fantastic on Saturday, it would be very, very difficult to change that team. But, if we feel that it is for the good and the cause of the result then we will do it.
" I think the biggest thing that you have, and it is not from my point of view whether I pick somebody or don't pick somebody. I think the biggest thing more than anything is that when you have a good group of players and a tightly knit group of players, is that they will encourage each other whoever is picked to do well, and that is all we ask for.
" The decision from my point of view is to do it for the good of the team. We put a team out to win the game and everybody benefits, the whole squad benefits, the fans, everybody. Whether it is right, wrong or indifferent is of no consequence to me. I think the other side from the players' point of view is that they have to really feel that whether they are in the side or out of it that they get the same type of support.
" Whichever team plays on Saturday, I am sure the ones that won't play and won't start the game will give them 100% backing, and that is all we ask from the group. Because as we go along in the season that is what will happen as we go through each individual position. That is all we are hoping for because we know through history that that will cement a team and galvanise a team and galvanise a group, and that is how you move forward.
" We've got a clutch of games coming up now which, if we can get a run of three or four results from the next six, then you can say we are on our way forward. We just want to start creeping back up the league. We're not cut adrift by any stretch of the imagination.
" If you look around at the divisions, I would like to see where the promoted teams were at this stage or even after ten games. You'll be quite surprised at the position some teams were in. So I'm not concerned about it at this moment in time, and what we are striving for is consistency."