United manager Graham Kavanagh (GK) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Andy Wood (AW) following Carlisle's 4-2 League One defeat at home to Bristol City, Kavanagh giving credit to the Robins for their performance:
AW
A good game for the neutrals, but disappointing to lose?
GK
Yeah, it is, it is always disappointing to lose, especially at home, but I have to give them credit. I thought they played very well, I thought Jay Emmanuel-Thomas upfront was an absolute handful the whole afternoon. He definitely fancied it today and we said before the game he is going to be a big threat and he was.
We sort of couldn’t deal with him second-half. I think first-half we played well without actually being really convincing, but we went in 1-0 at half-time and you are thinking, OK, brilliant. The one concern I did have was the fact that it after about 25 or 30 minutes it became really blustery and really windy. It was in our favour in the first-half and I knew in the second-half it would become a lot stronger and it did.
I said to the boys at half-time, let’s make sure we don’t try to defend the edge of the 18-yard box because we will concede ground and space. So, it is a bad day at the office but I thought the lads put a right good shift in, they worked hard for each other, we just lacked that little bit of intelligence and one or two individual mistakes which have cost us today,
AW
And clapped off at the end there which shows the fans are obviously happy that the desire was still there despite the result?
GK
Yeah, the fans were magnificent as they have been right the way through. As I say, just a little bit disappointing considering how well we’ve played over the games that we couldn’t give them a win at home, which it has obviously been a while since we have played at home. But, to be fair they have seen a really honest shift from the players, but just second-half especially I thought we became a little bit more route one, which certainly wasn’t the game plan.
We wanted to pass the ball especially when their boy [Lewis Dunk] went off and they brought Aden Flint on who is 6’5, that is his game all day long, he didn’t look particularly comfortable on the ground, he wanted to get out of his feet and just shell it as quickly as he could. So, it was important we got down the sides of them and we didn’t manipulate that enough, we took the easy option which was go into the box.
But, I think that is a little bit of a lack of experience rather than actually a lack of responsibility. Because, I think the players have given a right good effort today but we just weren’t good enough. I said before the game, I said to the players that anybody who looks at this game and thinks it is going to be easy, I knew for a fact it wouldn’t be, Bristol City are a good side and I think this will be the turning point in their season now.
They will gain great confidence from this away from home and good luck to them. I thought they had a good side, I thought they settled well today, I thought their shape was quite intelligent in the sense that they played a diamond with the two centre-forwards split on the outside of our centre-halves and the 14 [Bobby Reid] running off the middle of us.
It caused us a problem in the first-half, so we reverted then to a 4-4-2 and playing James Berrett on the outside of a midfield three, which was going from in to out rather than out to in. So, good luck to Sean O’Driscoll, he has had a difficult period and hats off to him today.
AW
It just shows that teams that do have that kind of players can just have one moment of class and the game has changed?
GK
Yeah, well he has got a hat-trick today and every time the ball came upfront he is doing step-overs. He is an absolute unit, he must be 6’3, his shoulders are twice the width of mine anyway. He is obviously definitely a huge handful, he has got pace, he has got power, he has got ability on the ground, he has got a great left foot and when he shows that appetite and desire it is difficult to play against.
But, our strength has been the team, the work ethic of the team and the intelligence. As much as we showed the work ethic and the honesty and the endeavour today we at times lacked a bit of intelligence, especially when we were 1-0 up. I thought we could have first-half especially got the ball wider and got more deliveries and then been more aggressive about our attempts to pick up the ball on the edge of their box to get shots away and we didn’t do that.
We were reacting rather than being proactive. So, listen, it is a lesson learned, we move on, I have just told the boys, listen, we dust ourselves off and we go again next week. It makes Gillingham obviously all the more important, but it is a game that we are going to go and look to win.
AW
And obviously after the defeat last Saturday you picked it up for Tuesday, are you fairly confident the lads can do that, pick themselves up for Saturday coming?
GK
Well, the biggest thing that pleased me today was, obviously the fact that we lost wasn’t at all pleasing, but Sean O’Hanlon comes in and puts his hand up straight away, listen it is my fault for the goal. That is not a problem because he has been outstanding and he gets us the goal today and he has been outstanding since I took over.
We took Brad Potts off as well, he had just given the goal away and it was tactical, that was basically all it was, it was tactical to take Pottsy off because we actually went with a three at the back, one in front and four in midfield. Pottsy was actually quite upset on the bench, and as much as I didn’t like to see that I love the fact that that was him thinking I have let the lads down and I want to put it right.
But, it is a huge learning curve for all the younger players and he will learn from this, he is going to make loads more mistakes in his career, there are no two ways about it because we all do. But, if he shows that attitude and that appetite to want to put it right then I have no problems whatsoever.
AW
What was the situation with Leon McSweeney, I guess he just didn’t make it from Tuesday?
GK
No, he has torn his calf, he tore his calf, he has got between a one and a two grade tear, I think it is called a one plus tear whatever the hell that means. But, this is what I have been told medically and he is going to be out for a number of weeks. So, we had to reshuffle the pack as of Thursday because we only got the results on Thursday evening and it disrupted us a little bit in the sense of the cohesion of the team and the fluidity of the team.
But, it is not an excuse, it is what it is, the pleasing aspects today were that Lee Miller got a few more minutes under his belt, Prince Buaben came on and looked aggressive and looked strong. I mean it has been remarkable from Thursday to Friday in the change in him in terms of his fitness levels which have gone up again. Today will do him a world of good, so there are a few positives but ultimately the fact that the fans have gone home a bit disappointed with the loss is a bit frustrating, but we go again as I say.
AW
There might be also a chance to give the board a bit of a pat on the back this week, they posted losses last year but still continue to help you strengthen the squad?
GK
Oh, they have been absolutely first class, they are no two ways about it. I mean I went in last year, I was in with Suzanne Kidd last year and I saw the cheque that, and I won’t tell you what it is, but I saw the cheque that the chairman [Andrew Jenkins] had actually paid himself and it was a considerable amount of money to keep this club afloat and keep the wages getting paid.
He has taken some stick over the previous whatever it is, two or three or four years maybe. But, I tell you what, he is absolutely first class, he wants the best for the club, he will die with blue blood running through his veins because he is completely and utterly devoted to making this clubs successful.
As we have said before, he needs a bit of help, we all do, and if there are some benefactors out there who want to come in and help the club then fantastic. But, hats off to John Nixon and Steve [Pattison] and the rest of the directors, they have pushed the boat out for me and are looking to give us every opportunity to be successful.
AW
And finally, a long journey this time next week to Gillingham, fairly confident you can turn things around and get some points again?
GK
Most definitely yeah, I mean we have watched the DVDs, good and bad, right the way through and we will continue to do that this week. We will show them some reminders, we will show them where we could have done better, played better and been a little bit more intelligent.
But, as I say, if they give us the honesty and the work rate that they generally always give us then I don’t have a problem and I think we will definitely get a result next week. But, it is not guaranteed, the mindset has to be right and the application has to be right, and if they are we will certainly give a good account of ourselves.