|
"I think we did more than keep going, I've watched the DVD of the game because I was a little bit concerned with the first-half and the way we couldn't break down a very defensive system. I've looked at the DVD in the second-half though and to be fair we had five or six fantastic chances, looking at that in other games we haven't created as many chances in other performances where we have won quite comfortably.
" We probably actually created more chances than we did in the Huddersfield game although our overall passing game wasn't as good. In terms of chances when we really got a head of steam up I was quite pleased when I watched the DVD the second time around. There are ways of breaking them down, I didn't think that we got in their faces, pressed them, put them under as much pressure as we could have done, got the ball forward quick enough or wide enough quick enough or a good tempo.
" That played into Cheltenham's hands a little bit but in the second-half when we opened it up, got the ball wide and got a head of steam up it was quite a decent performance looking at the chances that we created. In that sense I've got to be quite pleased with the players response to a system designed to just come and get a point out of the game.
" It's very hard to go from playing defensive football to try to all of a sudden in a minute and a half to try to get a goal, so I thought that once the goal had gone in obviously it was a lot to expect them to come back from. Credit to Cheltenham though, I'm slightly critical of my players at half-time, well more than slightly critical, because you've got to try to break that down.
" In a sense they've actually took the game to Cheltenham, they've been brave, they've tried to win it, we were the only side that was ever going to win it. Keiren (Westwood) has not had a save in the whole of the game to make, nothing to do really in the whole of the game which tells you something about how far Carlisle have progressed. That teams are going to come here, put men behind the ball and try to go away with just a point. "
" I wasn't disappointed with Harry Worley, we had to make a brave decision at half-time because if Harry had got sent off then that would have made life tough for us and would have encouraged Cheltenham to come out. From what he has been used to though to that is different, that's why Chelsea have sent him out, to get him experience, to toughen him up, to get him to the pace of quicker levels, he has to deal with the pace at our level.
" Probably the Premiership is not as quick the way things happen but the movement and the cleverness of the play is quicker if that makes a little bit of sense. It'll do Harry the world of good though to spend a little bit of time with us, however many games he plays it'll do him the world of good to see a different environment at different levels. Obviously he has got a few whacks across his nose from Paul Connor which I think is what Chelsea want him to get used to rather than playing low tempo, meaningless sometimes, reserve games.
" I had 15 minutes with Arni (Paul Arnison) on Friday to try to explain to him the reasons why we were going to change the team or change the side slightly. His response was exactly what we wanted, disappointed but he said : "don't think that I'm giving up with this lot, I'm having a right go, I'm going to roll my sleeves up, my training will be as it is and if I'm ever called upon it will be as it is."
" That opitimises everything I want from every single player, what's under Arni's shirt is a fantastic example to professional players. Other players that aren't in the squad at the minute, or aren't on the pitch at the minute should look at the example that he sets. There are no guarantees that Arni will play every game but I know, when called upon, he can come and produce performances like that. He does set a terrific example with the spirit and determination that he shows.
" Danny (Livesey's) game is improving all around, the goals are a bonus, I don't expect him to be up at the front scoring goals in the 93rd minute every week. They are bonuses, as a player he is improving and I've got to keep Danny sorted with his own head to make sure that he gets to where he is capable of getting. Because there is a lot more to come from Danny Livesey and he is getting better and better each week. Now we've to marry that up with keeping his feet on the ground but giving him the confidence to go on and prove that he can be one of the best centre-halves in this division. "
" You're only as good as the opposition let you play, Cheltenham didn't let us play and it's up to us, I quite agree that we have to make a way of finding a way to break that down. Tranmere might come here and expect to cause us a few more problems, they might think they have got a stronger squad. They might think that they are going to challenge for the title at the end of the season and end up in the play-off areas, if they do then fantastic - we'll deal with that as well.
" Hopefully the way they play will contribute to the way we play and we can get a bit more attacking play in the first-half. Overall though if we create six chances like we did in the second-half against Cheltenham over the game against Tranmere then I'll be quite pleased. Because those chances will start going in and the game will start getting a bit easier for us, but they are all different games and you have to find a way of combatting everybody that comes here.
" Any manager that says that they don't look at the league table will be telling you lies won't they. I look at it with the fact that, yes it's nice and it's pleasing for the moment, but long term there is a lot of hard work to do and there are a lot of performances to be ground out here and away from home to make sure that we stay there. Whilst, yeah OK, let's say we enjoyed it but let's not get carried away with that, let's hope that come March or April time we're still looking at the table and we're still up in that position.
" It's a time of the year where people have had holidays, the visa bills are coming in, the kids are going back to school and people are still away on holiday. Cheltenham is not the most attractive fixture, make excuses for the crowd this time but next week when things get a little bit easier they might turn up in their numbers again. All we can do is keep trying to produce football and results that encourage them to come.
" I'm never going to be too disappointed though because the fans have backed us, they go home and away every year and I'm sure that you'll see the crowds increase as we get on into the season and things settle down. Finance has a part to play but let's hope that it becomes the best money that that family spends during the week and they actually enjoy coming to the game, and that we give them something to shout about or talk about when they are going home. "
" We do want to encourage more to come through the gates and support the team because we are very grateful for it. Ultimately we've said all along that we want to listen to the fans and that we want to offer explanations to the fans. The more that come through the gate the more we've got to explain the situations and decisions to. So if they come in their numbers then they will get everything they need from the players and everything they need from me.
" It's one big journey and everybody is invited, not just the 6,200 that came on Saturday but the other 2,000-3,000 that are wondering what is going to happen. Let's make that 8,200 and then 9,200 and then 10,200 if we can. Finance does play a part so let's be a little bit sympathetic but let's really encourage them to try to come to support the lads.
" No news on the managerial front, I would think that I'm doing myself no harm, I don't want to take anything for granted. My position is the same, I want to do it because I enjoy doing it, I enjoy working with these players and the people around me. The staff have been fantastic with it, we are going in the right direction and it's something that I would gratefully accept as and when the club are ready. I'm not putting any pressure on them and they're not putting any pressure on me so that's fair both ways, we're just waiting to see and watch this space.
" Working with this ….ing computer, and I nearly swore then, is harder than it is working with my players, because there are that many buttons and that many things that can go on in it. I've got to open my e-mails at the minute, I've got 2,746.
" I think we've got a clean bill of health on players once again which is testimony to everybody here. The training hopefully reflects that, we keep the players fit and a full squad I think at the moment, touch wood, to pick from for Saturday. He (Peter Murphy) is out running, he's on his feet so that's really encouraging. I think that probably Saturday might come a bit too soon for him but he's not a million miles which is good for everybody. "