United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) at Friday's press conference for the local media, Abbott first answering a question about whether or not he is looking at loan signings at the moment :
GA
No, because I don't want to upset any of my players at the minute, the players out of the team are fighting like mad to be in the team and we have got a clean enough bill of health, we are going to get those two back in four to six weeks I would think. So, there is not any brutal necessity to go out and get somebody, like I said, if there was an injury or a certain situation arose then we have got names on the list ready to go for in all sorts of positions. But, at the minute I think we are OK with what we have got.
JP
Away form has really been startingly good this season, looking forward to another trip?
GA
We are looking forward to another good performance to be honest. We thought that a lot of the performance and the play against Hartlepool was good, where we want to be, obviously we wanted the goals to add to that and the result to make that better. We got that first half against Tranmere, broke that stat that you keep throwing at me of goals in the first half, so that is the monkey off my back with that one. But, we played some really nice stuff, came up against a bit of a barrage of long ball and putting the ball in our box early, it is very difficult to play against that style but coped, defended well, and even some of our more attacking players threw their weight into that as well which is fantastic.
So, it sets ourselves up now nicely to try to continue that sort of form and those sorts of results on the road. Another tough game, they don't get any easier, they (Chesterfield) have just had a couple of good victories and they will be thinking they have cracked it and we have been in that position before. So, we have got to try to burst their little bubble and keep ours going if you like, so we are looking forward to it.
JP
You have played Chesterfield in recent seasons but it will be a different proposition now they have come up and changed their team around, what sort of game, what sort of approach do you expect from them?
GA
Well, I know Shez (John Sheridan) really well, he is a smashing lad, I know the way he likes to play and they will be so determined to win the game and win it the right way, to try to play. He likes his players to be comfortable on the ball and move the ball around and be quick and be decent in possession.
We have got to understand that, respect that and try to do something about it. But, it could be a really entertaining game because we are going to try to play as well, we want to keep our run going as John will want to keep his run going. So, it is two teams meeting head on and wins for both sides sees you right in the top part of the division, certainly us if we win Saturday it sees us right back where we want to be.
JP
And it is not going to be like the old trips to Saltergate is it going to their new venue?
GA
I mean I can't wait to go to this new one because the old one, there were not many worse, there were not many worse, you had tradition to be fair, but lots of things have tradition and that is what they should be kept at, tradition.
JP
I think the last time you were there it had a wooden stand in it that was the one that they used in The Damned United painted the colours of the Baseball Ground it was that rickety?
GA
Yeah, listen, it was one of those grounds that was either ready for developing, but there are probably a lot of people who would still like to be there, but I am not one of them.
JP
In terms of meeting them in that sort of game of football then, is that something that is quite an excitement for you in an away trip to be able to go there and have a real footballing match off with them?
GA
Well, I am only saying that, we might go there and it might be the biggest battle we have had yet you know, the games never pan out the way you want. But, I know the way John is and I know the way we are trying to do things. and we want to be fierce when we haven't got the ball in terms of winning it back, but we want to be fluent and we want to pass the ball when we have got it and try to create some chances.
So, in that respect we are ready for a footballing game, but if it turns into a scrap then we have got to be ready to scrap. Which, sometimes we haven't been over the piece, but we are getting there I think, the determination was fantastic on Tuesday night and it has been most of the season, bar that little run that has got right in the middle of what has been a really decent start in terms of points-wise.
JP
How did you find your combination that you got upfront with your two Scots, Rory Loy and Lee Miller?
GA
Well at least they understood each other, which is important, the language barrier with those two can sometimes be an issue, but finally we have got somebody that can understand Rory and Rory can understand Lee. So, I thought they did great, joking apart I thought they did smashing, Rory with his energy and devilment and getting into the right areas, and things we have been speaking to him for the period he has been at the club and getting himself into good positions.
He is a good finisher Rory, if we get him into positions to finish he is a very good finisher, but we haven't been getting him there and that possibly could be down to the team, could be down to individuals, whatever it is. But, we have got him doing what he does best and that is getting in and around the penalty box.
I think Lee has been important because he is that different, the other three size-wise are similar, presence-wise they are similar, pace-wise, they have all got decent pace to be honest. I think they have lacked that foil, the big target, the big presence, we have always done alright going back to Pricey (Jason Price) and Vincent (Pericard), people like that, they helped the other players and they enabled us to have a presence up there and attract defenders. To be fair, Lee did attract defenders didn't he, they were smashing him all over the place and he stood up for himself and gave us a bit of a bravado up there as well because he has gone back at them and fought a battle, which is what we have needed.
Then you have got your more dynamic ones, your pacier ones who can benefit from that, and your players from behind that, your (James) Berretts and your (Tom) Taiwos and your (Francois) Zokos, your J-Ps (Jon-Paul McGovern), and we need to get them on the scoresheet, which to be fair they regularly do contribute. So, it seems OK at the minute.
JP
In terms of that run, how did it feel coming off it with a bit of time to reflect on it? I am sure as each game went along it got a little bit harder for you, how did it feel coming out of it like that?
GA
Erm, people make things of it more than I do, I come in every day and work my hardest to get a successful team and you look at where we are now, with what has been achieved, yes we are out of the two cups but in the whole bigger picture that frees up to be focused on our league situation, the league position is OK, it is joint sixth by a goal on goal difference, absolutely delighted with that, not pleased we are out of the cups but with the size of the squad we have got would it have taken two cup runs? Probably not.
Financially it doesn't help us one little bit and we don't want to go out of anything, we want to now have a run in the league, lift the gates, good run in the FA Cup, get a big draw, give ourselves some financial breathing space and keep leapfrogging up the league, that is the outset of the season and that is what we are going to try to do. Do I worry about three or four games on the trot? I would be daft if I said I didn't but it probably doesn't affect me as it affects others, I have got a job of putting it to the back of my mind and trying to get a first win, rather than dwelling on four defeats.
I have to be positive in terms of where is my next win coming from, and not what was behind me, and we have got our win on Tuesday night and we are sitting joint sixth in the table, a more than acceptable league position and points total so far, we just want to keep bettering that and keep improving and try to get in the area of the league that everybody wants us to be.
JP
James Tavernier, we know that his loan is right at the brink now, what is the situation with him? Have you managed to extend that?
GA
It looks like it is done, we are just waiting for the paperwork to come from Newcastle, but James is coming in today for us which obviously that looks like it is going to happen. He has found a bit of momentum and a bit of form and he has given us the chance to get Frankie (Simek) sorted out, which has been a blow to us. But, James has been getting steadily better and consistent and he is enjoying himself and we are enjoying having him, and hopefully that situation can continue. But, I wouldn't want to make too many more changes, we have meddled with the back four a little bit for one or two different reasons and really we would like to keep that as stable as possible.