Greg Abbott On The Brighton Draw

Last updated : 19 September 2010 By Thetashkentterror

Blues boss Greg Abbott
United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) after Carlisle's 0-0 draw at home to Brighton, Abbott saying it was both one point gained and two points dropped :


JP

A point gained or two lost today do you think?

GA

A bit of both, I think after your first-half you would say probably two dropped, after the second-half when it got a bit ragged possibly a point gained, and probably an even steven one.

It was a funny game wasn't it, contrasting, in the first-half we thought we played some terrific stuff, and we talked about the chances that we didn't get at half-time and that we needed to try to create a couple more in the second-half and make them count.

We didn't manage to do that and then obviously Brighton, a very good side with some really good players, they got into the game and we had to dig deep and scrap and change things around a little bit once or twice, and make sure that we didn't lose the game.





JP

What do you think was the difference between the two halves primarily?

GA

Well, goals do change games and the amount of good play and the amount of good chances, and they were proper good chances in the first-half, and we feel that if one of those goes in then you can win a game comfortably, you have seen it happen before.

But, it didn't happen and in the second-half they probably got a bit of encouragement that they didn't go into the break down. They came out and they have got some really, really good players, the likes of (Glenn) Murray and (Elliott) Bennett and (Kazenga) LuaLua and (Ashley) Barnes and people like that, (Gary) Dicker, (Matt) Sparrow.

They are all very, very good players and they had their spell in the game in the middle of the second-half. We had to change one or two things round to stop that and try to get back into the ascendancy. At the end of it we managed to not lose the game, and we were trying to win the game but sometimes it doesn't happen.





JP

What do you reflect on and learn out of this game? Because, clearly there were very good elements in the game for you, but what do you think you could maybe do differently given the time again?

GA

Well, you probably wouldn't do a lot differently, if the chances go in in the first-half the game has a totally different picture. I can't change too much from what has been successful for us so far this season. We probably played as well today in the first-half as we did at any time last week.

But, goals are massive, we know the importance of goals and that would probably be the one criticism labelled at the team again. That we haven't found the net when we think that the type of football we have played and the type of chances we have created would have been deserving of a goal.





JP

What did you make of Craig Curran's performance today?

GA

Craig typifies what we are all about, he gives us energy and he gives us a terrific amount of honesty. We want him to start scoring his goals as he got off the mark last week, and he was a little bit unlucky, things just didn't go his way in front of goal today.

The one where Tom (Taiwo's) header was spilt and he was there to add the rebound and just couldn't quite get on the end of it. A great cross second-half I think from Frankie Simek, he just nearly didn't get on the end of it. So, he is getting in the right positions but his all-round game is excellent and we are delighted with him.





JP

More than before perhaps though, we thought his first-half display was as good as perhaps we have seen at Carlisle United?

GA

He is a terrific player, what we are seeing is a lad full of honesty and endeavour. Like I said, if we add goals to his all-round performance we are going to have a real dream ticket. But, he is a great kid to work with and gives the team a different dimension. His hold-up play and his energy and his work-rate off the ball is first class. Like I said, we want to add goals to his game and then we have got a real deal.





JP

And what about your debutant in midfield? What did you make of Oliver Norwood?

GA

Again, when we played well in the first-half he was the heart and strings of most of it. His passing range is terrific, he slotted in there nicely, we did lose Paul (Thirlwell) who has been terrific for us.

But, as the game got on it got a bit harder, like it did for all the midfield four, because we couldn't quite get the ball and keep the ball and retain it as well as we have been doing. When you do that you put yourselves under a bit of pressure.





JP

Three clean sheets on the trot, what is behind that?

GA

Well, a real work ethic, a real strong work ethic. You look at Lubo (Lubomir Michalik) and James (Chester), I don't think they put a foot wrong for near enough the whole of the game.

The two full-backs, Frankie has probably slowed up a little bit because of his booking and Sean (McDaid) is tenacious and gritty and dogged and won't give up and will never say die. So, we have got a nice back four to protect who again I don't think has had a great deal to do to be honest.





JP

What about the booking for Frank Simek? Penalty or dive? The referee (Jock Waugh) felt dive.

GA

The referee has got it all wrong completely by turning up here today, he was absolutely woeful. But, he turned up, got the right ground and I think that is the last right decision he has made today. I don't criticise referees as a rule but, I just thought that he wasn't even good for both sides.

But, he was better for them than he was for us. He wants me to see him 30 minutes after the game but, I just cannot be bothered to go in there and have him inventing his stories to say what happened and why he did this and why he did that. Because, he was very, very poor today, and we have to hold our hands up when we are poor, and he was today.





JP

And just finally, you have got a long trip next time out then (Bournemouth), a bit of a break ahead of that one as well, what will you work on this week?

GA

I think we will have to work on what comes on the end of the pitch, and that is a goal and that is hitting it. But, a lot of the play is terrific, we have sorted the defending out, the midfield four are passing the ball terrifically well.

We are getting in good positions but we have got to make sure we hit the back of the net. We will have a good week again, we will work hard with all the other bits. But, I think the emphasis is on sticking the ball in the back of the net.