Greg Abbott On The Huddersfield Draw

Last updated : 11 February 2010 By Thetashkentterror

Blues boss Greg Abbott
United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) after Carlisle's 1-1 draw away to Huddersfield, Abbott saying that United's tactics were a success in the game :



JP

What are your feelings on that one today?

GA

Well it is a great draw, it is a great point, you look at the game and it is a terrific game. In spells it was both teams had their periods in the game where they were dominant and both teams will feel a little bit aggrieved they haven't had certain decisions go their way and one team might have ended up winners.

But we set our stall out to come here and make life difficult for Huddersfield and ask them questions when we could get on top. I think we have done that over the piece and I think we go away with a really well earned point and we can build on that as well.

JP

When you come and set your stall out to make it difficult for a team, fans might forgive you for being all defensive, but as the stats have said today, in the first-half 60-40 to your side in terms of possession. How pleased were you with the way the team performed?

GA

But that is how we set up, these people that have problems with systems and that need to just look at stuff like that. Look at how far forward we got Adam Clayton and look at the impact he had in the game and it enables Graham Kavanagh to get further forward and it enables us to support the play from behind.

In that way we do that and then we are compact from behind and if we do get the ball taken off us we have got a really solid base to defend it again and win it back and go again. To be fair, our wingers, we try to get our wingers as high up as the field and anybody that says we play with only one attacking player needs to look at the performance of Matty Robson today, I thought he was absolutely magnificent.





JP

Huddersfield are a team as well who score with gay abandon here at the Galpharm, how have you restricted them to just the one goal?

GA

By working very, very hard as a team, by making tackles, by closing down spaces, by having a real unity. We have caused them problems today, their people will get upset with their performance I would imagine.

But sometimes I think credit has to go to our performance, I think today we have done exceptionally well. Lee (Clark) has been very gracious in what he has said after the game. So we have come here and we know we have deserved a point. They have got an unbelievable home record, I think they have only conceded nine goals before today, won ten and drawn four.

So we have to take heart from that, we are grinding out good performances at very difficult places. Today is a good achievement for the players that they have come here and got something out of the game, we might have nicked in the end.

JP

You might have done indeed, we will talk more about that, their goal went in in the 50th minute, well set up and well finished in fairness. But after dominating the first-half did you have for just a moment the thought 'oh, here we go again?'

GA

Well I wouldn't have had anything to bother or moan about because we didn't surrender a lead did we. So maybe it is better off that we give the lead first and then come from that and do it that way, because we nearly got a winner with Scott Dobie's one and then there were other bits and pieces.

Matty Robson has got through again a couple of times, we think might have had a free-kick or penalty or whatever. Not to be but we have certainly asked them enough questions in the whole of the game. We had periods when we were on top, they had periods when they were on top, they looked dangerous because they are dangerous.

They have got really good attacking players but I think we have restricted them to real clear-cut chances and we have restricted their game. They have not really passed us to death like I think they have against other sides. We have made them work very, very hard for their point as well.





JP

What volumes does it speak of Matty Robson's performance that the Huddersfield right-back (Lee Peltier) got man of the match?

GA

That is amazing, well Matty should have got man of the match as well. He asked him a lot of questions, maybe they should have given him man of the match because he was such a threat and to be fair he has managed to keep Matty out from scoring a goal.

And to be fair to him he has stuck to his task, I think he is a very good player by the way Lee Peltier, I think he is a very, very good player, tough and has got pace. But Matty has asked him a lot of questions today and I thought it was an outstanding battle to be fair on that side. And the one on this side with Gary Roberts and Richard Keogh, I thought it was brilliant.

JP

Peltier didn't keep him out all game though did he, he got past him, got to the by-line, cut it back and a goal for one of your signings.

GA

Again, we have brought young Ben (Marshall) in, he is 18, he is a player that we have managed to find out. If you look at the situation with him financially and that we have snuck one in again through the back door.

He has showed what a good player he is, he is strong, he has got pace and he nearly got in with his header as well where I thought he should have scored. I might have to have a little bit of a word with him as well, he should have won us the game really. But listen, he is 18, let him enjoy his goal.

JP

And Darryl Duffy, how did you feel about his performance, he looks like he is right on the edge of scoring goals but not quite come from him yet, but a good performance all the same.

GA

Darryl Duffy is a good player, there is no question about that. He is a good person, his work ethic there when he is on his own. He would be better off playing with somebody else, we know that, we understand that, but we set our stall up to do in it a certain way. But he has given us a shift, he is a good type and he will score goals and we are delighted to have him.





JP

The 4-5-1 looked like it was working..........

GA

4-3-3

JP

The 4-3-3 then if you will, it looked like it was working, everything seemed to be going fine but then they scored. You went 4-4-2 though, how comfortable were you with that, how well did you feel that worked out to get your equaliser?

GA

Well it did work out well didn't it because we had three or four chances when we went to that system. But we know what we have got, we know we can change things. We try to get the right systems at the right times against the right opponents.

Today Scott Dobie has gone on and worked his socks off and again the keeper (Alex Smithies) has made a wonder save from his header and he might be sitting here saying he has got a goal for us today as well. So they are good stories for us to today and it gives us another platform to build on.





JP

And a huge game coming up for you next, I am sure now we can talk about it.

GA

Who is that against?

JP

Some team called Leeds who aren't doing badly in the division.

GA

We will see, we will digest this and then we will get ready. But with the attitude and the commitment we have got off the players we are hopeful we can give a good account of ourselves on Tuesday.

JP

Digest it a little? What do you take from this game that you can take into that one?

GA

That we can compete with the very best in the division. Huddersfield are one of the best sides in the division, certainly their home record is better than Leeds. So we have just competed with the best home team in the division and we have given them a big scare, so we have got to take heart from that.





JP

And you have come to a very partisan crowd, when they wanted to be they were very noisy here. At times you silenced them, what do you think it is going to be like at Brunton Park? How important were the fans? 722 made the trip here to support your team today, how important will they be on Tuesday?

GA

The fans were fantastic today yet again, on their travels they are brilliant, they are noisy, they are vociferous, they get behind us. They were brilliant and we need 10,000 in Brunton Park on Tuesday to help us because we need all the help we can get and we will take that.

But I would say a packed house would be fantastic, I don't think we are going to get that, but come on, I think the boys deserve a massive crowd on Tuesday night to try to sing and shout and urge their way on and be biased.

To cheer every decision our way and get behind the boys because they need help, we all need help because we are competing against one of the biggest clubs in the division. We want to take them to task and give a really good account of ourselves.

JP

Quickly, any injuries out of the game? Ian Harte came off at half-time and what about Danny Livesey, it looked like he was carrying a knock?

GA

I think Danny has got more injuries than we need to talk about but they are only dusty down injuries. Ian has got a tight hamstring, we will see how he is on Monday, Paul Thirlwell has got a tight calf. There are some aches and pains but we will have to have a look at them on Monday and we go from there.