Greg Abbott On The Millwall Defeat

Last updated : 25 November 2008 By Thetashkentterror

Greg Abbott
United caretaker manager Greg Abbott spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Derek Lacey after Carlisle's late 1-0 loss away to Millwall, Abbott reflecting on United's seventh league defeat in a row on their travels :


" It's disappointing isn't it, I have been on the other end of that where we have had the winner in the last few minutes. Today though it has been against us and it doesn't make it any easier. I have got a really, really down dressing-room, they are upset because I think that they have put in a great shift on the night. The commitment and the effort was there and they are disappointed because they got to such a state in the game where we think that we have done enough to get a draw out of it and we can go on. It wasn't to be but the boys are a little bit down at the moment.

" I think that it is important, I am not going to stand up here and say that I am pleased that we are getting beat, but I think in defeat the manner in the way that you get beat is sometimes important. I think that we can probably take a little bit of positives out of the game from the fact that we have come to a tough place against a team that is rolling high at the top of their division and we have really frustrated them and caused them a lot of problems.

" I have been here a number of years as a player and as a coach and you don't get anything cheap down here, it's always an intimidating place to come. I am disappointed for the players because I think that their spirit and their effort deserved something out of it, not to be but the manner of the defeat was probably better than others that we have had this season.

" We think that we restricted Millwall, especially in the first-half, to not much really going forward. They got a head of steam up in the second-half and we were on the back foot at times. All over the pitch we were competing and we were putting tackles in though. In an attacking sense we didn't make that right decision at times, we didn't make that right pass at times. I don't want to be too critical but I will be honest to say that our attacking play needs to improve and will improve. "



" It has been good in the last two games where we have created some great chances. Tonight we probably didn't create as many as we have been doing but if we get that resolve throughout the team and that determination and spirit. We then know that on another day that our attacking play will be better. It does look a little bit more hopeful for the future where we can pick ourselves up and get results and come on our travels and cause a lot of problems for these teams.

" The loan deadline is on Thursday so it is busy in that sense, it is busy in terms of training, it is busy in terms of that situation, and then it is busy in terms of the amount of games that we have got coming up and that. This is what we get paid for though and it is what we have to do and we just get on with the job.

" The next step is to make sure that the players are OK and get themselves together and start preparing for Saturday now. Because this will hurt, it will hurt me and it will hurt the players, and I suppose that it will hurt the fans as well. We have to dust ourselves down though and start thinking about deadline day and what happens there and then look forward to Saturday.

" I think that we would maybe like to bring someone in before Thursday. I think that we would like to maybe get one or two of the fringe players, see if they can fix themselves up and get some games somewhere, some first-team football somewhere. Then in replacement for that maybe bring one in or bring two in, you never know what it is going to happen.

" It is a situation where strange things can happen, people can come forward, one or two of your players that you don't think that people are interested in. Then that opens up your door for you going and getting some others. So we have got plenty of people we would like to bring in if the thing is right. If it all balances out and it is the right thing to do then we will do it, if not then we won't do it, but I would hope that we can maybe shake things up a little bit. "



" We just felt that Michael Liddle was getting a tough time from (Lewis) Grabban who was probably their best player on the night. Obviously Simon (Hackney) is a really attack-minded player and a young player, we maybe wanted someone a bit tougher with a bit more experience and one that could do that job just to help Michael out a little bit.

" That is why we made the substitution and brought Michael Bridges on because they were hitting a diagonal ball into him (Liddle) quite a bit and he was coming under a bit of pressure. So it was purely to give him a bit of protection, and Michael can always make something happen with a bit of spark and a bit of magic, which he nearly did do around the sides of the box. It wasn't to be though but that was the reasoning behind it.

" He (Liddle) will have grown up won't he, he is 18 and he will have grown up. It is a tough place to come isn't it, it is a tough place to come for experienced players but for somebody so young and so fresh. He has been up against a good opponent but again his enthusiasm and his appetite, and he has stuck to his task. We think a lot of him you know, and he has come in and done a terrific job for us and that is a tough game for him tonight. That is why he is here, to learn his trade and to make him go back to Sunderland a better player.

" We will be on the bus soon, we can talk about the positives, we can have a little look at where we maybe could have done things better. The top and bottom of it is though that we have got to shake ourselves down and then look forward to Saturday, and put Grays under a bit of pressure and make sure that we can get on in this FA Cup.

" We have been here before haven't we where we have had troubles on our travels. If we show the same determination and grit and spirit though, with the ability that we have got and that is coming out in the side at the minute, it won't be long before we get back on track I'm sure. The boys have done a good shift for us tonight and I hope that people think that we are making progress. We have been beaten tonight but we have to take a few positives out of it and it can't be all full of doom and gloom. They are hurting but I am hopeful that we can bounce back to the winning thing on Saturday. "