Steve Holland Talks About The Game

Last updated : 17 August 2008 By Thetashkentterror

Steve Holland
Crewe boss Steve Holland spoke to BBC Radio Stoke after his side's 4-2 defeat away to Carlisle this afternoon, Holland bemoaning the fact that his side didn't convert more of the goalscoring chances that they created :


" I didn't think that there was a lot wrong between the two penalty boxes, we had more than our fair share of play I would have thought and have created plenty of chances today. The difference was what went on in the two penalty areas, they were more clinical than us I thought, and in one or two cases were better defensively than we were.

" We made quite a good start I think in the early couple of minutes before we got put under a little bit of pressure. Then I think that the first goal came, there was a bit of a ricochet in midfield and it might have been (Scott) Dobie who ran Chris (McCready) down the line. He has delivered a cross into the box where the striker (Danny Graham) has got across Julien (Baudet) for I have to say a terrific finish, it was a really spectacular volley.

" The second goal, we were really disappointed with, Danny Woodards's job is to mark the nine (Graham) on the corners, which he didn't do on the previous corner that we got away with. On the second occasion the ball ended up in the back of the net. So at 2-0 early away from home against Carlisle you have got a bit to do.

" To be fair though I thought that the players kept going well and we got a well-worked goal back. Where I think again it was from a set-play, it might have been a corner, where we picked up second phase possession and Byron (Moore) delivered a cross to the back-post. Julien then headed intelligently back across for Chris for 2-1. "



" Then I think that we had, Julien hit the crossbar with a header just after that at 2-1, and then Byron had a really good chance I thought. It was outside the box but it was a good shooting opportunity to have at least hit the target, but he blazed over. So at half-time we were 2-1 and in the game and we'd had plenty of play, the next goal was obviously going to be crucial.

" In the second-half we had the chance to get it, Joel (Grant) is in, the goalkeeper (Ben Williams) is on the floor and the goal is gaping. If that goes in then it's 2-2 and the momentum swings totally, it didn't though and we ended up with Joel defending against their centre-forward (Dobie) right down here in front of me, which he didn't do very well of course. We'll have to have a good look at what happened after that but he ran right through and blasted it into the roof of the net for 3-1.

" The fourth goal I was really disappointed with, Danny's man has got behind him far too easily today on more than one occasion. He has been excellent in the first two games has Dan, he couldn't quite keep that going today. That was a soft fourth goal, but again the players kept going and Tom Pope got a goal back for 4-2. Shaun (Miller) has produced a terrific save out of the goalkeeper and also a close-range save from a cross. Then you'd have to say that I think that is a penalty at the end on Colin (Daniel), that has to be a penalty, it's straightforward.

" So it's ifs, buts and maybes, on the positives, we are creating more chances, we have had more than our share of the play, more certainly than we had here last year. On the downside, we have not converted anything like a high enough percentage of our chances today, and we are still of course vulnerable defensively.

" We were vulnerable right across the back four and we know that needs improving. That is to take nothing away from Carlisle though, I thought they attacked really well, although we were disappointed with some of the goals we conceded, they were avoidable. I was pleased with James Bailey though, it was only his third senior game and he looks fine in there, I am learning about him all the time and he is holding his own at this level. "