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"You always want to beat the teams around where you are in the league so it makes this Carlisle game even more important. If you win then you stretch the gap between you and themselves and the added plus with this match is whoever wins can go top of the table.
"They are a strong side who are also looking to challenge for promotion. We know that means we're in for a tough game but being at home we're looking forward to it and we're looking to win the game too. In the build up to games Dean (Austin) does become more involved in things.
"He scouts the teams we're playing and last week he was telling us all about the way Walsall played. We went through their set pieces and I think it's been a really big help for us. We went on to produce what I thought was a professional performance and now we want more of the same against Carlisle."
Meanwhile winger Tommy Black, who spent a loan spell from Arsenal at Brunton Park way back in 1999 commented :
"It was a long time ago now but going to Carlisle really helped me. Playing in the youth team at Arsenal hadn't really prepared me for first team football but going to Carlisle definitely did. I learnt a lot there and it meant I developed as a player. It was a good thing for me to do and I'm glad I went there.
"With Carlisle being up alongside us it's obviously a big game. We want to try to get a bit of breathing space between us and them and we do need to start beating the teams that are also up there. We haven't done that yet and that is the only worrying aspect about our season so far.
"There is more pressure on Southend this year and I think it took a while to get used to. Last year everybody expected them to go down and the year before nobody thought they had a chance of going up. But it's different now. A big squad has been built up and there are players not even making the bench here who would walk into most teams at this level.
"That has built up the expectation and rightly so because if we finish outside the play-offs this year then I think you will have to say we have underachieved."