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" Two clean sheets have put Phil Smith very much in the frame to start, but he didn't really have to do that anyway. I think Phil has been a most improved keeper since certainly when I came in last year. I think he has come on leaps and bounds and the fact he has had that pressure of David Lucas coming in, he has responded to it very, very well.
" I think in that respect he is becoming a very established keeper, which is exactly what we wanted, it is the scenario we were looking for. Thankfully both David and him have risen to the challenge so terrific, and it is a very difficult decision for me on Saturday but one that I will make.
" I think a lot of goalkeeping coach George Wood so I'll be a bit biased. But if you asked Phil I would be very surprised if he didn't say he's helped him a great deal. His confidence both as a goalkeeper and in himself seems to have risen and his general demeanour is good. In that respect George has helped him to bring himself out of his shell a little, because he's a shy, quiet boy, but now I think Phil's turning into a very good goalkeeper.
" The two clean sheets have been a long time coming, I am not saying we have conceded a lot of goals but they have been a long time coming. It just adds confidence to the defenders but I think defenders will always get all the credit for clean sheets and the strikers will for winning games.
" But I think collectively they have been two very good clean sheets so it is something we can build on. From our point of view it's all about getting back in touch with the boys in the top six. If we can get a good result on Saturday it will get us back in touch. "
" Having watched Carlisle on Saturday at Bristol Rovers I think they were very unlucky not to get a result. They were up in the lead twice and deservedly, they could possibly have put the game beyond Rovers at half-time. They had three very good chances which they didn't take but that in itself will suggest that they are a potent force.
" On the counter-attack they are very good, Matty Robson coming into that equation, Joe Anyinsah on the other side who was a young boy at Bristol City when I was there. Both have got tremendous pace and they will cause problems for defenders.
" The system that they have played the last two games, it seems to suit what they want to do. Graham Kavanagh has been playing in behind the striker, a bit of a free role if you like, so it is a difficult system to pin down. But I think anybody going to Carlisle at any time knows it is always going to be difficult, they have had a good result in midweek in the cup so they will be quite buoyant.
" There are no excuses needed on the distance, I don't think we ever prepare excuses, I think what we do, we prepare ourselves properly for the game. Being on the coach for eight hours after a training session on a Friday is not ideal preparation so what we will do is that we will be breaking it up.
" We will train halfway up there, give ourselves a small journey to get to the hotel to get something to eat and take it from there. But we prepare for games and we don't prepare excuses. It will be fantastic to use some Premier League facilities, I think the hospitality that Bolton have shown to us is fantastic.
" We are getting a nice relationship with them at this moment in time, particularly with Temitope Odebayi settling in very nicely on loan for us. I think knowing Gary Megson for a long time as I have it is great to have those types of relationships, and hopefully these are the times when you can ask a favour of them and thankfully they have said yes. So, great, it is a different environment and the lads will enjoy it. "