United manager Graham Kavanagh (GK) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 2-1 League One win at home to Crewe, Kavanagh saying every aspect of the game was really, really pleasing for the Blues:
JP
You must be delighted with most aspects of the game this evening?
GK
We got the three points tonight so I am really pleased. Absolutely every aspect of the game tonight was really, really pleasing. I thought the way we played first-half, the tempo we set and the way we passed the ball, our inter-changing and our underlapping and overlapping, getting the ball wide, getting into effective areas, getting crosses into the box.
We got two very good goals, we had to be patient and the fans stayed with us which was magnificent. I told them that the second-half was going to be a more different affair, they were then playing with the wind, they were going to come out and attack us and have some venom about their game because I knew their manager [Steve Davis] wasn’t happy.
That is what they did but I think we created more chances tonight than we have created all season, but we just didn’t finish them off. I think I said at half-time, 2-0 is always a tricky scoreline because if you concede early, for whatever reason and I don’t really know why but you become deeper and deeper.
We were fortunate tonight that we conceded late on, but that being said I think we had the lion’s share of the possession and the lion’s share of being in their half. We certainly had a hell of a lot more opportunities so really pleased and we would have it taken it before the game, so onwards and upwards, it is five unbeaten now so really pleased yeah.
JP
It looks like you have been doing a lot of work with Dave Symington, in particular ahead of the game at the weekend Davie Irons was running him through a couple of routines to try to get him encouraged to take men on, are we starting tonight to see what he can really be capable of as a mature footballer?
GK
Well we have been doing work with him for months and months and months, and I have said to Dave that it is about time the penny dropped. The one thing I will say about him is he determined to do something about it, he looks like he is actually thinking about the game which is great. He does look like he is learning, I think there are still aspects of his play that he is going to need to learn.
I think the combination play with him and Pascal [Chimbonda] can be better, and when he comes short to then take him long or whether he goes long to take him short. I think he can be more convincing and have more conviction about how he is going to do it and decide Pascal’s mind for him if you like.
But, that being said there was a hell of a lot of quality came from him, a hell of a strike for his goal, he got some very good crosses in the box tonight, he defended narrow obviously but we asked him to. The one thing we said to him is if you are going to play wide on the right or on the left then you are going to need to be a ball carrier for us, you are going to need to get us up the pitch and I thought he did that in abundance tonight.
JP
You have just made the same mistake we did, we gave him a splendid goal we thought but apparently Sean O’Hanlon got the touch on the line that diverted it past the goalkeeper [Neil Etheridge]. So, Sean O’Hanlon with that goal but we thought it was Symington, but whatever the case it was fantastic technique from him to get that shot away with no back lift at all?
GK
Well he does possess that power, I don’t know where he gets it from because he can hit it off both legs right and left. The problem I have with him is the times when he actually tries to put power on the ball and he loses technique, the ball goes over and high and wide and everywhere else to be honest. But, when he actually just gets his head over it and his hip over and plants his foot and just connects with the ball he has got ridiculous power, probably the most power I have seen in a footballer.
So, it is just constantly reminding him and explaining it to him, but he is very receptive to it, he wants to learn, as do all the young lads, and I have said to him it is about time he stepped up and I do think he is starting to really step up and show consistency. There is an opportunity for him, as there is with everybody, to make sure come what may they stay in the team or in the squad and it is vital going forward that we have that competition.
JP
What about your braveheart defender in Sean O’Hanlon, he has been credited with the goal, he has got a finger strapped up, he had his head wrapped up at one stage, what do you make of the performance of him and Max Ehmer at the back this evening?
GK
Well, I think first and foremost you look at Ben [Amos] and he was outstanding tonight. The two centre-halves were outstanding, the three midfield players dominated the middle of the pitch and Lee Miller was very much back to his best, won every header, gave us a platform to get up the pitch and got hold of the ball, his retention was very good.
I think when you look at that spine of the team and any successful team will need that, Sean gave us that with Max, I mean they are getting a really good understanding together. I do think at times, I said to Max at half-time that when one steps in the other must get on the cover which in turn will pull the full-back around.
But, very, very small detail, yeah OK the detail will create the bigger picture but they are learning. Well, sort of learning in terms of the way I want the game played, but they have been magnificent. I keep saying win the first header and the way the two boys are they want to attack every ball, they want to compete, they want to be aggressive and they are more than capable of doing it, so very pleased yeah.
JP
Of course you were forced into a change at left-back this evening with Conor Townsend suspended, but it was great to see Chris Chantler back and you wouldn’t know he had been missing would you?
GK
Chants is a determined little character, he has had a real difficult time of it, he came in against Gillingham and to be fair I thought he looked a little bit rusty. Reflecting back on that time and reflecting on his training sessions around that time in comparison to now I don’t think he was anywhere near then what he is now in terms of the confidence of his ankle.
He is doing things an awful lot more fluently, he doesn’t really think about it now, the ankle isn’t affecting him anymore, he is able to twist, turn, sprint, check, stop, roll it. He is able to do rolls and that is great and that will obviously give him confidence and playing the 90 minutes tonight in the manner he did will make him grow I’m sure. Hopefully as Conor is going back he will step in and be as good as Conor has been.
JP
A bit of a fight then for Conor’s final game against Swindon between him and Chris Chantler?
GK
There is a fight every game.
JP
You had a big smile on your face there?
GK
I keep saying every day is an opportunity, it doesn’t matter whether you are in the squad or out of the squad. I don’t think anybody can be resting on their laurels, I know Chants certainly wouldn’t and I know Conor wouldn’t. But, it is lovely that we do have that competition in that area, I would like to create a little bit more of it, I would like to get some business done if we can before Thursday.
Whether one or two go out and one or two come in or whatever way it works, I am not really sure. But, I have spoken to John [Nixon] this evening and he is receptive to doing it, disappointed with the crowd in the sense that there weren’t as many numbers, the fans that were here were magnificent.
But, we do need people in the gate and I do keep harping on with this because we do, and I hope they get behind what we are trying to set out to do because the more fans we have then the more money which means more opportunities to get better players in and give you a better brand of football and hopefully a higher league position.
JP
If you come back from Swindon with something you might get a bit of a rise in that crowd?
GK
Well, that is what we want to do, I mean it is five unbeaten now. It has been a slow burner, I think we have progressively got better very slowly but I do think we are. I think the lads are buying into what we are asking of them, I think more importantly they are actually buying into what each other are asking.
They are putting demands on each other now that they haven’t done for a good number of months and there are one or two stepping up and becoming real leaders. Sean has been one, Max has been one, Paul Thirlwell has been one, Ben Amos has been one, Lee Miller has now been one. So, it gives you good food for thought and it gives you very good experience in the centre of your team.
JP
You mentioned getting something done by Thursday, that is of course the end of the loan window before January 1st then so quite a gap there, so how important will it be to do something and how much business might get done if you get your way?
GK
I don’t know and the reason I say I don’t know, it is not because I am being non-committal, it is just that I know how difficult deals are to get over the line. Especially when one or two agents get involved who know their players potentially may go, they tout them all around. So, I am not going to hold my breath, if is the group we have then great, but if we can add one or two to it then I will be really, really pleased.
JP
Can you tell us at this stage where you would like to add?
GK
No, but I am going to wait and see what the next two days hold and if I get who I want then they will be exciting players, but we will see.
JP
In terms of Leon McSweeney who has not been around the squad, is he carrying a knock at the moment?
GK
No, just tactically on the bench I don’t just select the team or the shape on the most experienced or the players who have played the most games. I am looking at potentially what may happen in the game, I thought Brad Potts could cover me in central midfield and he could also cover me at right-back.
I left Chants off the bench the other week because I thought Matty Robson could step in at left-back, I put Josh Gillies on the bench because I thought he could come in on the left side if Matty did fill it. So, it is trying to make combinations with the numbers we have and getting the best from the bench. I think in the past I think we said that we haven’t had the sort of the most sort of quality on the bench. But, we have got options and I want to make the best options we possibly can, so it is no reflection on Leon.
JP
No, I was just checking that he didn’t have a knock that we didn’t know about. Just a final one, Courtney Meppen-Walter, I know that this has been a bit of an ongoing one. Has he signed the contract, is he with Carlisle for a month, what is the situation?
GK
I would be lying if I said I think he has signed but I know it has been agreed. So, as far I am aware it is going to be done tomorrow, but I haven’t been in today, I was in at four o’clock but I haven’t been told that it is done. But, Courtney was here tonight, we want to give him a month, we want to get him involved in a couple of games at reserve level if you like, a couple of bounce games as we have been calling them just so we know he gets extended, we know how he pushes himself and we know how he reacts to the bigger areas.
But, he has got better as I said and it is not something that just because he signs he is going to go straight into the squad. That is not going to be the case, I am going to monitor him and see how he goes.
JP
And it will be his chance then, that will be the month to try to earn his longer term stay with Carlisle United?
GK
Yeah, yeah, it will be, listen, I have said before, the financial aspect of the club is one that I would like to move one or two on. If that gives me enough time to be able to do it I don’t know, but I have said before that one or two need to sort of go out and go and get games just for their own careers really.
Because, their careers will stagnate, I don’t think the game waits on anybody, you want to get an opportunity to continue your career if you can and the longer you are not playing the more difficult that is. So, I will be encouraging the players who aren’t in and around it to be knocking on my door and get moves to show what they can do. So, hopefully that might free some money up for us to bring one or two more in.