United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) at Friday's press conference for the local media, Abbott reflecting on a disappointing week for the Blues :
GA
I have had better but I have had worse, we have had some different types of training sessions and we need to make sure everybody has got an understanding of the way we want to play and how we want to play. Certainly our work out of possession has to improve, and we have worked a lot on that this week and yesterday we did a double session, did training in the morning which we generally don't do on a Thursday, and then we worked in the dressing room on the board going through things.
So, we worked on the board to make sure they understood it and we explained it. Good response, knew we needed to do it, the lads are great like that, no problem with that as long as it takes, and this morning they have been really bright and have an understanding of what we are trying to do tomorrow. I think they are as keen as I am to get another win and a momentum going so we can take our decent league form, apart from last week, into a good position.
JP
What are the key things that everyone needs to learn from these last few games?
GA
Erm, I think our work, our approach, our mental approach has to be right, that is for certain, when you go to lesser clubs than ourselves. But, certainly our work out of possession has to be better than it is, and to be fair, even at times in possession when we are trying to pass the ball the right way has got to be better. I think what it has done is it has given everybody a realisation that if we are not at full pelt we get hurt, that is the type of club we are with the type of group we have got. I think on top of their game, everybody working fantastically well with and without the ball, we are a match for most teams in this league. But, if we take our foot off the pedal in any department then we open ourselves up for those types of performances.
JP
Perhaps less so the last game, but I was reading Fabio Capello's comments about England against Wales saying he could just actually tell that he was going to get one of those performances ahead of the game, do you sometimes get that feeling that is not quite going to go according to plan?
GA
Yeah, you just can sense it, it is a sixth sense that football people have and people say well why don't you do something about, and sometimes it doesn't matter what you say and what you do, and I don't think for one minute people will think I haven't reminded them that it is only Accrington, it is only Aldershot. You know what to expect, it is not going to be the greatest ground in the world, we go through all that sort of stuff but sometimes you are powerless and if Fabio Capello on £6 million a year can't do anything about it then poor Greg Abbott is under slightly less sufferance.
JP
I feel harsh now asking you this one but what can you do to make sure you don't get those sorts of performances on Saturday?
GA
Well, I could ask Fabio for Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard, it gives him a fighting chance doesn't it. I think you keep.............. We always stress and we have done it before when results haven't gone our way that is only hard work, it is hard work and making sure everyone has got an understanding of their roles with and without the ball, and that is what we have done this week.
We have recovered from these types of little mini............... I mean we are talking about a mini run, but if we actually win tomorrow we still could probably go up to fourth or fifth in the league, which is really decent to be honest, so let's look on the brighter side of it. But, we have to get that result and with the stuff that we have talked about, if we carry it out we think we are going to get one.
JP
The loan window has opened and a couple of clubs have done a bit of business, with the last few games has it entered your mind that you might need to look at other options at this stage?
GA
I won't let us lose too many more games before I think the team needs pepping up, if it needs pepping up we would try to do that if I was allowed to do that. So, that is always there if we need it, certainly guarded against an injury to one of the positions we have not got as much cover in we would do something. But, if results don't go our way over a period then John (Nixon) knows I will knock on his door, so we are always conscious of it but at the minute nothing is imminent.
JP
You have had some cracking battles with Hartlepool over the last couple of years, with all of that behind you I suppose in a way it is a good incentive for everyone just to focus on this one game?
GA
Yeah, I don't think it should be any bigger incentive that it is Hartlepool than it should be just to win the next game. Mick (Wadsworth) will come here and want to do well, he has been here before and it is a local derby if there is one and everyone will be keen to do well, both sides. But, we just don't want to big the game up in that sense, we just to win a game, win the game, which will give us another leap up the league and give us a really healthy league position.
That is what we want to do and then we want to get some momentum built and we want to take that forward and create enthusiasm within the town. At the minute people will remember the last three games which is obvious but if they come tomorrow and we can put on a show and play some good football and win the whole thing changes quickly, the whole perplexion of everything changes very, very quickly in the space of 90 minutes.
But, if you look at their record they have made themselves hard to beat, they have drawn about four I think, even their cup game they have drawn and went to penalties, so they don't get beat too often. Mick has got them organised and we had them watched a couple of times and they have worked exceptionally hard and I think we need a bit of bite in midfield.
Meanwhile injured United right-back Frank Simek commented :
It is frustrating but it is part of football, you have got to take the ups and the downs, but the injury is coming along really well, progressing well. It has been three and a half weeks, they said initially eight weeks but as of right now I am doing very well.
It sucks though, first game of the season tearing your hip flexor muscle, but you learn in football it is not always positive, you kind of roll with the punches and I will do that. There is a lot of the season left, the boys have done well, Tav (James Tavernier) has come in and done very well which is great for the team and great for Carlisle United. If we can keep this going then hopefully when I do come back I can help us progress further up.