United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 2-1 League One defeat away to Brentford, Abbott saying the Blues should have taken a point out of the game:
JP
What do you make of that one today? Do you see it as a point that slipped away with the penalty?
GA
Definitely a point, we have just said in the dressing room there, if you look at where we were three to four weeks ago we were a bit disappointed with our resilience and our determination if you like. Nothing to be disappointed about today, we competed against a very physical strong Brentford side and the dressing room, I said to them that the margins between going home with something and not going home with something are that slim that we should be sitting here going back to Cumbria with at least a point, maybe even a win in the game with the two chances we had in the second-half.
They are just proper, proper chances and they are things we have to do, we have to be clinical and we were just a little bit, I wouldn’t say lazy with our defending, but sloppy with our defending in terms of picking up. We switched off for the first one, the person knows who was supposed to pick up Jonathan Douglas, didn’t, the second one falls to (Paul) Hayes, he should be marked, he has got away from him on the second ball and we have conceded two to set-pieces. I think in the ebb and flow of the game there is not too much to trouble us, I thought our back four was terrific all the way through.
JP
In a broader context of the game, they were very good Brentford, they are a very good side you have come up against, I guess your problem with it will be that they didn’t have to work quite hard enough for their goals whereas you had to work extremely hard for what you got?
GA
Yeah, but If Mark (Beck’s) header goes in, we didn’t have to work too hard for that, it happens in League One, but when you get the opportunity like that you must take it. I thought first-half we were terrific, I thought we bossed a lot of the game, they didn’t cause us any problems whatsoever. It was the set-pieces that was the key I think in the whole of the game, but they have got seven 6’2 players and that is always going to be the case.
But, we defended them manfully for the major part but got caught wanting for twice. At the other end of it you have got to score when you are on top and when you get your opportunities should I say, we didn’t second-half and I thought we had two, obviously the penalty and Mark’s chance are just ridiculously good chances to take something back.
JP
Never great to see when a penalty is missed but I don’t suppose you can complain about a player who has scored seven goals in twelve games for you?
GA
Joe (Garner) is working his nuts off isn’t he for us up there, he is doing it on his own, he is 5’9, he is battling against two centre-halves there who are 6’2 and giving them a terrific…………. I think Mark Beck needs to take a real, real good look at Joe and the way he puts himself about, and should realise how much of an impact he could be if he has got that same determination and same nasty streak in him that Joe has got.
Because, I was disappointed with Mark and I have told him so because he is a player that has got quite a lot of tools to be a really, really good player at this level. We needed him today and he has come up a little bit short, but he is 18, so the disappointment is that we think he is better than he probably thinks he is himself and he can make a bigger impact than he is making, and really be a thorn in opposition sides.
JP
David Symington, a rather immediate impact from him coming on, is his head alright first and foremost?
GA
Yeah, well his head is never alright with David. But, he has got in again and has got us something.
JP
Continues to have an impact for you?
GA
Yeah, no, listen, that is what he is and there will be times when he will get his opportunities, because I think the young players are doing really, really well. I thought Bradley Potts again was terrific in the game today and he was never found wanting for energy or determination, and his understanding of that role will get better. But, we competed really well all over the pitch and just, just came up short in the critical areas, and that is the margin between success and failure I am afraid.
JP
In the same way that you can take positives, more than just the one point on Tuesday, there is still plenty of good to take from this, the fans who couldn’t make it today because there were only 350 Carlisle people here, but there was a lot more to this game than this and that?
GA
Listen, if we play like we have today and Tuesday then we will win our home games, which is what we have just said, play now with belief because there is a definite change in mentality. Ask me for why I have no idea, whether it is people coming back to fitness, whether it is people putting pressure on other places, whether it is the group just realising where we are, but they are certainly in a better place than they were.
I was a really worried person after Notts County and Bournemouth, I am not worried about the team at the minute because I think we are turning a corner. I think we are going to get players back, and I think those types of performances win you games at home, they would have won us the game. We would have had that little bit of edge because of that home advantage today that Brentford just had.
JP
I agree and I definitely think you have, just one concern for you now I am sure, now the worst goal difference in the division, it is something that you do need to tighten up on isn’t it
GA
Well, I think the last two games you couldn’t say we have defended badly. We have conceded two goals at set-pieces but our general defending today was very, very good. Mike (Edwards) and (Peter) Murphy looked terrific and I thought we defended fantastically well on Tuesday. So, hopefully there is a turning point there in our defensive work. But, like I said, if we play like that more often than not we will gain goals and that goal difference will come down and we will work our way up the league.
JP
I think the more considered fan can see why you didn’t bring Sean McGinty immediately into the team, does he play more into the reckoning now though after a defeat?
GA
Where would you play him? You are a manager, I will put you on the spot as a manager, out of my back four would you leave anybody out of that back four right now?
JP
I am not good enough to know that.
GA
I am not trying to……….. But, the back four was powerful today, was very, very good, and Chris Chantler has done a great job, even against Clayton (Donaldson). We could have looked at that with the height but he contained him really well, I thought the middle two were just forming a decent partnership. We want Sean to get games, but we don’t really just want to put him in for the sake of it. We have got to put him in if we think he is going to make it better and I think it would be unjust of me to say that anyone in that back four didn’t do their job today.
JP
Even with the two goals that you did concede though?
GA
Well, you know, listen, is his overall game going to be better than Chris Chantler’s or Peter Murphy’s?
JP
I wouldn’t take Chris Chantler out.
GA
Well, there you are you see, so they are decisions that you are looking at, you have been at the game as well as me. I think Peter has played very, very well today, we need his experience right now, Sean wants to gain pitch time but I can’t just make a change for the sake of it because we have brought him in. He is there to give us cover, we have got no cover, Danny Livesey has got a broken hand, Matty Robson has got a bad back, so he is in there to give us some depth if anything should happen. But, I think to take one of the boys out that has been playing very well wouldn’t be sensible management.
JP
How important now is this week off before your next game?
GA
It is vital because we need to get bodies back, and I think by next week we should have Matty Robson and Paul Thirlwell back, Rory Loy will have some more pitch time in a game on Monday. So, we are going to be in better shape come next weekend and I think hopefully we are getting over that depth of squad problem that we had two weeks ago.
JP
And just finally for those who haven’t listened to the game, haven’t been at the game and have just seen the result, what one thing would you say to them that you would take out of the two away games and into those home games that you think they should take on board and come back and back you?
GA
Well, I think the absolute determination and they are playing for the shirt, they are really, really giving everything they have got. They couldn’t have given more today, it has been a terrific effort, a manful effort with a real powerful opposition who are a decent side, and especially on their own bidding. There is definite room for optimism and definite signs that we are looking back to something like what we can be all about.