United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) after Carlisle's 1-0 defeat at home to Leyton Orient, Abbott saying that losing the game in the manner the Cumbrians did was a big disappointment :
JP
How do you feel after that one? Unbeaten in three going into this one, what do you make of today?
GA
A big disappointment to be honest, a real big disappointment. I thought we played ever so well and I am disappointed we haven't turned our superiority into goals. We might be just looking at a reason as to why we are where we are and not right up at the top end of this table.
JP
And watching you in particular before they took the lead in the game, we were talking in commentary, myself and Chris (Lumsdon) that this Carlisle team could have finished even higher in this table, but I suppose the way things panned out today as you say is perhaps why you haven't done?
GA
Goals, that is what it is, our football was fantastic in the first-half, absolutely terrific, this team might get into the play-offs Leyton Orient, they might get into the play-offs and you are asking me who is the better side. Cynics would say that they won 1-0, they are the better side, they scored a goal, but I am looking at that thinking if we are not as good as them then there is something wrong.
But, we have to make sure next season that with superiority in our play we end up with goals. We have had too many good opportunities and too many balls in good areas not to score today. We have just had a right good fall-out in the dressing room because I am not going to have......... That is a criticism I don't want to be talking about next season, we have got to get it out of our way now because we have got to put people under pressure to put the ball in the back of the net when we have so much better play.
JP
Do you think that becomes the argument again, once more as it has been for a few seasons over the summer then, making sure that you get that goalsorer or goalscoring somehow into your team?
GA
We have got to score more goals, it is as simple as that.
JP
In terms of today, not actually taking the chances although obviously it was a crucial miss the penalty from James Berrett, but you were getting the ball close to the goalscoring positions but not quite converting that into chances?
GA
I have just said that. That is the clinical part of the game and we did it at Colchester, we didn't play any better or any worse than we did against Colchester and we scored four goals against them. But, even right at the last minute when the keeper (Lee Butcher) fumbles a shot, where are we to tap it in? Where is that instinct? Where is that piece of clinical stuff that is the difference? They had one shot on target in the whole of the game, one shot on target in the whole of the game and won 1-0.
JP
Do you think that your team looked just a touch tired after the run of games that you have had or is that an excuse?
GA
Yeah, I think you are trying to help them out. Listen, we have lost a game because we haven't scored goals and not because we are tired, maybe the second game in the space of three days might have caught up on us, Orient have had an extra day but I don't like making too many excuses. I want to see the club go forward and I want to see the players rubber stamp their superiority in games and end up in the top part of the division. You can make excuses every week when you get beat but that is not my style to be honest.
JP
James Berrett, a player who very rarely lets you down, and his general play didn't, but missed a penalty at a crucial time. You take the lead against that Leyton Orient side and this would have been a different day wouldn't it?
GA
Maybe, maybe the way we were playing at the time and Bez takes the penalty and scores, maybe we get a Colchester thing. But we didn't, and then the goal has changed the way things are, gives them encouragement, gives them something to hold onto because I thought we were dominating the play and had lots of periods of possession.
But, the key is putting the ball in the net and we have talked about it a lot this season as a group when you are on top, and we didn't do that today and we feel really disappointed. I feel really, really low now because I wanted to win the game, you are talking about why I don't make changes and why I don't fiddle with the team, because 5,000 fans here wanted us to win today and they will probably be as disappointed as me.
JP
Looking for a silver lining, do you find out as much about the game and your team and your squad in days like this than you do in a 4-1 victory over Colchester?
GA
There is nothing wrong with the team, there is nothing wrong with the squad, there is nothing wrong with the attitude, there is nothing wrong with the group we have got. We know where we need to be next season, we know what we need to bring in, I have told the chairman (Andrew Jenkins) and John Nixon already.
So, it only tells me what I already know, I do know quite a bit about my team because we work with them every single day and we watch every single game and we monitor what they are. We know where we need to improve and probably today is the biggest example of why we aren't in the top bit of this league because I think we are every bit as good as most teams in the division. It is that little bit of extra quality that costs you so much money that we probably need to add which will put us right up where we want to be.
JP
Seeing how close you are, do you think you are going to have that sort of backing from the board to go out and get those targets you have identified?
GA
What the board will do is they will give me every little bit that they have got available. What they have got they will give me and I know roughly what it is and I have got to go and try to find it and make it happen.
JP
After this today then, a bit of a disappointment, you are saying that you are a bit low in the dressing room and in yourself today, will you think about moving things around and giving other people a chance than the eleven that started today for the first time in six games?
GA
What I am going to try to do next week is win a game of football, that is what I will do at Dagenham.
JP
And might that involve moving the team around a little bit?
GA
I will pick my strongest side I think, seriously, there might be some fans going to Dagenham from Carlisle next week and they wouldn't want me to put a team out there that isn't going to be capable of winning. So, I will just pick the best team I can and if that involves making a few changes then I will do it, but you have seen the changes we have made today and the players we have got, the best eleven are the best eleven at the minute.
It is up to those other players to force their way through in the training and in the reserve games and in the friendly games they have to prove to me that they better than what we have got. But, at the minute I think the strongest group and probably the strongest eleven is the eleven that is starting at the moment.
JP
I am not trying to labour the point, but there are some fans who are saying that if these youngsters, if these other players aren't getting a chance now then when will they get a chance? You won't want to start them next season because then the whole season is there to play for. You perhaps might not want to use them in pre-season because you will be building up to the start of the season. A few fans are saying if not now then will they ever get the chance?
GA
Well, I am not so sure those fans were saying that at Rochdale on Saturday, and the fans actually I think are starting to believe in what we are trying to do. Do you know what? When they are ready I will play them, that is the simple......... And if they are ready to start next season I will play them, but like I said to you before, I work with them every single day and I know where they are and I know where they are at, and I know what they need to do to improve. Time is on their side, they are only young babies, we can't have too many young kids in the team, I know what levels they are already at.