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JP
Defeat today, but how has that happened?
GA
It happened because we haven't got a goal and they got one. I know that is a silly statement but that is the truth of the matter. We have got to find a goal, probably our play and our passion and our spirit deserved something out of the game today. We did attack in droves second-half, we never sat back, we tried to take the game to Norwich the best we could.
Possibly in the first-half we maybe showed them a little bit too much respect. But certainly in the second-half we have really gone after them and we have asked them a lot of questions, but we couldn't find that conclusive goal to just get us back in the game. If we had got one then we might have gone on to win it, you never know, certainly pleased with the effort and determination but again it is that elusive goal that is eluding us at the moment.
JP
There is no doubt the fans agree with that, there was a standing ovation as the players came off. The effort, the spirit, the determination, especially towards the end there was there for all to see but you have just got to start hitting the back of the net.
GA
Yeah, you are right, listen, I think we should be getting that spirit and determination week in and week out, something that we think we have got at this club. There are not many times we are going to roll over and just let teams win easily. They have had to fight like mad to get their result and I think the fans will give you their support if they see that effort and that determination. I think we owe that to them, they are sticking with us, they are still turning up, the same people, we would like a few more but results will change that situation.
But I thought the fans today were terrific, we have got to give them that effort and that spirit, they have seen that and they have got behind us. There have been a few little incidents in the game where they are right on our side and that is what we want, a total biased at home. You only do that by showing them that you care and that you are having a right go at it out on the pitch.
JP
Tell us about the goal though, once again it is one that we feel I am sure that you didn't have to concede.
GA
It is a horrible goal isn't it, we have given the ball away in midfield. It is a weak cross in, it is a poor cross, Danny Livesey has missed it and then Kav (Graham Kavanagh) has missed it. It is just a weak goal, we don't seem to get those types of goals, it is a really poor one.
At the minute I am not in the frame of mind to have a look at it again, but I suppose I will have to do over the weekend. But it seemed so avoidable, maybe that is the story of us at the moment. We need a great chance and a great goal to get us in the game and we concede stuff like that, it really was a disappointing goal to be fair.
JP
Also a big penalty shout towards the end of the game, there is some debate over whether it was a head or a handball, but it is the sort of penalty that goes for Leeds at Elland Road but not for Carlisle at Brunton Park.
GA
Yeah but I don't want to come up here and start saying the referee (David Foster) has cost us the game because he hasn't. I think it actually hit the lad's (Darel Russell's) head behind Grant, Grant Holt has gone up with his hand in the air which is dangerous, but I don't think it was him that actually touched the ball, I think it was the lad behind him. Even a bad decision would have done us though for a penalty today, we would have accepted that. But it wasn't to be and I am not certainly going to start having a go at the referee.
JP
Against a good back-line there today you did create a lot of chances, at times though it was not really the strikers to blame, it was the decision making at times, sometimes with somebody in a better option and players not taking the right decisions. Is that why Marc Bridge-Wilkinson came on for instance?
GA
Well Bridgey is clever, he usually picks the right pass, that is his game. He is one of those players who does find a pass doesn't he. We looked long and hard about starting with him in there in front, we wanted to take the game to Norwich and to be fair the performances…. I thought Scott Dobie was absolutely tremendous in terms of his work-rate and his energy, he caused them a load of problems and Joe (Anyinsah) as well wasn't far behind him.
Add a goal to Scott Dobie's game today and he would have got a nine out of ten in the papers, he was terrific wasn't he with his energy and how he has unsettled them. But Bridgey has come on and he does find a pass, he does find the right ball and we got the ball into good areas and peppered their goalmouth with crosses and stuff, we just couldn't get on the end of them.
JP
And you threw the kitchen sink at it, you went 3-4-3 at the end, you didn't take off Dobie and Anyinsah which a lot of the fans felt that was the right decision. Do you think maybe you need to look at other ways of getting goals again though if they are not coming for you?
GA
Well I did, I mean I can't do much more than have three main-string strikers on and two wingers on and two attacking midfield players, or certainly Bridgey. I can't do much more than that bar go two at the back, which just gives the game away. There is not a lot more I can do but we have got to find a way of scoring goals and that is what we are always trying to do.
JP
No, it certainly wasn't a criticism of the tactical work to try to get that goal.
GA
No, I appreciate that.
JP
What I was saying was do you have to look elsewhere and that was leading to my next question, Vincent Pericard up in the directors box today.
GA
Was he?
JP
He was yes, you know he was.
GA
Well he must look forward to getting on the end of some of those crosses, but listen Vince is here. He has got great quality or great pedigree. There is a lot of talking to do, he wanted to come today and I wanted him to come. There is a bit of talking to be done but if we can persuade him to maybe have a short-term contract here to see where he is at in terms of his own levels. But he is a very, very good player who has played at the top level for most of his career and it might be something that we can see if we can add to what we are doing.
JP
Can we say he is your player if you want him to be or are there other clubs in for him?
GA
No, there are other clubs in for him and there is a lot of talking to be done. But he is very, very complimentary and keen on what we have done and how we have done things to suggest we might have a chance of getting him here on a short-term contract if at all possible.
JP
And I must mention that you are one point and one place above the relegation zone after a quarter of the season, it is not going to take much is it to turn it around but that is where you are, that is the reality.
GA
Well this interview was going well until you just told me that, but yeah, listen, I don't like that and you are right to remind me. But I think that the league and the stage of the season we are at is so tight, two or three good performances and wins sees you right up into the top seven or eight. That is how tight we are but nobody is going to like looking at the table tomorrow morning and certainly not me.
JP
And just finally, any injuries coming out of the game.
GA
I think we are OK, Tom (Taiwo) has come back from the dead a little bit hasn't he. It was a tough tackle but he is durable, he has got young legs and he can stand a bit of that. He is quite tough but hopefully he will be OK and doesn't suffer a reaction from it tomorrow morning, but apart from that we think we are all alright.