|
JP
First question, does that feel like a victory for you today in the manner it has come?
GA
Well, I will certainly enjoy my lager shandy better tonight than I would have done if we had got beaten. Pleased with the second-half but some of the stuff that went out there today was not synonymous of where we were the last few weeks. But, big spirit and delighted with the penalty that goes in. We have got a point out of the game which at times we looked like we weren't.
JP
We will talk about some of the defending in the first-half, but I must focus on the positives out of that because everyone is going home happy after that. What a comeback, and it was late as well, it wasn't if you came out and got everything I am sure you would have wanted straight after the break?
GA
No, we said we don't think we have played fantastic football in the second-half, we think we have shown a lot of spirit and a load of determination. I think that has got us through the line today, not the silky fantastic football that we might have played against Bristol Rovers at times and certainly Huddersfield.
It wasn't that type of game, I thought Oldham, fair credit to them were excellent in the first-half, had a lot of energy, won a lot of second balls and looked a little bit sharper and a little bit more determined at times, which is worrying. But, then in the second-half I thought we turned that round to an extent but we didn't really play fluent football.
But, we are trying to play our passing game, we are trying to play the ball through midfield. It didn't sort of work, we reverted to the width and that was probably synonymous in getting us back into the game. So, we are reasonably happy.
JP
The manner you conceded the goals I am sure you weren't happy about in that respect, but were Oldham one of the better sides we have seen at Brunton Park? We in commentary thought that they were really good at times and were asking a lot of tough questions?
GA
I probably watched the worst possible game that I should have done with Oldham. I went to watch Oldham v Southampton and they were really ordinary on the night. I didn't think Southampton were that good because we had played them and beaten them and I certainly knew Oldham weren't that bad, but they looked a really ordinary side.
So, it is dangerous when you start telling your players, we didn't tell them that, we told them there was loads more to come. Their league position tells everybody they are better than that and I think Paul (Dickov) has got a young side, a spirited side, a lot of pace and a lot of energy through the team and they showed that in the first-half and caused us lots of problems.
JP
What about the defending for the two goals? Both of them looked avoidable?
GA
All goals are avoidable, if you break them down they are all avoidable. But, we conceded them so that happens, we have kept three clean sheets on the trot, we have conceded two goals in the last four games. Maybe we shouldn't be over-critical but every single goal that you concede is avoidable from somewhere, there is a mistake in it somewhere.
JP
Do you think that in a way having conceded the first, it was long, it was approaching 400 minutes since you conceded a goal, in a way that almost led to the second one because people had switched off a little bit perhaps lamenting that?
GA
I thought we switched off at times too often in the first-half defensively. I thought there were times when they were rolling balls in, we got caught with a short corner, we got caught with a quick free-kick.
You have to have bright minds and be alert and certainly defending is about concentration, day in and day out, every minute of every game. I didn't think we did that today, I thought that as a unit we didn't really defend as well as have been doing, in the first-half especially.
JP
What did you make of the performance of Ben Marshall as well? He really struggled against Paul Black, not because he was struggling but because Paul Black looks a very, very good young left-back. But, the one time he beat him he got you the goal that got you back into the game?
GA
Yeah, I mean, listen, Ben has been nothing short of exceptional for us for the last eight, nine, ten weeks, a really good period. He is going to have games like that and Paul Black played him very well. I said to Kav (Graham Kavanagh) that he was getting frustrated, but he has got to keep going at him, and he got a little bit of luck with his run, it wasn't through sheer skill but it was more persistence.
I think that was what our second-half was, more persistence and energy and determination than it was pure skill. But, listen, he has provided a cross for the goal for Francois (Zoko), Francois then gets us a penalty and we are back in it and we have drawn a game. Ben Marshall can go away thinking he is OK with his performance, but he knows he is better. But, let's put a bit of credit down to Paul Black, I thought he did ever so well.
JP
You would not have been happy if you had conceded that penalty with a tackle where it was there, it was going out of the area?
GA
It was an absolute blatant penalty.
JP
No, I mean in terms of their defending there, if you were Paul Dickov now you would be livid with that?
GA
Well, he was and he told me so, but I told him that it was a penalty and that it was his defender that had given it away. We had a few nice words and he apologised with the words he said to me, I thought my choice of language was better than his at the time. Hopefully we can share a beer because that is football.
JP
What did you make of Joe Dudgeon as well who came in? Did you know he had that throw in his locker by the way?
GA
We did actually but I forgot to tell the players.
JP
Well, it confused everyone, you can see from here that we can't see when the ball goes up in the air on that far-side because of the TV gantry. That throw-in, it left his arm and we had no idea it came down at the back-post.
GA
Yeah, the keeper (Ben Amos) misjudged it by 37 yards, so that just shows you it is longer. Listen, the lad has done alright, he has done alright, he is gritty, he is determined, the game will give him that level of fitness and tempo that is required. We look forward to him helping and improving us.
JP
And Paul Thirlwell back, he wasn't in the starting line-up but came on and had a real effect on the game?
GA
Well, that is Thir, we know what he can and can't do. We know we have got options, we are looking to have more options upfront. We have signed Rory Loy, that gives us that, we are looking at making sure we have got things we can change if things aren't going well. Today it has worked for us and we will have that added thing with Rory on Tuesday, he can come onto the bench and we can change that round if we need to.
JP
Just a couple of questions that a fan came up and made me ask today, he wants to know what is happening with Marco Gbarassin now because he is coming towards the end of his month with Carlisle?
GA
Yeah, it looks like we are going to keep Marco round to the end of the season because he gives us that cover. With playing the type of midfield we are with the numbers, the three midfield players, we have only got five and if anything happens to Thir again and somebody else then we are down.
But, what Marco does is he creates pressure on the others to keep consistently performing. So, financially it is not a great deal to the club, it is an opportunity for him in England and if at the end of it we decide we need better and he wants to go somewhere else in England he can. But, certainly for the timebeing is he giving us that strength and depth.
JP
And if you could just clarify another one for us, which we weren't sure on today, on the bookings scenario is it now the point where it is ten bookings for a suspension?
GA
Yes.
JP
Yes, because, Francois Zoko has just gone on to five today hasn't he?
GA
I can't believe he gets booked, he never makes a tackle, I cannot believe Francois Zoko is on five bookings by the way.
JP
But, he is, and it is ten now for the suspension?
GA
Yes, it is.
JP
And the final one that the fan wanted asked, ins and outs, anything else in the next two days, what do you think?
GA
Hopefully.
JP
Hopefully? Anything close? It has go to be fairly close?
GA
Yeah, reasonably yeah, reasonably close.