United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 1-0 League One defeat away to Sheffield United, Abbott saying he is really, really disappointed with the result :
JP
A 1-0 defeat for you today, a big gulf between the sides perhaps in terms of stature and things but very close on the pitch, not quite there for the Cumbrians today though?
GA
Yeah, we are really, really disappointed, and on the day I wouldn't say we have played the best we have played all season, but you have to take into consideration who we were up against, what we were up against, the types of resources and all that sort of stuff. We were close, we were close, and we were probably a little bit disappointed that we haven't just nicked a point away from this, we felt the goal was again an error from the referee (Phil Gibbs) in not giving a free-kick and then an error from one of our players with giving the ball away at the other end and we concede then.
But, apart from that we have given near enough as good as we have got today and you have got nothing but pride to the players, and the fans were absolutely immense in terms of their belief in what we are trying to do and where we are and where we are going and what we are trying to achieve, and with a bit more we might be able to be a little bit better, but on the day we just found ourselves that little bit short.
JP
What was the difference for you in terms of the performance today against Sheffield United? What is it that they do that stopped you playing then here today?
GA
Well, they have got better players, they have got really good players that know the game and understand the game and they are a very good side and a really big club. I think we showed them a little bit too much respect to be fair in the first 20-25 minutes, then we got about them second-half, it is even-steven. But, they work hard, they close you down, they understand the game, and good players will have the ball as much as you because that is what they are and that is what happens in the game.
But, credit to the boys, they have really battled and tried and sometimes they over-tried at times, Liam Noble has covered every blade of grass on the pitch and sometimes everything hasn't always come off for him you know, but that is what he does and that is his prideness to, prideness isn't even a word is it, proudness to wear the shirt and we love him for that, and other players have done the same. Lee Miller, Nobs, Christian (Ribeiro), they are actually out on their feet at the end, and they have put in a lot to get something out of it, and that is the disappointment that they have got nothing out of it and that is how unrewarding football can be at times.
JP
In a game that was fairly scrappy out there, Derek Mountfield in commentary said that Sheffield United are the best team he has seen this season, does that perhaps show what you are up against when you come to places like this?
GA
Well, that makes our performance.............. Derek sees it from up here and it is a good view, and it is sometimes a better view in terms of analysis than it is down there. We felt that they were a good side, we knew that, they had some good players spread out all over the pitch and that probably makes it even better for me, but it doesn't take away the disappointment, but it gives you heart and it gives you encouragement for taking things forward.
JP
In terms of the game itself, at times it looked like quite a few of the United passes, Carlisle passes, were going astray, is that down to their closing down or do you think that on another day they could have been more true?
GA
No, I think, listen, we can make excuses for the players all day, I thought the calmness at times wasn't there, the composure with our passing, we said that at half-time, we are giving the ball away too much in unnecessary circumstances, and that invites pressure on you. So, when you are playing a club like this you need to frustrate, you need to keep the ball, I didn't think we did that well enough, that is why we slightly changed the system to see if we could get some more passes, to see if we could keep the ball a bit better.
Overall, it ended up a frantic League One where 1-0 was always going to settle it, but we were going to look for the equaliser and they were always going to look for the second. I thought our calmness in possession today wasn't as good as it has been.
JP
Do you think that is the next step now that this club need to take to be able to control in this sort of game against this standard of opposition, or is that something that you are always going to have to find the rear door to against a team like this?
GA
Well, listen, last week the answer was to score four goals, that kills any team. This week would be to find a goal and keep the ball better, there is always going to be a reaason in every single different game at what you could do better and what would have helped you win the game. Today I thought we didn't keep the ball as well as we had, we weren't incisive enough with our passing at times but nor were Sheffield United really over the piece. But, it is always going to be a tough game, it was a tough game and we have just come out second best and we are slightly disappointed that we have.
JP
For all the size of their club and huge wages that we know these Sheffield United players are on, they didn't threaten your goal a great deal more than the goal. We know that they had a penalty of course, but they didn't break you down too much, that must have been pleasing in there?
GA
Yeah, I mean we have changed the shape a little bit, we had to reorganise, we felt we were a little bit lob-sided defending, they are both (Danny Livesey and Lubomir Michalik)................ Lubo is tackling with his wrong foot and he is good with the ball at his feet to be honest, his distribution is good, but on his other side we weren't getting out, we weren't passing it and it is always better I suppose to have left and right, we had that balance back second-half and looked reasonably assured.
I mean they are a threat because they have got good players, I am not saying they weren't a threat because they were and they had their penalty. But, I thought it just gives us a bit of balance and it enables us to come out and play a little bit more from that area. Big Dan is disappointed with that, but they are the decisions you have to make and you are hopefully going to make them for the good of the team, and I don't think that was a major factor either way in the outcome.
JP
What did you make of Christian Ribeiro's performance? The first time for you against a really big side, and aside from the penalty which was maybe a little naive he had a pretty good game for you?
GA
Yeah, it is a killer one, you just don't make that tackle, you just don't make it, you only have to touch him, I don't know if it is a penalty or not, you can see probably better than me because it is way away from where I am, and you have got a bird's eye view of it. But, you just don't make that tackle, he either crosses it and you accept that, you make a block and you get a corner, but you just don't and can't stick your leg out.
But, apart from that he has shown a lot of energy, I still don't think he is fully, fully fit, that game has done him the world of good because he has put in some energy in there. He is doing what he needs to do and that is get some first-team football, but I thought overall half-decent.
JP
In terms of stats I know how you do and don't like these, here is a good one for you though, two defeats in ten, that is your first defeat in five and you are still only two points off the play-offs, on a disappointing evening some good things to look forward?
GA
Well, you have just become my best mate. No, listen, nothing is going to be won and lost today is it, we have got miles to go, and there are games where we think we should be winning and getting three points, this was a game where we were probably on the back foot in terms of everybody else thinking they are going to win. But, we have caused a lot of problems and we are getting encouragement by sort of the performances and the way that we are competing, two in ten is not drastic but we are just disappointed and a bit down and a little bit deflated now.
Because, I have just seen a dressing room that has put in a heck of a shift and got nothing for it, and I have just seen, I don't know, 1,500 fans sing their hearts out and they have gone away with nothing to show for. But, hopefully they have seen encouragement in the way the players are playing in terms of their determination, there are always going to be errors, there is always going to be bad play, we are in League One after all. But, you have to forgive players for that if they are doing everything honestly.
JP
I know you won't want to talk about this tonight but I would love to push you for a comment, because we have not heard from you yet, on the proposals and the talk and what we have heard about the potential for Carlisle United to move to the new stadium?
GA
Yeah, I mean you are right, I don't really want to talk about it just now, I mean it is something that John (Nixon) and the chairman (Andrew Jenkins), it is their baby, there is a lot of work to do. Once that first brick has been planted and we look like that stadium is on its way there will be no more man delighted than me, but I think it is a way off at the minute. But, it shows that there is progress and ambition through the off stuff, the off-field stuff, and it is our job to try to make sure that we marry up that with some football, decent football, at a level to go with that if and when it happens.