United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 1-0 League One win at home to Stevenage, Abbott saying it was a nice to get three points at Brunton Park, however it came :
JP
How does that feel today?
GA
Er, better, obviously results are important at the minute, it is nice to get a win at home however it comes. It is never going to be pretty, Stevenage are a difficult side to play against, they have their strengths and they stick to them. The game was always going to be possibly a little bit untidy at times but we asked of our players to stand up to that and try to play as best we could when we could. I think we tried but it is very difficult when they do spend a lot of time with the ball in the air and smashing it forward.
But, we got the goal, a nice goal but a nice passge of play just before that and we got the goal and it gave us some encouragement to hold onto. We walk away here with three points, which to be honest in the bigger scheme of things is the most important thing today. It puts us in the right part of the table, which should instil a bit of confidence in the team, because I thought at times we just look a little bit nervy and a little bit edgy, certainly in front of goal, and that will come with results and that will come with a positive effect from elsewhere, from everywhere, if we can get that it is certainly going to be a help to us.
JP
Was your tactic today, the 3-5-2, was it a nod towards the fact that they like to lump it forwards, maybe get you a bit more height and physicality in your penalty area?
GA
Well, we needed that because we had lost Lee (Miller), and what has been happening in the past is our two full-backs have been unbelievably attack minded and getting forward and leaving us sometimes a little bit sparse at the back. So, we had a bit more height in the team and we had an extra defender in the team that gave us a chance to shore things up and make us not as open as we have been and not as easy to concede. I think the clean sheet was a tremendous achievement for us in the way that we have been conceding goals just lately.
JP
And was it a tactic all about trying to get this sort of performance, this gritty determined performance today?
GA
We are trying all the time to get that grit and that determination through the team. Today to a man everybody has put their shift in, and sometimes misguided but that happens at this level. Over the piece we would like to play more fluent nicer football, but you are always going to be in the hands of your opposition to an extent. But, I think today the key was getting that win.
JP
And how important was it in the greater scheme of things today to be solid? Looking at my notes I think I only wrote down one particularly big Stevenage chance, they had a couple of others in there but you just stopped them playing up in your third and that is something that you have not managed to do in some games?
GA
Well, that as well with the full-backs playing as high as they were, they got right into the wide players up the top of the field and I thought our back three were solid enough. We just made a little change because we thought they were getting too much space in midfield and from the wide areas. Tactically we probably think we have done alright today because we have come out with a clean sheet and a 1-0 win.
JP
One you very much needed of course, how happy are you that you worked so hard on the new formation, on this tactic, just to play this team and it came off for you?
GA
Well, we work particularly hard every day and every week to try to give the team and the town a team that has got some chance of going forward. The result has sent us a little bit further forward, it won't do us any harm, and we will work particularly hard again next week to make sure we can try to get the same defensive resolve and maybe get a few more at the other end, and that would help us obviously.
JP
How do you get the sort of consistency now? Is that the $64,000 question?
GA
It is always hard work isn't it, nothing will detract from the work we try to put in on the training ground and the work we are trying to do day in and day out, and the messages we are trying to get through to the players.
JP
And you agreed after last week's match that you could understand the frustrations of the fans, do you think that you can win them back if you can keep putting in that sort of display?
GA
Erm, listen, I am just going to work as hard as I can every week, and if the fans see honesty and a tremendous spirit and a tremendous amount of passion about the work we do then I think the fans will flock to it. You are always going to have grumbles wherever you are, but, listen, if it is honesty and passion and determination they want, and people trying to take the club forward then that is what they have got at this club at the moment.
JP
One fear I am sure for you was what happens in the absence of Lee Miller today, Francois Zoko and Rory Loy were the men you went with to start with, how did you rate their efforts upfront?
GA
Yeah, I mean it is always going to be tough on a day where we couldn't pass it as well as we would like because of the opposition, and if it gets into a fight scene then they have got some bullies there at the back that are very strong and very powerful. But, Francois could have had a goal couldn't he and Rory has put in a shift. I think we would miss Lee on a day like this because of the opposition, but no qualms with the effort and determination they have put in, and if Francois scores then he would be a happier boy than he is now.
JP
In terms of next week then, a trip to Walsall, that is back on the road, three matches out of your next four are on the road actually, it is amazing how these things come away, but you have been getting the good performances on the road?
GA
Yeah, I mean, listen, if we can have the determination that we have got tonight then we are going to be absolutely.............. you know, we will be OK and we will grind out results. When you get your results generally your performances start improving and confidence starts spreading through the team.
JP
In terms of Lee Miller, do you know whether he might be in the frame for next week? I know that there was an outside hope for today?
GA
Yeah, I hope so, I hope so, I mean again we will have a look at him and see how he is on Monday.
JP
Any other injury situations?
GA
I don't know, I have just left the dressing room there to have a cup of tea and I will see on Monday morning. But, I think everybody looked to be OK.
JP
I know how much you like the stats, after five defeats out of the last six, how happy is it now to have got those......... how relieved do you feel and now on a run of two wins from the last three?
GA
Have we not won five games this season?
JP
But, two wins out of the last three, all of a sudden there is a positive stat for you?
GA
Brilliant, I will leave you with that one then eh? Let's argue back, the manager fights back.