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" Tuesday night was bitterly disappointing because we played really well and I thought we were the better team. When you don't score and the opposition does then that's what happens, I think that is the difference between home and away. At home we have been putting our chances away and away we have been missing them, and we've been punished for it. I think we are creating the chances the same away as at home, unfortunately we are not sticking them in the back of the net though. Whether or not that is bad missing or good goalkeeping or defending I'm not sure, if we try and improve on that, which obviously we have to do, then you'll see a marked difference.
" It'll be a great game tomorrow, it's nice to play the top six teams, we've already lost to one away from home but we're looking to get back on track with another home victory. That would put a marker down that will tell everybody what we are all about if we can beat Scunthorpe tomorrow. We played them in Ibiza in pre-season, it was on astroturf, it was a good game, they are a decent team with some decent and dangerous players so we have to be on our guard but our home form has been excellent and we are hoping to continue that.
" We need to learn to try and be a bit tighter away from home and pick up a few more points, and tailor our training as the training ground is under water at the moment. We also need to look ahead to make sure that we have got training facilities in the future. We just need to keep on doing what we are doing because I think everybody is enjoy the football that we are playing and I'm certainly enjoying watching the players, we've just got to keep that going and keep on picking points up.
" We have to take our time on Paul Arnison's hamstring injury, he has been training for the last week and a bit, he's down on fitness because he has been out for about seven weeks, so it's going to take time. We were disappointed that the reserve team game was called off against Tranmere during the week because he was probably going to have 45-60 minutes there, along with David Raven. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks he'll build his fitness up, we'll have a couple of games, we're playing Cleator Moor in the Cumberland Cup on Monday then Bury at home on Wednesday, so he'll hopefully get 45 minutes in both games.
" I'm trying to target players, so if I can speak to managers and try and tie deals up now before January comes along then I think we can all relax and concentrate on the games in January. As I've said in the past, I'm just trying to be a pest with the other managers phoning up. I've spoken to two or three of the mangers so far and they have said to leave it until after Christmas because they have a lot of games themselves and they will see what they can do, so fingers crossed.
" You don't go through agents, you just go through managers, I'm trying to do things right by going through the manager, obviously if you speak to the player then that is an illegal approach and I wouldn't want to get myself a reputation like that. I might possibly go back for a couple of transfer targets that I had in the summer but sometimes you move on on how the team is doing and what position you need. We've got a couple of injuries here and there, and a few are close to suspension so sometimes that changes your mind as well. We probably need another centre-forward because we still haven't replaced Michael Bridges and it would be nice to have another couple if we possibly can.
" I don't want to give too much away but we need somebody who is mobile and can hold the ball up, we need a goalscorer as well, but I suppose every club in the Football League is looking for a centre-forward who can score goals. On corners, sometimes we have a right-footer taking them and sometimes a left-footer, all-in-all though we are quite happy with the delivery. I just think that someone needs to stick their head on one or two of them in the box and score a couple of goals. We haven't scored one for a few weeks now but we've scored a few from corners and free-kicks so it is improving.
" We pay good wages for a League One team and what we are trying to do is obviously say that we feel as though we might be able to get to the Championship, come and help us get there and we'll give you Championship wages. The carrot is there for the players to come, it's hopefully not just about money, it's about ambition and putting your reputation on the line, that is what we are trying to do.
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" I think we need another left-back because Ziggy (Zigor Aranalde) is not getting any younger, although he's playing exceptionally well, that's why we've brought young James Krause in. Unfortunately we haven't had a chance to take a look at him because the games have been called off but he should be involved next week for everyone to have a look at. He's impressed in training and I've liked what I've seen so far. We probably need another centre-half because we're short in that department I suppose, and probably another midfield player just to put pressure on everybody else.
" Paul Murray is biting at the bit, he feels really, really well, the rehabilitation has gone excellently and he's just starting to step it up a little bit now. He's done a little bit of biking and running which is excellent news, he's a fit lad and he knows how to look after himself so if he can get back he'll get back as soon as he possibly can. We still have to be very, very careful though because it was a serious injury that he had.
" There have been a few names of strikers mentioned to me all over the country, Izale McLeod is a good player but we have our own targets as well. Billy Sharp and Andy Keogh are good to watch in our division, without a shadow of a doubt they are two of the best ones that I have seen this season, and they are going to be a handful tomorrow. Hopefully Kevin Gray and Peter Murphy will be sleeping soundly knowing that they can deal with those two tomorrow because I'm sure they can. If Kevin's cut at Bristol City had been anywhere else but on his head then he would have been in trouble to be fair.
" When you have a record transfer fee paid of £120,000 which was a few years ago then that tells you how difficult it is to try to buy players. I've been assured though that if the right person comes along and we can get him for the right price then the club will back my judgement on that, so hopefully we'll look forward to that in the future. I don't find the transfer speculation tedious, I just find it quite baffling that they don't talk about their own players who are doing really, really well. Whenever anybody talks about strenghtening the team then you have to say – hang on we've got a team here who have gone up two leagues and are in eighth place in the league at the moment. A team that is competing with the top teams and, in my opinion, haven't really been outplayed by anybody, and we need to talk about these players more often.
" We're trying hard to get Karl Hawley and Peter Murphy to sign, we're speaking to them on a regular basis but they are concentrating on their football which they want to do. We're trying to tie them down, they are trying to get a good financial package and we're trying to keep them within the budget. We've been questioned before about ambition, but hang on Carlisle have come from the Conference to eighth in League One and we are competing with the best. We're playing some decent football, the lads seem to be enjoying themselves in training, they know what we are trying to do, we try to treat everybody right and if that's not showing ambition then they probably need to move somewhere else. Their contracts are up at the end of the season so with the January transfer window we've got until the end of December to try to make them decide on signing, if they don't then we have to have a different tact.
" The tactics could possibly change if we bring new players in, I think it's easily changed into a 4-4-2 and I think we have the players to play 4-4-2, but this system suits the players and makes it difficult for teams to beat us. Plus, as well, it gives everybody a chance to express themselves, find plenty of space to want the ball, to have the ball and take people on. Hopefully we've got the balance right, we've certainly got the balance right at home that's for sure, we just need to get that balance on putting the ball in the back of the net away from home, hopefully that will shoot us up the league.
" I certainly went across to the travelling fans at Bournemouth, I was well pleased for them more than anything because they do travel away. I didn't realise I didn't do it enough to be fair so I'll be more conscious of that in the future. You can't read anything into the Grant Holt stuff, it's all speculation, and I can't really give much away, I do like him as a player though. He's obviously got friends and family, and all those bits and bobs back in Carlisle, and I'm sure he would like to play for Carlisle. He's a Nottingham Forest player though and he's still under contract so I can't really comment.
" We always looked at this current run of three games and said that if we come out of these with a few points, do ourselves justice, compete with these teams and not get outplayed then we'll be fine. The most important thing though is to pick points up, let's see how we are from then and then the busy Christmas period comes over, that might almost get us to the points that we want for survival. The main ingredient of the season is staying in the league and then who knows where we can go past these few games. "