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" Simon Hackney has had a sore knee for the last three or four days, we've just been training with him and it's got so bad that he can't play. Then Kevin Harper pulled his calf muscle in the warm-up. You can use those as excuses but I've never done that before and I'm not going to start now just because we've been beaten 5-0, we weren't good enough on the day, it's as simple as that. We didn't win the individual battle, we started off slowly – when you concede three goals the game is over really.
" I think the players got on with the game but obviously things have just gone against them and they've been taught a harsh lesson. People's expectations are that we are a top six team and we've just been shown over the last three games that we're certainly not. We have to work extremely hard though and probably harder than we have done so far to not spoil a decent enough start. Okay, we've lost three on the bounce at the moment but they were three very good teams that we played against. At the same time though this is probably the worst defeat of the lot because we've been totally outplayed in my opinion.
" We're working very hard behind the scenes on transfers and it becomes boring when people keep on asking if we are working behind the scenes. We certainly are working behind the scenes to try and bring players in and we'll keep doing that. I think it just showed today how the thin the squad is with a few injuries, you pick up a couple of injuries before the game and it stretches you right to the limit, and I think probably the start really showed that. They were a little bit nervous with the changes I suppose and really when their (Swansea) chances came along they stuck them in the back of the net and they probably could have had a few more.
" Keiren Westwood has made some good saves but everybody has a responsibility and we're not stopping the opposition from playing, we're letting them do what they want at the moment. If you do that then teams get confident and they'll try a shot from 25 yards which goes in the back of the net. We probably could have done better with the first goal from a corner if we had defended it properly, and then the third goal came from getting across the defender which we work very, very hard at in training. These goals can be avoided but at the same time when you're not winning the battle, and your individual battle, then it becomes more difficult.
" It is frustrating to have to wait until January to improve the squad but everybody knows the rules and we can't do it until January 1st, but we'll look forward to that date. Money is available but we are in a situation where - one – we are looking for players to come and improve us, two – the location, three – the division we are in and four – whether or not the players want to come and play for Carlisle United. We have to work very, very hard at it, hopefully we've got one done and dusted with Paul Thirlwell, and hopefully he won't be the last one to come in.
" We've let everybody down and they (the players) have especially let themselves down. It's not one persons fault, it's everybody's fault and we take full responsibility for that. Our performance wasn't good enough today and I suppose that is the first time this season that I've really said that. Simon Hackney has had a bit of a sore knee and we're getting it scanned on Monday, he's tried to get through the last two days in training but on a long journey down it has flared up. Then when Harps (Kevin Harper) got injured we've just put him on the bench to fill the numbers in really, he was never going to go come on.
" It's hard work, we know it is going to be hard work all the way until the end of the season, it's fantastic that we have had a really good start but reality has hit home I suppose that we maybe aren't as good as everybody thinks we are. We have to certainly go back to basics where we were competing with each and every individual, hard work first and then the talent comes out, because if we don't compete 100% work-wise then we'll struggle. "