MANAGER: Go into it feeling positive

“I’m hoping we see a good game between two sides who like to play the game well,” he said. “We are trying to get the ball down and play with a system we feel suits what we want to do.

 

“We’re looking to get more numbers up the pitch so we have more bodies in the box, and hopefully we’ll finish off some of the chances we take.”

“Performances have generally been very good over the last few weeks so that aspect has been pleasing,” he told us. “The next task in hand is to turn that into goals and points. We’re keeping clean sheets, and we want to continue that, but there’s no doubt we need to start putting the ball in the net.

“We’ve worked a lot on counter attacking and on getting the ball into the wide areas, to create the overloads, and we now just have to be brave. We’ll miss chances, it’s part of football, and I keep telling the players I’m not bothered about that as long as we’re still creating them. 

“Quite clearly with seven games to go we do need to start scoring but I don’t want anyone to take that as pressure. It’s not just the strikers, it’s also the midfielder and defenders when they go up. 

“From my point of view it’s a case of putting an arm round them and trying to give them the confidence to keep getting their bodies into the right areas. I have no doubt our luck will turn if we keep doing that.”

“Swindon are a good team but we don’t need to fear them,” he said. “Anybody can beat anybody in this league and we’ve proved that ourselves this season. That gives us confidence and belief and we’ll go into it with a positive game plan. 

“I watched their game against Tranmere and they are a young, energetic team who have a lot of pace, particularly in the wide areas. They retain the ball very well and they always try to be on the front foot. They’ll come to make things difficult for us.

“There were times when Tranmere troubled them the other day and, even though Swindon won, it could have been different. It’s been that way in this league in a lot of games this season. The team who should win doesn’t always manage that, and that’s the way it’s been for us for the last few weeks. We’ve played well but we just haven’t managed to score. With seven games to go it’s all still very much to play for and we’re confident we will come through.”

On the part the fans have to play, he said: “We’re getting ourselves into the town centre this weekend and I think everyone at the club has contributed to ways in which we can make the relationship better with the people around town. 

“Hopefully this type of thing will have an impact in a positive way. We’re definitely targeting the kids at the moment to try and get them excited about coming down here to see us. That’s a way of finding future Carlisle United fans for the club, so it can only help. 

“I have to say that the fans who have been coming to our games have been first class. They’ve got right behind their team, they’ve created an atmosphere for us and I hope they continue to do so. I’d encourage them all to come tomorrow, and for the two home games after that, to give us as much support as they can. Hopefully we can do the job for them.”

And on Danny Redmond, who has one game of his current loan spell left to play, he told us: “We’ve had some good conversations with Wigan but we haven’t got anything resolved yet.

“It all seems pretty positive so we’re very hopeful. Danny is a great character and he has courage on the ball. He’s somebody who has become important to us, but he probably needs to be a little bit more selfish so that he’s getting himself on the score sheet. I’ve spoken to him and he wants to stay, because he’s really enjoyed his time here. That’s all we can ask.”

“It’s about the game tomorrow for us right now,” he said. “We want another good performance and a result to go with it. We want to end the season on a high and the only way to achieve that is to pick up points and get the momentum going which will hopefully put some smiles on faces again.”