We spoke to Paul Simpson following our defeat to Gateshead tonight.
He began by giving his thoughts, saying: "It was a difficult game. We look like a group of players who are trying to get to know each other, are trying to evolve, we're trying to find combinations and it was a struggle for us against a side who've got a very settled way of playing. I thought they were a good side and it could have been even worse.
“I'll be honest, I think both the penalties are a little bit dubious. But saying that, we've had some chances as well. We desperately need our strikers to get goals.
“Georgie [Kelly], Luke [Armstrong], Chaz (Charlie Wyke) - all three of them have had chances tonight and on another day they maybe put it away.
"We've just got to hope that they're saving them for the season, but everybody would have rather seen them scoring in pre-season.
“But, as I said on Saturday, it shows that we've still got work to do, we've still got some evolving to do as a group because there's lots of changes in there and we've got to make sure we're better.”
Speaking on United's attacking output after failing to find the net, he stated: “Well, we did actually create probably more than we have done in many other games. So, we did create those chances.
“I thought Archie came on and put some decent crosses into the box. I thought he showed some great energy.
"We were making silly mistakes. We were clipping balls across our 18-yard box. We were dumping it on our goalkeeper when he's under pressure. So, we made some daft mistakes.
“So, we've just got to keep working. We've just got to get them freshened up now. We've got 10, 11 days before the start of the season to make sure we keep working to maybe get some consistency.
“Maybe I have to look at the fact I've made loads of changes again. Just trying to get everybody the minutes under their belt so that they're all fully fit.
"Maybe I should have been a bit selfish and gone with the settled side over the last few games, but you live and learn by these decisions that you make.
“So, we'll see. We'll see what happens. It is still about building towards the Gillingham game.
“These two games have been a setback because the level of performance hasn't been what we wanted. Thankfully, it's only pre-season."
Speaking on his plans for the season opener at Gillingham, he said: “I know how I want us to play. I've got an idea of what the team's going to be. The changes were always going to happen, to be honest with you.
"We have a plan of what minutes everybody needs in terms of their work. So, there were no real surprises about it. We tried to change the shape a little bit tonight, which affected it a little bit with Ben Barclay having to go and play that holding midfield role.
"So, we wanted to have a look at that just in case we do come up against this sort of system. So, we changed things different to what we would normally do because we weren't able to deal with what they were trying to do. Sometimes, I don't actually think it's the shape.
“I think it's the enthusiasm to go and run and to press and to get against people and to get some physical contact. That's something that was a little bit missing tonight.”
The result in the North East made it back-to-back defeats for United after last weekend's loss to Rochdale.
Speaking on the current pre-season form, he added: “I was asked twice on Saturday, or I was told twice on Saturday. "Results don't matter in pre-season", but the way you've just asked me that question, then results obviously do matter in pre-season. But it's not about the result, it's about the performance and that's the bigger concern for me.
"But as I've said, I'm making loads and loads of changes game-by-game, which doesn't help anybody. We'll see what comes for the Gillingham game."
The full squad and coaching team gathered on the pitch at full-time, with some strong words seemingly exchanged. We asked if he was happy with the reaction, he said: “I don't know. We'll be able to tell you over the next few weeks. The changing room was very small in there, so I wasn't trying to be clever doing it out here.
“I wanted everybody to be in there and to listen, and lads have got some top-up work to do, so it was a case of just keeping everybody together out here. There was nothing special about it. I just let them know my feelings.
"I asked them for their opinions on it, which is perfectly normal, which we always do. We'll see what reaction we get. I think we've got a really good group of pros here.
“I think they've worked extremely hard over pre-season. The last two performances haven't been good, but we've just got to keep learning from it. We've got to keep trying to improve and see what happens once the season starts.”
Looking ahead to Saturday's final pre-season friendly against Stockport, the gaffer said: "They are having some injury problems at the moment, so we're not really sure what they're going to bring.
"They've got a game against Blackburn on Friday night as well, and then us on Saturday, so we have no idea what sort of team it'll be.
“I think the most important thing for us is that we get a team out there and try and get some consistency to what we want to do, and hopefully try and get a level of performance that gives everybody some confidence to take into the final week, where we start tapering down on the training.
"In fact, this week's a bit of a taper-down week. Next week will be a taper-down week, just to try and get everybody ready for Gillingham away.”
Speaking on Brunton Park, Paul said: “It's still a bit of a building site, unfortunately, but it's a chance for us to be at home, for our fans to come in and see it.
“It's a pre-season friendly again, so we have to remember it's that, and it's an extension of training to make sure that we are ready for Gillingham. That's the only thing that we have to be ready for. Not for Stockport, not for Gateshead or Rochdale or even St Mirren.
“It's about making sure that we're getting everybody up to speed, or trying to get everybody up to speed, so that they're ready to hit the ground running for that first EFL game."
Ethan Robson was absent from the Gateshead game after picking up an injury against Rochdale, Paul provided an update, saying: “Well, it's not good news, we're waiting.
"In fact, this evening he's had an online consultation with a specialist. It's quite a bad tear on the tendon, so we are looking at 10 to 12 weeks, possibly, maybe longer if he needs surgery.
“We're hoping there's not surgery needed, and when you look at it, it's such an innocuous thing. We can't believe that he's actually done it. So, it's not great news, but these are things you've just got to deal with.”
Finally, we asked for an update on the incoming loan signing.
"We'll have an extra body in for Saturday.
"It’s the player who we've been waiting for, so I'm not expecting any issues there. If all goes to plan, then we'll have him involved in training at the end of the week and ready for the game on Saturday.”
