Keith Curle ahead of the weekend visit to Stevenage
Manager Keith Curle spoke to us about the weekend trip to Stevenage as his side look to extend their impressive start to the season to 14 league games unbeaten.“Stevenage are a good team and they’re very competitive,” he said. “They have a hard-working management team who have real attention to detail. They do their homework and they have a couple of different formations they can play.
“I think I know how they’ll play against us and we’ll need to be able to combat it. As with every team in this division, they do have weaknesses and we’ll look to exploit them if we can.”
“Their two centre backs are a real strength and they have capable midfield players who can handle the ball,” he continued. “We expect them to go narrower against us but they do have goals in the team if you allow them the time and space in wide areas to get balls into the box.
“It’s one where we need to be on our game, to a man, and we’ll need eleven starting performers and a focused squad if we want to come away from there with points.”
Speaking about the fantastic levels of support the team have been enjoying this season, he said: “We get backed wherever we go. I think people enjoy it when Carlisle United come to their football club.
“We’re well supported and we go places with the right attitude. Our fans go to see an entertaining and competitive game and they are very vocal. I’m sure that will be the same on Saturday.
“The pleasing thing is they know they’re backing a team which can get results. Other teams will see us as a scalp, that’s how it is when you’re doing well, but we feel we have different options we can use as and when required.
“We’ve shown we can deal with the physical approach or we can go open and expansive. We are aware of the record but we have a policy here where we don’t look further than the next game.
“I don’t mind admitting that I can’t consistently name the next five games because it’s important for us to be focused completely on our next opponent. We will always respect our opposition but our concern at the moment is that we’re chasing two teams who are above us. The run we’re on is a good one and we want to keep it going so that remains the case.
“The teams above us have put runs together and that’s what we’re looking to do as well. We’re here to win games and the players understand that.”
With the Shaun Miller suspension coming into play this weekend the manager confirmed that new arrival Derek Asamoah is more than ready, should he be called upon to either start or come on from the bench.
“Derek is ready to go,” he commented. “He’s been working hard on his fitness because he knew he was going to be playing catch-up.
“I suppose you could call it microwave training because we’re trying to get two-and-a-half months into two-and-a-half weeks. He’s a fit lad physically and mentally and he knows what he can do for us.
“As well as him being with us, we have a clean bill of health other than one player who went down during training on Monday and he will be unavailable for three weeks. It will become apparent who that is at the weekend.”
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