Manager on the Tranmere game
We spoke to United manager Greg Abbott to get his reaction to the Tranmere game on Tuesday night.He said: "People are going to talk about the three goals, and they were fantastic, but from my point of view I'm not too bothered about them. It's our performance which worries me.
"There was a lack of toughness and a lack of leaders and we couldn't find that desire and determination which we've been all about for the last three or four years.
"We can't offer any excuses because what we have to do is send our fans away knowing that every player has given every ounce of energy for the cause, and I don't think that was the case at all in this game.
"It's very difficult to put your finger on why this kind of thing happens. Sometimes, at this level, you don't know what you're going to get and it's been like that through all my time as manager.
"The things I've said to the group probably need to stay in the dressing room. We asked for some soul searching and for a few reality checks, but I take full responsibility for the way it went. I am the one who sends the team out in the mind-set they have to battle and work before they can play the football we all want to see, and we didn't get that part of the game at all.
"We have to get back into work and try to make sure it doesn't happen again and that's where we start to take responsibility together. If we win on Saturday then it will be a success together and generally we get a reaction after performances like this.
"We have to better than what we've seen and I haven't decided what team will play on Saturday. It's up for grabs again because that his given me plenty to think about. We're a fit group, but we looked one-paced and we didn't respond to any of the situations that came up in front of us. Quite simply we just have to be better.
"I won't accept that the injury to Lee Miller was the cause of this performance. The other players have to see it as an opportunity to step up and with one or two exceptions we just didn't perform. It's up to all of us to put that right with the work we do this week and the performance we give on Saturday.
"The work to bring someone else in is ongoing and hopefully we should have one completed on Wednesday. We have one or two things to finalise in terms of his loan deal but there shouldn't be any problems with that and, if all goes to plan, we'll be announcing him by the end of the working day."
United player subscribers can see a video interview with Greg Abbott later today. To find out more about United Player, and to subscribe, click HERE.
