Following Carlisle United’s exit from the Isuzu FA Trophy, we spoke to First-team Coach Frankie McAvoy.
Speaking to CUTV, he analysed the fine margins that decided the tie, the difficulty of breaking down stubborn opposition, the value of squad rotation and the importance of responding positively in the league.
Here is everything we learnt:
1. Fine margins deciding the contest
“We're disappointed that we've lost the game. It's a great strike for the fella, to be honest, the free-kick. Probably a bit disappointing for us in terms of how we conceded it.”
2. Struggling to turn possession into chances
“If we're honest, we probably didn't create loads of opportunities and chances. I think once they score, it's easy for them to sit in and make it tough for us to try and break them down.”
3. Huffing and puffing without a breakthrough
“We probably huffed and puffed quite a bit, if I'm being brutally honest about it. We probably have a good chance in the first half with David (Ajiboye), but only once or twice did we manage to get in behind them.”
4. Tactical changes brought some promise
“We change the shape for the second half, and we end up getting a couple of decent attempts. Probably the best one, falling near the death for Cammy (Cameron Harper), and he's probably a bit unfortunate there.”
5. Credit where it’s due to the opposition
“You've got to give them credit. They dug in, they worked really hard, they got men behind the ball, and they made it really difficult for us.”
6. A game of control but not conviction
“We had loads and loads of the ball, as we did expect. The real chances probably fell to us, but were they really clear-cut? Probably not.”
7. Rotation and minutes for returning players
“The only thing positive for us is that it allowed the manager to rotate the squad quite a bit and get a few of the young players opportunities and chances to play.”
8. Managing fitness with the league in mind
“It's important that we manage that as best as we can. We've obviously got to protect the players that we've got as well, because the league's important to us as well.”
9. Opportunities for Academy players
“That's credit to the academy staff. They've done well, so they deserve an opportunity and a chance to come up and show what they can do.”
10. A clear message about the response required
“Massive. Massive. We want to go to a difficult venue, instil our game plan at Solihull and have a view to trying to win the three points.”
