'Huge disappointment' - Simpson reacts as Blues suffer another defeat

Carlisle United manager Paul Simpson was once against left frustrated with his side following their 1-0 home defeat to Bristol Rovers.

The Blues remain in the relegation zone in League One following the defeat agains The Pirates.

A Sam Lavelle own goal in the first half was enough to separate the sides.

Bristol Rovers also played the final quarter of the game with 10 men but Simpson's side could not find a way through.

Speaking to the Carlisle United website following the defeat, Paul Simpson said: "The disappointing thing is it's the same thing I'm going to talk about - we've lacked that quality in the final third and that real desire to go and score goals.

"I asked Jacob the analyst and from his early assessment we've had 23 crosses go in, 10 corners, six free-kicks and five long throw-ins - whatever that totals, there's a lot of balls we haven't put in the box and we haven't got on the end of it.

"We haven't won the first contact enough times and we haven't had the desire to get on the end of things. That's what we have to change.

"We have to get back to players having desire and an expectation that they're going to score rather than sitting and waiting for things to happen because at the moment it isn't happening with what we're doing, so we need to change to be something different."

Carlisle United have won just three of their 17 league games so far this season with Simpson disappointed with the results shown by his side.

He said: "The results at the moment are showing we’re not good enough at this moment in time.

"I still think the players we’ve got are better than the results are showing. I hope I’m not being deluded in thinking that but I do actually believe it.

"We have worked this week on crossing, finishing, getting players in the final third, dealing with all those sorts of things. And we’ve done it but it hasn’t come out on the pitch today.

"It’s a huge disappointment when you do have a week where you’re working on that type of thing and don’t see the rewards come on Saturday."

It was the third defeat in a row for Carlisle United with Simpson frustrated by the quality of chances created by his side.

He said: "We didn't create that clear-cut chance but again, you need to have that desire to go and get on the end of things to create those chances.

"We got into the final third and Terry got himself in there and the lad has brought him down and had to go off for it. We've had free-kicks, corners, but again - we've got balls into the box but we haven't been able to get on the end of it.

"You don't need me to tell anybody that if you don't have that desire and you don't get in the box, you're going to struggle to score goals. That's exactly what's happening with us at the moment."

Despite the recent run of poor results, Simpson is still able to find positives in his side.

He said: "I can certainly take positives out of the way the players have worked, and the ways they’ve stuck at it, and dealt with the disappointment of a horrible goal to concede.

"I think there’s positives in the way that the back four defended, barring that opportunity that they score from.

"I think there’s positives about the way Dylan McGeouch played, the way Luke Plange caused problems, we can be positive about that, he showed some real positive stuff.

"But we’re not getting the luck and the way I look at it is we’re going to have to work even harder to try and earn some luck."

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