Carlisle United manager Paul Simpson looks ahead to Blackpool match

Carlisle United manager Paul Simpson is looking for his side to bounce back at Blackpool following a disappointing 5-1 defeat to Reading.

The Blues suffered the heavy defeat on the road against the Royals and now have another away trip, this time to Bloomfield Road to take on eighth placed Blackpool.

Speaking to ITV Border ahead of the match manager Paul Simpson explains how he is not worried following the 10 day gap between fixtures.

He said: "I am always a big believer that there is no point in worrying about things like that. The fixtures are what they are and we didn’t have a choice in the matter.

"We have had to lick our wounds after Reading because it was a really disappointing night. I don’t think the performance deserved a 5-1 defeat, that said there were a few things that weren’t right that we need to do better.

"We have had 10 days to dust ourselves down and get ourselves ready. The players have worked and also had a bit of recovery time and it is back to work this week and what a fantastic game to look forward to away to Blackpool."

Simpson believes that although he was massively disappointed with the scoreline following the match against Reading, his players have the ability to get a positive result this weekend.

He said: "The application wasn’t massively wrong but I think if you are missing out on challenges, if you’re not getting to second balls or executing final passes right you’re going to get found out. There was a lot of those things we didn’t do.

"The total distance of work was okay but the high intensity wasn’t particularly good and to be successful at football you have to work hard and be prepared to sprint. Going into the Blackpool game, we know that if we don’t do those basic things properly then we are going up against a good side and they will cause us problems.

"What we have to do is make sure we focus on what we can do, make sure that we think about how we are going to play, compete how we know we can and if we do that then we will take what comes."

The injury list at Brunton Park has been growing as the season progresses and Simpson provided an update to the state of his squad.

He said: "In terms of players who were out long term there isn’t anyone who is back available yet. The big positive is Joe Garner has had time to recover from the stitches that he had in his shin. Jack Ellis has just returned to full training with the group, so it is too early for Jack.

"Paul Huntington and Taylor Charters are closer now. JJ Kayode is still not available but we knew that, Terry Ablade is not available, Jokull Andresson is not available so there are players who are out but we knew that would be the case.

"We didn’t expect to go to Blackpool and have a whole host of the long term injuries available. We have to deal with it and get on with it and go to Blackpool with whatever 11 have been selected and they have got to go and do themselves justice."

The Blues have started the season off slowly and find themselves in the relegation spots after 19 league matches played this campaign.

Simpson believes the players currently at the club have the ability to be higher up the table.

He said: "I would rather be in better nick, I don’t like the league table. The challenge for us is to make sure we hang in there.

"We knew this was going to be a tough season and a long drawn out slog for us and that is how it has happened. We wanted to have more points on the board, I think the ability we have in the squad should have got more points on the board and we all have to look at ourselves for that.

"But what we have to make sure we do is that in January when the window opens and we are in a position to go and strengthen the group then we are in a position where we have a real chance to go and climb the table."

The American takeover has been completed at Carlisle United and manager Simpson explains the transformative work already going on at the club.

He said: "I am very happy with the conversations. I think there is so much enthusiasm coming from the Piatak family. They are all really keen to come in and help and to make a difference.

"There are all sorts of things going on over on the west stand side to make things more presentable and to make the match day experience a better one. The one thing I am focussing on is to try and make the football experience even better.

"So far it has not been good enough and we have not picked up enough results. I am hoping we are able to bring in players to strengthen the group."

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