At A Loss

...with his players’ shortcomings at Brunton Park with the need to raise them for a vital game at Home Park next Saturday.

Despite the loss, the Pilgrims remain in the Sky Bet League 2 play-off places with two matches of the season to play, the first of which is against bottom side Tranmere Rovers.

“What do I do?” John asked rhetorically. “Do I keep going on about how poor we played today? I’ve said it now so everyone knows. Or do I start from now and try to pick them up for the big game on Saturday?

“Do I be on a real downer? We have got a massive game next week. I am not satisfied with the way we played, not one little bit. I am a very angry man at the moment, but can I show them I am really angry?

“Whether I’m expecting too much of them, I don’t know, but we have got some good payers in there and while we have still got an opportunity – we’re very fortunate in my eyes ; results keep going our way – we are still in with a shout.

“I don’t know if we think football, some of us, 100 percent of the time. Most good footballers do. You are focused as a footballer to want to achieve something and be a winner. You can’t go out and just give a performance one week and then I don’t see you for two or three weeks. It’s just no good to me.

“[Carlisle] worked harder than us. I can’t make a player run around or work, or show enthusiasm. I can shout at him, but I can’t make him do it.

“Our performance and team selection is not at a standard that it should be.”