Russell Slade Q&A after defeat at Cheltenham
Question: Russell, a disappointing defeat here this evening?
Russell Slade: "Yes, we want to win football matches, I thought we set our stool out quite well early on, it was a decent cup tie.
"We made a few changes from Saturday, it was good to see the young lads come in for their debuts and it’s good experience for them. We created opportunities to get a goal tonight, but it wasn’t to be.
"Ezri was absolutely outstanding, very good for an 18-year-old at the back. It was a difficult game for him against on of the most robust strikers in the lower leagues and I thought he was magnificent. Going forwards, we’ve got a really good prospect."
You talked about the basics on Saturday, today's goal came from a long-throw so was it more of the same?
RS: "Yeah it’s frustrating for us that it was a long-throw tonight, we’ve spoken about this and worked on it and it's something we need to appreciate.
"Once again, it’s cost us a football match tonight."
Q: We saw a fair bit of possession, but do you think we created enough this evening?
RS: I just spoke to Nicky Ajose and he’s disappointed that he hasn’t put one away tonight.
"I thought we had chances to get a goal, but it’s about confidence and I felt we were snatching at chances to put one away."
Q: Not the ideal start to your Charlton career with two defeats?
RS: "No of course not, but it's a process. No one likes to talk about stability, we are trying to do that, and we will improve and get better.
"I thought, even tonight, that despite the changes there were some enterprising bits of play at times but can we improve? Yes, certainly. I’m not making excuses, we’ve lost two games."
Q: You talked about that transition of change, you mentioned potential signings over the weekend that haven’t happened, are the deals still on?
RS: "Very close. It’s not an issue, it happens. You want to get them done and sometimes they’re agreed and then changed and we have to wait.
"We waited for Rudd and Pearce and we got them so I feel very confident."
Q: Unfortunately, a player was supposedly in an argument with a fan after the game on Saturday, were you aware of this?
RS: "I heard there was something between a fan and Roger, I’ve spoke to him and said you can’t react and must focus on the game. He apologised and understood that."
Q: Was Ricky Holmes injured?
RS: "Yes, he felt his foot, I thought it was important that we got him off and saved his services for Saturday. I think he’ll be fine, but we’ll observe it in the coming days."
Q: Onto Saturday, how important is it that the fans are behind you?
RS: "Massive, we want to make it into a real fortress, but at the minute we are where we are, but there are facts that don’t help us.
"There is a great belief in the changing room about what we are doing, but it’s not coming out in the pitch. There are patches,when we move the ball quickly and there were parts of enterprising football that we need to build on."
Read more at http://www.cafc.co.uk/news/article/2...Hfw7DcbqIvt.99
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Originally Posted by Michael Morris
