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Carden: "Make Home Advantage Count"

Posted on: Tue 16 Mar 2010

Martin Ling and Paul Carden will assess the fitness of four players before naming their team to face Salisbury tonight.

Team News

Aiden Palmer, Brian Saah, and Simon Russell all picked up minor injuries in Saturday's match with Histon, while Callum Willock is nursing an ongoing ankle problem. But player/assistant boss Carden is confident the squad will cope if the quartet are unavailable.

He said: "It's a case of games coming thick and fast, and you'll always get those kind of knocks.

"But the squad is getting stronger all the time, the bench on Saturday looked very healthy with the type of players we've got now we know there are lads ready to come in and stake their claim."

Carden is confident key defender Saah will be available to play.

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He said: "Brian will probably be ok, he's got a tight hamstring but he did the cool down with us in training and he was confident he'll be alright, so we'll just have to wait and see."

Josh Coulson

Saah has formed a formidable partnership with Josh Coulson (picture above) in recent games, and the United assistant boss was full of praise for the CRC graduate:

"Josh has been outstanding in the last two months," said Carden. "He's been solid and dominant and everything you want in a centre back.

"He's only 21, and earlier on in the season he was a bit in and out in terms of form, and made a few mistakes. But he's knuckled down, become a lot more vocal in training, and proved some of his doubters wrong.

"His work is showing on the pitch now, and if he keeps his current form going I'm sure there will be a lot of interest in him," he said.

Antonio Murray (pictured below) came off the bench against Histon and had a hand in both goals. The winger's impressive cameo could put him in contention for a starting place against the Whites.

Antonio Murray

Carden said: "He was sent off on his debut, which wasn't the best start for him, but he's a willing lad who wants to do well and earn a contract.

"The type of performance on Saturday will go a long way to convincing manager he's worth a longer stay here. He's another good lad and quality player, who has showed what he can do in the past.

"If he can find that form we'll have good competition for places and another quality player in the squad."

The Opposition

United have already faced Salisbury twice this term in the FA Trophy, and have yet to register a win against Tommy Widdrington's side.

Carden said: "They're a good side who have got to the trophy semi finals and dealt with -10 points penalty.

"They'll look at it and say they've had a great season, and they're a team that always try and play good football, and they have an excellent forward in Tubbs who is proven at this level.

"As I said, they do pass the ball about and we'll have to on our guard and match them."

Emphasising the need for United to put together some good passing football, Carden added: "In the second half on Saturday we showed that ability we've got. The first half was bit edgy, and you'd have to say lately we've been grinding out results with battling performances.

"We've got the points, but we need to stick to what we know, pass the ball well, and get wins on the back of that."

Looking Ahead

Carden netted the winner against Histon with his second goal of the season.

The midfielder isn't renowned for his goal-scoring feats, but said to bag two in a season is by no means unheard of.

He said: "I've had more fruitful seasons on the goal front in the past, but this is a record for recent years!

"I'm always pleased to grab a goal, especially an important one like that because it kept winning run going and gave the fans something to sing about.

"We haven't given them much to cheer lately so beating local rivals is nice result to get under your belt," he said.

Paul Carden

Having recently recovered from a back complaint, Carden (in action above) is confident he is now on his way back to his best form.

"I've still got to maintain certain exercises to help ensure I don't suffer further problems, and hopefully that regime will benefit me form-wise.

"I like to get about the pitch and get stuck in, and a back problem is always going limit that. I've been carrying it but I'm ok now and hopefully I'll start rediscovering the form the fans are used to seeing from me, which I haven't been producing since I've had this injury."

With United's form having picked up lately, Carden believes manager Martin Ling's target of a top half finish is an attainable one.

He said: "I look where Wrexham are and a couple of weeks ago Dean Saunders was saying they could make the play-offs, and they're only four points above us.

"That's what happens in this league - teams drop points left right and centre.

"We weren't favourites to win at Kettering or Barrow and that may have helped us along the way. Anyone can beat anyone in this division, especially when the pressure is off."

He continued: "There's no harm in us targeting the top-12, even after such a bad spell, but I'm not looking beyond the next game.

"We have a lot of home games coming up, and we've got to be confident and make our home advantage count," he said.

 

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