Carlisle United No2 Tommy Wright says it may take two more transfer windows until boss John Sheridan has the squad he wants.

The Blues assistant manager made the claim after United’s latest home defeat, this time at the hands of Forest Green.

The 2-1 reverse was United’s sixth defeat at home – the joint worst tally in League Two.

Wright admitted it is going to take more work and patience in the market in order to build a side that can deliver better consistency.

“To be fair, I think we do need to change one or two personnel, because we’re lacking in certain areas, to dominate games,” he said.

“But the players who’ve come in have been terrific.

“You look at the last two years - you’ve had big budgets, and that’s no disrespect to Keith [Curle], and not got there. It’s about recruitment, but you need time to get the team and players you want.

“Sometimes the players you want you can’t get, because of geography - Carlisle’s difficult to get players to come here, so you’ve got to take everything into consideration.

“We’re working hard on that and I don’t think we’re too far away. I think we’re two or three players away from a real competitive squad, especially in January, to push on for the rest of the season.

“But I always think you need two or three windows to get the team you want. We’ve had one and it was a late, late one.

“I’m not making excuses, but that’s how it works. Recruitment’s massive, especially the way you want to play.

“We’ve recruited quite well. We might not have had the finances [the club have] had in the past.

“That’s not an excuse but we probably need a couple more windows to get what we’re looking for.”

Wright accepted United were beaten by a better side on Saturday in the shape of Mark Cooper’s visitors.

Forest Green went 2-0 up through Ben Morris and Carl Winchester before Jamie Devitt’s penalty halved the deficit.

Wright said the visitors were the best team Carlisle have faced this season and said Cooper had “ingrained” a style of play over the last two years, but lamented the fact United gave them a “30-minute start”.

He said: “It’s disappointing, because we worked on how they would play.

“We know they’re a talented team that keep the ball and technically they’re good.

“We sat back too much in the first half and gave them too much time on the ball. We didn’t press them enough. It was too easy for them.

“We were too lethargic in our closing down - too nice, too easy to play against, and if you do that against good teams they’re gonna hurt you, and they did hurt us.

“After the first half-hour we had one or two opportunities, because we pressed a bit better and made them play long, which they didn’t want to do. In the second half we had chances again, a bit more huff and puff, but on the day I thought they were the better team.”

It leaves United again reliant on their away form as they go to Notts County on Tuesday night, the struggling Magpies having confirmed Neal Ardley as their new manager.

Wright added: “It’s a big game on Tuesday – if we win that we kick on again.

“That’s what I’d say to the fans - be positive. I know it’s difficult, I know they love their club and it’s hurting, but we’ve got to keep working hard.

“I was at Barnsley and we were bottom of the league in December, and we got promoted. Momentum and belief are massive things in football, if you can get on a roll.

“The fans have been great for us and we’re disappointed with [our results at home]. But I know they know what we’re trying to do and achieve.”

Wright added that he faced the media on Saturday because manager Sheridan was “banging his head against the wall” in frustration and “wanted half-an-hour on his own”.

Defender Gary Miller was out of Saturday’s squad with a back injury, with Tom Parkes and Danny Grainger not yet ready to return.