Ward saw his team drop out of the top six for the first time in 12 months
Carlisle boss John Ward is confident his side can end their recent poor run against Tranmere on Saturday.
The Cumbrians' 2-1 defeat at Walsall last weekend was the third in a row for Ward's men in League One.
"It's not something that we're used to but we should be alright," he told BBC Radio Cumbria.
"You tend to learn far more about your players and the people around you when times are tougher but we will see how they rally round."
The Walsall defeat saw Carlisle drop out of the top six in League One for the first time since Ward's arrival at the club a year ago.
Being seventh after eight games isn't a disappointment even if the recent results have been
Carlisle boss John Ward
"The club were in the top six when I came here so I can't take the credit for that," Ward said.
"But we've gone over 50 games as a top-six side and managed to sustain it so that is something that a club like ours can take credit from."
Ward has already given a hint that he will make changes to the side to face Tranmere after leaving Michael Bridges, Jennison Myrie-Williams and Cleveland Taylor out of the reserves' 5-2 win against Blackpool earlier this week.
"No-one's place is guaranteed which is a shame in a way because we've had such a good start," he said.
"But that's what the squad is there for. The reserves put in a good performance [against Blackpool] so people are now knocking on my door to say they are ready to come back.
"We'll probably need to shake it up a bit, whether it's in training or in team selection but it's still probably not the worst 'blip' in the world to be seventh in your division."
Ward has described his team's three-game losing run as "disappointing" but said the sequence of results had to be seen in a wider context.
"We've probably spoilt ourselves in the last four years or so because people have got used to doing very well and quite right too.
"But you should keep the thing in perspective. Being seventh after eight games isn't a disappointment even if the recent results have been.
"It's now up to us to put in a performance on Saturday and bounce back."
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