CARLISLE UNITED: Post-match reaction

Put it here......

A f*ck up is the only way to describe this match. The first half was awful, Adkins miscalculated, got the formation wrong, and should have made the changes much earlier and, according to the Solent commentator, the first 45 minutes were "Disorganised and out-of-sorts...Disastrous first half...It's been wretched...", and it certainly sounded like it. The second half was an improvement but the damage was done in the first half.
Rightly or wrongly, I hate losing to teams like Carlisle because, if we are the promotion favourites the bookmakers still have us down as, we should not be losing games like this. We're too inconsistent to be promotion favourites, we can stick three or four against abysmal sides like D&R but we come unstuck against sides around us and above us, like Carlisle. If we're going up, I don't want it to be via the lottery of the playoffs because I wouldn't trust us not to screw that up too.

I feel sorry for those who went all that way to watch that. 'An Ann Widdecombe performance', according to the commentator. I take it he's referring to her falling on her arse in a silly BBC dancing show.

We're down to tenth and 'Bompey' are now back above us.

One bright spot this afternoon was England thumping Australia 35-18 in the egg-chasing. I just wish that game had been on the BBC (it was on Sky Sports - which is a separate whinge, as the others were on the BBC ), I'd have watched that instead.

Nostromo wrote: Rightly or wrongly, I hate losing to teams like Carlisle because, if we are the promotion favourites the bookmakers still have us down as, we should not be losing games like this. We're too inconsistent to be promotion favourites, we can stick three or four against abysmal sides like D&R but we come unstuck against sides around us and above us, like Carlisle. If we're going up, I don't want it to be via the lottery of the playoffs because I wouldn't trust us not to screw that up too.

A lot of truth in that. It's a bit worrying really because last season, once we got over the disastrous start, I felt we could beat any team in the Division if we wanted to. This season I don't have the same confidence.
Last season, had we made the play-offs I was sure we would have stormed our way to promotion. This season, if we finish in a play-off spot, I think we are much more likely to screw it up and I believe we are going to have to finish in the top 2 to go up.
All is not yet lost as the January transfer-window looms and I think Nicola will let Nigel have a fair chunk of spending money to try to make sure we get an automatic place..........after all he has not given Nigel chance to bring in his own players yet.

What positions do you believe need to be strengthened in January?

SaintMike wrote:

Nostromo wrote:Rightly or wrongly, I hate losing to teams like Carlisle because, if we are the promotion favourites the bookmakers still have us down as, we should not be losing games like this. We're too inconsistent to be promotion favourites, we can stick three or four against abysmal sides like D&R but we come unstuck against sides around us and above us, like Carlisle. If we're going up, I don't want it to be via the lottery of the playoffs because I wouldn't trust us not to screw that up too.

A lot of truth in that. It's a bit worrying really because last season, once we got over the disastrous start, I felt we could beat any team in the Division if we wanted to. This season I don't have the same confidence.
Last season, had we made the play-offs I was sure we would have stormed our way to promotion. This season, if we finish in a play-off spot, I think we are much more likely to screw it up and I believe we are going to have to finish in the top 2 to go up.
All is not yet lost as the January transfer-window looms and I think Nicola will let Nigel have a fair chunk of spending money to try to make sure we get an automatic place..........after all he has not given Nigel chance to bring in his own players yet.

What positions do you believe need to be strengthened in January?

I think the striking department and midfield need to be strengthened. Schneiderlin goes missing for parts of games and Hammond isn't always on top of things either. As for the strikers, Lambert needs to be dropped. I don't know what has happened to him but he's not the player he was last season. It's almost as if the real Rickie Lambert has been abducted by aliens and an impostor, who has never seen a football, left in his place. Why doesn't Barnard start? Things happen when Barnard plays.
The defence is ok, as long as they don't do stupid things as happened yesterday and learn to defend corners and free kicks. Set pieces are the Achilles' heel of our defence and Nigel A has to sort that out or we'll keep on conceding silly goals. He also needs to impress on them that they need to concentrate

Disappointing performance and glad to see Adkins seems to be losing patience with certain individuals especially away from home.

Like everyone else not a clue what has happened to Lambert this season last year had 2 players on him most times yet still won flick ons and had decent control. This year one goal from open play and just looks like he cant be bothered. problems is with just Connolly and Barnard he knows little chance he wont get picked as while Barnard works hard no good in the air.

I was surprised he picked Jaidi as although he did okay against Shrewsbury they had no attack! I think I could have played against them and he doesn't have any pace and as he gets really close to players gives away free kicks. Seaborne has improved this season so a surprise he was dropped.

Only seen the goals on TV but Harding looked like he had one of those days he can have but has been good in recent games, perhaps he is one of those who doesn't travel well. While may give a chance to Dickson not keen you keep changing the back four.

I can see why he played Chap, Scheid and Hammond as on paper they should have dominated, fact they couldn't play together is a worry and Schneiderlin on his day can be excellent but again doesn't seem able to deliver away from home. Problem with one striker is if static, like Lambert, you hand the initiative to home side.

As far as additions definitely a striker and preferably a big one, might have to shell out some money in wages for a decent loan player but need the front line to have some options. Would like Chaplow made permanent but would like to see another midfield player , perhaps a replacement for Schneiderlin or Hammond, I think Scheiderlin may be thinking of options in France as reckon he was tapped up when with the U21 French side.

Sometimes its the disappointing results which give the manager the best insight to character of team and who maybe doesnt want to be here. Biggest worry has to be Lambert though as can't understand the drop in his form