TOPIC: How to get this Squad promoted

In several easy steps...

Play 4 at the back with Miller and Grainger as proper FB's.

Decide who partners Atkinson in the middle.

Sack off Thompson, Osei and Balanta, sign a left winger with their wages. Play him and Gilliead on flanks.

Dicker and Kennedy in middle.

Jabo and Wyke up front.

A solid 442 that would trouble just about any team in this Division. Quit dicking about with 4231/361/352 etc.

Options and experience on bench from likes of Joyce, Sweeney, Asamoah, youthfulness with McQueen and Rigg.

Sorted...

UTB!

It's not rocket science, is it pal. Stop tinkering & playing stupid formations. Back to basics with the decent team we could have. An unfit Ibehre upfront on his own FFS...

When you put it like that it all suddenly becomes so simple! Can't believe nobody has thought of any of this before

Curle hasn't...

Why don't you send an email to the club to tell Curle?

The problem with your blueprint is that players get injured, lose form, then the players who get thrown in are rusty.
Not convinced that team is good enough to get promoted, too many inconsistent players who don't always perform.
All the tinkering is frustrating, but I suppose playing a 4-4-2 every game, getting beaten and then playing the same team the next game, would be even more frustrating.
A mid-table finish awaits, but would be nice to keep on the fringes of the play-offs.

Exactly why we should have a proper reserve team, instead of occasional 'bounce' games (Is it 2/3 so far this season? Not enough!).

A settled defence may actually see us tighten up a bit!

Yes there's injuries and suspension, potential loss of form too, but we need to start asking questions of opponents instead of setting up to respect them and neutralise, especially at Home.

We've the nucleus of a half decent team. Time to maximise it!

For the players we have, 2 banks of 4 and 2 up front is the only sensible way to go - as has been said.

Personally I'd have Atkinson at right back and Grainger on the left. Raynes and Ellis in the middle.

Kennedy and Dicker are your central midfielders with Gillead on the right and (maybe) Asamoah on the left - Hope if he's still here.

Up front Ibhere (hopefully fit) and Wyke.

I'd think about playing Handford as I'm afraid young Gillespie needs to command his area much better than he does at present.

Miller, being a tad unlucky not to be in the 11 as he doesn't let anyone down.

Balanta, Thompson, Osei and possibly Brough and McQueen to be bombed out - asap.

Curle said he,(Jabo) was up and firing again and he wouldn`t play him till he was fully fit........what could he do with the scraps he was sometimes fed yesterday...........just hoping his bubble hasn`t burst tho after an injury lay off it sometimes does. eg Danny Graham

torbayblue wrote:
How often have you watched us recently? Bomb McQueen out?! Asamoah would be awful as a left-sided midfielder in a 4-4-2.

Hope wide left would be preferred choice as I said.

Where would you play McQueen? In place of ...?

All about opinions, I saw CUFC for the first time 59 years ago and have supported my home town club ever since at most of the grounds in England.

Like the great Mike Bassett said 4 4 f*cking 2! Not rocket science after all

Pretty much spot on CCU ... But I'd swap Asamoah for Wyke.

Hanford for Gillespie?????????????

Dixy wrote: I know. Some people really have it in for Gillespie at the moment... Even when he saves us from defeat he gets stick.

torbayblue wrote:
Doesn't mean your opinion carries more weight than others who have watched them less, in fact saying Hanford should play before Gillespies shows you don't watch them week in week out.

Gillespie
Symington Troy CMW Brough
Kearns Potts Dicker Marrow Robson
Paynter

According to many on here last year. this team would have got us promoted.

CCU wrote:
CCU for next manager. Certain to get us promoted.
Oh, hang on, the three stooges don't want that.

At Plymouth I was surprised that Handford bossed his 6 yard box better than Gillespie, didn't take any nonsense from people trying to stand in front of him. Overall did very well that day in a very good 2-0 win - although his kicking was pretty awful at times.

If you've watched him regularly you'd notice his kicking is awful all of the time.

Hanford has made way to many mistakes over the past year having only played 25 games to be considered to be number 1.

a few examples, 2 goals at accrington, 1 at home to burton, Port vale in Jpt, portsmouth away, Newport at home, york at home.

also a few where i personally think he should have done better, luton away, exeter home

Slight aside but interesting to heat the MOTD 2 team talking about the folly of playing short passes from the back without variation

melbourneblues wrote:
This bugs me with goalkeepers. One of the main reasons that Hanford doesn't get properly considered for the first team as far as we can see is his kicking. A goalkeeper's kicking can only be improved through practice, through repetition. A footballer's career is short, so you need to make the best of it while you can.

Why would he not be out on the training pitch every single day improving what is so glaringly a weakness in his game?

Markovitch wrote:
I saw that too, hope keith was watching!

BUMP

Well done Keith, for listening to CCU. Good 3 points yesterday.

As much as a passing game is considered 'neat' and 'good football', I much prefer a varied approach. I thought that yesterday we varied our passing game and there wasn't too much heart-in-the-mouth edge of our own box stuff going on. Crawley weren't up to much if I'm honest, but I thought the way we played kept the game away from them. Simple but effective.

Wish people would get off Curles back he's doing a good job in fact an amazing job given he had to deal with the incompetent owners of the club.
He is human and does and will make mistakes.
He needs all his squad to be able to step in and do a job and given we don't have a reserve side to keep players match fit he is doing the right thing.
The only thing I would say tho is that he needs to play 442 at home with two strikers up from non of this lone striker stuff. The emphasis is on the home side to do the attacking.

kellsblue wrote:
Still got to win......we can all remember the teams that CUFC have lost to in the past who weren't up to much.....

Trimming the squad I think is the key to free up some money for 1 player with the 'x' factor that we might just need...

Yesterday very much reinforces your original post CCU. Atkinson is not as comfortable at RB and he and Miller combine well. Ellis was poor apart from headers yesterday plus a couple of good interceptions ( and a stupid yellow card ) so a flat back 4 - Miller, Atkinson, Raynes, Grainger - certainly at home - with your two strikers, Jabo and Wyke, up front. It's a pity that we can't quite get Joyce, Kennedy and Dicker to gel together and I'd tend to agree with Dicker and Kennedy being the two in the centre. However I think Joyce is more likely to get in your last ditch tackle when needed and he did have a hand in all three goals yesterday. Gilliead is different class.

Asamoah is a crafty little player and he offers a different style and change in formation, especially away from home.

pacirv wrote:
It seems like theirs quite a few on here who think they could do a better job than Curle,they probably managed some under Nines team to great success.

ParcelPete wrote:
My all-conquering Dover Athletic team in Football Manager back in the day were a sight to behold. Was gutted when the computer crashed and wiped that save...

It's a forum, so it's about giving opinions.
It's the easiest thing in the world to criticise though.
If we had lost yesterday there would have been lots saying what a clueless idiot he is for leaving out Dicker, Miller, Asamoah.
Even his harshest critics must admit he is doing a good job.
4-4-2 at home - yes fine by me.
Paynter instead of Jabo no.
Rotation of players to keep squad in healthy shape - yes please.

Miller was injured...

It's quite strange that some posters are getting so defensive about Curle at the moment - there seems to be an almost unanimous positive opinion of him at the moment.

Everybody will always come up with opinions of how things should be done differently, if we didn't this would be a dreadful forum.

Quite like the fact that Curle is willing to mix things up and play different players, formations and styles of play according to the opposition. It shows he's actually done a bit of background work on teams and is looking for a way to combat and break them down. Yesterday was a prime example, it was obvious from the start he was going more direct with the back four playing more long balls than they have all season to hit the two big men up front, he left Asamoah and Dicker out as a result.

We've also got a squad where we can easily make 3/4 changes without weakening the team, which is a novelty for Carlisle. Yesterday was a strong team yet we still had Miller, Troy, Dicker, Asamoah, McQueen, Hope and Gillesphey on the sidelines. 4-4-2 is probably my favoured formation but it's not going to work every week, good to see we have a plan B and C.

4/4/2 is not a good formation any more, its a throw back to a different style of football ?, good teams do not play 4/4/2 as modern football is all about the midfield and 4/4/2 does not give you any control. A 4/5/1 can be more productive than a 4/4/2, as it gives you control of the midfield and means you retain the ball giving you midfielder more freedom and allowing you wingers to push further forward.

Happyblue wrote:
I think you're talking about the top end of the game here, at Carlisle's level 4-4-2 can easily be effective enough, as yesterday proved. You do have to be flexible throughout the season though.

A good manager/good team can change formation . Tactically to be successful against a decent opposition it's a must.We are now developing a squad that can do this , it's very encouraging.

I like the fact we have players out of contract next month so we can change the players permanently instead of filling the club with loanees.

Reckon Balanta, Osei & Thompson are on a decent wage each, ranging from 500-900 a week at a guess. could use that to get a very good left winger in.

TheLazyLewisGuy wrote:
This, throw in the freed up wage from CMW, and there's probably enough in the kitty to sign a good quality, experienced left back, then I'd push Grainger up to left mid.

Plus sign up Atkinson for another 18 months, good solid player who covers a numbers of positions with no fuss.

Balanta was offered a deal at Bristol R so i would expect he is on something competitive. Don't know about the other two. Be good if we could get another Gillead (spelling) on the left.

ParcelPete wrote: It's a forum....if we all had the same opinion it would be a bit dull. And remember you don't have to have managed to have valid opinion's and know what you are talking about... Jose Mourinho was an interpreter remember.... he hasn't done too badly considering he didn't play at a high level and had never managed before.

Interesting thread this, in that I don't think anything much different needs to be done at all to get us promoted. I think we're still improving with what we've got at the moment, and if that improvement continues, I can actually see us ending the season with between 80 and 85 points which will not be far away from the third automatic place. We look to be almost certainties for a play off place, which was the height of my aspirations in the summer. But such has been the improvement in most areas that I'll be disappointed if we aren't actually in full contention for that third place. There's something about this team now, a real spirit, some leaders on the pitch and a proper attitude. Mix that with some bloody good footballers at this level, and I'm confident.

Our next 2 Aways in the League are at Oxford (1st) and Accrington (4th). We've already been beaten at Plymouth (2nd) and Northampton (3rd) - Positions currently!

These 2 games will tell us a lot about where we are. Those 4 and Portsmouth (5th) are a touch above the chasing pack currently for me...

I agree, after Accrington we'll be half way through the season as well (Notts County are our visitors in between as well). If we play well we can get a draw and a couple of wins from those games, and if we do we'll be right up there because January and February are a chance for us to pick up some good points.

4/5/1 is maybe ok away from home it works for a lot of teams but usually when they have a quality forward who can play on his own. Much prefer two forwards working off each other especially at home, as proved on Sat where Wyke and Jabo produced the goods.

I like the idea of us playing 2 up away as well to be honest. In fact CCU's suggestion in the opening post on this thread has to be our most productive way forward for this season. It has all of our players in their correct positions and looks a strong team at this level, I actually think if we played that team week in, week out we'd very much be there or there abouts. Obviously there'll be games which suit Hery, or Joyce or you can swap Asamoah and Wyke around, but the basics are right there.

We are very close to being very good, probably one left sided player away from it. If we could find a left footed Gilliead we'd be promoted definitely.

Just call me CCUrinho...

"Ladies & Gentleman, Carlisle will be playing 4 4 f_cking 2!"

Mashie Niblick wrote:
You've changed your picture.