The Carlisle United f**ked it up Official Promotion Thread

[AdamStag]

I think we'd probably the most reluctant set of fans you could get to be in this thread.

Mansfield being good, being in the playoffs and well, not being shit simply isn't what we stand for.

I was unfortunate enough to miss the game today for a mates 30th in Chester. But the result and the performance was solid.

Just carry on as we are hand keep going.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

For the first time this year I believe. Forget that it was a derby and county bragging rights, more important was could we still do it. And the answer is yes. I have seen us play well for twenty minutes here, twenty minutes there and one whole half. This was the first time that for the bulk of the game I felt we were comfortable. We played the form side of the league and beat them fairly comfortably. 3-0 was perhaps harsh, but two-nil was not.

The other thing is that our new players represent a good upgrade, and now our bench looks very impressive. Taylor is a clear handful with a great brain. Kennedy will frighten full backs, and perhaps more signficantly he did not leave our left back, Sawyer, exposed. Sacovic (sp) looks a class above, him and Carey could be an incredible partnership. Indeed, Carey played the best I have seen from him seen October, that pass to put Kennedy through is not one you see at this level very often. The results aroudn us were kind too. Carlisle, what is going on?

 

[hellogregory]

We're shit. That is what's going on

 

[Rob_of_the_green]

I can see Carlisle doing exactly what we did last season (fall away from the top 3, scrape into the playoffs and get beat out of form). There's always a team to fall away late on and for me it looks like them.

3rd place is an interesting one, if Exeter bounce back well from today's reality check I'd fancy them to do it but if not it'll be who's got the most balls to grind out results between Luton and Portsmouth.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

I fancy Mansfield to challenge for 3rd

 

[Conker]

I'm taking it one game at a time, after all this is the first time all season we have hit some consistency.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Less than 1.6 points a game yet still 4th - we seem to have been like this all three seasons since returning. I'm still not convinced we're going to get there to be honest, but 3 points off 3rd with 16 games to go. Very much game on.

 

[AdamStag]

To be 6 points off 3rd is ridiculous. How the fuck?

I think it's a testament to a) how wank this league is and b) if you put a run together like us and Exeter you're in the playoffs.

We're easily the smallest club up there and can just as quickly fall back down again. As conker says, a game at a time! we've Accrington at home, Grimsby away and Newport at home this month, hopefully we can push on

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

We have never really hit a consistent run of wins and it feels like everyone else competing in the playoffs has done that. Hopefully it's our turn to do it now although mentally I have serious doubts about us winning games were we absolutely need it to put us in the picture for automatics. The midfield in particular I think has technically excellent players who lack a bit of bottle and it has costs us in those games.

It's definitely within our abilities to do it but we have lacked consistency all season. Quite unbelievable we are 4th really, I can't even remember us winning back to back games. We are more than capable of playing well and beating anyone in this league and Portsmouth aside our results against the top teams are good, so hopefully it's our turn now to string some wins together.

 

[LeonTheGreen]

I'm starting to feel more confident. 2 very winnable games to finish the week, if we get 6 points, I think we'll do it. Mansfield are the dark horses and I can't see them falling away. Fat Evans is a class manager at this level and he's found a formula to get you winning games.

 

[Carver]

Well folks it looks like we're definitely that team who fucks up half way through and turns into a relegation form team!

 

[AdamStag]

I'm starting to feel more confident. 2 very winnable games to finish the week, if we get 6 points, I think we'll do it. Mansfield are the dark horses and I can't see them falling away. Fat Evans is a class manager at this level and he's found a formula to get you winning games.

We're just on a good run, nothing more. We'll need to carry on a lot longer to be in the playoffs at the end.

Our last 5 home games are
Plymouth
Carlisle
Exeter
Luton
Portsmouth

Could be some fun and games with that 5 up.

 

[hellogregory]

The morning after the day before, I've refreshed my thoughts and decided I don't think we'll make top 7. I realise I got carried away after that 2-1 win at Orient, but yesterday brought me back down to reality with a massive bump.

You only have to look at our form since christmas, W2 D4 L3. No home wins, no clean sheets, goals flying in left right and centre, a couple of 4 goal drubbings in there, the only teams we've beaten are bang out of form teams stuck right down the bottom. This return is from a run of fixtures that on paper has been kind to us. The next run of fixtures are the complete opposite of that.

Upcoming fixtures:
Doncaster (H)
Wycombe (A)
Portsmouth (H)
Cheltenham (A)
Plymouth (A)
Cambridge (H)
Luton (H)
Mansfield (A)

Realistically I can see us getting 3 or 4 points, 5 at a push from the next 8 games. Wycombe in 8th are currently 6 points behind us. After this run of fixtures we will be well adrift of 7th place imo.

I'm obviously hoping we have a miraculous upturn in form very quickly and all of the above proves to be wrong.

 

[Hooped Wizard]

Fuming that we didn't appoint Steve Evans in the summer.

 

[Conker]

To be 6 points off 3rd is ridiculous. How the fuck?

I think it's a testament to a) how wank this league is and b) if you put a run together like us and Exeter you're in the playoffs.

We're easily the smallest club up there and can just as quickly fall back down again. As conker says, a game at a time! we've Accrington at home, Grimsby away and Newport at home this month, hopefully we can push on

Why do you keep bring club size up? It must be a excuse ready for when we fuck up or something.

It's not relevant and either way Mansfield is where it's pretty much been throughout it's history, League Two with the odd flirt with promotion and the occasional dabble in League One.

 

[AdamStag]

Why do you keep bring club size up? It must be a excuse ready for when we fuck up or something.

It's not relevant and either way Mansfield is where it's pretty much been throughout it's history, League Two with the odd flirt with promotion and the occasional dabble in League One.

If anything it's just showing how well we're doing and it's currently above expectation.

 

[Carver]

Who wants 3rd place? It's up for grabs because we obviously don't want it.

We're sorry for punching above our weight, please forgive us L2!

 

[Don Tonberry]

We weren't very convincing yesterday but yet find ourselves four points off third with a game in hand.

I think the picture will become much clearer by the end of February. We really do need to beat Carlisle at theirs to make a statement.

 

[Rob_of_the_green]

I'm starting to feel more confident. 2 very winnable games to finish the week, if we get 6 points, I think we'll do it. Mansfield are the dark horses and I can't see them falling away. Fat Evans is a class manager at this level and he's found a formula to get you winning games.

I agree but can I just add that if there's one word you can't use about Fatty Evans it's 'class', just no, good maybe, even excellent in fact if you really want you can call him the next Alex Ferguson but he most definitely is not classy.

 

[AdamStag]

I agree but can I just add that if there's one word you can't use about Fatty Evans it's 'class', just no, good maybe, even excellent in fact if you really want you can call him the next Alex Ferguson but he most definitely is not classy.

He's one of those of where you hate him if he's not yours but love him if he is. I think he would only ever get grudging admiration from others.

Irrespective, he's one of the best, if not best manager down here, and I'm delighted to have him here.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Yeah and that Leon never referred to him as classy

 

[Baratheon]

I can't help thinking Carlisle will put a good run together at some point. Curle is a good manager and will find that little bit extra when needed. For this reason I think 3rd place will be a bridge too far for us. If we are to get promoted, it will be through the lottery of the play-offs. The teams currently in there will be the ones who finish there IMO.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Interesting discussion on Pasoti as to whether Carlisle are going to a Plymouth from last year. The general sense was yes because like us last year they have a thin squad and so are vulnerable to injuries/suspensions, and the travel must make them tired. Add to that they sold their main goalscorer.

 

[Alan Partridge]

Travel is a poor excuse in anyone's book, like. We should be used to it anyway!

 

[K-Win]

It's looking increasingly unlikely that Donny and Plymouth are going to stumble. Rovers have looked a class apart all season and Argyle always seem to win when they need to - and have strengthened very well in the January window.

As for the third spot - well it looks to me like anyone down to about Colchester (apologies to Stevenage). Personally though, I think the Mansfield Steve Evans factor could prove decisive. On a roll - have strengthened well in the window and could be tough to stop.

 

[RampantRover]

I don't think any position will be certain until the last game of the season, there is still time for teams to go on a bad/good run. Ourselves could have a bad run, some people saying we're on one at the minute with two draws in last two games... I'll take that.
I hope it's a battle till the end, makes it more interesting.

 

[shoddycollins]

I hope it's a battle till the end, makes it more interesting.

No you don't, you hope that you have the title in the bag by mid-April, unless you genuinely are a mentalist.

 

[shoddycollins]

If someone doesn't hurry up and take this third place off our hands we've been trying to flog since Christmas then we're going to have to take it off the table*

*hopes

 

[shoddycollins]

Interesting discussion on Pasoti as to whether Carlisle are going to a Plymouth from last year. The general sense was yes because like us last year they have a thin squad and so are vulnerable to injuries/suspensions, and the travel must make them tired. Add to that they sold their main goalscorer.

I saw that... you should explain release clauses to the one who suggested selling Wyke was an indicator we had no ambition. It's not possible these days to have a young player with potential in your squad without there being a release clause.

 

[AdamStag]

If someone doesn't hurry up and take this third place off our hands we've been trying to flog since Christmas then we're going to have to take it off the table*

*hopes

I think you against Doncaster is a big game for all concerned.

If you lose that and we won we'd only be 3 points behind you, which would be madness.

I think you might get a cheeky win though