Return of the Macc - Division 4 2018-19

[RobW]

I'm all but done with Carlisle after Saturday's shambles at Macclesfield. Paper thin squad exposed when two defenders got injuries and we had no sub defenders on the bench, so we went into the last fifteen minutes 1 up but with midfielders attempting to play at full back, with an inevitable outcome.

One of these was either making his league debut or at least one of his first appearances, and with his first involvement lunged in and gave away a cheap penalty, then a few minutes later was outpaced by a striker several stones heavier than him, who crossed for the winner, tapped in at the back post where a left back should have been. The poor lad left the pitch in tears, shouldn't have been put in that position (literally).

We've got very few actual senior, contracted pros - the squad is held together with youth team graduates, short term signings and loanees, of which two are on loan from Fleetwood and three on loan from The Borrowers.

The club is rotten from top to bottom, the stadium is falling to bits and the amateur nature of things was displayed again last week - after going to the trouble of producing a commemorative programme after Tony Hopper's sad demise, and announcing the profits would go to his charity, they didn't order enough and sold out long before kick off. Then two days later they proudly announced they'd been to the printers and got some more copies printed. All 50 of them.

Like most our players (well the few that are going to be here that long) I'm seeing out my contractual commitments for the rest of this season with the bare minimum of effort.

Odds on you'll win tomorrow night then.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

I'm all but done with Carlisle after Saturday's shambles at Macclesfield. Paper thin squad exposed when two defenders got injuries and we had no sub defenders on the bench, so we went into the last fifteen minutes 1 up but with midfielders attempting to play at full back, with an inevitable outcome.

One of these was either making his league debut or at least one of his first appearances, and with his first involvement lunged in and gave away a cheap penalty, then a few minutes later was outpaced by a striker several stones heavier than him, who crossed for the winner, tapped in at the back post where a left back should have been. The poor lad left the pitch in tears, shouldn't have been put in that position (literally).

We've got very few actual senior, contracted pros - the squad is held together with youth team graduates, short term signings and loanees, of which two are on loan from Fleetwood and three on loan from The Borrowers.

The club is rotten from top to bottom, the stadium is falling to bits and the amateur nature of things was displayed again last week - after going to the trouble of producing a commemorative programme after Tony Hopper's sad demise, and announcing the profits would go to his charity, they didn't order enough and sold out long before kick off. Then two days later they proudly announced they'd been to the printers and got some more copies printed. All 50 of them.

Like most our players (well the few that are going to be here that long) I'm seeing out my contractual commitments for the rest of this season with the bare minimum of effort.

[Simon G]

We drew away to the local advertising board of Ecotricity on Saturday.

A decent result in the grand scheme of things but Michael Duff is still awaiting his first win as manager...

[Giggler]

Very emotional day at Gigg on Saturday as Lenny Johnrose came back. He got a great reception:

https://twitter.com/LJohnrose/status...24749581484035

[Janik]

It would be nice for a manager to say the same thing when confronted with clear evidence. Something like 'I castigated the ref on Saturday evening, but now I have to accept that his interpretation of the tackle was accurate and mine was flawed.' It might actually make refs take future complaints from a manager that does this more seriously, because if managers stick to their guns when wrong it's very easy for refs to completely ignore anything they say as coming from a proven know-nothing bozo.

[RobW]

Ha, yep. Was literally just going to link to that picture. https://twitter.com/AndyPearson68/st...28324878221312. It looks so innocuous in real time but can't really argue. My apologies to the ref. I think is Ellis put any more force into that challenge, it would have been very nasty for the Cambridge player.

[ingoldale]

The ref completely ruined the game between Lincoln and Cambridge yesterday for sending off City's Ellis Chapman for a really soft late tackle (if that). I've seen it several times, it's a 50-50 between him and the Cambridge player and I still can't fathom how the ref decided to give a straight red, without consulting either the fourth official or his assistant. It's barely a yellow, and in fairness to Cambridge they've said they'll help with appealing against it. Ref also missed a blatant penalty to the visitors apparently, the standard of officials is so, so bad. Very happy with a point after playing for 70 mins with 10 men, but losing a few players to injuries and I think we might have to move Michael Bostwick to centre mid for cover.

Sorry Rob, but this is a red.

[RobW]

The ref completely ruined the game between Lincoln and Cambridge yesterday for sending off City's Ellis Chapman for a really soft late tackle (if that). I've seen it several times, it's a 50-50 between him and the Cambridge player and I still can't fathom how the ref decided to give a straight red, without consulting either the fourth official or his assistant. It's barely a yellow, and in fairness to Cambridge they've said they'll help with appealing against it. Ref also missed a blatant penalty to the visitors apparently, the standard of officials is so, so bad. Very happy with a point after playing for 70 mins with 10 men, but losing a few players to injuries and I think we might have to move Michael Bostwick to centre mid for cover.

[ingoldale]

3 clean sheets in a row! The last time we did that was Nov/Dec 2017. Decent result against Exeter too.

[Giggler]

We've all seen Nicky Maynard's first goal for Bury, haven't we?

https://twitter.com/buryfcofficial/status/1048907767220785153

We have now.

[ingoldale]

Cardiff Met also brought all 10 outfield players back for corners and set pieces around the box yesterday.

[ingoldale]

Two on the bounce! Seemingly we played some nice football in parts too. Hit the post and had a goal disallowed so worth the three points it seems.

[ingoldale]

I saw Dulwich Hamlet the other week and they kept three up when defending corners and they were away from home. They didn't suffer from it, indeed it meant their opponents Slough kept four back so the penalty area was far less crowded affording their keeper a clearer run at the ball which happens less and less with all the crowding and blocking that is commonplace at corners nowadays.

Yeah, my dad has employed this when coaching Skegness Town to good effect. I quite like it as a tactic. If I were the attacking team i.e the one taking the corner I'd gamble though.

[Ray de Galles]

I saw Dulwich Hamlet the other week and they kept three up when defending corners and they were away from home. They didn't suffer from it, indeed it meant their opponents Slough kept four back so the penalty area was far less crowded affording their keeper and defenders a clearer run at the ball which happens less and less with all the crowding and blocking that is commonplace at corners nowadays.

[ingoldale]

It seems to be a fairly current tactic though. I seem to recall Liverpool doing it on a couple of occasions v Chelsea last weekend and I have seen clubs in non-league and the League do it over the last few seasons. I fail to see that the benefit completely outweighs leaving 1 or 2 up. Especially when you consider Grimsby's defensive record since Slade took over and we initially started doing it.

(I'd be interested to know other people's thoughts)

[Felicity, I guess so]

Big fella in front of us kept roaring 'Who's the out ball?!', ingoldale, clearly chiming with your comment above about defending too deep.

[ingoldale]

I can't remember 20+ either, though a few speculative efforts may have counted. I'm probably looking at it from the perspective of the last three games overall, where it's been a familiar pattern that we can hold a lot of possession around the box, and even look good doing it, and achieve very little.

If we have any Maccelsfield lurkers on here then hold tight folks, we're coming along in a couple of weeks to end your winless streak.

It should be noted the performance was typical of our season so far in that we were pretty good in the first half and not so good in the second. The exception being on Tuesday that we managed to keep a clean sheet! Fingers crossed we can build on it tomorrow.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

I wouldn't say easily dealt with by Grimsby- there were lots of people holding their breath/squealing anxiously around me as Carlisle held posession around the box (very impressively at times- don't knock it too much). The BBC stats had 20+ shots - can't say i remember that many, but the keeper had a few saves to make and the header against the bar was a huge let off.

I can't remember 20+ either, though a few speculative efforts may have counted. I'm probably looking at it from the perspective of the last three games overall, where it's been a familiar pattern that we can hold a lot of possession around the box, and even look good doing it, and achieve very little.

If we have any Maccelsfield lurkers on here then hold tight folks, we're coming along in a couple of weeks to end your winless streak.

[Felicity, I guess so]

Carlisle's "performance" was typical of those I've seen this season - quite neat in possession but no attacking edge, continually getting bogged down in passing around in triangles out wide without a lot of idea what to do next, easily defended by the opposition who realize they just need to pay attention and close them down, and a mistake will come eventually. We had more chances as the game went on, but could have played all night and still not scored. Three home games without a goal, including a missed penalty.

Grimsby played well though, quite well organised in defence and pacy on the break - two in particular gave us problems, the central striker and the wide left (wouldn't quite say winger) - I can't offer any more detail than that as I can barely keep track of the names of Carlisle players never mind the opposition.

It's going to be a long run in til Christmas for us with this squad, the only plus point from last night was Mike Jones returning off the bench, displacing whichever young loanee from Fleetwood we were relying on to run the midfield at that given moment.

I wouldn't say easily dealt with by Grimsby- there were lots of people holding their breath/squealing anxiously around me as Carlisle held posession around the box (very impressively at times- don't knock it too much). The BBC stats had 20+ shots - can't say i remember that many, but the keeper had a few saves to make and the header against the bar was a huge let off.

[Janik]

How long has Dunne got do you reckon Janik?

I think I mentioned before the season that I expected him to be sacked by Christmas. That is now looking optimistic. Unless there are clear signs of improvement in the next three games, then the board will need to act.

[Simon G]

Last gasp equaliser for us last night at home to Morecambe after what is being called a terrible performance. That young sprite (the first player older than me to play for the club in the last 3 years) Luke Varney getting both goals on his home debut.

We have a squad of 29 at the moment and it needs trimming quickly. Unfortunately, only 3 or 4 of them appear up to standard. We need two team worse than us at the moment, fortunately, Macclesfield just haven't got going and Cambridge have been dreadful (even we beat them). When they change managers could be our undoing though.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

(I, I am somewhat ashamed to say, watched on ifollow).

I was tempted to myself, despite having a season ticket - it was almost worth £10 not to trek down there and back. I'm going to try it for an away game at some point, even though I think the per-game price is too expensive. I'm hoping one of the local pubs gets its act together and starts showing them, so I can put the £10 to better use.

[RobW]

Annoying defeat at Tranmere last night, particularly as we dominated the first half without perhaps creating too many outright chances. Goal was really soft too, simple ball over the top after Shackell got himself out of position and Norwood nipped in behind.

[ingoldale]

Carlisle's "performance" was typical of those I've seen this season - quite neat in possession but no attacking edge, continually getting bogged down in passing around in triangles out wide without a lot of idea what to do next, easily defended by the opposition who realize they just need to pay attention and close them down, and a mistake will come eventually. We had more chances as the game went on, but could have played all night and still not scored. Three home games without a goal, including a missed penalty.

Grimsby played well though, quite well organised in defence and pacy on the break - two in particular gave us problems, the central striker and the wide left (wouldn't quite say winger) - I can't offer any more detail than that as I can barely keep track of the names of Carlisle players never mind the opposition.

It's going to be a long run in til Christmas for us with this squad, the only plus point from last night was Mike Jones returning off the bench, displacing whichever young loanee from Fleetwood we were relying on to run the midfield at that given moment.

Yes, I think you are talking about Wes Thomas - who I thought held up the ball well when he could up top (I, I am somewhat ashamed to say, watched on ifollow) and JJ Hooper who has had this role for most of the season where he has to drop in on the left when we are defending. He is not quite a striker but not an out and out winger either. Any joy you had in the second half from open play came from the right where he was meant to be. He kept getting caught out of position e.g running back towards defence rather than attacking the ball. But he is being asked to be a defender in that situation which is definitely is not. I don't like our tactic of keeping 11 back at corners and set pieces around our own box. We did this under Slade too. We clear the ball and it comes straight back as there's nobody there to challenge or hold it up.

With all the negativity online - and not having seen us since Newport away - I was expecting far worse but I thought we were good value for the 3 points.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Aaaand breathe.

Carlisle's "performance" was typical of those I've seen this season - quite neat in possession but no attacking edge, continually getting bogged down in passing around in triangles out wide without a lot of idea what to do next, easily defended by the opposition who realize they just need to pay attention and close them down, and a mistake will come eventually. We had more chances as the game went on, but could have played all night and still not scored. Three home games without a goal, including a missed penalty.

Grimsby played well though, quite well organised in defence and pacy on the break - two in particular gave us problems, the central striker and the wide left (wouldn't quite say winger) - I can't offer any more detail than that as I can barely keep track of the names of Carlisle players never mind the opposition.

It's going to be a long run in til Christmas for us with this squad, the only plus point from last night was Mike Jones returning off the bench, displacing whichever young loanee from Fleetwood we were relying on to run the midfield at that given moment.