We've got a play off challenging side

[CC]

I wonder if there's a similar thread on the carlisle forum

Why would they care if we're a play-off challenging side?

 

[Simba3011]

We've got a good spine but our depth is no where playoff level and the league looks like it could be very strong next year.

 

[grecIAN Harris]

I think you'd need better suited players in the wide areas, somebody like Dean Moxey who knew how to the job out there in both directions. Aimson starts instead of Diabate and for as long as Caldwell is in charge with his style of play, Chieck has some major improving to do on the ball if he is to be any part of the side. Love Sweenz as we all do, I think an upgrade there might be in order. Maybe a destroyer in midfield for when the needs require. A bit more variation up front wouldn't go amiss. As a squad we would need to improve on our physicality. Even when you compare us to Peterborough, who are probably the youngest side in the promotion/play-off race, their general physicality is so much better than ours. When you compare us to the likes of Derby and Bolton it's almost men against boys.

Oh, and whoever we play in whatever position we play them, we have to be braver on the ball and play without fear. It is what kills us most of the time. For those who heard the pre-match interview for todays game must surely have realised that that is what the management team want from our side now, be brave on the ball and be prepared and ready to fight to get it back if we lose it and then go again. If we were to do that, those that currently find us boring and ponderous may have a change of heart.

 

[grecIAN Harris]

We've got a good spine but our depth is no where playoff level and the league looks like it could be very strong next year.

That depends on who comes down. I think we're going to lose the biggest of the current fish upwards and if you took the bottom three in The Championship, as it is now, you're not replacing them with the same quality. Rotherham are poor, Huddersfield aren't that great but will probably be challenging without guarantees and Sheffield Wednesday have a major re-build on their hands. As far as I can tell, they've stuck with pretty much the aging squad that they had last season. They were the worst of the three teams that went up and that has borne out this season.

 

[The 3 United's]

No team will get promoted from any league creating as few chances as we do. Whether that's down to the quality of the squad or the manager's tactics is (apparently) up for debate.

Whilst statistics can be interpreted/ manipulated to an agenda, on one site I've seen we have by far the worst goals expected against actual goals this season, than any team in L1. This could suggest the problem is not creating chances, but converting them. Back to the same old story, no Sam or suitable replacement.

 

[antman]

No human quallity is met with greater scorn on Exeweb than optimism.

 

[Devon Red]

Admire the optimism of the OP, consider this.

Take out the 13 match period when, due to a horrendous injury list, we failed to win and picked up a paltry 3 points. Over the rest of the season we have gained 41 points in 22 games, an average of 1.87 points per game. Apply that points average to the winless run and we'd have at least an extra 21 points.

65 points, enough to be in the play off zone.

If my Auntie had balls...

 

[robchave]

If my Auntie had balls...

She could probably play up front!

 

[Average Joe]

We don't have a play off winning side, we don't have the capability or the infrastructure to play in the championship.

If by God's name we do end up getting promoted next season we'd get absolutely humiliated.

The only thing we do have, is a manager who's been promoted from league one before and could do it again.

 

[edwin_price]

Think the top few sides at this level are miles ahead of us, but if by "play off challenging", you mean finishing 8th-10th, I don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility we could replicate Stevenage or Lincoln next season if we get lucky in the transfer market and enough of our younger 'almost' players kick on (Aitcheson, Harper, Cox, etc). More likely to be bottom half again though, if I was putting money on.

*I mean, the teams that finish 8th-10th "challenged" for a play off spot.