Carlisle United v Cheltenham Town

Talk about anything to do with Cheltenham Town, CTFC 500 Club, League 1, ex players & Managers

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Jon Palmer
Posts: 5045
Joined: 13 Feb 2010, 20:19
Team news, live updates and video reaction all here this afternoon: http://bit.ly/CarlisleA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Hubert Parry
Posts: 2443
Joined: 22 Jul 2011, 09:09
We are losing form at the worst possible time - as we play those around us. There is no doubt (if there ever was) that we are in grave danger.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29758
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Last time we lost three in a row the third of those was against Carlisle as well, and the Chairman held an emergency Board meeting with the manager and released a statement with an ultimatum for the manager.
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Nesty
Posts: 6652
Joined: 18 Jun 2011, 09:17
We need a playmaker and striker - maybe worth giving Duku another chance?
horlickfanclub
Posts: 3907
Joined: 04 Aug 2011, 11:02
I think Duku is injured, tendonitis.
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Lord Elpuz
Posts: 691
Joined: 20 Jul 2011, 19:35
Perhaps purely coincidental, but Alex Addai has not featured until the end of recent games and our goal threat seems to have dried up. He was awarded fans player of the month for December and has hardly featured since.

Squad rotation? Dropped down the pecking order? Cunning plan to stop other clubs coming in for him?

Discuss.
Alf
Posts: 2166
Joined: 17 Apr 2011, 08:24
I agree Nesty. Yet again I have watched us dominate much of the first half without creating any real chances. By the time we get the ball into the danger area our players are already in the box waiting for the ball to be delivered rather than arriving on time to attack the ball. We lack real quality up front but sadly real quality costs more than we can afford.
Red Duke
Posts: 1991
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 09:15
Location: North West
Positives from today's game.

Raglan looks a good signing
Good use of the full width of the pitch by Broom and Hussey

Negatives:

Clements and Thomas too similar
Not enough pace in midfield
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Malabus
Posts: 13336
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 12:26
Location: The Death Star.
If you are relying on freebies then the team will struggle.
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Nesty
Posts: 6652
Joined: 18 Jun 2011, 09:17
with Yeovil, Cambridge, Macclesfield and Port Vale all winning we are back in the smelly brown stuff again.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29758
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Carlisle are the only team I have seen us play twice this season.

As Duff said, fairly even on paper in the first half. Both teams seemed happy to let the other side have the ball, and apart from the odd drive forward by Hussey we didn’t offer anything in attack. Carlisle pressed us higher than we did them, so most of the play in our half but they didn’t create too much, forcing Scotty into a couple of saves.

At HT it felt Carlisle could go up another gear and they duly did. Too much of a possession was pointless and more of a case of Carlisle letting us have it so they could contain and control rather than us keeping it in dangerous areas.

Not until we were 2-0 did we really get the ball and players forward into the box with any pace or intent, Varney missing a great opportunity.

Maddox coming on stepped it up for us. Rather than just passing sideways where and when Carlisle wanted us to, Maddox was getting himself and the ball into areas Carlisle didn’t want it and caused them problems. Addai his usual direct and fast self. The changes actually opened things up a bit more for Thomas and Clements to pass it forward into potentially dangerous areas as well, whereas for the first 75 mins they were like spectators made of warm butter - apart from when Carlisle let them have it and sheprheded us sideways or back.

Flinders, defensive blocks, and a few one on ones slid wide kept it to 2-0. We could have no complaints had it been four or more in the second half.

Most disappointing thing is that in the home game against Carlisle we tore them apart for 30 mins with fast runs, direct attacks with numbers forward and balls whipped across the face. None of this yesterday and even our late flurry when the game was gone the play was slower, too careful or too speculative. Looked a much less exciting and less dangerous than last time we played them.

Hussey can’t do it on his own and needs some support. Currently, I cannot see how slow play and lack of intensity in midfield with the occasional float up to the slow strikers is going to get any victories against L2 sides who play with more intensity and strength in the middle.

If we don’t sign anyone then Dawson or Allcock have to go in to central mid so we have a player in there who will run and tackle. Tozer would add muscle to the midfield but no addition in pace.

I would have a middle three of:

Dawson, Clements, Maddox

With Addai up front with a rotation of Barnett/Vardy.

Then let Addai go out right to occupy a defender, so Maddox and Hussey can do their stuff on the left. Those are currently the two, when working together, who can create enough for someone else to hopefully be in the right place to score enough times to keep us up.
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