Catuvellauni v Carvetii (Cambridge v Carlisle - Jabundesliga)

[shoddycollins]

The first game of the CUFC league comes early this year as the two teams who missed out on last season's title meet at the Abbey.

We both started with defeat, but I expect Cambridge to be strong this season, they've recruited well. Meanwhile our paper-thin squad is already looking stretched. Hopefully we'll at least have a couple of players back for this. Still, based on yesterday's showing combined with Cambridge's record against us and the fact they have Jabo, I can't see us getting anything from this game.

Prediction, 2-0 Cambridge.

 

[cufc17]

Jabo will be looking forward to this one, he knows as well as anybody how fragile we are defensively. If I was Derry I'd play both him and Ikpeazu.

We've not beaten Cambridge home or away in 12 games, and I can't see that changing. We could get a draw, but with our injuries I doubt it.

3-1 Cambridge
Jabo, Ikpeazu x2, Devitt

 

[shoddycollins]

Jabo will be looking forward to this one, he knows as well as anybody how fragile we are defensively. If I was Derry I'd play both him and Ikpeazu.

We've not beaten Cambridge home or away in 12 games, and I can't see that changing. We could get a draw, but with our injuries I doubt it.

3-1 Cambridge
Jabo, Ikpeazu x2, Devitt

Our saving grace is I don't think Derry would go that attacking.

 

[Carver]

Our saving grace is I don't think Derry would go that attacking.

I don't know, wasn't there a match we had down there a couple of seasons ago when he was in charge and they should of beat us something like 7-0 but we somehow held out for a 0-0 draw?

By the way funny thread title, Jabundesliga.

 

[MisterTee]

After a season of "Derryball" we've been told that Shaun wants to bring the away form back to the Abbey so I would certainly expect it to be a bit more attacking than it was. With Halliday out and defensive cover a bit thin on the ground looks like it might be goals a plenty if Carlisle have issues there too. After what is likely to be a thumping at Bristol Rovers in the Cup the pressure will already be on, I'd go for a 2-2 draw and the "Derry outers" (of which there are quite a few even before the season started) will be baying for blood.

 

[shoddycollins]

I don't know, wasn't there a match we had down there a couple of seasons ago when he was in charge and they should of beat us something like 7-0 but we somehow held out for a 0-0 draw?

By the way funny thread title, Jabundesliga.

I preferred Serie Jabo myself, but the people spoke.

 

[Carver]

Oh no we are totally screwed.

Tom Miller is out injured now along with Parks, so we may have to play Reggie Lamb at right back and push Devitt more out wide.

What exactly is our aim as a club now?

 

[shoddycollins]

Oh no we are totally screwed.

Tom Miller is out injured now along with Parks, so we may have to play Reggie Lamb at right back and push Devitt more out wide.

What exactly is our aim as a club now?

Seriously... fucking hell. Only 2 fit defenders (and Gary Liddle), and one of those defenders is Danny Grainger, who, let's face it, even when he's on form isn't particularly great at defending.

I'd just play three at the back and then go hell for leather to score... well actually I'd just tell the players to go out against Fleetwood, with, don't get injured as the key priority.

 

[Carver]

Seriously... fucking hell. Only 2 fit defenders (and Gary Liddle), and one of those defenders is Danny Grainger, who, let's face it, even when he's on form isn't particularly great at defending.

I'd just play three at the back and then go hell for leather to score... well actually I'd just tell the players to go out against Fleetwood, with, don't get injured as the key priority.

Grainger is past it now and now way will we go attacking when we have a manager who starts the first home game of the season with a striker upfront on his own who isn't even a target man and has no support.

 

[shoddycollins]

Grainger is past it now and now way will we go attacking when we have a manager who starts the first home game of the season with a striker upfront on his own who isn't even a target man and has no support.

He shouldn't be past it at 31. Had a stinker on Saturday but he's a wing-back really with the emphasis on attacking so even if he had been on form, he doesn't add much to our defensive prowess.

 

[AmberRich]

Hoping for a win on Saturday. There were some positives and negatives from the Exeter game. The main negative that Carlisle should look to exploit is our full backs, they aren't the strongest at the moment. Halliday is out after having surgery and Greg Taylor is being used as a centre back.
Jake Carroll and, a youngster from our youth system, Leon Davies were used against Exeter. Neither had good games, Carroll looked very bad and gave away the penalty that led to the goal. Hopefully it was just first game jitters and they'll improve on Saturday.

Uche Ikpeazu looked the better player in preseason but Jabo started and did okay on Saturday, in the second half we switched to two upfront and Uche came on and he caused a bit of havoc though when he had a chance to score he completely missed the ball.

I'm going to be positive and say 2-1 Cambridge. Jabo and Berry, Adams for Carlisle.

 

[Vanni]

There will be goals galore in this one. Something like a 2-2 draw, or a 3-2 win for either us or Carlisle. Or it will be dull as dishwater because Derry realises we're poor at the back so plays it safe, and Curle thinks likewise and does the exact same thing.

But I've got to stay positive so early on in the new season. Keep the faith or so they say so I'm going for a United win. 2-1 (if Carlisle's strikers have an off day) or 3-2.

 

[shoddycollins]

I really can't see anything but a Cambridge win, even though that might sound a bit pessimistic, we were poor in the second half of last season... worse against Swindon on Saturday and have lost two players through injury since, I don't think we'll be able to put a League Two standard team out against you, Adams is good and Devitt had a good game Saturday, and there are other League Two standard players but far too many areas of the pitch where you'll either come up against Conference standard players, or players who should be good at this level but are underperforming terribly. Cambridge would really have to put in a shocker for them to fail to pick up all three points.

Adams is unlikely to score though, he did come close against Swindon, but that's a rarity, he doesn't even take that many shots and those he does are usually fairly speculative. I'd say Shaun Miller is the most likely to score of anyone we have at the moment.

 

[Alan Partridge]

Goals!

Cambridge 4-5 Carlisle

 

[hellogregory]

I'm absolutely dreading this. No i'm not going thank fuck but just dreading the outcome. I think Jabo is going to have the kind of game that he had for us every time he faced Notts County.

I don't think we're actually that bad, when the ball is in the middle of the pitch... it's both ends that we're terrible. Woeful defensively and now toothless in attack. We may score, but not enough to gloss over our defensive frailties. It's a recipe for disaster.

Starting off with a defeat is bad, but 2 defeats will start to really feel like a relegation battle is ahead.

I fear it could be a hiding.
Cambridge 4-1 Carlisle

 

[Laker]

It's interesting Carlisle fans eing so pessimistic. We haven't put in that many decent performances ourselves (in fact most of our fans would say it's been dreadful under Derry) so I can't see it being a thumping Carlisle as is suggested.

I'd love us to "click" and really play some decent football. I'm hopeful and perennially optimistic and upbeat (what's the point of going if you don't go and try to enjoy it) but it would be unexpected rather than expected.

I hope we start Ibehre and Berry up top with Uche as an option off the bench. And Mingoia & Dunk wide, some proper width to feed the front two. Our defence is makeshift at best and arguably farcical. I'd be staggered if we kept a clean sheet so we'll need to score more than one (maybe as many as 3) to win this in my opinion.

5-0 Cambridge. We'll smash those fuckers.

 

[shoddycollins]

I'm pinning my hopes on Bennett getting up to speed with league football, because he showed some promise at the weekend in terms of getting shots in, he just wasn't quite mentally quick enough to get one on target that wasn't straight at the keeper. At Barrow he'll have been used to having the ball hoofed up to him all day long, he'll have to be a little more clever to be in the right place at the right time to be on the end of attacks, but he doesn't look a million miles off that.

 

[Tom_CUFC]

I would be shocked if we score more than two regardless of how porous your defence is, Derry simply doesn't have a reason yet to deviate away from the defensive, slow paced game plan that we operate with until such a time comes that he's under enough pressure that he has to go for it. I don't think anything that happens in our League Cup game tonight will change that approach but I'll see what happens first before making my mind up on this game....

 

[shoddycollins]

I would be shocked if we score more than two regardless of how porous your defence is, Derry simply doesn't have a reason yet to deviate away from the defensive, slow paced game plan that we operate with until such a time comes that he's under enough pressure that he has to go for it. I don't think anything that happens in our League Cup game tonight will change that approach but I'll see what happens first before making my mind up on this game....

It's not just porous, but we keep making individual errors, you may not set yourselves up to create scoring opportunities, but if we gift you the same opportunities we gifted Swindon then I can only see you scoring at least two.

 

[hellogregory]

Yeah you don't need creativity to get chances against us. Our players will play all the inch perfect defence splitting passes and clever layoffs for you, all you'll need to do is finish them off.

 

[Carver]

It's good that we're losing and doing shit because it put's pressure on our owners to finally fuck off and if there is enough of it then I'm sure they will just as they were going to a couple year ago right before some c*** mystery billionaire came along and wasted our time.

 

[huddsmoose]

This one sounds like it has the makings of a classic.

The league's two most depressed fanbases cheering every completed pass, as two defences packed with teenagers, out of position players and some not even good enough for regional football, compete to lay on the most chances for the opposition forwards.

Dezza will be ecstatic if we restrict Carlisle to a narrow win. They're a massive club, massive. They've recently dropped down from League 1 and have a squad of league 1 players.

Unfortunately I'm on holiday and will miss it.

 

[Carver]

After our good win over Fleetwood last night we might not be so bad now going into this game.

We may have a chance.

 

[hellogregory]

After our good win over Fleetwood last night we might not be so bad now going into this game.

We may have a chance.

This is a schoolboy error. How many times have we seen a good performance in the cup and then back to shite on a Saturday?

We went to Anfield and got a 1-1, then lost at home to Newport on the Saturday. We knocked Blackburn out a few years ago and then got dicked 4-0 at Bradford on the Saturday.

If we win on Saturday you can maybe say we might not be so bad, but I've been watching us long enough to know that a win in the cup has no bearing on how good we are in the league.

 

[Carver]

This is a schoolboy error. How many times have we seen a good performance in the cup and then back to shite on a Saturday?

We went to Anfield and got a 1-1, then lost at home to Newport on the Saturday. We knocked Blackburn out a few years ago and then got dicked 4-0 at Bradford on the Saturday.

If we win on Saturday you can maybe say we might not be so bad, but I've been watching us long enough to know that a win in the cup has no bearing on how good we are in the league.

Well last season we beat Port Vale in the League Cup and then went on to beat Plymouth in the league the following Saturday.

So there.

 

[hellogregory]

Well last season we beat Port Vale in the League Cup and then went on to beat Plymouth in the league the following Saturday.

So there.

Yeah but we weren't shit then. We went into the port vale match off the back of a creditable 1-1 draw at eventual champions Portsmouth, not off the back of a poor home performance and defeat to Swindon.

 

[cufc17]

I'd go with the same team as last night but with Adams in for Lambe (possibly Devitt). I like Shaun Miller, not the best finisher but works hard and makes intelligent runs. I'd give him and Bennett a run of games together.

Bonham in net has looked a bit dodgy so far, though also made some decent saves to be fair. Early days but Parkes has looked composed on the ball and is able to pick a pass, but the lack of pace at the back is still a worry.

Can't see us winning but a point on the board would be ok.

 

[Carver]

Yeah but we weren't shit then. We went into the port vale match off the back of a creditable 1-1 draw at eventual champions Portsmouth, not off the back of a poor home performance and defeat to Swindon.

You saying last night was a poor performance now?

You're mad.

 

[hellogregory]

You saying last night was a poor performance now?

You're mad.

Where did I mention last nights performance being poor?

I refer you back to my original post that you quoted.

This is a schoolboy error. How many times have we seen a good performance in the cup and then back to shite on a Saturday?

Sometimes I wonder whether you deliberately try to make yourself look silly.

 

[shoddycollins]

Only 6 of the 30 posts we've had on this thread have been from Cambridge fans, and most of next weekend's match threads haven't really got going yet. Good job we're not doing that crazy one-thread thing, every thread would basically be three pages of Carlisle fans arguing amongst themselves before everyone else's attentions even turn towards the upcoming fixtures.

I miss the Carlisle - Hartlepool threads. We could be on the tenth page by Saturday morning with the thread finally topping off in the thirties some weeks after.