Shaun Harvey's least favourite chairman v his favourite chairman (Accrington v Carlisle)

[shoddycollins]

Accrington have started the season well again and may be on for a season like a couple of years ago when they were one of the best teams out there. We have been thoroughly inconsistent and average.

According to experimental 361's measures we're bang average in every respect, average defence, average attack. The only team close to being as average as us is in fact Accrington, though so far this season we've seen the better side of them.

Honestly, this game could go either way. I think Accrington may shade it as favourites but we'll be happy to have Parkes back and with Etuhu returning and I presume Kennedy fit enough to push for a start, we're finally at full fitness. I think we'll defend alright, Billy Kee isn't the most mobile and I think Parkes and Ellis will stand up to him physically. It's just a question of whether our strikers can find their scoring touch, and indeed who we start with. I'd start with Miller and Bennett up front, but I think Curle will have Bennett or Hope as a lone striker with Devitt playing just behind him.

 

[hellogregory]

I'd rather start 1 toothless striker than 2.

I'm leaning towards 3 points here. I'd probably take a point but I just have a feeling we'll sneak a win.

 

[Stanleyfan]

Looking forward to the match - always a great atmosphere when we play Carlisle and I'm sure the away end will be packed out. We beat Mansfield 2-1 in our last league home match although we were far from convincing. We played much better V Morecambe away last week and have a couple coming back from injury.
As Shoddy says our chairman Andy Holt isn't shy of making his opinions known to the Premier League and Football League and was very much against the Checkatrade trophy format.

By the way how's Luke Joyce shaping up these days?

 

[cufc17]

Joyce has mostly been solid, has some great games and the odd shocker.

As for the game, I think it'll be a draw. In the last 3 seasons we've put in poor performances at the Wham, and it'll probably be a similar story tomorrow.

Nice to have Parkes back from suspension. No idea how good or bad Etuhu is but I'm guessing he'll play a part tomorrow. I'd stick Kennedy in for Lambe or one of the forwards.

1-1 Kee and Hope

 

[hellogregory]

Hes been ok on the whole, but every now and then he does a Luke Joyce which nearly always results in us conceding and unfortunately these moments stand out in a football supporters memory.

 

[shoddycollins]

He makes some great passes going forward, but isn't as solid defensively as a defensive midfielder might be, sort of like a deep-lying midfielder, caused us problems in his first season where there was a lot of pressure on him to be the first line of defence but has been able to prosper since then when played alongside Jones who has more defensive nous about him.

 

[hellogregory]

My prediction

Accrington 1-2 Carlisle

 

[Carver]

ERROR

 

[hellogregory]

ERROR

Yeah nearly all of the goals we've conceded this season have come from individual errors, so you may be right.

 

[cufc17]

1-0 down. Absolutely pouring it down by the sounds of it. Glad I'm not on that away end today!

 

[cufc17]

2-0

 

[hellogregory]

This is absolutely dreadful.

I'm absolutely soaked after that downpour and we're performing terribly. Our attack is absolutely shit. I can't believe we've wasted that money on Richie Bennett, the guy is Mark Beck reincarnated. He may well get one or two goals over the season by being a big lump, but he's not a footballer.

We're just not as good as I thought and it's showing today. It's going to be a long, dull, miserable season.

 

[cufc17]

3-0 and it sounds disgraceful. So glad I'm not there.

 

[hellogregory]

We are in big big trouble if we put in more performances like this. That was absolutely shite.

I was worried over the summer that we'd continue the horrendous levels we produced in the second half of last season into this season. However I saw some encouraging signs in the early games particularly defensively, but today has me worried. Accrington have been streets ahead of us, we looked like a conference team going to the Etihad, huffing and puffing early on, but ultimately buckling to a far superior team with superior ability. We have one of the most ineffective forward lines I've seen in years and we're starting to leak bucket loads of goals again. That's 2 away thrashings in a row. I can't see it getting any better on Tuesday at Coventry and then we have a tough home game to come on Saturday.

I'm not going to say we're going to be in a relegation battle, because it's early days and as I said there were some encouraging signs a few weeks ago, but the fact we're now conceding 3 and 4 goals so easily again, added to the fact we have such a toothless front line is a combination that should be setting alarm bells ringing.

 

[Stanleyfan]

Delighted with the result and our start to the season. Not a good day for Carlisle with them losing and the fans getting soaked through. We should have put a roof on there by now.
I believe Curle kept the players in the dressing room for an hour afterwards - did not look a happy man in the dugout.

 

[T.A]

Delighted with the result and our start to the season. Not a good day for Carlisle with them losing and the fans getting soaked through. We should have put a roof on there by now.
I believe Curle kept the players in the dressing room for an hour afterwards - did not look a happy man in the dugout.

Is the new stand going ahead too?

 

[Alan Partridge]

Shite!

 

[Carver]

Yeah nearly all of the goals we've conceded this season have come from individual errors, so you may be right.

ERROR

 

[northstandexile]

Accrington are a good side, anybody who beat Mansfield must be good.

 

[Vanni]

They sure are Northstandexile. I actually find it all so baffling, as in how could they do so well on what must be one of the league's lowest budgets? Coleman's a great manager, and it's thanks to him that they are where they are, but surely he also makes bad judgement calls just like all managers do when it comes to signing new players?

If only we could persuade him to come here when Derry's reign is over.

 

[Stanleyfan]

Is the new stand going ahead too?

Our chairman has said it will be ready by the end of the season - it will be similar in size to the main stand opposite. If we can get a roof on the away end the ground will look a lot more appealing.