Tuesday 20th December (don't miss it)

[EricSabin]

After our postponement on Saturday it’s lovely and balmy in Northamptonshire now and we welcome Carlisle tomorrow night. Sure it’ll be a reduced attendance both home and away due to the short notice (frankly if anyone comes from Carlisle fair fucking play) but probably wise to avoid a fixture pile up later in the season.

Not played since early December but a win tomorrow could start to see a decent gap between the top 3 and chasing pack emerge.

Will Carlisle come and have a go tomorrow? We’ve looked vulnerable at times at home this year when teams have had a go.

 

[hellogregory]

Definitely a good decision to play this so soon. A fixture pileup is not what we want, plus without this it’d be 3 weeks without a match.

Will we have a go? I think that will be the intention. Whether it happens I don’t know. We often end up on the back foot through not being able to string 3 passes together rather than tactics.

This will be tough. I’m just happy we’re getting this out the way, but I expect nothing less than a comfortable home win given our record this season against teams in the top few places.

Northampton Town 2-0 Carlisle United

 

[PuB]

We’ve got Wolves away in the league cup

 

[Kendalcufc]

No obvious reason why we shouldn't be capable of getting a result.

Going off Northampton's home record since September, if Hellogregory was a fan he'd be declaring relegation. There's nothing to be fearful on that front, we've more than held our own away from home.

The break should've done us good. We were looking increasingly leggy the past few games, hopefully we can find some rhythm.

Both teams are difficult to beat, got solid defensive records and capable of scoring 2 or 3 in a game.

I reckon a score draw is the most likely result.

 

[LordJord]

No obvious reason why we shouldn't be capable of getting a result.

Going off Northampton's home record since September, if Hellogregory was a fan he'd be declaring relegation. There's nothing to be fearful on that front, we've more than held our own away from home.

The break should've done us good. We were looking increasingly leggy the past few games, hopefully we can find some rhythm.

Both teams are difficult to beat, got solid defensive records and capable of scoring 2 or 3 in a game.

I reckon a score draw is the most likely result.

All very fair points. Our home performances have been very meh. The squad is looking really strong now though, we have plenty of options everywhere but we just dont seem to be very fluid at home for some reason.

Think we will line up
GK: Burge
RB: McGowan
CB: Sherring
CB: Guthrie
LB: Odimayo
CM: McWilliams
CM: Sowerby
CM: Fox
RW: Hoskins
LW: Pinnock
ST: Bowie

Our bench is looking super strong now we have almost our entire squad finally fit. The likes of Leonard, Hylton, Appere, could easily be starting also.

Carlisle wont be an easy game, but hoping we sneak a 2-1 win, Hoskins to score.

 

[hellogregory]

The teams are in. Our bench is starting to look stronger but Mellish now being out is another blow. We simply have no other left centre backs to replace him so square peg in a round hole.

I’d take a point right now but sadly can’t see anything other than defeat.

 

[Kendalcufc]

Mellish out is a blow.

The defence was all over the shop the last time Whelan slotted into that position against Harrogate.

 

[hellogregory]

You’re right. I’d forgot Whelan played that role at Harrogate and yes it was a defensive mess. With that in mind I probably would have changed to a back 4 tonight.

But who are we to question Simmo?

 

[Kendalcufc]

Let's hope Simmo has had the tape out of that game to remind them of what not to do.

On the plus side great seeing Joel Senior back on the team sheet after 10 months out.

 

[hellogregory]

We can barely string two passes together. Need to sharpen up on the ball here.

 

[hellogregory]

Competing well so far but our final ball needs to improve.

Northampton look like they’ve got a bit more quality but that’s to be expected.

 

[Kendalcufc]

It started off a decent game, then the referee found his whistle and decided any contact equalled a foul.

 

[hellogregory]

We’re just lacking quality. I don’t think it’s for lack of effort, we just don’t have that quality attacking player who can make something happen, or someone who can even put in a decent fucking cross. Too many sloppy passes.

We’re certainly no pushovers which is the complete opposite to this fixture last season, but we’ll still get beat if we don’t improve on the ball.

 

[Kendalcufc]

Oh yeah. We're missing that Michael Bridges type of player. He once scored a pretty decent goal at Sixfields!

 

[hellogregory]

In 5 minutes it’s just been highlighted what a poor poor side we are.

We’re just no where near the top sides in this league and it’s just been cruelly exposed once Northampton stepped it up. It’s like our goal just woke them up and they are light years ahead of us. We’re no pushovers but just lacking so much quality. We’re like a plucky little non league team trying their best but eventually coming up short.

Once again bitterly disappointing but so predictable when we come up against a team in a bit of form and with a bit of quality for this level.

 

[SF_]

How's Jack Armer doing for Carlisle?

Sounds like Huntington is looking past it.

 

[hellogregory]

Huntington has been good this season but he’s been awful tonight. But he’s not the only one, perhaps the wrong players alongside him.

Armer has been doing well defensively all season, pretty consistent. But his lack of quality in his passing drives me mad. That will probably stop him playing at a higher level.

 

[hellogregory]

Utter garbage since the second we took the lead. Never in it after that. Glaring lack of quality.

Back to hating football. I’m out.

 

[BarraMatt]

Promote the top three now and let the rest of us cloggers fight it out for best of the rest.

 

[Kendalcufc]

At half-time it looked like the worries with Whelan at left centre back were unfounded but in the end those worries shone brightly.

He wasn't the only one to blame. Feeney and Huntington both crumbled. It was a replay of the Walsall mad five minutes.

When you take the lead the first thing you want after the restart is to hold onto the ball for a decent period. Guy, Moxon and Charters should shoulder some blame for failing in that regard.

Armer is Armer. He's the same every game. Dependable, rarely let you down type but never spectacular. Solid league two player.

 

[Kendalcufc]

Three of our four league defeats this season have come against the top 3.

That shows us exactly where we are. Against everyone else we're competitive, tough to beat and occasionally very good. Missing that extra bit of quality when playing the best of the league.

It's Simpson's and Abbott's job to find it in January.

 

[EricSabin]

Echo what HG said really. Carlisle didn’t do the basics well at all and as soon as we stepped it up we cut through. Scored two goals in 6 minutes and between the two had a huge chance for another.

Carlisle spent most of the game passing it aimlessly to no one in particular and didn’t really create anything of any note bar the goal. Holy was shaky, each defender took a turn slipping on their arse but I thought their midfield was tidy enough.

8 points clear of Mansfield who’ve played the same amount of games, tidy place to be at Christmas. Boxing Day at their place is a big game, if we can get a result. Looked rusty at times tonight so hopefully that’s out the system moving forward.

 

[LordJord]

Got the 2-1 prediction right but Hoskins didnt get his goal. Both goals seemed like really poor goals from a Carlisle perspective, the first header seemed almost cushioned across and then there was just a few mins of madness where we managed to get in twice.

Thought the referee was absolutely terrible. Any sort of contact from a striker seemed to be given as a foul and the game was not able to flow. Thought both teams looked pretty rusty in general. As mentioned above Holy looked pretty shaky i thought although has an absolute cannon of a kick.

We had the clearer chances overall so guess we edged it but we do still struggle to create a lot at home, something which Brady has never really been able to address in his tenure so far.

Think Carlisle will end up solid upper mid table based on today. Seemed competent and seen far worse teams at Sixfields, with a few additions could see them pushing to sneak into the playoffs but probably will fall a bit short based on today.

 

[Son of Cod]

Utter garbage since the second we took the lead. Never in it after that. Glaring lack of quality.

Back to hating football. I’m out.

Carlisle fans have to be the biggest divas on this forum. It's like someone has extracted the gallows humour out of the Hartlepool fans and what you're left with is a husk of despair of self pity.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Carlisle fans have to be the biggest divas on this forum. It's like someone has extracted the gallows humour out of the Hartlepool fans and what you're left with is a husk of despair of self pity.

We're just left with the gallows now, humour long gone

 

[shoddycollins]

The attitude to going a goal up was awful... we weren't too bad for most of the match and up until scoring it was probably going according to plan keep our shape, let Northampton have most of the ball, look dangerous on the break, a lot of our away performances have been similar. Mellish was a big miss though.