What key aspects do you think need to be right for success this season?

[BigDaveCUFC]

what I mean here isn't as such who to bring in or who to play etc, etc I'd assume most of that is done now.

I mean other key aspects that maybe have cropped up in previous seasons or ones you worry about for this season that you hope work in your favour this season, like for example..........

* any specific players in your view must stay fit for the entire season
* Pitch condition
* Keeping or maybe removing manager
* Needing a good run at any specific time of season where you usually struggle
* Being better either home or away this year
* improved team unity

etc, etc.......you get the gist.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

For Carlisle I think the 2 biggest things would be firstly a good start.

The last 3 seasons we've had the worst start in the division we've been in and have been cut adrift of the rest by end of August. It's had a really hurtful effect as we've gone into seasons with poor morale but that murders it before the 5th match of season and it never recovers. If we could have a good solid start to boost morale and get some positive vibes it could push our season in a much different, better direction.

Sticking with the same side is another aspect I think we need more of this season. I do not think we've played the same team 2 weeks in a row for maybe 3 full seasons, always numerous swapping, changing, new players etc etc is absolute zero unity so this could help develop us over the season.

 

[shoddycollins]

For Carlisle I think the 2 biggest things would be firstly a good start.

The last 3 seasons we've had the worst start in the division we've been in and have been cut adrift of the rest by end of August. It's had a really hurtful effect as we've gone into seasons with poor morale but that murders it before the 5th match of season and it never recovers. If we could have a good solid start to boost morale and get some positive vibes it could push our season in a much different, better direction.

Sticking with the same side is another aspect I think we need more of this season. I do not think we've played the same team 2 weeks in a row for maybe 3 full seasons, always numerous swapping, changing, new players etc etc is absolute zero unity so this could help develop us over the season.

I think most United fans would pretty much agree with that. It's not just slow starts to seasons we've been having recently but catastrophic ones, with some really embarrassing results. In fact, I present to you our record in August for the last 3 seasons.

P____W__D__L ___F___A ___GD___Pts
13 ___1__5__7____9__30___-21___ 8

I mean that's just shocking right? Nobody else in the whole league can possibly have a record in August as bad as that. And that's actually being relatively generous on us and including the 2012/13 season when our start was slow rather than disastrous. If you just include the last two seasons it's even worse.

P____W__D__L ___F___A ___GD___Pts
10 ___0__4__6____4__24___-20___ 4

and if you extend it to the first 9 game for the past two seasons, then things don't really get much better in September. We've had no less than 4 different managers over these 18 games (though Keith Curle might point out that he only took control of the team for the second half of one of these games and we managed to score 2 of our 16 goals in those 45 minutes). The three wins you're seeing are Graham Kavanagh's three when he was caretaker and thought he'd cracked this management lark.

P____W__D__L ___F___A ___GD___Pts
18 ___3__5__10__16__38__-22___ 14

And then actually you have to go back to 2010 when we opened the season with a 2-0 win at home to Brentford for the last time we avoided defeat in our first home game. Since then it's been:

Carlisle United 0 - 3 Notts County
Carlisle United 0 - 3 Tranmere Rovers
Carlisle United 1 - 5 Leyton Orient
Carlisle United 0 - 1 Luton Town

Those four results there have been really damaging in terms of getting the fans behind the team from the start. The Luton defeat last year, actually the best of the bunch was made worse because of the hammerings that came before, and a sensation of 'here we go again'.

Like most teams I imagine, the first home game of the season is one of the highest attendances. The weather is (usually) nice; we have a blank slate and have undergone a rebuild over the summer; people are prepared to see if we can put last season behind us and get off to a good start. But it doesn't even take a massive defeat now and people are heading for the exits and it seems as though summer never happened, we're just continuing where we left off.

Anyone still wondering why we're all so pessimistic?

 

[TeacherMan]

Bolton definitely need to build some more consistency. Lennon got a nice flow going last year when he arrived and that quickly got Bolton out of trouble. His aim was not just to stay in the league but to fight for a play-off spot, which many thought very ambitious. They showed in the cup against Liverpool that they can mix it in good style but then the inconsistencies set in again and any play-off dreams Lennon once had quickly faded.

Another thing the Wanderers need to ensure is that they stop throwing points away in the last few minutes. So often we've been winning and end up drawing, or drawing and then end up losing - all in the dying minutes.

As I've said elsewhere, with Lennon having his first full season with Bolton, I'm hopeful of a better season ahead.

 

[TeacherMan]

Sorry, I've just realised that this is in the League Two forum.

 

[iWomble]

We need to beat the bottom sides against whom we are woeful. Our results are so much better against teams in the top half and would have put us easily in the playoffs. That's been the case for a few seasons, and has to be sorted out.

Apart from that we seem to have the strongest squad in depth by a long way over what we've had before, with only one loanee. No 'stars' (apart from Bayo I suppose) but decent quality everywhere. That should create more identity within the team and removes the possibility of our goalscorers disappearing at Christmas (Michael Smith and Matt Tubbs in the last two seasons).

The other important question is whether Lyle Taylor can deliver up front, though I think we also have more goals around the side than before.

 

[Tom_CUFC]

Don't go to shit in the second half of the season again, mostly caused by mass panic loan signings and resorting to an extremely conservative and limiting style of football.

 

[ambernuts]

For me, Barry Corr is the player we need to keep fit. I think the only player we have remotely like him is Robbie Simpson, but he lacks the aggression and arrogance required to lead the line.

The pitch; RM said this week it didn't even look like we had played on it, and it's only going to get better throughout the summer. I think he expects pretty football from this team... He's been asking for improvements for almost 3 years and has criticized it rather harshly at times. Bear in mind our groundsman has had limited funds since he started decades ago and he's turned down offers from Citeh & Arsenal. I've always considered ours one of the best in the lower leagues.

 

[E10rifle]

Not changing the manager four times before Christmas would probably be a start.

 

[Chasing Rainbows]

Home form, took until Boxing Day for us to win a home game last season, after that it wasn't great either. Wilcox has made the pitch smaller in an effort to make it more compact and harder for away teams, so time will tell on that one.

 

[jacobncfc]

We need three or four of the foreigners to adapt well, probably. A lot of pressure on Amevor as our main signing at the back and Jenner/Snijders to be good on the wings. Then there's whether we can defend full stop, any team with Stead and Spencer upfront should score plenty, but there's loads of question marks at the back.

 

[chairboyexile]

Some yong legs up front and a change of manger mabe an other CB

 

[Glasshalffullpools]

Sorry, I've just realised that this is in the League Two forum.

I thought you were visiting us from the future !

 

[Trapdoor]

Tom Nichols to score a hatful again; Troy Brown to step up in defence; Hoskins to stay fit for the season and get his name on the scoresheet.

We are going to have much more width and pace this season compared to how we have set up in the past. It's a bit of a departure from Tisdale's usual style so it will be interesting to see how it goes.

 

[rudebwoyben]

I think the main key for us having a successful season would be John Akinde to repeat his 14/15 form. The second most important factor for us is getting an attacking creative central midfield player into our squad. We're pretty well covered in just about every area bar that one.
Otherwise I believe we're all set.

 

[BeesKnees]

I think the main key for us having a successful season would be John Akinde to repeat his 14/15 form. The second most important factor for us is getting an attacking creative central midfield player into our squad. We're pretty well covered in just about every area bar that one.
Otherwise I believe we're all set.

Keeper?

 

[rudebwoyben]

Keeper?

Is your query about whether Stack will be fit for the start of the season or is it about whether he's up to the rigors of League 2?
I just assume that MA will get that No. 2 keeper in. I haven't been to any pre-season matches but it sounded like the various ones we've trialled are good enough.

 

[BeesKnees]

Only that its the position we that we aren't sure of in terms of personnel. Stack has been struggling with niggly injuries for a while.

 

[Alanstag]

Matt Green staying fit is a big one, I don't think it would be the end of the world if he didn't but I think the atmosphere amongst fans will affect the players. Last season Hearn got crocked and we didn't ever look like scoring all season, I think we have much better options this season in Westcarr and Yussuf but it would be a moral thing more than not having the ability to replace him.

I think this season will be totally different to last so I'm not going to use it as a benchmark. So I think the other key thing for us is for the squad to come together and realise the potential within the squad. Come this time next week there will be only 1/2 players in the lineup who were at the club last season so there's a chance of us starting slowly whilst we establish ourselves. There's a lot of young players who have the potential to be key players for us, and our season will depend on how they perform on a consistent basis.

 

[hellogregory]

For Carlisle I think the 2 biggest things would be firstly a good start.

The last 3 seasons we've had the worst start in the division we've been in and have been cut adrift of the rest by end of August. It's had a really hurtful effect as we've gone into seasons with poor morale but that murders it before the 5th match of season and it never recovers. If we could have a good solid start to boost morale and get some positive vibes it could push our season in a much different, better direction.

Sticking with the same side is another aspect I think we need more of this season. I do not think we've played the same team 2 weeks in a row for maybe 3 full seasons, always numerous swapping, changing, new players etc etc is absolute zero unity so this could help develop us over the season.

I think he will be going for a more settled team this season. That's the reason he's trying to move away from Troy Archibald-Henville. He's by far our best defender but his inability to play 2 games in a week means we'll be regularly changing our back 4 or 5 if we rely on him.

 

[Brox]

We need our senior players to avoid injuries or hope our youngsters adapt to first team level quickly, along with Sheringham taking to management like a duck to water.

 

[TowcesterCobbler67]

I normally think defence is a big factor but this year I think having good strikers will be the biggest factor