Paul Simpson demands more 'enthusiasm' from Carlisle United players after Walsall defeat

The Blues’ 1-0 defeat cost them the chance to make their League Two status mathematically secure.

They remain ten points above the drop zone with four games left and still in a strong position to get the job done.

But their poor display at the Banks’s Stadium still left boss Simpson critical of aspects of the team’s approach.

“The big thing I want to see is some enthusiasm from them,” he said.

“I find it incredible that me, Gav [Skelton] and Gez [Paul Gerrard] are on the bench and we’re the ones who have to try to get them to be enthusiastic.

“Wow – what a life they’ve got here as professional footballers, and you’ve got to make sure you show the enthusiasm and drive that goes with it.

“You need to show you have the desire to want to go and work and do the really basic stuff as well as you can.

“We’ve had it, and I know they desperately want to do well, but it’s just not happening for us at the moment.”

Jack Earing’s goal in first-half injury-time was enough to extend United’s winless run to four games.

United suffered a third defeat in four games at Walsall

Oldham Athletic’s defeat to Northampton Town meant the Cumbrians’ strong survival cushion remained intact.

But Simpson still felt his side were lacking in the “basics” against Michael Flynn’s Saddlers.

“We’ve got enough experience out there to know what should be done and needs to be done,” he said.

“We have to get back to it. It’s as simple as that, we’ve got to get back to doing those simple, basic things well, those things nobody can stop you doing – running and working and shouting and talking and encouraging, even giving a rollocking to somebody. We have to get back to doing it.”

Carlisle failed to score for the second game in succession as they came up short on Good Friday.

Simpson said United’s passing and finishing was deficient, but felt the Blues still created good chances despite their shortcomings.

He added: “We decided to go with a front three, just to see if we could go and be a bit more positive in getting in behind them.

“We then had to change it because their holding midfielder got on the ball, so we went with the two pacy lads [Tyrese Omotoye and Omari Patrick] as central strikers and Denno [Kristian Dennis] as a No10 to get around it.

“We had some half chances, good opportunities, where with a little bit better quality we might have got ourselves in front.

“Maybe when I look back at it I might be clutching at straws a bit by saying that, but I felt at the time we had some good opportunities.

“The goal we conceded was a really poor goal to give away, and at that stage of a game.

“In the second half with a back four we were more front foot, the three subs I thought had the enthusiasm to go and get on the ball and try to drive us forward.

“We’ve just got to keep trying to do that, and hopefully if we can do that better against Mansfield we’ll get ourselves a result.”

READ MORE: Walsall 1-0 Carlisle United verdict: Blues limping to the line after grey defeat in the sun