Carlisle United boss plans to shake up team for Colchester United game

The Blues boss – who today confirmed Jack Ellis is available after injury – says his decision to alter his team is not a “tantrum” in the wake of the 4-0 defeat to Mansfield Town.

But Simpson still wants to refresh his side for the visit of Colchester United, where the high-flying Blues will be looking to end a three-game winless and scoreless run.

“There will be some changes this weekend, but not because it's a tantrum from me,” said the Blues manager at his press conference today.

“It's just because I have to pick a team that I think is going to try and get a result on Saturday with freshness, with energy, with a desire. And hopefully I pick the right ones.”

United’s 4-0 home defeat to Mansfield further checked their promotion-chasing form.

But Carlisle remain in the automatic promotion places going into the weekend.

Simpson did not say which areas of his side will be tweaked, but talk of changes could bring players such as Alfie McCalmont, Jack Robinson, Omari Patrick, Joe Garner and Jayden Harris – all among the subs on Tuesday – into his thinking.

“It does just need a little bit of a change,” the manager said.

“The changes I'll make will be the ones that will give us a good chance of winning the game.

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“It’s not a case of me not liking a certain individual. The lads who are not starting, who are on the bench, still have to be right because they might be the ones who come and finish the game and get us over the line.

“I'm a big believer that it's about the starters going about and doing it properly and then the seven who are the finishers to come on and make sure that's done properly, so that we come away with a result and we're all smiling and patting each other on the back on the end of it.”

Young Cumbrian defender Ellis could be back in the squad for the first time since late December.

The Staveley teenager is back from a hamstring injury to compete with Joel Senior for the right wing-back position.

“He’s fit enough,” said Simpson.

“He's missed quite a number of games, so he's going to struggle in terms of his match fitness if he was to start the game, but that's something that we just have to deal with.

“We don't have an opportunity to put him into reserve games because we don't have that option, so he'll come into the reckoning and then we'll hopefully make the right decision as to whether he starts or whether he's on the bench.”

Ellis’s return is timely with another right-sided defensive option, Ben Barclay, currently sidelined.

“It certainly helps,” added Simpson. “The second half the other night wasn't ideal for putting Owen Moxon there.

“But the way that they'd set up, I just felt that Mox was going to get a lot of the ball if he played – he's one of those players who we want to have a lot the ball because he's got the ability to create things, so that was my thinking in there on Tuesday.

“We all know that's not his favourite position or his favoured position. It was more about a damage limitation situation and a case of just having somebody out there who would be able to get on the ball and hopefully create something for us.”

Could Simpson's planned changes include an opportunity for Alfie McCalmont? (Image: Barbara Abbott)

Leeds loanee McCalmont is yet to start a game since his January move, and could be among those in the mix against Matt Bloomfield’s in-form Colchester.

Asked if McCalmont was pulling at the leash for extra involvement, Simpson said: “They all are. Everybody wants to be involved.

“I said the other night, ‘Don't be looking over your shoulder’, and nobody can be moaning because we're now in a position where, because of injuries, we had 18 available the other night, so they all know they're going to be at least on the bench.

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“We've got 19 this week so one will miss out, whoever that one might be. But it's about the 18 going and doing the job properly.

“What that does – and we've had it so many times this year – is that it’s the lads who were not involved who are the first in the changing to congratulate everybody when you do it properly. So hopefully we've got that feeling again this weekend.”