Carlisle United manager's verdict on thrashing at Reading

Manager Simpson felt the Blues’ heavy defeat was a result of failing to do the “basics” well enough.

He said his players performed as if doing the simple things of the game was too “boring” – and they were punished by a home side who showed them the way.

The annihilation in Berkshire – the first time Carlisle have conceded five in a league game for nine years – laid bare their need for major transfer improvements as they continue to struggle in League One.

United came apart in the first half as the Royals scored three goals in 14 minutes.

“It worried me, without a doubt. Just too many simple mistakes – you just can’t do those things,” said Simpson.

• Jon Colman's big match verdict on United's hammering at Reading

“My impression of it from watching, and watching the first half goals back, is we just haven’t done the real basic things properly.

New United owner Tom Piatak and his family were at the game (Image: Richard Parkes)

“We’re trying to be clever in midfield instead of just turning them round, we’re not clearing our lines, we’re missing tackles, we’re not communicating.

“All of the things that I actually don’t think you need to be a good footballer to do those things better than we did tonight. And you get punished for it.”

Sam Lavelle’s own goal was quickly cancelled out by a Luke Plange volley, but United then went under as Harvey Knibbs scored twice for Reading, then Lewis Wing and Femi Azeez added further goals in the second half.

The defeat, which equalled Carlisle’s heaviest under Simpson, was compounded by an early knee injury to Joe Garner, although it is not as serious as United first feared.

The Blues manager felt his players had not followed aspects of the strategy set out at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Paul Simpson on the touchline at Reading (Image: Richard Parkes)

“We showed the players clips of what we expected them to be able to do against Reading – we thought they were a little bit vulnerable if you put crosses and set plays in the box,” Simpson said.

“We have a corner in the first minute and we decide to take it short, we then get another and do the same thing and try a nutmeg on the edge of the box instead of putting it in and making them defend.

“We’re taking too many touches in midfield instead of turning it them behind them.

“You look at the half chances we’ve created in the first half – it’s because we put balls in behind them, we had Jon Mellish running onto it, we had Luke Plange running onto it, Jack Robinson was getting into good areas in wide areas and trying to get crosses in.

“You then give yourself a mountain to climb with the three absolutely pathetic goals we gave away in the first half and you’re making your night a real difficult night.”

Simpson said his surprise selection of Jack Robinson for his first start of the league season was designed with the key wide areas of the game in mind.

Jack Robinson came into the side for his first League One start (Image: Richard Parkes)

“He was in there because he’s got a lovely left foot for getting crosses in, and they’re a threat with the full-back Andy Yiadom, and Azeez – I felt having two left siders out there [in Robinson and Jack Armer] to be able to do both sides of the game would help us.

“I thought we were getting into good areas, and Robbo was getting some balls in the box, Jack Armer was creating an overload by getting forward as well.

“[The defeat] wasn’t because of that. We had enough there to cause them problems but unfortunately we did not do the basics right in terms of popping balls in behind them, and it was as if that was a little bit too boring to do that.

“But that’s all they did – they turned us round, put balls in behind and had willing runners to do it, and we haven’t done it enough.”

Carlisle remain third bottom of League One, three points below the safety line, as they now face a weekend without a game before returning to action at Blackpool on December 9.

Simpson, meanwhile, reserved praise for United’s 556 travelling fans who backed the team superbly on the long midweek trip.

“They were outstanding, they really were, and our performance wasn’t,” added the manager.

It was the first time United had conceded five in a league game since the 5-0 loss at Cambridge United in League Two in August 2014 in what proved Graham Kavanagh's final game in charge.

And it was the Blues' heaviest League One reverse since the 6-1 defeat at Preston North End under Kavanagh in April that year.