Carlisle United drew 2-2 with Northampton Town on Saturday – but what did we learn from the game? Let’s take a closer look…
1 A Plange comes together
Not everything can be measured in numbers. Sometimes you simply have to say what you see, and what we saw from Luke Plange on Saturday was impressive for several reasons.
Firstly, his heart. It cannot have been anything other than a lonely place for a 21-year-old to hear cheering from fans when he was substituted at Blackpool the week before.
If anyone was wondering whether that might have deflated Plange to the point of disconnection, his reply against Northampton was decisive.
The Crystal Palace man merited the man of the match award for this reason alone. Then there was the detail of his display: as a regular, dribbling danger down United’s attacking right, along with an eagerness to shoot.
Plange executed more dribbles than any other United player as he went after a Cobblers left side that included Patrick Brough, and also had the highest passing accuracy percentage in the team – an underrated feature of his game at times when Carlisle were carefully linking attacks (such as the move which led to Jack Armer’s equaliser).
As against Bristol Rovers, Plange looked more dangerous in a wide position than when required to lead the central line. Above all, though, his willingness to carry the ball, be the outlet, take risks, reflected well on his character and nerve. Well played.
2 No Moxon, no…problem?
Well, let’s not be too hasty. This might not have been a supreme season so far for Owen Moxon but don’t think Paul Simpson won’t be glad to have him back for the coming crucial games.
It has often, though, been wondered how Carlisle would cope should the midfielder be removed, through whatever circumstances, from United’s XI.
Credit to Simpson and the squad, then, for finding a constructive answer against the Cobblers. And credit in particular to Jack Robinson.
It cannot have been at the forefront of the manager’s (or even player’s) mind, upon his signing, to think of left-back Robinson as a central midfield utility player.
Robinson, too, went into Saturday’s game with minimal front-line experience, considering it was only his third League One start.
Yet the 22-year-old did a more than capable job, offering left-footed balance in the middle of the pitch, doing the tactical job required alongside the composed Dylan McGeouch, and also enjoying the occasional freedom to get forward and shoot – hitting the bar on one occasion.
Robinson was the less involved of the midfield trio, with McGeouch a more regular hub for Carlisle’s play and Alfie McCalmont leading the press from that area.
Yet the ex-Middlesbrough man was prominent in other ways, such as the good, firmly whipped corners he produced – one of which supplying Ryan Edmondson’s well-taken goal.
Moxon’s unlikely to be on the sidelines for long, and United continue to miss the industry of Callum Guy, but Robinson showed he can be trusted to do a diligent and effective job in there, which is no bad thing for Simpson.
3 The error count
It continues to plague Carlisle, this habit of letting in an entirely avoidable goal per game during their toil for points.
As the pressure of their position has grown, the mistakes have come more often and even in a much improved performance on Saturday, another arrived with depressing force.
Tomas Holy may have been slightly wrongfooted by a deflection but should still have expected to keep out Shaun McWilliams’ 30th-minute shot. It left Carlisle facing another salvage operation instead of looking for the initiative.
That slip came in the immediate wake of another Holy error, this time at a cross, at Blackpool, while Reading saw a Sam Lavelle own-goal which was more avoidable than many such moments.
Carlisle’s six displays without a League One win have not placed a high enough price on opposition goals. This is, to some extent, a consequence of United often being sub-par as an attacking force but that cannot explain it all away.
It will be interesting to see the full areas where Simpson looks to be ruthless in terms of January recruitment with this in mind. One way or another, Carlisle must learn to help themselves as they try to make a staged recovery in the second half of 2023/24.
4 The creative hub
No coincidence that a brighter and more positive United showing came with Jordan Gibson back in the starting XI.
Simpson said the attacking midfielder and leading scorer had been ill in the build-up to Blackpool, a game where he was only a substitute.
Recalling him at home, against a Northampton side in good form but not of Blackpool’s overall calibre, made perfect sense and it directly affected the patterns of the game.
While Plange was a worthy MOTM, Gibson would have been a strong rival considering he was, statistically, United’s most involved attacking player, made five of what stats site WhoScored.com consider ‘key passes’, matched Plange’s keenness to shoot and even showed enough industry to top Carlisle’s tackle count.
Some 11 crosses were also aimed into Northampton’s box by Gibson, who began the game on the left and also floated into different areas in search of openings.
At times his ball-retention and close control were of admirable quality and United’s No7 remains their most prominent player on this challenging third-tier journey.
5 Changing times
After a short spell back in the USA, the Piataks – namely Tom snr and Patty – were back at Brunton Park for the fourth game of their tenure, and ahead of their first fans’ forum tonight.
They were able to see some more of the changes their immediate ownership has brought about.
Along with the souped-up fan zone, there were those eyecatching banners featuring individual players as well as Paul Simpson.
Inside the west side of Brunton Park there was also evidence of swift transformation regarding the boardroom décor, other lounges and facilities, and Foxy’s Restaurant.
One symbolic change, it’s safe to say, has been the quick removal of the restaurant carpet which bore the logo of United’s former financial backers Edinburgh Woollen Mill. It has been replaced with a simple blue surface.
There is a professionalism and polish about many of these alterations, which are designed to make Brunton Park a more hospitable and modern-feeling place for those who work there and pay to attend the place.
That overall aim is something of many stages but it’s good, at this point, to know the Piataks are not hanging around when it comes to delivering some ‘quick wins’. And then there's the transfer market…
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