MATCHWATCH : Carlisle United (h)

[Snowflake Royal]

Dorsett may not be our best lb on paper but he’s the best performing one so far this season. Solid.

Just what we needed. A defender first and foremost, but experienced, quick and confident enough to get forward and help when he can.

Showing some young centrebacks can do ok and look fairly comfortable at fullback. Although that doesn’t mean they all will of course.

Not a long term solution, but steadies the ship, especially in a system that puts less pressure and running on him, and gives him some actual support in defence, plus some width ahead to allow options.

[Hound]

All good. Do sense this is what we should have been doing to useless teams like Carlisle all season but hopefully moving in the right direction finally.

That first own goal - bloody hell. As bad as anything I’ve seen for a long time

Nice to see Azeez score. Clearly meant loads to him. Hopefully get him going now, his general all round play has been good this year

[Royal_jimmy]

I wonder what it's like living in Carlisle. Loads of great countryside nearby so probs gr8 if you've got money and time, but also probs gash if you are young and looking to make your way in life

Been there before, it's ok compared to most northern places but a bit quiet although near the lakes of course. Cumbrian pubs are pretty cheap too! Looking forward to going back to Brunton Park, it's a proper old school ground.

[72 bus]

When the return fixture comes, it's a cracking away day. For those who want to drink, I can recommend the Settle to Carlisle train across the Dales. Perfect train beer scenery.

Hob Nob away day, has to be, I mean your all bunch of oxf*rd but I would like to have a good drink with you all.

[Brogue]

hutch dean or NgW are done btw none were the bench today. This is the starting line up and match day squad we should stick with. Has selles finally found his best 11?

[WestYorksRoyal]

hutch dean or NgW are done btw none were the bench today. This is the starting line up and match day squad we should stick with. Has selles finally found his best 11?

3 experienced players who have been letting us down. Good riddance. I hope Hutchinson has a spell out of the team watching us do better without him after that interview.

[blythspartan]

I thoroughly enjoyed that last night. It was far from perfect, but starting to see improvement. I have been a big critic of Azeez, but really pleased to see him score. If he can improve his end product he’ll be a big transfer fee for the club one day. Craig is the player for me. His calmness on the ball is great to see and like all good players he makes his own space.

The next run of league games look pretty tough and if we can lift ourselves out of the bottom four before the New Year we’d have done well.

[Royals and Racers]

8455 at the game.

[Stranded]

The upcoming run does look tough but 3 of them are at home and if we can continue to build confidence in the cup games against Eastleigh and Charlton, then we could do well.

Anyway, last night - our first 2 goals were a Comedy Central special but the last 3 were all decent quality.

Knibbs second - great initial run by Mukairu with Knibbs helping out when he eventually hit a cul de sac followed by great feet and awareness from Wing and Knibbs finishing in a similar way to the one he missed against Rovers.

Wing's goal - what a hit, we know he has that in him and now he is fit he is integral to this team.

Azeez - wow, you could tell how much that mean to him as an individual and capped off a decent all round display (bar his earlier shooting) - wonderful vision and pass from Elliott to find an excellently timed run.

Overall, we were mediocre for large periods and let Carlisle come at us a little too much at times - the goal was poor, was a good cross in that area where it is hard for a keeper to come but felt like the defenders were expecting him to so they hesitated giving Plange the second he needed but bar the clearance off the line following a corner, we were largely untroubled.

I can't help but feel that if confidence grows, either under this manager or a new one, then this side can go on an extended unbeaten run at this level. We are seeing the start of a settled 18 and bar injuries, find it hard to see how Hutchinson, Dean or NGW break back into the side baring incredible performances in any cup games they get.

This side can score goals - that is 50 in all competitions now so if we can tighten up at the back, we could well move up the table steadily. And yes, whilst most of those goals have been in the cups, 12 have come in the last 5 league games - it is our mental fragility that has cost us more points - having been 2 up in 2 of those games and come away with nothing, we should be talking now about a side sitting 19th.

So yeah, a lot that could begin to go right but things could easily slip back again.

[shadesrwrf]

When the return fixture comes, it's a cracking away day. For those who want to drink, I can recommend the Settle to Carlisle train across the Dales. Perfect train beer scenery.

Hob Nob away day, has to be, I mean your all bunch of oxf*rd but I would like to have a good drink with you all.

They do say 'never meet your heroes'.

[Snowflake Royal]

I thoroughly enjoyed that last night. It was far from perfect, but starting to see improvement. I have been a big critic of Azeez, but really pleased to see him score. If he can improve his end product he’ll be a big transfer fee for the club one day. Craig is the player for me. His calmness on the ball is great to see and like all good players he makes his own space.

The next run of league games look pretty tough and if we can lift ourselves out of the bottom four before the New Year we’d have done well.

This is what has been so maddening for me. Its very obvious watching them play that Abbey, Craig and Vickers have maturity and composure beyond their years, and yet Abbey has been dropped a couple of times and the other two have barely played in our poor run.

We should have been using their youthful exuberance and composure much better.

A lot of the others have huge potential, like Bindon, Savage, Carson etc but they're less assured - players to bed in while doing ok, not pull you out of a slump.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Good win last night with some clinical finishing on display, it just goes to show sometimes what a win can do. I think we finished with 6 shots on target and scored with 5 of them and Carlisle certainly weren't without their moments, we've had games this season where those margins have gone against us (i.e. Carlisle's header off the line goes in for example) but not last night.

My favourite goal was actually the second one, but more because of the principle of the move really. It's exactly what I want to see Azeez doing more, being direct and getting down the outside where his pace over a short space affords him that half a yard to put the ball in like that. Ok, he was given the time to do so and had a lot of space initially, but the point still stands.

I also liked it as we had 3 players in the 6 yard box when the ball went in, so whilst we had our luck where they failed to clear their lines and it fell for Knibbs to stab home, we had the numbers in there to get the goal so I thought we earnt that luck really. Sometimes it's all too easy to just hang back a bit and not get in there where the goals are, but to see 3 players attacking it was pleasing. For all of Selles' critics, for which I have been one, in that moment the players have listened and executed that phase of play.

[Stranded]

Good win last night with some clinical finishing on display, it just goes to show sometimes what a win can do. I think we finished with 6 shots on target and scored with 5 of them and Carlisle certainly weren't without their moments, we've had games this season where those margins have gone against us (i.e. Carlisle's header off the line goes in for example) but not last night.

My favourite goal was actually the second one, but more because of the principle of the move really. It's exactly what I want to see Azeez doing more, being direct and getting down the outside where his pace over a short space affords him that half a yard to put the ball in like that. Ok, he was given the time to do so and had a lot of space initially, but the point still stands.

I also liked it as we had 3 players in the 6 yard box when the ball went in, so whilst we had our luck where they failed to clear their lines and it fell for Knibbs to stab home, we had the numbers in there to get the goal so I thought we earnt that luck really. Sometimes it's all too easy to just hang back a bit and not get in there where the goals are, but to see 3 players attacking it was pleasing. For all of Selles' critics, for which I have been one, in that moment the players have listened and executed that phase of play.

The second goal is exactly the sort of goal we have not scored enough of over the last few years for the reasons you put, if you get bodies in the box and a ball is played with pace into a dangerous area, sometimes it bounces for you. Same for the first in many ways, the idea from Mukairu was excellent but he hit it a tad hard, Dorsett could have given up on it but bust a gut just to get the ball into a dangerous area, that in itself caused the defender to doubt himself and knock it in for the OG. So whilst they were both comedy goals, they showcased things that the team is now doing right.

[NathStPaul]

I think we should comfortably stay up this season barring any further points deductions. I think we have more than enough to beat the teams in and around us on a consistent basis.

[Hound]

It does seem that Selles has finally stumbled across his first choice, with a solid system

Definitely can’t underestimate the impact a fully fit Smith and Wing have made - don’t think we’d be bottom half if they’d started the season tbh

Time now to get some consistency and start churning out points each week. If the higher placed teams in this div are very beatable and absolutely nothing to fear there

Feel we’ve loads of goals in us - still need to tighten up at the back but hopefully that’ll come. Been a while since a clean sheet

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Good win last night with some clinical finishing on display, it just goes to show sometimes what a win can do. I think we finished with 6 shots on target and scored with 5 of them and Carlisle certainly weren't without their moments, we've had games this season where those margins have gone against us (i.e. Carlisle's header off the line goes in for example) but not last night.

My favourite goal was actually the second one, but more because of the principle of the move really. It's exactly what I want to see Azeez doing more, being direct and getting down the outside where his pace over a short space affords him that half a yard to put the ball in like that. Ok, he was given the time to do so and had a lot of space initially, but the point still stands.

I also liked it as we had 3 players in the 6 yard box when the ball went in, so whilst we had our luck where they failed to clear their lines and it fell for Knibbs to stab home, we had the numbers in there to get the goal so I thought we earnt that luck really. Sometimes it's all too easy to just hang back a bit and not get in there where the goals are, but to see 3 players attacking it was pleasing. For all of Selles' critics, for which I have been one, in that moment the players have listened and executed that phase of play.

The second goal is exactly the sort of goal we have not scored enough of over the last few years for the reasons you put, if you get bodies in the box and a ball is played with pace into a dangerous area, sometimes it bounces for you. Same for the first in many ways, the idea from Mukairu was excellent but he hit it a tad hard, Dorsett could have given up on it but bust a gut just to get the ball into a dangerous area, that in itself caused the defender to doubt himself and knock it in for the OG. So whilst they were both comedy goals, they showcased things that the team is now doing right.

Yes I forgot about the first one as well, similar sort of principle. I can't remember if there was anybody in the vicinity when Lavelle turned it in, but yes as you say, the ball being put into an area causing that uncertainty forces the error really. Dorsett did well to get it back across really.

[genome]

I wonder if the pending takeover has boosted morale? Certainly seems like something has clicked

[Royal_jimmy]

I think we should comfortably stay up this season barring any further points deductions. I think we have more than enough to beat the teams in and around us on a consistent basis.

Agree, I feel optimistic as well. Probably finish around 19th

[paultheroyal]

Dreadful first 20 minutes and then the game settled down somewhat. Delighted for Azeez, been saying for quite some time there is a player in there, and he has been having a decent season, just an end product, but assists and now a goal i am hoping he can push on. Been critical of Wing in recent weeks but another one who is really stepping up and being consistent. Only criticism is Button, just wish he dominate his box, crosses come in, within 6 yard box and he stays on his line, needs to be more of a threat, punch it etc - needs to be more commanding.

But hey, nice to walk out of ground with that result underneath us, and really hope that this is some form of turnaround.

[Stranded]

It does seem that Selles has finally stumbled across his first choice, with a solid system

Definitely can’t underestimate the impact a fully fit Smith and Wing have made - don’t think we’d be bottom half if they’d started the season tbh

Time now to get some consistency and start churning out points each week. If the higher placed teams in this div are very beatable and absolutely nothing to fear there

Feel we’ve loads of goals in us - still need to tighten up at the back but hopefully that’ll come. Been a while since a clean sheet

2 months since a clean sheet in the league - painful. Even if we can't keep one, would be nice if the goal conceded is just an 89th minute consolation as we are 3 up.

Top teams in this division are beatable - we've only won 5 to date and 2 of those were against the sides in 1st and 4th - plus if Smith hadn't missed the open goal, we'd have probably beaten Pompey too. That is the maddening thing about our current position, there isn't a single side in this division that we shouldn't be able to beat but yet here we are with 11 defeats to our name. Of the next 2, Barnsley are in OK form, took a very strange goal to get a win last night and Oxford have not scored since the new guy came in and lost comfortably at Cheltenham, they go to Peterborough before us, so could easily be in a sticky patch before they get to the SCL.

If Selles has learnt his lesson and found a system and 18 man squad that can play it effectively then all power to him and lets see where it can go, but I'm still not convinced and wouldn't be upset if he has moved on in the coming weeks.