Carlisle United Travel to Leyton Orient in the First Round of the FA Cup today and Manager Paul Simpson will be hoping that his side can bounce back from a disappointing 1-0 loss to Cambridge last week. A game which saw the Blues receive two red cards.
The players will no doubt know just how important an FA cup run is, both for themselves to prove their worth to Simpson, but also to help boost the club’s finances. The latter is significant due to Carlisle’s current position in the League One table and it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see a couple of names through the door in January to help boost their chances of survival.
Having gone out of the League Cup in the first round as well as being bottom of their EFL Trophy group, this is the Cumbrians’ main shot at a cup run. Simpson will no doubt have the financial side of the cup in the back of his mind but equally, he may choose to solely focus on the league and that could be reflected in his starting line up.
That being said the team very much picks itself, with Carlisle having a number of injuries and suspensions to deal with. They’ll certainly face a tough task on the road at Leyton Orient, but fans should expect a fairly strong team given the circumstances.
Here is our prediction for the starting eleven that Paul Simpson puts out for today’s FA Cup tie.
Goalkeeper – Tomas Holy
There is an argument that Jokull Andresson may start to give Holy a rest, however it is not confirmed that he has travelled with the team. Earlier in the week, Simpson stated that Reading hadn’t yet approved for Andresson to play in the FA Cup, so Holy will be the likeliest option. If Andersen doesn’t travel, then it’ll be youngster Gabe Breeze as the number two.
Right-Back – Ben Barclay
One of the positions which may pick itself due to availability is at right-back. Youngster Jack Ellis is out injured, and Nottingham Forest loanee Fin Back suffered a minor injury last Saturday which Simpson may choose not to risk given his injury history. Barclay has a different style of play to both of those names and is far less attacking, that being said, with the predicted formation, it wouldn’t surprise me for Barclay to sit back most of the game
Centre-Back – Sam Lavelle (C)
With back-ups playing at both full-back positions, I’d expect Simpson to choose his first choice central-defenders. Lavelle has arguably been Carlisle’s best defender this season, and a great summer signing. If he is rested, then we’d likely see Corey Whelan start, but the likelihood of that seems low.
Centre-Back – Jon Mellish
Much like Lavelle, it seems logical that Simpson starts Mellish. The two have formed a good pairing this season and although Carlisle do sit in the relegation places, they are yet to let in more than two goals in a league fixture. With Barclay at right-back, we may see Mellish move further up the pitch at times and his versatility certainly allows a change of tactics.
Left-Back – Jack Robinson
A player who Simpson said was a definite starter in an interview earlier in the week was defender Robinson. The selection is very much due to Jack Armer’s red card against Cambridge, leaving Robinson as the only left-back in the squad. He does deserve a chance in the team nonetheless and will want to prove to Simpson that he can be a starter.
Central-Midfield – Owen Moxon
The midfield, due to injuries also somewhat picks itself. Moxon is Carlisle’s poster boy and it would come as a huge surprise to not see him start. His dead ball ability can really hurt a team and he has become a great asset for the club.
Central-Midfield – Callum Guy
Potentially one of the most underrated players in Simpson’s squad is midfielder Callum Guy. Somewhat overshadowed by Moxon in the midfield, Guy has been very consistent this season and has shown he is more than capable in League One. The only option that could start in place of either of the two is Dylan McGeouch, but as he’s returning from injury, it’s unlikely that he’ll play a major part.
Attacking-Midfield- Danny Butterworth
Butterworth has only recently broke into the first team and now has a great opportunity to prove his worth with Alfie McCalmont out suspended. He’s looked far sharper in recent weeks and could be a player to look out for in the coming months.
Attacking-Midfield – Jordan Gibson
The stand-out player of the season so far, Gibson has really upped his level since playing in League One. That being said, he is no certainty to play given the news that earlier in the week he welcomed his first child. If Gibson has travelled with the squad then he’s an instant starter, if not then we may see Terry Ablade play slightly further back.
Striker – Sean Maguire
Carlisle’s big move of the summer was gaining the services of Irishman Maguire. He’s had an impact on the team, but much like the rest of the attacking cohort is still struggling to find the back of the net. However he does seem the likeliest starter.
Striker – Joe Garner
Finally, we have Joe Garner, who has undergone somewhat of a resurgence this season with three League One goals to his name. That’s hardly a groundbreaking stat but he offers a lot more now than just goals and he will try to rough up the Orient defence. He will most likely be substituted early with plenty of other striking options on the bench, but as with Maguire, he seems one of the likelier starters up top.
Writer’s View
I’ll be attending the game today and would absolutely love to see the team put in a good performance and progress into the second round of the FA Cup. That being said I’m not too sure of the likelihood to that happening, with Orient playing some good football recently. The O’s won the league fixture in October 1-0 so the Cumbrians will be looking to bounce back in the cup.
I most likely see this as a low scoring game and wouldn’t be surprised to see a score draw. However a good result today could kickstart a resurgence in the squad, which would hopefully crossover into the league.
Senior Editor
