On Saturday, Carlisle United welcome Boreham Wood to Brunton Park in their first home game of the season. Mark Hughes’s side will be looking to build on their 2-0 victory over Woking against a Boreham Wood side who will be looking to bounce back from their opening day 2-0 home defeat to Rochdale.
Carlisle United are looking for an instant return to the EFL after relegation last season and Boreham Wood are looking to consolidate after promotion through the play offs from the National League South last season.
How Did Both Teams Start The Season?
Carlisle United made the long trip down to Surrey to take on Woking and did a very professional job and came out victorious with the game finishing 2-0 thanks to goals from Luke Armstrong and Ethan Robson.
Boreham Wood welcomed Rochdale to Meadow Park but on the day were comfortably beaten 2-0 thanks to two goals from Emmanuel Dieseruvwe.
Luke Garrard’s team did however pick up a hard earned victory over Nottingham Forest Under-21 side in the National League Cup on Tuesday night with Charles Clayden and Matt Rush grabbing the goals in a 2-0 win.
Players To Watch
After Jack Ellis’ performance against Woking he’s certainly a player to keep an eye on in this one with his ability going forward in particular.
The attack of Regan Linney and Luke Armstrong were a real handful for Woking last weekend and could be the match winners in this one.
Boreham Wood have players in their side that can cause Mark Hughes’ side real problems on their day. Striker Luke Norris is a proven goalscorer and has bags of experience having played and scored goals for Swindon, Colchester, Stevenage and Tranmere before his move to Meadow Park.
The away side’s latest recruit Tom White can cause problems in the midfield and create goal scoring opportunities if given time on the ball so the Cumbrian’s midfield will want to keep a close eye on the former Morecambe man.
I’m expecting maybe Junior Luamba to be given a chance ahead of David Ajiboye after not impacting the Woking game as much as he would’ve liked but other than that I think Hughes will stick with a winning team if everyone is available.
I think Carlisle will have too much quality in the forward areas for Boreham Wood and if the backline can defend as well as they did against Woking there is no reason there shouldn’t be another clean sheet in the cards in this one.
The attack with Linney and Armstrong will have work rate, creativity and the cutting edge to take the game away from Boreham Wood.
If Boreham Wood are to get anything out of this game they will need to defend resolutely, sit deep and hope to hit Carlisle on the counter attack with pace and expose Carlisle’s lack of pace at the back.
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On Saturday, Mark Hughes’ side got their National League campaign off the perfect start with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Woking. Goals from Luke Armstrong and Ethan Robson were the difference on the day.
Today, I’m going to be writing about four things we learned from the game, what Carlisle done well and what the things we’ve learned do for the Cumbrians going forward.
Strength In Depth
The options on the bench on Saturday and the players that were missing from the squad as well shows that Mark Hughes has some serious depth and options in his squad for what is going to a long and hard fought season.
Having options like Georgie Kelly, Stephen Wearne and Ethan Robson to come off the bench and impact the game like they did shows that the players aren’t disappointed to miss out on the starting eleven and that they are ready to go when called upon.
There are still players like Josh Grant and Morgan Feeney who aren’t fit yet to come in to the squad plus fully fit players left out of the squad like Junior Luamba and Cedwyn Scott.
Jack Ellis Man Of The Match
Archie Davies might have been a lot of people’s first choice to start this game at right-back but Jack Ellis was comfortably the best player on the pitch on Saturday and has made that position his now. Davies is a great option to have and will be used but for me Ellis is now the first choice in that position.
Ellis was defensively solid, dropped in to midfield at times to create an extra man in there, he passed the ball well and got the assist for Luke Armstrong with an outstanding through ball.
Harvey Macadam In Midfield
The latest addition to Mark Hughes’ Carlisle United squad started the game very well. The 24-year-old was pressing high up the pitch and won the ball back a couple of times in dangerous areas and it lead to chances for the attackers.
The former Morecambe man done the dirty side of the game well and broke the play down, recycled the ball and was a great partner for Callum Whelan in the middle of the pitch.
Macadam did fade in the second half but Mark Hughes said in his post-match interview that with more game time he will be an important player for the blues and I can see why after Saturday.
Luke Armstrong On Form
I have spoken about Luke Armstrong a lot recently because I openly said a year or so ago that he was getting a lot of unfair criticism and I think this season under Mark Hughes could be a huge season for him.
He looked like a different player to the one we’d seen previously in a Carlisle Shirt. He was pressing well and high up the pitch, he held the ball up well, he linked up with Linney very well and both created chances for themselves and each other.
Armstrong took his goal with strikers instinct and should have had another if the Woking goalkeeper didn’t kick him in the head. The strike force of Linney and Armstrong looked very lively and will cause National League defences lots of trouble this season.
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We are working alongside Liam and his YouTube channel Blue Army TV this season to make sure we bring you the best Carlisle United content we possibly can. You can subscribe to his channel and follow him on X, his handles are below.
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Carlisle United kicked off their National League campaign perfectly as they ran out 2-0 winners against a resolute Woking side with goals from Luke Armstrong and Ethan Robson.
The Blues started the stronger of the two team, pressing Woking high and forcing a couple of mistakes but the home side defended well and limited Carlisle to a couple of half chances. The game almost saw an early breakthrough however as new signing Regan Linney saw an opportunity to chip Craig Ross in the Woking goal from long range, but Ross backpedaled and made a superb fingertip save to turn the ball over the crossbar. The pressure didn’t subside easily as the resulting corner led to a goalmouth scramble which Woking eventually managed to clear, much to the relief of Neil Ardley and the home faithful.
Some Woking fans thought they had opened the scoring a few minutes later after a long throw wasn’t properly cleared by Carlisle and the resulting chipped ball into the area was flicked on over Gabe Breeze’s head by a Woking man but the linesman’s flag was up in good time to quickly silence any celebrations.
Carlisle regained the ascendancy quickly and Armstrong was causing Okoli and Akinola plenty of headaches at the back for the Cardinals. Woking remained resolute however and threatened to catch Mark Hughes’ side on the break a couple of times, including a great ball down the right hand side which led to Breeze receieving a yellow card following a poor tackle after he charged out of his area in an attempt to clear.
The game threatened to fizzle out towards the end of the first half with Woking nullifying Carlisle’s attacks and starting to keep control of possession, however United almost went into the break with the lead after an excellent Elliot Embleton corner was almost turned in by Carlisle captian Aaron Hayden at the back post, but once again Ross was there to superbly deny the away side.
HALF TIME: Woking 0 – 0 Carlisle United
The second half started largely how the first half finished, with both sides trading attacks down the flanks, with Linney threatening to get in down the left hand side on a couple of occasions, and Woking almost catching United on the break after debutant Harvey Macadam was caught in possession just inside the Woking half.
Carlisle were the side to take the lead however in the 57th minute of the game, after a fantastic through ball from Jack Ellis played in Armstrong down the inside right channel, and the ex Harrogate man got his head down and rifled his shot superbly into the far bottom left corner of the goal.
Their lead could easily have been doubled just minutes later, after a deflected volley from Linney looped over the head of Ross and struck the crossbar, and the onrushing Armstrong could only head onto the bar from a couple of yards out after he appeared to be caught in the face by the raised boot of the floored goalkeeper, leaving him requiring treatment and playing out the rest of the game with a bandaged head and a bloody nose.
Hughes’ side weren’t deterred however, and bagged their second in the 80th minute after substitute Stepehen Wearne was controversially adjudged to have been brought down by Jamie Andrews following a positive run into the centre from the right flank, and fellow substitue Ethan Robson superbly dispatched the free kick right into the top left corner to notch his first goal for the club since signing last summer.
There was almost an immediate response by Woking however, as substitute Inih Effiong found Harry Beautyman with a chipped pass to the back post, but the former Sutton United man could only direct his header past the far post.
Carlisle almost put the icing on the cake in the final moments of the game after substitute Georgie Kelly superbly used his body to turn his man in the box, but couldn’t find a way past the resilient Ross in the Woking goal. United professionally saw out the stoppage time period and made the journey back up north with 3 points in the bag from the opening game of the season.
I think the game played out just about exactly how Carlisle and Mark Hughes would have wanted it to, a perhaps unremarkable but a very professional and dominant performance to get the victory over a Woking side who were very good on home soil last season, two goals and a clean sheet is a fantastic start for United and they will be especially pleased with how little they allowed Woking to create over the course of the game.
Luke Armstrong looks rejuvenated following his loan spell at Motherwell in the second half of last season, and Jack Ellis and Aaron Hayden were particularly solid at the back when they were called upon. Harvey Macadam also looked solid on his first game for the club and should only get better, having only played 45 minutes for the team in pre season. Ethan Robson will also be over the moon after his excellent goal following a tough first year as a Carlisle player.
All in all, Carlisle fans couldn’t have asked for too much more and while they could have had a couple more goals, a 2-0 win isn’t something you can turn down easily.
Carlisle Player Ratings:
Breeze – 6
Ellis – 8 (MOTM)
Hayden – 7
Thomas – 6
Harper – 6
Whelan – 7
Macadam – 7
Embleton – 7
Ajiboye – 6
Linney – 7
Armstrong – 8
Subs:
Robson – 7
Kelly – 6
Wearne – 7
Davies – N/A
Murray – N/A
Please note that these are Craig’s opinions and nothing official!
We are working alongside Liam and his YouTube channel Blue Army TV this season to make sure we bring you the best Carlisle United content we possibly can. You can subscribe to his channel and follow him on X, his handles are below.
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Carlisle United have today announced the signing of 24 year old midfielder Harvey Macadam on a one year contract, with the option of a further year.
Macadam has signed with the Cumbrians following the expiration of his contract with Morecambe, where he made 36 appearances last season, including 29 in League Two.
Who Is Harvey Macadam?
Harvey Macadam joins Carlisle having already become a bit of a journeyman in his relatively young footballing career up to this point, having spent time at the academies of both Burnley and Blackburn Rovers before eventually kicking off his senior career with AFC Fylde.
Macadam went on to play for various sides in non league, including Northwich Victoria, Nelson, Longridge Town and Ashton United, he then signed for then League One side Fleetwood Town for an undisclosed fee following an impressive showing in the Northern Premier League. Since then, he has amassed a good deal of EFL experience with the Cod Army and Morecambe, who he played for during a tumultuous 2024/25 campaign for the Shrimps, as well as a short stint in the League of Ireland Premier Division where he had a loan spell with Waterford FC.
What Will Macadam Bring To Carlisle?
It’s no secret that Carlisle have been looking to bolster their midfield ranks before the season kicks off today away at Woking, and Macadam will be looking to be the man who fills that void, with Stephen Wearne and Josh Grant still not fully fit, Macadam may have a good chance to impress in the opening weeks of Carlisle’s National League campaign.
At 6 foot 4, Macadam will also bring plenty of physicality to the Blues’ midfield, being a big presence and potentially freeing up Callum Whelan to be the creative force that drives United forward.
Head of Recruitment, Martin Foyle said: “Harvey is a player I have been watching for a couple of years now.
“He is a good character and size – fitting the profile. He will only get better with games. He can dictate play and will create openings for our forwards.
“He is also versatile and will be an important player for us moving forward. Hopefully he settles in quickly and the crowd gets behind him and the team for this coming season.”
Macadam is eligible to play in today’s season opener, but after signing at such short notice, it remains to be seen whether he will be utilised early on or eased into the squad as the weeks go on.
Us here at Paddock Perception would like to offer Harvey a massive welcome to Brunton Park, and we wish him the absolute best going forward in his spell with the club.
We are working alongside Liam and his YouTube channel Blue Army TV this season to make sure we bring you the best Carlisle United content we possibly can. You can subscribe to his channel and follow him on X, his handles are below.
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Another partnership Paddock Perception has is with Carlisle United YouTube channel CU04, they have amazing content on their channel and we are looking forward to working with them this season. You can follow them here:
X – @CU04_YOUTUBE
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Thank you everyone for reading Paddock Perception, your support means everything! Please don’t forget you can follow Dan and Craig on X for more football content:
With the 25/26 National League about to get underway later today I’m predicted the four strikers I expect not only to have a strong season but also be in the race for the golden boot come the end of the season.
I’ve done my league predictions and where I think teams will finish so this will tie up the last of my predictions in good time for the season starting later today.
There are some quality attackers in the National League this season and there has been for long time so it’s been tough to narrow it down to four but here are my predictions.
Emmanuel Dieseruvwe – Rochdale
The 30-year-old striker has made the move to Rochdale from Hartlepool this summer and has been scoring in pre-season for his new side. He is very experienced at this level and has scored goals for numerous sides at non-league level. Dieseruvwe scored 16 goals for Hartlepool last season and scored 39 the season before. He scored 13 goals for Halifax before he moved to Hartlepool and I expect him to be scoring in big numbers one again this season.
Ollie Pearce – York City
The 30-year-old striker is the most consistent goal scorer on this list and has done it at non-league level for a long time. He will lead a York City side heavily tipped to get promoted and win the league this season. His final three years at Worthing he had seasons where he scored 35, 24 and 43 goals before his move to York where he scored 31 league goals last season as his side just missed out on promotion. I expect him to be a key part in a successful season for York City.
Regan Linney – Carlisle United
The 28-year-old striker is another player who’s proven his quality at this level on multiple occasions. He first caught the eye at FC United of Manchester where his goals and performances got him a move to Altrincham where he struck up a great partnership with Alex Newby. Linney and Newby fired Altrincham to the brink of the play offs and Linney himself scored 23 league goals last season and 14 the year previous. He’s scoring goals for Mark Hughes’ side in pre-season and looks to be forming a good partnership with Luke Armstrong.
Aaron Blair – Eastleigh
The 25-year-old striker has just moved to an Eastleigh side that has made a lot of standout transfers this summer from Maidstone United. He has a reputation of scoring goals at non-league level and has scored 20 league goals for Maidstone last season in the National League South and has scored goals for Braintree before that as well. I think Eastleigh could be a team to watch this season after a successful summer transfer window and Aaron Blair could have a key part to play in that.
Honourable Mentions
I know I’ve missed some names off here and it was hard to narrow down to just four but honourable mentions to Dan Creaney, Ashley Nadesan, Luke Armstrong, Alex Reid and Nick Haughton whom I’m expecting big seasons from as well.
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Stay with Paddock Perception this season as we bring you match previews, match analysis and all of the latest news around Brunton Park in what promises to be an exciting season ahead.
We are working alongside Liam and his YouTube channel Blue Army TV this season to make sure we bring you the best Carlisle United content we possibly can. You can subscribe to his channel and follow him on X, his handles are below.
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Thank you everyone for reading Paddock Perception, your support means everything! Please don’t forget you can follow Dan and Craig on X for more football content:
Mark Hughes’ Carlisle United begin their National League campaign tomorrow with a trip to Surrey to take on Neale Ardley’s Woking side.
There has been a lot of debate as to who will start due to a lot of rotation in pre-season but I think the starting eleven against Chester in the final pre-season friendly won’t be far away from the team that starts agains Woking.
GK – Gabe Breeze
Self explanatory, the best goalkeeper at the club and while there has been talk of a move away for Breeze its looks like for now at least he is staying put so he will start in goal against Woking.
RB – Archie Davies
Davies missed a lot of important games last season due to injury but when he played he impressed in a struggling Carlisle team. He has started in multiple pre-season games and impressed so I think he will start against Woking.
CB – Terell Thomas
There has been talk of a Thomas departure this summer but he has started the majority of pre-season and looks like he’s forming a great partnership with Aaron Hayden at the back so I think he will start against Woking.
CB – Aaron Hayden
Aaron Hayden was one of the better players towards the back end of last season under Mark Hughes and has done well in pre-season. He and Thomas have build a strong defensive partnership so I think he will start against Woking.
LB – Cameron Harper
I think Sam Murray will challenge and potentially displace Harper this season but Harper has started the majority of pre-season and has more experience than Murray so he will be trusted by Hughes to start the season.
CM – Jack Ellis
I think the midfield is the biggest guessing point going in to the Woking game. Carlisle have a lot of attack minded midfielders but not many defensive minded ones. Ellis has played there in pre-season and proved he can do a job in there so I think he will start against Woking.
CM – Elliot Embleton
Embleton hasn’t performed yet in a Carlisle shirt but has impressed in pre-season with goals and assists and has the quality on his day to really contribute towards a successful season this season and for those reasons I think he will start against Woking.
CM – Callum Whelan
Whelan has been one of the most consistent performers for Mark Hughes’ side since his arrival from Gateshead in January and his experience in the National League all point towards the midfielder having a huge season this season and I think he will start against Woking.
RW – Junior Luamba
I think it’s a toss up between Luamba and Adjiboye but because Luamba has started more in pre-season I think he may just get in because of that. Luamba is young, hungry and has bags of pace so I think he will start against Woking.
LW – Regan Linney
I have him down as left-wing on here but it will depend on the formation because he can play through the middle as well. He has been the standout player in pre-season and scored goals to go with it. He will certainly start against Woking.
ST – Luke Armstrong
Armstrong was already out on loan when Mark Hughes was hired as manager but I think he’s the exact profile of striker that could thrive under Hughes. He and Linney have build up a strong connection in pre-season and I think they’ll start together against Woking.
A Message From Paddock Perception
Stay with Paddock Perception this season as we bring you match previews, match analysis and all of the latest news around Brunton Park in what promises to be an exciting season ahead.
We are working alongside Liam and his YouTube channel Blue Army TV this season to make sure we bring you the best Carlisle United content we possibly can. You can subscribe to his channel and follow him on X, his handles are below.
X – @blue_army_tv
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Another partnership Paddock Perception has is with Carlisle United YouTube channel CU04, they have amazing content on their channel and we are looking forward to working with them this season. You can follow them here:
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Thank you everyone for reading Paddock Perception, your support means everything! Please don’t forget you can follow Dan and Craig on X for more football content:
On Saturday, Mark Hughes’ Carlisle United side get their National League campaign underway when they make the long trip to Surrey to take on Neal Ardley’s Woking side.
Carlisle will be looking to bounce straight back to the football league at the first attempt after back-to-back relegations and Woking will be looking to improve on their 15th place finish last season.
How Did The Teams Look In Pre-Season?
Woking have had a mixture of results in pre-season, they have had wins over lower league opposition such as Cray Valley and Met Police but have lost to a Fulham under-21 side and Portsmouth. Their most impressive victory in pre-season was a 2-0 win over a Spurs under-21 side.
Woking have brought in a total of seven summer signings so far this summer including Jake Hyde from Chelmsford, Caleb Richards from Kidderminster and Chinwike Okoli from Millwall. Neale Ardely’s side have had something of a squad overhaul this summer after releasing a total of eleven players including Reece Grego-Cox, Rohan Ince and Jermaine Anderson.
Carlisle have enjoyed a successful pre-season which included victories over Chester, Harrogate, Fylde and South Shields but they also drew with Curzon Ashton and a defeat to SPFL side Motherwell.
Mark Hughes’ side has made a total of seven summer signings including Regan Linney from Altrincham, Morgan Feeney from Shrewsbury, Josh Grant from Wealdstone and Sam Murray from Manchester United. Carlisle much like Woking have experienced something of a squad overhaul this summer with a total of ten players leaving the club including Callum Guy, Sam Lavelle, Josh Vela and Ben Barclay who were all released as well as Matthew Dennis and Kadeem Harris who moved on after rejecting a new contract at Brunton Park.
Match Preview
Woking were a lot stronger at home last season than they were away and will want to continue that this season. Neal Ardley always has his side well organised and difficult to beat at home.
Woking’s players to watch will be captain and midfielder Harry Beautyman he has that bit of quality in the middle of the pitch and has an eye for goal. Ardley’s side also have a strike force with lots of experience which consists of form Millwall and Sunderland striker Aidan O’Brien and Inih Effiong who has lots of experience at non-league level both of which will be handfuls for the Carlisle United defence.
Carlisle United will be wanting to get off to flying start as many people have tipped them to be the winners of the National League this season. As we all know though football is a “funny old game” and on the back of back-to-back relegations some of this squad could be low on confidence. Nothing is being taken for granted by Mark Hughes and his side and know they will be in for a battle in this one.
Carlisle United players to watch will be midfielder Callum Whelan who impressed after joining from Gateshead in January and is proven at this level. Up front one of the forgotten men in Luke Armstrong has bagged goals in pre-season and is looking sharp, he up front with new signing Regan Linney who has also been scoring and looking sharp in pre-season could be the strike force to take the Cumbrians to victory in this one.
I’m expecting a hard fought contest with Woking having good home form but I think Carlisle will have too much quality in key areas and they will just come out on top and get their season off to winning start.
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Stay with Paddock Perception this season as we bring you match previews, match analysis and all of the latest news around Brunton Park in what promises to be an exciting season ahead.
We are working alongside Liam and his YouTube channel Blue Army TV this season to make sure we bring you the best Carlisle United content we possibly can. You can subscribe to his channel and follow him on X, his handles are below.
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Thank you everyone for reading Paddock Perception and our first match preview of the season. Please don’t forget you can follow Dan and Craig on X for more football content:
The new season is now less than a week away and everyone is starting to tell us their predictions. With that being said a lot of predictions are very similar and can sometimes become boring to read so today I’m going to be picking four opinions of mine for this season that I’ve not seen anyone talking about so far this summer.
The four predictions will be a mixture of individual player’s performances and how the team will do as a whole.
Luke Armstrong – The Forgotten Man
I think Luke Armstrong got a raw deal when he joined the Cumbrians back in 2023. He was a lone striker a lot of the time with no service but he found some form when on loan at Motherwell last season and has been starting in pre-season for Mark Hughes and finding the back of the net. I think Luke Armstrong will be a first choice starter for Carlisle aligned Regan Linney up front this coming season.
Callum Whelan – Player Of The Year?
Whelan showed glimpses last season in a struggling team of what he can do. He’s great on the ball and takes set pieces so I think he will really fit in well this season and get lots of goal contributions. You add all of that with his experience at this level for Gateshead I think if Carlisle have a good season that Callum Whelan will be an integral part of that and could win our player of the year at the end of the season.
Sam Murray – A Class Above?
The 20-year-old full back has joined from Premier League club Manchester United and I think he could make that left-back position his own this season with question marks over Cameron Harper from last season. Harper will start the season but I think Murray will gradually replace him and become first choice quite quickly. The defender was highly regarded at Old Trafford and played lots of games at youth level but never got his chance in the first team. I think Sam Murray starts at left-back and thrives as this season progresses.
Aaron Hayden – First Name On The Team Sheet?
With a lot of central defenders to choose from this season I think Mark Hughes may has some selection dilemmas but the form Aaron Hayden showed towards the end of last season was a lot like the Aaron Hayden we all remembered in his first spell with the club. His experience with Wrexham in the National League will stand him in good stead and I think he’ll be one of if not the first name on the team sheet this season if he can stay fit.
Other Predictions
I know it would’ve been easier to come on here and make shouts for Gabe Breeze to keep the most clean sheets or Regan Linney to win the golden boot and I do think they are both a real possibility but I wanted to try go with things I’ve not really heard many people talking about so I hope that has really come through in this article.
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Stay with Paddock Perception this season as we bring you match previews, match analysis and all of the latest news around Brunton Park in what promises to be an exciting season ahead.
We are working alongside Liam and his YouTube channel Blue Army TV this season to make sure we bring you the best Carlisle United content we possibly can. You can subscribe to his channel and follow him on X, his handles are below.
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Carlisle United have an abundance of options in a lot of areas on the pitch right but one place they are lacking real depth is in the centre of pitch. There are a lot of attack minded midfielders such as Callum Whelan, Stephen Wearne, Elliot Embleton and Ethan Robson but as far as someone who can sit and dictate the midfield there is only really Josh Grant who’s recently been brought in from Wealdstone.
In the recent pre-season matches Jack Ellis has been used in the midfield and has impressed. The 21-year-old is a right-back by trade but has shown recently that he can play in midfield.
Today I’m going to look at the plus and negative points of starting Jack Ellis in the midfield for the start of the new season.
Positive Points
Ellis has the passing range to be able to dictate play in the midfield and can play the simple pass as well as threading through balls in to the attacking areas for the forwards.
Ellis being 21 years of age also means he has the legs and the engine to cover a lot of ground and his history of being a full-back means he isn’t shy of getting a foot in and being strong in the tackle.
Negative Points
With Ellis being being largely inexperienced it means he could be exposed if left to hold the midfield his own in certain games. He could be bullied by more experienced and stronger midfielders.
Ellis will most likely need someone to sit with him in big games in particular or the opposition will target him and try to expose the fact that he isn’t a natural midfielder.
My Opinion On Jack Ellis In Midfield
I would personally be looking to bring a defensive midfielder to sure things up in the centre of the pitch. Ellis is a great option to have but I wouldn’t want to hang my hat on Ellis being the answer to protecting our defence from midfield.
Josh Grant can play there but he hasn’t really featured in pre-season so I think Mark Hughes will be looking to add a defensive midfielder to the ranks over the next few days. If the Cumbrians sign someone with valuable experience in the position then Ellis could learn and adapt to being a midfielder over the course of the season and maybe be first choice next season.
A Message From Paddock Perception
Stay with Paddock Perception this season as we bring you match previews, match analysis and all of the latest news around Brunton Park in what promises to be an exciting season ahead.
We are working alongside Liam and his YouTube channel Blue Army TV this season to make sure we bring you the best Carlisle United content we possibly can. You can subscribe to his channel and follow him on X, his handles are below.
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Thank you everyone for reading Paddock Perception, your support means everything! Please don’t forget you can follow Dan and Craig on X for more football content:
With the start of the 25/26 National League season upon us next week and the majority of transfer business completed it’s now time to give as accurate a prediction as possible for the new season.
I will be predicting every team in the National League and where I think everyone will finish this season.
24th – Morecambe
The Morecambe situation is looking more bleak and inevitable with every passing day but at the time of writing this there is still hope so I will be predicting them to finish bottom. With all the issues off the field, the lack of players and the lack of stability it would be hard to see any other outcome for Morecambe if they do somehow manage to fulfil their fixtures in the National League
23rd – Truro City
Truro were exceptional last season and won the National League south on the final day of the season. John Askey’s side could suprise some teams this season but I think with the lack of transfer business and the club potentially punching above their weight that it could be a tough season for them.
22nd – Brackley Town
Brackley much like Truro won their respective league last season and earned their place in the National League this coming season. Brackley have signed some experiences players such as Danny Waldron and Michael Nottingham so they could take points off some of the better sides but over the course of the season I think they will fall just short.
21st – Wealdstone
Wealdstone only just survived last season and have lost some important players over the summer. They’ve lost experienced players like Adrian Mariappa, Josh Grant and Craig Eastmond without really replacing them as yet, I think they will struggle this season.
20th – Gateshead
Gateshead have suffered off the pitch recently and been under a transfer embargo but have managed to stay competitive on the pitch but they have lost arguably their two most influential players this summer in Regan Booty and Greg Olley without replacing them as of yet so I think they will have a tough season but may just have enough to stay up.
19th – Solihull Moors
Solihull Moors finished 14th last season after making the play offs the season before and in my opinion are experiencing a steady drop off. They have lost key players like Jack Stevens and Tahvon Campbell which will be a blow but they have brought in Dan Creaney from Tamworth who will score enough goals for them to stay out of trouble.
18th – Braintree Town
Braintree finished 17th last season and I expect them to be around there again this season. They’ve lost a key player in Kyrell Lisbie and haven’t brought in many new faces as of yet so I expect a very similar season to the last from Braintree.
17th – Boreham Wood
Out of the teams that have come up I think Boreham Wood have arguably recruited the best. They’ve brought in players such as Jeff King, Luke Norris, Aaron Henry and Junior Dixon all with experience at this level or higher. I think they will be comfortably safe this season.
16th – Boston United
Boston have experienced something of a squad overhaul this season. They’ve lost a total of 12 players and brought in 13 players so far this summer and that could go one way or another but I think they will be comfortably mid-table this season and finish higher than last season.
15th – Altrincham
Altrincham have lost a lot of goal contributions with the sales of Regan Linney and Alex Newby but they have recruited well and brought in players such as Charlie Kirk, Keaton Ward and Jimmy Knowles that will hopefully fill the huge void left by Linney and Newby. I think Altrincham will be comfortably mid-table this season but will miss the goals from the front two and drop off from last season.
14th – Tamworth
Tamworth finished 10th last season and had a good FA Cup run but I think will struggle more this season due to loss of top goal scorer Dan Creaney. They have brought in good players for this level such as Tyler Roberts and Joe Riley who will add quality to the squad but I think they will finish lower than last season.
13th – Woking
Woking finished 15th last season and I expect them to be around there once again. Neale Ardley’s side will be solid at home again but could suffer on the road like they did last season. Their transfer business has been quiet but effective this summer by signing a lot of players from teams in lower divisions such as Caleb Richards, Jake Hyde and Craig Ross who will all bolster an already very solid National League
12th – Yeovil Town
Yeovil finished 18th last season but I think they’ve held on to some important players and added some quality with Tahvon Campbell and James Daly so I think they will climb the table this season and finished significantly higher.
11th – Aldershot Town
Aldershot are another side that have experienced a major squad overhaul with the release of nine first team players and the sale of two more but they have replaced them with ten new faces including Tristan Abrahams and Kwame Thomas. I think Aldershot have a very strong mid-table National League squad and their final position will reflect that.
10th – Sutton United
Sutton United finished 12th last season and have brought in a total of eleven players so far this summer including experienced goal scorer Ashley Nadesan who has been scored in pre-season and has experience at this level. I think they will improve on their 12th place finish from last season.
9th – Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe coming up from the National League north will be a team to watch out for. They have a squad worth of a top half finish in the National League and have added quality to that squad this summer with players such as Joey Dawson from Celtic, Oliver Ewing from Leicester and Dubem Eze from Bolton. I think they will take some big scalps this season but may just fall short of the play offs.
8th – Forest Green Rovers
I struggled with Forest Green because I have major question marks over the appointment of Robbie Savage but I think their squad and strength in depth plus the additions from Macclesfield over the summer I think they’ll have a good season but depending on how the manager situation plays out they might just miss out on the play offs.
7th – Hartlepool United
This may seem odd but Hartlepool finished 11th last season and have lost their top scorer in Mani Dieseruvwe but I think they will just make the play offs. The additions of Danny Johnson and Brad Walker in particular should replace the goal involvements of Mani Dieseruvwe.
6th – Halifax Town
Halifax are another of those sides that have experienced something of an overhaul this summer but I think with the additions of players such as Will Harris and Cody Johnson on top of a strong squad and good season last season I think they will make the play offs once again.
5th – Eastleigh
I think there is a strong argument to say Eastleigh have had the best transfer window in the whole league this summer. They’ve brought in quality and experienced players such as Nick Townsend, Jordan Cousins, Josh Lundstram, Keiron Evans and Aaron Pierre. I’m expecting Eastleigh to massively improve on their 13th place finish last season and comfortably make the play offs this season.
4th – Southend United
Southend are one of a few teams that have managed to keep the majority of their squad from last season and have added quality to their squad with players such as Sam Austin, Ben Goodliffe on a permanent deal and Harry Boyes. I expect them to improve on their 7th place finish from last season and comfortably make the play offs in 4th place.
3rd – Rochdale
Another team that has a strong case for winning this transfer window are Rochdale. They’ve managed to keep the core of their squad from last season and added some experience and quality to their ranks with players such as Mani Dieseruvwe, Anthony Mancini, Casey Pettit and David Tutonda and I think if anyone is going to disrupt the top two everyone is prediction it will be Rochdale.
2nd – York City
York City fell just short in the play offs last season and with the goals of Ollie Pearce means they will always be a threat but they have added some depth to their squad this summer and brought in quality with Ollie Banks and Alex Newby who will thrive up front with Ollie Pearce this season. I expect them to comfortably be in the top two this coming season.
1st – Carlisle United
After suffering back-to-back relegations Mark Hughes’ side will be looking for an immediate return to the EFL and their transfer business this summer has reflected that expectation. Signing players with experience at this level such as Regan Linney, Josh Grant, quality players with experience like Morgan Feeney and Bevis Mugabi as well as young hungry players like Junior Luamba and Sam Murray should see them finish at the top end of the table for the first time in three seasons.
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