Paddock Perception

Tag: soccer

  • A Closer Look At Carlisle United’s Malfunctioning Midfield

    After back-to-back disappointing performances at Brunton Park against Boreham Wood and Solihull Moors one thing that has been apparent to many people is the midfield seems to lack real balance.

    Against Boreham Wood the midfield had too many attack minded midfielders and against Solihull there were too many defensive minded players in there, this needs to be fixed for Wealdstone tomorrow or the blues’ midfield risks being dominated once again.

    How Has The Midfield Performed?

    Against Boreham Wood, the midfield three for Mark Hughes was Harvey Macadam, Callum Whelan and Elliot Embleton and they were outfought at times so against Solihull Hughes went for a more defensive midfield and played right back Jack Ellis in there alongside Harvey Macadam and Josh Grant on his debut.

    Against Boreham Wood the tough tackling and press from the opposition meant we lost the ball too many times in dangerous areas but against Solihull it was too defensive and it meant Mark Hughes’ side consistently failed to make any progressive passes in the final third for the attackers and were too slow in transition because the midfielders were too defensive minded.

    The Solihull goal on Tuesday came from Josh Grant passing the ball blindly across the back line instead of looking to play forward to the attackers, there needs to be more balance in that area so Grant’s mistake doesn’t happen again.

    What Should Hughes Do?

    Historically, a successful midfield three is usually one holding midfielder, one box-to-box midfielder and one creative midfielder and Hughes has the players at his disposal to implement this in the coming games.

    For creativity I think Elliot Embleton is first choice with Stephen Wearne off the bench, as the box-to-box option I would say Callum Whelan is first choice with the option of Ethan Robson off the bench and as the holding defence minded midfielder it looks like Harvey Macadam is first choice for Hughes with Josh Grant as the option off the bench.

    Against Wealdstone tomorrow I think for a well balanced midfield the Cumbrians need to go with a midfield three of Macadam, Whelan and Embleton but just because I think that it doesn’t mean Mark Hughes will go with that.

    I don’t necessarily think this midfield is ideal but on paper and from what I’ve seen so far this season I think it’s the best we have in terms of balance.

    What would your midfield three be for tomorrow’s game?

    What To Expect Against Wealdstone

    I’m intrigued as to what team we will see tomorrow because the majority of the fan base were not happy with the performance on Tuesday against Solihull but Mark Hughes came out after the game and said he was “pleased” with what he’d seen, this surprised many people including myself so we could see wholesale changes tomorrow or it could be unchanged, we will have to wait and see.

    As far as Hughes’ comments go, I understand you don’t come out and throw your players under the bus but you could word things a little differently instead of saying you were “pleased” with being played off the park by a side that you’re expected to beat for 75 minutes and scraped a draw.

    A Message From Paddock Perception

    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

    YouTube – @BlueArmyTVchannel

    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

    YouTube – @CU04

    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:

    @dan_batemannn

    @CraigWL1997

  • Wealdstone v Carlisle United Preview

    On Saturday Mark Hughes takes his Carlisle United side to London to take on high flying Wealdstone. Sam Cox’s team have a 100% record so far this season and will be a huge test for the blues after a stuttering start.

    Wealdstone are strong at home and were tipped by a lot of people to struggle this season but with three wins from three so far they will be looking to keep that run going.

    How Have Both Teams Started The Season?

    Wealdstone have won all three of their National League games this season, they’ve beaten Truro 2-0 on the opening day they then followed that up with a 2-1 victory over Halifax in the second game and then they defeated Woking away from home 2-1 in midweek. They also beat. Wolves under-21 side in the National League cup in there as well.

    Carlisle United have a slightly stuttering start, they began the campaign with a 2-0 victory over Woking but have followed that up with two lacklustre performances and draws, 3-3 at home to Boreham Wood and 1-1 with Solihull Moors midweek.

    Players To Watch

    Sam Cox’s side have a lot of experience in their side along with youth and pace but I’ve chosen two players to watch out for in particular and both have bags of experience.

    Max Kretzschmar in midfield will keep the ball well, the former Woking and Wycombe man will try to dominate the centre of the pitch and will pop up in dangerous areas and look to break through the Carlisle United defence.

    Another danger man for Wealdstone is Enzio Boldewijn, the former Crawley and Notts County forward has lots of experience and has scores goals at every club he’s been at. He will be a constant threat and the Carlisle defence will have to keep him at arms length in this one.

    For Carlisle I’ll probably say this a lot this season but Regan Linney, if he can get the ball and isolate the full backs he will be a constant attacking threat for the Cumbrians in this game and many more to come.

    Another danger man for Mark Hughes’ side is Archie Davies at right-back, he was man of the match against Solihull and was a constant attacking threat, if Carlisle play a winger on the right ahead of Davies they could link up well and cause the Wealdstone defence serious problems in this game.

    My Predicted Carlisle United Eleven

    Breeze, Davies, Thomas, Mugabi, Murray, Ellis, Macadam, Whelan, Luamba, Linney, Kelly.

    I think Hughes will have noticed what was missing against Solihull and how much better and more direct we were when Luamba came on.

    We will need to try and keep the ball better than we did against Solihull and that’s why I think he’ll bring in Whelan or Embleton to keep the ball better and be more progressive when we do have the ball.

    One of Armstrong or Kelly may be dropped and I’ve chosen Armstrong but it will depend on if Kelly can play two games in a week.

    Score Prediction

    Wealdstone 1-0 Carlisle United

    Carlisle after a winning start have underperformed in recent matches with two poor performances and draws at home in their last two games meanwhile Wealdstone have won three in three, have lots of experience and are strong at home. I think this will be a tough game and a hard fought contest but I think the home side just edge it.

    A Message From Paddock Perception

    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

    YouTube – @BlueArmyTVchannel

    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

    YouTube – @CU04

    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:

    @dan_batemannn

    @CraigWL1997

  • Carlisle United 1–1 Solihull Moors Review

    Last night, Carlisle United were held to a disappointing draw by Solihull Moors at Brunton Park. Dan Creaney gave the away side a deserved lead before Terell Thomas equalised for the blues ten minutes from time.

    Mark Hughes’ side have now followed up on their opening day victory against Woking with two flat and disappointing performances at Brunton Park and have been shown that there are no easy games in the National League.

    Match Review

    Solihull started the better of the two sides, they were passing and moving and causing young Carlisle left-back Sam Murray a lot of problems first half with movement from Dan Creaney and Ben Worman.

    Carlisle’s main attacking threat in the first half was Archie Davies down the right and in the 32nd minute he whipped a wicked cross in to the area and the Solihull defender diverted it just over the crossbar.

    Right on the stroke of half time Sam Murray crossed the ball in the box and Jack Ellis saw his header comfortably saved by Laurie Walker.

    HT Carlisle United 0-0 Solihull Moors

    The second half started was the first did with a lot of Solihull possession and Carlisle struggling to get a foothold in the game.

    In the 68th minute a dreadful pass from Josh Grant across the back line when Bevis Mugabi was down injured was seized upon by Ben Worman and he found Dan Creaney who calmly slotted home to give Matty Taylor’s side a deserved lead.

    Mark Hughes was then forced to change things and went more direct bringing Junior Luamba and Stephen Wearne on and the home side vastly improved after those substitutions.

    In the 80th minute from a Carlisle set piece Georgie Kelly nodded down for captain Terell Thomas to finish well and give Carlisle ten minutes or so to win the game.

    Moments after the equaliser Georgie Kelly turned well in the box but was denied once by a great block and again by a good save as Solihull’s defence was finally being stretched and tested.

    Regan Linney and Bevis Mugabi were both denied late on by Laurie Walker and Solihull’s defence stood strong and made some brilliant last ditch blocks.

    Mugabi had the ball in the net in the final moments but was adjudged to have fouled the goalkeeper and the game remained level much to the disappointment of a lot of supporters around me.

    How Did Carlisle Perform?

    I had some major question marks last night so I’m going to go through them here.

    Why did we play two big target men up front and take a man out of midfield when we wanted to play nice football and not play to the target men’s strengths? Surely the game should’ve had one of Wearne, Embleton or Whelan in the midfield if we are going to play that way?

    Why didn’t take so long for the manager to change things? He was reactive and not proactive which is never good. We were instantly improved as soon as the changes were made and you could see the changes needed made at half time but Hughes waited until we went a goal behind to do it.

    Macadam and Grant in midfield can’t really take the ball on the half turn and run at people like some of the other players in the squad can so I wouldn’t play them together again.

    Defensively I thought Mugabi and Thomas done well together, Davies was a constant threat going forward and Murray struggled in the first half but grew in to the game more in the second. I still think we lack a proper commanding centre back and I’m hoping more Feeney is nearly fully fit he will be that for us.

    Linney was a threat when he got the ball especially in the second half but a lot of the time they double up on him and I think he will face that a lot this season but if Carlisle can get the ball to him he will always be our biggest threat.

    I felt sorry for Kelly and Armstrong for the majority of the game because they just weren’t getting the ball and were feeding off scraps. Kelly grew in to the game once we started playing to his strengths and got the assist for the equaliser but if you’re going to play the two of Armstrong and Kelly together you need to give them service.

    Player Ratings

    Gabe Breeze – 6 – didn’t have a great deal to do, done everything right and the goal was a great finish.

    Archie Davies – 7.5 (MOTM) – our best and most consistent attacking threat, final delivery wasn’t always there but he never stopped running and attacking.

    Bevis Mugabi – 6 – solid enough debut, could’ve had a goal late on, didn’t do anything wrong and was injured for the goal so couldn’t get back.

    Terell Thomas – 7 – a lot better than at the weekend, there were some misplaced passes early on but he settled in to the game and took his goal like prolific striker.

    Sam Murray – 6 – struggled first half but grew in to the game and was a real threat with Linney down the left in the second half.

    Jack Ellis – 6 – not as effective as we would’ve liked in midfield but he kept the ball moving and tried to find passes key areas.

    Josh Grant – 3 – gave the ball away on numerous occasions, he’d seem to sniff the danger out then give the ball way again. His pass across the back line for the Solihull goal was the final error in a list of errors before he was substituted.

    Harvey Macadam – 6 – made a couple of good runs from midfield, put in a great challenge in the first half to stop a breakaway and progressed the ball well at times but ultimately turned back too many times in midfield and it stunted our progress in attack at times.

    Regan Linney – 7 – struggled to get in the game first half but second half him and Murray caused a lot of trouble for Solihull and almost got his goal late on but was denied by the keeper. Constant threat.

    Luke Armstrong – 5 – never stopped running but ultimately didn’t play to his strengths and struggled to impact the game at all.

    Georgie Kelly – 6 – struggled to get in the game a lot like Armstrong but late on when we started playing to his strengths he was a constant threat and got the nod down and assist for the equaliser and was unlucky to not get the winner late on.

    SUBSTITUTES

    Junior Luamba – 6 – was direct when he came on and was what Carlisle had been missing all game. Hughes should have brought him on sooner.

    Stephen Wearne – 6 – made some good passes in the final third and maybe overdone it at times but much like Luamba I wish he’d been give more time to impact the game.

    Please note that these ratings are the opinions of Dan and nobody else

    A Message From Paddock Perception

    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

    YouTube – @BlueArmyTVchannel

    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

    YouTube – @CU04

    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:

    @dan_batemannn

    @CraigWL1997

  • A Closer Look At Carlisle United’s Defensive Deficiencies

    On Saturday at Brunton Park, Carlisle United blew a 3-1 lead against Boreham Wood and defensively there was a lot left to be desired. Boreham Wood attackers were left unmarked on numerous occasions and there were gaping holes in the blues’ defensive line continuously.

    Today I’m going to be looking at the players in the back line of Carlisle United and where Mark Hughes should be looking to improve and potentially change ahead of tomorrow night’s match with Solihull Moors.

    A Look At The Carlisle United Defence

    Jack Ellis at right-back was the best of the four on Saturday and wasn’t at fault for any of the goals, he also played very well against Woking in the opening game and got a brilliant assist for Luke Armstrong.

    Ellis does have Archie Davies as competition but I think Ellis’ position in the defence is safe for now and should start against Solihull.

    Terell Thomas is a real issue for me, he’s meant to be our captain and has constantly been poor for a prolonged period of time. He constantly berates others around him even when some of it is his own fault. He looked way off the pace against Boreham Wood and was at fault numerous times and made countless mistakes.

    I think because he’s captain he probably starts against Solihull tomorrow but if that’s the case he’s extremely lucky to be starting.

    Aaron Hayden very much like Thomas looked well off the pace on Saturday and was static at times and you could argue he was at fault for at least one of the goals. I think him and Thomas don’t compliment each other well at all and get caught out for pace a lot of the time.

    I think Hayden could be the one that’s changed against Solihull with Bevis Mugabi to come in instead of him.

    Cameron Harper at left-back had a dreadful first half against Boreham Wood and is yet to convince me defensively since he joined last summer, technically he’s usually decent but there was misplaced passes and lack of doing the basics on Saturday.

    He did improve slightly second half and was a little better but still nowhere near good enough. I think Hughes likes Harper so he might stick with him against Solihull but I think Sam Murray deserves a chance personally.

    What Changes Should Be Made?

    The first thing I would say is, how are we starting the same back four this season that we got relegated with last season?

    Thomas and Hayden need addressing quickly by Mark Hughes with Mugabi a ready made replacement for one and then we need to know when Morgan Feeney will be fit and ready to go because if it’s going to be a long time I’d be tempted to look at Paul Huntington on a free transfer even if it’s just a short term deal.

    Harper at left-back is another issue that we seemed to address in the summer by signing Sam Murray from Manchester United but so far Hughes has stuck with Harper but surely Murray has to get his chance very soon and if he doesn’t I would question why he’s not playing and why did we even sign him.

    The defence is a massive problem that has plagued Mark Hughes since his arrival at the club and if it isn’t addressed it will keep costing us in the long run, like it has the last two seasons.

    The manager needs to show that he won’t tolerate those performances we seen in Saturday and that players will suffer the consequences of costing us a game.

    A Message From Paddock Perception

    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

    YouTube – @BlueArmyTVchannel

    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

    YouTube – @CU04

    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:

    @dan_batemannn

    @CraigWL1997

  • Carlisle United v Solihull Moors Preview

    On Tuesday, Mark Hughes Carlisle side welcome Matty Taylor’s Solihull Moors side to Brunton Park. Both teams are unbeaten in the league so far this season and this promises to be another hard fought battle.

    The Cumbrians will be wanting to get their first home win of the season meanwhile Solihull who have proven they are tough to beat will be looking to get their first win of the season in the National League.

    How Have Both Teams Started The Season?

    Mark Hughes side got off to the perfect start with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Woking in their first game of the season but we disappointed to follow that up with an eventful 3-3 draw against Boreham Wood which saw them blow a 3-1 lead with only 15 minutes to go.

    Matty Taylor’s side have been difficult to beat in the league so far this season , they held Forest Green to a 2-2 draw in their first game despite being down to ten men from the sixth minute. Last time out they travelled to Sutton who held a very good York City side on the opening day and managed to hold them to an impressive 0-0 draw as well.

    Players To Watch

    For Carlisle it’s hard to look past Regan Linney after his two brilliant goals against Boreham Wood. His ability to run at defenders and turn inside and finish will be a constant threat for the Cumbrians.

    Elliot Embleton seems to have found his feet now in a Carlisle shirt and his passing and habit of finding little pockets of space could be the key to unlock the very solid Solihull defence.

    For Solihull their main striker and goal threat is Dan Creaney whom they signed from Tamworth in the summer, Creaney scored 19 National League goals last season and with Carlisle United’s defensive frailties that were on show against Boreham Wood he will fancy his chances to to get on the scoresheet in this one.

    Forward Callum McFarlane could be another forward for Solihull that could cause the blues defence lots of issues, the former Fulham youth player has lots of ability and his direct approach when he has the ball could worry Carlisle.

    My Predicted Carlisle United Starting Eleven

    Breeze, Ellis, Thomas, Mugabi, Murray, Macadam, Wearne, Embleton, Linney, Kelly, Armstrong.

    I think Hughes needs to ring the changes after the Boreham Wood game, defensively it needs changed but with Feeney and Grant still injured Hughes won’t be able to make wholesale changes there, I do however expect him to drop Harper and one of Thomas or Hayden.

    In midfield I thought we looked slow and lethargic at times against Boreham Wood so I think Hughes may change Whelan for Robson or Wearne who showed more energy when they came on against Boreham Wood, I’ve gone for Wearne but it could easily be Robson.

    Up top Ajiboye has offered nothing in his first two games of the season and was hooked at half time against Boreham Wood for Georgie Kelly as Hughes’ side went two up front and vastly improved . I think the manager starts Kelly in this game and goes with what worked well up front against Boreham Wood.

    A Message From Paddock Perception

    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

    YouTube – @BlueArmyTVchannel

    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

    YouTube – @CU04

    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:

    @dan_batemannn

    @CraigWL1997

  • Paddock Perception’s Predicted Starting Eleven For Boreham Wood

    Tomorrow, Carlisle United welcome National League South play off winners Boreham Wood to Brunton Park in their first home game of the 25/26 National League campaign.

    Having already given a sneak peak to the team I expect to see in my match preview, I wanted to look more in depth at who I think will be starting against Boreham Wood.

    After a comfortable 2-0 victory in the opening game against Woking, I’m not expecting major changes from Mark Hughes in this one but with a game midweek against Solihull Moors he may want to rotate slightly.

    GK – Gabe Breeze

    Comfortably the best goalkeeper at the club and obviously Mark Hughes’ number one choice. He looked shaky in the first half against Woking but grew in to the game and kept a clean sheet comfortably in the second half.

    RB – Jack Ellis

    Ellis was man of the match for me against Woking and has made this right-back position his now. He was solid in defence, kept the ball well, dropped in to midfield as an extra man at times and got a fantastic assist for the first goals against Woking.

    CB – Terell Thomas

    I think these positions will be more up for debate once Morgan Feeney and Bevis Mugabi are fully fit but for now I think Thomas is one of the first names on the team sheet. He didn’t put a foot wrong against Woking and should keep his place.

    CB – Aaron Hayden

    After celebrating his 100th Carlisle United appearance with a clean sheet against Woking I think Aaron Hayden will start again. He and Thomas are building a good partnership right now and like I said with Thomas these positions may be up for debate when Feeney and Mugabi are fully fit but for right now Thomas and Hayden are definite starters.

    LB – Cameron Harper

    Harper was solid against Woking and got forward well at times. He has genuine completions with Sam Murray coming in over the summer but I think Hughes trusts Harper and maybe doesn’t want to throw youngster Murray in straight away so I expect Harper to start again.

    CM – Harvey Macadam

    Mark Hughes’ latest signing Harvey Macadam impressed in pre-season and had a solid full debut against Woking. The one position the Cumbrians maybe don’t have great depth is in defensive midfield and the manager said after the Woking game that Macadam will be an important player for this team and I think he starts again.

    CM – Callum Whelan

    Whelan had a relatively quiet game against Woking by his standards but he also didn’t do anything wrong. He kept the ball ticking over and played some key passes. He will always have that ability to create something from nothing and have that piece of magic in his locker and at non league level that is so important.

    CAM – Elliot Embleton

    Again like Whelan, Embleton had a quiet game against Woking but always has that spark to create something from nothing and that is invaluable. I think Ethan Robson has put himself in the frame to start after his goal against Woking but I think Mark Hughes will still with Embleton.

    RW – Junior Luamba

    David Ajiboye started ahead of Luamba against Woking but apart from a couple of early runs didn’t really make his mark and I think this is the most likely position to be changed by the manager against Boreham Wood. Junior Luamba started a lot in pre-season and it was something of a suprise he was left out against Woking.

    LW – Regan Linney

    Linney could’ve had a brace against Woking if it wasn’t for the woodwork and the goalkeeper and his direct nature and running at the defender gave Woking serious problems last week. Coming in from the wing and shooting is an art and Linney does that so well. Linney is building a good relationship with the other front men and it will just get better with more games.

    ST – Luke Armstrong

    Up there with Ellis for man of the match against Woking and took his goal brilliantly. He worked hard, chased defenders down and linked up with Linney very well. His position will depend on how he recovers from the kick to the head he took against Woking but if he’s fit he starts for Hughes this season.

    A Message From Paddock Perception

    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

    YouTube – @BlueArmyTVchannel

    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

    YouTube – @CU04

    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:

    @dan_batemannn

    @CraigWL1997

  • Carlisle United v Boreham Wood Preview

    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.

    My Predicted Carlisle United Team

    Breeze, Ellis, Hayden, Thomas, Harper, Macadam, Whelan, Embleton, Luamba, Linney, Armstrong.

    Score Prediction

    Carlisle United 2-0 Boreham Wood

    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.

    A Message From Paddock Perception

    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

    YouTube – @BlueArmyTVchannel

    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

    YouTube – @CU04

    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:

    @dan_batemannn

    @CraigWL1997

  • Four Things We Learned From Woking 0-2 Carlisle United

    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.

    A Message From Paddock Perception

    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

    YouTube – @BlueArmyTVchannel

    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

    YouTube – @CU04

    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:

    @dan_batemannn

    @CraigWL1997

  • Woking 0-2 Carlisle United – Match Review

    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.

    Woking: Ross, Drewe, Okoli, Tunji Akinola, Richards, Timmy Akinola (Turner 76′), Andrews, Ward, Beautyman, O’Brien (Osude 76′), Sanderson (Effiong 76′) Subs not used: Norcott, Hinds, Odusina, Ashford

    Carlisle: Breeze, Ellis, Hayden, Thomas, Harper, Whelan, Macadam (Robson 71′), Embleton (Wearne 76′), Ajiboye (Davies 88′), Linney (Murray 88′), Armstrong (Kelly 71′) Subs not used: Lewis, Mugabi

    How Did United Perform?

    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.

    X – @blue_army_tv

    YouTube – @BlueArmyTVchannel

    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

    YouTube – @CU04

    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:

    @dan_batemannn

    @CraigWL1997

  • The Four Strikers I Am Picking To Be The National League Top Scorers This Season

    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.

    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

    YouTube – @BlueArmyTVchannel

    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

    YouTube – @CU04

    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:

    @dan_batemannn

    @CraigWL1997