By Jon Colman

Last updated at 12:26, Tuesday, 14 October 2008

Carlisle United's midfield is one of several areas when the blue standard has slipped in recent weeks.

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Yet one of the members of the under-performing group of middle men has detected signs that an improvement may finally be at hand.

Marc Bridge-Wilkinson saw two signs, to be specific, at MK Dons on Saturday. One: the recruitment of Graham Kavanagh on loan, a move which looked shrewd from the 34-year-old’s very first contributions.

And two: a tactical switch which fed an extra man into the central area and allowed Bridge-Wilkinson to operate further forward, a role in which he excelled last season.

After weeks of struggle, Saturday finally restored Bridge-Wilkinson to more comfortable territory. Not that his performance was without its own flaws - the 18th-minute miss that could have put United 2-0 up, for example - but Carlisle will take their encouragement wherever it can be found just now.

“When I play in that more advanced role, I’m encouraged to get around the box and I enjoy that,” said Bridge-Wilkinson.

“In the other system, that’s not where the gaffer wants me to be. Then he wants me to sit in, get the ball and try and play.

“It was really pleasing to have the chance to get forward around the box on Saturday. It was just a shame I couldn’t stick that chance away. In my heart of hearts I know I should have scored and if I had, it might have been a different situation in the game.

“But it wasn’t to be, and we go on to Peterborough this Saturday and try and make those things count.”

Highest on the list of things for concerned fans to anticipate this weekend will be a home debut for Kavanagh, the veteran loanee from Sunderland who impressed with his skills in possession and from set-pieces against the Dons.

“He is a fantastic player,” enthused Bridge-Wilkinson. “You just have to look at the games he’s played and the level he’s played in his career.

“I played against him at Stoke a few years ago and he was a great player then. It’s great to have someone like that to come in and pass the ball the way he does. I think it’s a real coup for us.”

Saturday’s fifth consecutive defeat, which came after United had pocketed an early goal through Danny Graham, showcased their current lack of form and fortune. Yet Bridge-Wilkinson is adamant the good times will eventually return.

“We are in that sort of rut at the minute and we can’t seem to dig ourselves out,” said the former Bradford and Port Vale man.

“But we can’t dwell on the negative side of things. We started the game well, managed to get rid of a few demons, and that’s what we’ve got to focus on. We know what we’ve got to do and we know what we’re capable of doing.

“ There isn’t one person at this club who isn’t giving it 100 per cent to turn this run all around.

“We’ve just got to keep working hard. We know it will turn, it just has to happen sooner rather than later.”

Saturday’s tactical adjustment by Ward dragged the mind back to last season, when Carlisle were mounting a promotion push built on eyecatching victories such as the 1-0 triumph at Nottingham Forest, where the manager’s lone striker system worked a treat.

Bridge-Wilkinson believes the form United showed last term, until the promotion dream died during the run-in, can encourage the team to work their way out of this autumn’s slump.

“This is virtually the same squad, the same team and the same system that we used last season,” said the schemer.

“Teams have seen that and they have game plans to stop the way we play. It’s something we have to adjust to but that’s maybe not something that happens overnight.

“Last season we had that long winning run at home and we showed what we are capable of doing. That was an exceptional time. You never know, at some point this season we may go on a run that’s somewhere near to that.

“We can always look forward to the next game, and we’ve got to make sure that we are better against Peterborough.”

First published at 11:46, Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk