Carlisle United fans react to Oldham Athletic defeat

The visitors came from behind after Joshua Kayode had put Chris Beech's Blues ahead.

The Blues faithful who watched on iFollow or followed the action in other ways were left with little to be positive about.

Here's what some of the fans made of the performance and what they think is needed to get United back to form.

Teams are working us out now and we need to change up a bit. Lost our intensity and energy levels that teams couldn't cope with in the first half of the season. Need that belief back ASAP. Need to get back to winning ways. (@scholes_peter)

First time this season I am concerned. Key players look short of confidence and form. Defensively we look very open and going forward we look very blunt, lacking ideas. Midfield being bypassed and too few options for the player on the ball, resulting a long ball to nobody. (@BenJoseph0157)

I'm an eternal optimist and I wasn’t too concerned by the last couple of defeats in high winds and torrential rain, but the capitulation against a poor opposition in perfect conditions on a superb pitch has me worried about the rest of the season. (@DavidDe21150149)

Felt recently we were going back in the right direction but that was a step backward. Defeat is no problem but the manner of the defeat was a worry. Poor 2nd half display & limped their way to that loss. Too many players below par compared to a few months back. (@BackoSkiddaw)

It’s like he picks his subs along with the team sheet at 3pm. They never have any bearing on the game. Patrick/Toure off and Dickenson/Zanzala on. Every single game. Repeat. (@RyanWood85)

One or two players not on top of their game, maybe due to Covid or just not match fit. The midfield were electric before the lay off and now the midfield seems to be bypassed and the long ball employed, which is not working. Alessandra should be starting games. (@peterjo91525330)

Shawshank Redemption, Jon. Players making bad decisions on the pitch - manager making bad decision off it: a dangerous combo. A team with this amount of attacking talent at its disposal could barely muster a shot on goal. That's my biggest worry. We are bereft of belief. (@1StevieKilner)

Team is lacking belief. Panic stations after we concede. Subs are predictable and ineffective. Zanzala is getting more minutes than Alessandra who had been a consistent performer, when he plays well, the team plays well. PP's have killed the momentum. Only + is we're back on Tue (@martyn_howarth)

We’ve been found out. Teams aren’t pressing us like they were, there allowing us more time on the ball, with no space in behind for the runners. It’s that simple. We look bereft of other ways to break down opposition, he’s dropped Lewis why? He’s was one of the linchpins (@LaurieBrunskill)

Very poor performance today. To tell the truth don't think we have any more players to improve things Hopefully I'm wrong (@alantorchwood)

A very hard watch today. I had the feelings, pre enforced break, that we would come out on top every game, am afraid things have changed. The earlier quality is missing and a certain hit and hope style has emerged. Pressure is becoming evident reminiscent of previous seasons. (@LindaNi121202)

First half was average second half was absolutely rotten no plan b and substitutions too late and not very effective I backed them up the other night when they were criticised by many but finger needs pulled out sharpish or going up will have been blown (@NavyDave94)

We have been found out, no plan b, no creativity in midfield, no leaders. Management seem unable to do anything to change the flow of a game at all. Too many of our ‘star’ performers are a shadow of themselves pre COVID. Bennett, Hayden, Guy and Mellish are woefully out of form. (@Halpinforpope)

Patrick and Toure were our best players today and Beech took both off. After that we never looked like scoring. Defence and midfield have struggled in the last few games and have cost us. (@JCSlack1)

Well 1st half wasn't bad but 1up why didn't we push harder gave ball away too often. 1st time guy actually lifted a cross we scored. Second half we were unrecognisable a shambles+when injured why wasn't Guy replaced it was obvious he wasn’t right (@EricGre35402887)

Think Steven Pressley has given CB his green book of football knowledge. We were woeful today, no plan B, subs predictable seems certain players being played to justify their signing. For me Alessandra needs to start on Tuesday. (@tracy_sturgess)

Callum Guy’s form since the enforced break is key, he was bossing the midfield early season but has come back a shadow of that player and why he wasn’t withdrawn when obviously injured this afternoon is a mystery. We need to dig in and start to believe in ourselves again (@Wisey6575)

How about... our best form came when the club was allowed a crowd, albeit limited. That gave the team impetus at BP and those results gave the players confidence and grit to take points on the road. Take away the crowds and we’re left with a bleak empty BP and a bunch of trolls. (@DavidobYork)

Mellish out, Charters in. Armer in for Anderton. Alessandra in for one of the front three. And learn to pass the ball. (@MansfieldMoonie)

It's not rocket science to see we can't defend if we aren't pressing. Everyone is on to the Farman punt and long throws. Furman is the option for the (Hayward / Thirlwell) holding control role and work from there. Now is the time to shock the regulars into working (@tunny2311)

After the TRFC match I felt it was the quality of the opposition. Today's performance seemed to show a lack of diversity, they were unable to adapt (as they had earlier in the season) to difficult situations. OAFC changed thing but we didn't respond. Confidence now a problem. (@tomtuc001)

Who exactly is our goal threat? Where are the goals coming from? Have we had a proper striker that scares the opposition since Karl Hawley? None of this lot are fit to clean his boots. (@RCLSB)

Very poor seemed to me players were running into dead ends. On occasions players were getting into each other’s space. I know a lot of people give Mellish a hard time but he makes run after run and isn’t afraid to put a tackle in. Heads up and on to Tuesday #cufc (@SpursTt)

Need to freshen that midfield up...they know they are nailed on to start but playing poorly. Get Alessandra back up top for some nouse (@paulmason2000)

Have some backbone & stop being bottle jobs like we always are when in a great position ! (@ScottHurst93)

I think we need a new plan, the midfield was non existent today and that in turn has it's own knock on effect to the front three, toughest thing to take for me is that we are starting to look vulnerable at the back. The lack of drive and desire is also worrying. (@phleaslittle)

Coach making the unlucky excuses again sadly , no pen etc but it’s much deeper the problems , we’re looking really poor in a few areas , poor selection , use of subs poor tactics predictable (@keithelliott94)

The run of performances are not those of a title winning side. If (that's a big if) we can turn it around next game, it can still be a successful season but players need to decide how much they want it #COYB (@Blue_Darren)

Firstly other than 2-3 of these players are off form badly...secondly perhaps all the forwards we have now has over complicated things for Beech. What merited Alessandra being dropped, links up play well as we have now resorted to long ball football, worrying. (@reaypa)

Teams know exactly what Carlisle are going to do and how to nullify them. The tactics Beech employs aren't exactly space age. I would also suggest that the coaching staff have no plan B. (@OllyC2106)

Poor. Must pass and keep the ball better. Beech needs to use the squad more, if you’re not playing well then you don’t keep your place. Subs should be getting more game time. Feel for Alassandra should have come on at half time. Just need a good win and things can change. (@fish_blues)

Awful today. No ideas. Look like we don’t know what we are doing. Think it’s just about gone now unfortunately  (@CraigN1986)

No plan B, like for like subs making no impact, constantly selecting out of form players, midfield getting over run every game. The game changed when Kewell changed formation Beech doesn't seem to be able to do that. Very, very worrying form (@Cufc1986Matt)

I was relatively content after Tuesday night apart from the result but I'm more lost for words after today. Shocking stuff (@Tommo22753)

We’ve gotta go back to basics. Alessandra needs to play, Zanzala has been poor when coming on although we did beat Exeter when he started. Guy needed to come off today, he needed to be the bigger man & say I’m injured get a fully fit man on (@OllyWiseman)

Beech and Skelton are being shown up since the restart as having no plan B. The way we set up and play can be effective, as we've seen many times, but doubling down on it with like for like subs, with inferior players, instead of having another workable system is killing us. (@SharkyCufc)

Very hard lost tbh, thought we could scrapped a 1-0 victory, before all the games we had off we were having a 20+ shots why have we dropped Lewis on the bench (@spiderwebb2019)

It was almost as if Steven Pressley was back and in charge of in game management. Too many poor performances, poor tactics and substitutions that had absolutely zero impact (again). Don’t know what Alessandra has done to be out of favour, but we look a better team with him in it. (@DRNoble25)

Beech has some questions to answer. Why is he so keen to bring Patrick off? Why did an injured Guy stay on for half an hour? What does Furman have to do to get in the team? Where is are our leaders helping us to compose ourselves? Why do we never seem to want to kill games off? (@lewisrids3)

Lewis Alessandra needs to be starting. Defence looking shaky, start Furman in deeper midfield role to protect them a bit. (@ste08cufc)

Changes are required, lads look jaded, Mellish has been poor since restart, surely Furman deserves a chance? Perhaps Charters aswell as Riley was also poor 2day. I'd get Alessandra back up top as he held the ball up effectively & brought others in2 the game earlier in the season. (@cufc_tink)

Conceded 6 goals in 2 home games that’s one obvious problem. Not keeping it in midfield maybe Charters or Furman need to come in for Mellish. Alessandra needs to start, would like to see Scott come on next game instead of Zanzala (@leecrowe007)