Paul Simpson has addressed a key priority by signing Tomas Holy - but what can Carlisle expect from their new goalkeeper?
The Blues were without a senior stopper following the departures of Mark Howard and Magnus Norman, with the former having been released as Simpson looked to go in a different direction.
So how different is Holy to Howard, and what are the key strengths fans can expect to see next season?
We've taken a look at the data from WyScout to analyse Holy's 2021/22 campaign and the traits that could improve Carlisle:
Strong shot-stopping
The 2021/22 season was a stop-start one for Holy, who made just a handful of appearances for parent club Ipswich Town while also taking in loan spells at Cambridge United and Port Vale.
In total, the stopper only played 14 games during the last campaign - but there were some trends to emerge from his outings.
Holy conceded just ten goals and kept five clean sheets, meaning that he didn't concede a goal in 36% of his appearances.
READ MORE: The free agent strikers that Carlisle United could target
Interestingly, there was only one occasion last season where the 30-year-old conceded more than one goal in a game and he showed.
But there is a caveat to that data - Holy only faced an average of 2.37 shots per game (outgoing Carlisle 'keeper Howard, in comparison, saw 4.22 shots per game on his goal).
That shouldn't detract from the goalkeeper's fine shot-stopping ability, though.
Unsurprisingly, Holy is extremely strong when it comes to shots in the upper third of his goal, with high height a real advantage in that regard.
His reflexes are impressive and he is also strong in one-on-one situations.
So what of the ten goals Holy conceded?
Only once was the stopper beaten from any real distance, as shown in the diagram below:
The majority of the goals he conceded were low finishes from within the penalty area, with a number coming after counter-attacks - particularly during his spell at Port Vale, where the Valiants looked susceptible to a quick break.
But encouragingly, none of the goals conceded were individual errors on Holy's part.
Aerial presence
It's perhaps unsurprising given Holy's status as the tallest goalkeeper currently plying his trade in England that gathering crosses is a major strength of his.
The stopper isn't afraid to leave his line to come and claim deliveries into the area and has a strong success rate at gathering the balls he rises for.
READ MORE: Ex-Blues striker sees Barrow contract mutually terminated
And it's indicative of his ability in this department that Holy conceded just one goal that originated from a cross during the 2021/22 season - despite seeing 87 deliveries from wide areas into his box.
He also faced 100 corners and, again, only conceded one goal from them.
That signifies a real strength in the air, which can be pivotal in League Two.
Direct distribution
Upon Holy's unveiling, Simpson alluded to the fact that his distribution could be a major asset for Carlisle.
And a quick glance at the data suggests that in this department, the former Czech Republic youth international represents a real upgrade.
Holy's average length of goal kick is marginally longer than Howard's (46.16m against 45.48m) - but it's the success of his distribution that is particularly impressive.
With 89.7% of his goal kicks into the final third reaching their desired target, Holy can be relied upon to get Carlisle into attacking areas quickly.
In the fourth tier, playing off second balls in those areas can be a useful tactic.
Off the field impact
It's not just on the field where Holy is expected to make an impact, either.
The stopper has already spoken of his desire to help the club's up-and-coming goalkeepers and has been praised for his character by previous managers and teammates.
So while Carlisle look to have secured a fine player, they also look to have signed a fine person too.
All data courtesy of WyScout.
READ MORE: Paul Simpson's message for Carlisle fans over transfers
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here