What we learned from Carlisle United's defeat to Port Vale

1 SCORELESS STATS

Last season, particularly its first half, was a highly refreshing one in terms of goalscoring at Carlisle United.

This term so far, in a higher division, has evidently proved much more challenging and highlighted what the Blues are missing so far.

Two goals from five league games is the worst such return by a United side at the start of a campaign since 2014/15.

Sean Maguire, right, reacts after a missed chance (Image: Richard Parkes)

That, it can of course be pointed out, was at a lower level: the Blues’ first season back in League Two after relegation, and a miserable start which cost Graham Kavanagh his job and led to Keith Curle’s appointment.

Before that, Carlisle also scored two in five at the start of 2013/14, which proved a third-tier relegation season.

United’s draw and defeat record from those two campaigns – two draws, three defeats – matches this one.

The major difference is that the current Blues have not conceded anything like as many as they did in those two terms of struggle.

This season they’ve shipped six, compared with ten in the equivalent period in 2014/15, and 14 in 2013/14. Which leads us onto…

2 TIGHTER AT THE BACK

All things are relative, and the only stats that truly matter exist in the win and points columns.

Yet there is early evidence all the same that if United can somehow increase their goal threat, there is at least a competitive basis about them that can offer progress in League One.

Their goals-conceded tally, after all, is the equal of third-placed Bolton Wanderers and of eighth-placed Derby County after five games.

Paul Huntington heads clear (Image: Richard Parkes)

Other established third-tier outfits such as Barnsley, Wycombe Wanderers and Bristol Rovers have shipped more than the Cumbrians so far.

(As have Port Vale, but their record of nine-against includes what now looks an anomaly of a 7-0 opening-day thrashing at Barnsley)

And of course this stat is not everything, considering that three opponents have been able to defeat Carlisle without conceding, and hence have not had to go repeatedly for the jugular to finish them off.

Yet the record all the same points to the fact United are not pushovers in these games, are staying in them and are, in some respects, taking rivals to the distance.

That will not be good enough to last the course if the goalscoring problem remains. But it does imply that the back end of the side is not particularly the issue right now, following the summer’s step up.

3 KEEPER CALL

Paul Simpson is no stranger to a big decision on his goalkeepers, even though it would be a stretch to imagine that his latest will go as well as his last one at Carlisle.

That came in 2005/6 when, after 11 league games in League Two, he ditched his experienced No1 for a younger alternative.

Anthony Williams was dropped and up stepped Keiren Westwood.

Jokull Andresson saves well at the feet of Josh Thomas (Image: Richard Parkes)

The latter's first game of the league season did not go especially well – a 3-1 home defeat to Bristol Rovers during which Westwood was beaten by two own-goals and a last-minute lob.

But it did not take the younger gloveman long to vindicate Simpson’s faith. Westwood matured into a high-class No1 and the position was his until 2008, when he was sold to Coventry City.

Williams, as Carlisle’s first-choice, lasted only a couple of months into his time at Brunton Park and the move was clear evidence of Simpson’s ruthless nature if the manager feels the greater good is served.

Only time will tell how Jokull Andresson will respond to his opportunity, and likewise what sort of reaction it will elicit from the long-established Tomas Holy.

In the short term, the man now in favour will need a few less eventful games than Saturday's, when Simpson went out of his way to protect the Reading loanee from blame over Port Vale’s penalty incident.

There was, strictly speaking, culpability with both Jon Mellish for the unwise throw-in and in Andresson for his failure to deal with it.

Using Mellish as a lightning rod for all blame is clearly a method Simpson felt all concerned could cope with. Castigating Andresson after game number one, in light of such a big selection call, would perhaps leave more things exposed and was a psychological risk he had no interest in taking.

In other aspects of the game, the Iceland keeper was largely steady, making a couple of good stops and one particularly well-executed one-v-one save.

If not entirely at ease, as highlighted by the moment that cost the Blues the game, there was enough to build on, provided the 50th-minute flashpoint can be dealt with and dispatched quickly.

4 SHOOTING GALLERY

United were not short of attempts at Vale Park but the numbers lend themselves to the idea that Port Vale were likelier scorers overall.

Some 60 per cent of Carlisle’s shots were aimed from outside the penalty area. These included a couple of near misses from Callum Guy and Owen Moxon which the cameras would certainly have enjoyed had they beaten the defiant Connor Ripley.

Yet on balance too much was expected from too little and the Valiants managed to make 65 per cent of their own shots from inside Carlisle’s area.

Callum Guy's shot from outside the box was United's best attempt (Image: Richard Parkes)

None of these went in, other than James Wilson’s penalty, but the hosts’ expected goals of 1.44 nudged higher than United’s (1.26) for clear enough reason in an often tight and balanced game.

In general Carlisle, especially in their best first-half spell, put together what looked like a promising away performance, but the light is unavoidably shone on their shortcomings in the rival box.

Sean Maguire’s second-half header was one chance worth shouting about, and was the sort of position that gives you hope that he in particular can eventually find his way to goal, but it is hard to think of many other occasions when Carlisle really looked like bashing the door down with a piece of unstoppable movement or clinical end product.

Simpson’s diagnosis was a lack of “bravery” at the business end of things, and one hopes the players concerned can take heed. But someone on the pitch to show them the way still appears an essential piece missing, with four days of the window left.