Carlisle United: Paul Simpson must revert to player with just 13 appearances v Cambridge | OneFootball

Highlights

Carlisle United manager Paul Simpson needs to make the move to go back to his experienced defensive option amid a poor run of form at the back.

In the 31 games that Carlisle have played in League One, in the 2023/24 campaign, they have kept just one clean sheet. They have conceded two or more goals 13 times during that period, but the most worrying part is that nine of those occasions have happened in their last 13 games.

Last season, their defensive solidity was one of their big strengths through most of the season, but that resilience at the back has all but gone out the window at this point.

With their season hanging over a cliff edge, and relegation back to League Two after just one season in the third tier of English football seeming a near certainty, Simpson has to turn back to one of his stalwart defenders of seasons past to try and get them out of the rut that they are in at the back.

Paul Simpson needs to put Paul Huntington back in the team

The 36-year-old has only played two games since returning from injury in mid-January. Carlisle did concede six goals in those games, but it would be harsh to lay the blame at Huntington's feet for that.

There have been times this season where the manager has had the option not to start the central defender, but to put him on the bench instead, but he usually seems to just not pick him in the matchday squad at all, rather than having him as an option to bring on.

There has been speculation as to whether he doesn't want to play him in a certain number of games, as that would trigger an option in his contract to extend it by a year, but, as Paul Newton, Chris Lumsdon and James Phillips agreed on the Carlisle Social podcast, it would be odd for him to do this.

Regardless of what reasoning Simpson has for not playing Huntington, he needs to put it to one side. Summer signing Sam Lavelle's performances have dipped since the new-year, and Ben Barclay is more than droppable too. There's space for the 36-year-old in that back-line, whether Carlisle play with two or three centre-backs.

If not for his leadership and organisational skills, the Blues' boss should at least be considering him for his aerial ability. Huntington has won the highest percentage of aerial duels, and duels in general, of all of Carlisle's central defenders. The next closest is Corey Whelan, who wasn't included in the club's squad list following the conclusion of the January transfer window.

Simpson should look at Barnsley game as a reason to play Huntington

If the Blues' boss still isn't sure about whether playing his captain is the best way forward, then he should look to the best game that his team has played in a long time: Barnsley away in mid-January. The Cumbrians somehow lost the game, but they could have been at least 3-0 up at half-time, as opposed to just 1-0, if it weren't for some poor finishing from Dan Butterworth. They then conceded from a great finish by Devante Cole, and a soft penalty towards the end of the game.

Barnsley only had three shots on target in the whole match, despite having 62% of possession, and Huntington was in the middle of the back-three in that fixture. The 36-year-old was given a 7/10 rating by Sofascore for his performance in that game, and yet he's only played one game since, and it was the next match.

This could all be a case of 'absence makes the heart go fonder', but that was the best that the Blues had played in a long time. They are yet to replicate that level of performance, and bringing in the club captain may give them at least some chance of getting back to that point.