Holden Caulfield
31st December 2009, 12:47
This is what it is all about for the lower-league players – the chance for them to pit their wits against the high-rollers from the Premier League.
So says United legend Hugh McIlmoyle.
The opportunities to do that do not come around very often and it is important for the lads that they enjoy their big day.
This, for them, is their cup final. Many are the older players walking round these days remembering their own moment in the sun – the day they played a part in the slaying of a giant in the FA Cup.
Such occasions can make iconic figures of men and there are plenty who are still giving after-dinner speeches and the like based on something they did in the 60s, 70s and 80s.
This is what Carlisle want on Saturday – somebody to make a hero of themselves and be written into United folklore.
How wonderful for a player once his career is over to be able to tell his children and his grandchildren of the magic moment he found fame and glory in some great giant-killing act.
Every one of the United players will go to Goodison Park with that in mind and I firmly believe that, in their current run of excellent form, they can get something out of the trip.
Foolhardy partisanship it may turn out to be, but I really fancy Carlisle to force a draw and bring Everton back to Brunton Park for a replay.
I base my optimism on three things. Firstly, it’s six hours since the Carlisle United defence was breached – albeit at a lower level – and this kind of rearguard invincibility breeds a steely determination to keep on keeping the ball out at all costs.
If they can keep Everton at bay for the first 20 minutes then their confidence will grow and the home side could become frustrated.
Secondly, Everton are hardly setting the Premier League on fire at the moment and they have been hit by a spate of injuries and departures to the African Cup of Nations.
It looks like their captain Phil Neville will be back in action but otherwise it will probably be a makeshift team some way short of their first-choice line-up.
Thirdly, and probably most importantly, the nature of the FA Cup itself gives me hope. There will definitely be a shock or two and I keep asking myself why one of them should not be supplied by Carlisle. It’s not that Everton boss David Moyes will underestimate the threat posed by his visitors. He is too wise for that but certainly among some of his players will be a mindset that they are taking on inferior opponents who should provide them with an easy afternoon’s work.
Complacency has always played a big part in the surprises of the FA Cup and there’s a good chance that Everton will get caught up in that.
What a day it promises to be for United supporters. Their 6,000 tickets were snapped up in the blinking of an eye and clearly there’s a determination to enjoy their big day out. They’ll make their presence felt with their vocal support and that can be a massive spur to the lads – their 12th man, if you like.
That was another excellent point at Tranmere the other day. The boys have really got their act together now that they are a settled team. They have nestled into the kind of rhythm that only unchanged line-ups can find and for further proof of the worth of minimal changes you need look no further than Birmingham in the Premier League. The other day they named exactly the same team for the eighth consecutive match and conjured another victory in what is proving to be an amazing run of form.
My own Carlisle plaudits go out at the moment to the reborn Evan Horwood at left-back and to stalwart Peter Murphy, who is asking the question of boss Greg Abbott how he can possibly be left out of the side.
Good on them and to the rest of the lads who are providing the fans with some exciting times at the moment.
Carlisle will lose, I don't really doubt it, I recon we might get a cheeky first goal though
So says United legend Hugh McIlmoyle.
The opportunities to do that do not come around very often and it is important for the lads that they enjoy their big day.
This, for them, is their cup final. Many are the older players walking round these days remembering their own moment in the sun – the day they played a part in the slaying of a giant in the FA Cup.
Such occasions can make iconic figures of men and there are plenty who are still giving after-dinner speeches and the like based on something they did in the 60s, 70s and 80s.
This is what Carlisle want on Saturday – somebody to make a hero of themselves and be written into United folklore.
How wonderful for a player once his career is over to be able to tell his children and his grandchildren of the magic moment he found fame and glory in some great giant-killing act.
Every one of the United players will go to Goodison Park with that in mind and I firmly believe that, in their current run of excellent form, they can get something out of the trip.
Foolhardy partisanship it may turn out to be, but I really fancy Carlisle to force a draw and bring Everton back to Brunton Park for a replay.
I base my optimism on three things. Firstly, it’s six hours since the Carlisle United defence was breached – albeit at a lower level – and this kind of rearguard invincibility breeds a steely determination to keep on keeping the ball out at all costs.
If they can keep Everton at bay for the first 20 minutes then their confidence will grow and the home side could become frustrated.
Secondly, Everton are hardly setting the Premier League on fire at the moment and they have been hit by a spate of injuries and departures to the African Cup of Nations.
It looks like their captain Phil Neville will be back in action but otherwise it will probably be a makeshift team some way short of their first-choice line-up.
Thirdly, and probably most importantly, the nature of the FA Cup itself gives me hope. There will definitely be a shock or two and I keep asking myself why one of them should not be supplied by Carlisle. It’s not that Everton boss David Moyes will underestimate the threat posed by his visitors. He is too wise for that but certainly among some of his players will be a mindset that they are taking on inferior opponents who should provide them with an easy afternoon’s work.
Complacency has always played a big part in the surprises of the FA Cup and there’s a good chance that Everton will get caught up in that.
What a day it promises to be for United supporters. Their 6,000 tickets were snapped up in the blinking of an eye and clearly there’s a determination to enjoy their big day out. They’ll make their presence felt with their vocal support and that can be a massive spur to the lads – their 12th man, if you like.
That was another excellent point at Tranmere the other day. The boys have really got their act together now that they are a settled team. They have nestled into the kind of rhythm that only unchanged line-ups can find and for further proof of the worth of minimal changes you need look no further than Birmingham in the Premier League. The other day they named exactly the same team for the eighth consecutive match and conjured another victory in what is proving to be an amazing run of form.
My own Carlisle plaudits go out at the moment to the reborn Evan Horwood at left-back and to stalwart Peter Murphy, who is asking the question of boss Greg Abbott how he can possibly be left out of the side.
Good on them and to the rest of the lads who are providing the fans with some exciting times at the moment.
Carlisle will lose, I don't really doubt it, I recon we might get a cheeky first goal though