Cardiff to show a ruthless edge in Cumbria
Carlisle came so close to a cup upset when they travelled to Cardiff but the Championship side stormed back to force a replay. Will they be less forgiving as they travel to Brunton Park? Have a read of our preview here:
Carlisle having a season to forget
Over the last few seasons, supporters of Carlisle United have become used to seeing their side flirting with the League Two play-off spots yet those days, as it stands right now, seem a long way off.
The 2019-20 campaign has been dismal to say the least for the hardy Cumbrian supporters and while their fellow countymen in Barrow rip up the National League, Carlisle will do well to avoid replacing them.
Steven Pressley started the season full of gusto but it became apparent pretty quickly he did not have the tools he needed to truly challenge at the top end of a very tough division. His replacement, former Rochdale assistant Chris Beech, has not done much better.
An encouraging start has given way to a string of poor results in the league with heavy defeats coming against Colchester, Crewe and Plymouth. The January business conducted thus far suggests things will not change all that quickly.
The defensive errors have crept back in after some improved displays meaning they have now conceded 43 times in just 26 games in 2019-20. Cardiff may not be having the best of campaigns, but they have more than enough quality to exploit the weaknesses of a struggling fourth-tier outfit.
Bluebirds will be singing sweeter this time
Cardiff’s second-half comeback in the first tie saw them breathe a sigh of relief. They were caught cold by two well taken Carlisle goals in the first 45 but showed why they are a Championship outfit after the break.
The league form has been stuttering for Neil Harris’ outfit and the hope of an immediate return to the Premier League, although still not impossible, does seem highly improbable right now.
Their 0-0 draw in the South Wales derby with Swansea will be seen as an opportunity missed as they failed to close the gap on those above them. They’ll need to show improvement for the rest of the season if they are to keep their campaign alive beyond matchday 46.
Carlisle United vs Cardiff City betting tip
The magic of the cup has been there for all to see this season and the Cumbrians almost experienced the best of it at Cardiff but there is only so much to go around. With this in mind, we are backing Cardiff to win at odds of 7/10 with betway.
Post bet chat James's Tips:
Cardiff eventually ran out 4-3 winners, but what a cup tie this was!