Swift action from Carlisle United should further reinforce belief in the recruitment team: View | OneFootball

The Blues will want to repeat this efficient move ahead of their game against Barrow.

Highlights

Ahead of their derby against Barrow, Carlisle United are trying desperately to get a midfielder in.

The injury woes at this position piled up in pre-season, leaving Paul Simpson with very limited options in the middle of the park.

Callum Guy, Ethan Robson, Dylan McGeough and Taylor Charters are all expected to be out of action for an extended period, and all the attention is on who can come in and fill that gap.

The current makeshift midfield option is central defender Ben Barclay, but he is by no means a viable long-term option for Carlisle.

Time is running out for them to be able to bring somebody in. Simpson has said that they have looked at a few different options but problems that are unrelated to them have arisen preventing any deals from happening, as yet.

Faith should not dwindle though. This recruiting team have shown as recently as last week that they can produce a good signing in quick fashion.

Ben Williams is proof of the recruitment team's short-notice capability

Less than a week before the start of the new season, summer signing and projected first choice left wing-back Cameron Harper re-injured his groin - an issue that is set to keep him out for around three or four weeks.

With both back-up options - Charters and Jack Robinson - out as well, Carlisle suddenly needed to add a piece to their team at short notice. The man they brought in was Ben Williams.

The former Barnsley and Cheltenham Town player, 25, came straight into the first team for the opening game against Gillingham after just one day of training with the squad and no proper pre-season. Even though his side lost 4-1, he performed admirably.

His quality delivery from wide areas was evident, creating one very good chance for his fellow wing-back Archie Davies in the first half. The brief cameo he had in the EFL Cup against Stoke City was further evidence of the smart business that the Blues had done on short notice.

The recruitment team do need to try and perform this act of quick thinking again ahead of the Barrow match, but there should be confidence in them that they can do it because they've already proven that it's within their capability to do so.

Carlisle's midfield dilemma

Two problems face United ahead of Saturday. One is the aforementioned need to sign someone to play down the spine of the team. The other is, if they can't get anyone in, then who should they go with?

Let's tackle the first one. That need for another body is very obvious, but, once the players are all fit again, Carlisle would have seven centre-mids, if you include whoever they are expected to bring in before the end of the window.

It's a hard balancing act for them because they won't want a couple of them out of the squad entirely most weeks, but they also do need someone in now.

The type of player they decide to go for will also be key. Given the profiles they already have, a more creative threat - a number 10 - is what they seem to be lacking most.

Now, if they can't sign anyone in time for the derby, then who does Simpson go with? Do they stick with Barclay, or do they bring in a more attacking option in Dan Butterworth?

Both of them have their strengths and weaknesses. Carlisle have lacked a potent threat behind the strikers in their opening two games. Butterworth could help to rectify that, but his defensive abilities are pretty poor and could leave United's backline, which has conceded six times already this season, vulnerable.

But, bringing him in would allow someone like Harrison Neal to fall back into his more naturally suited role as a holding midfielder, and it'd take some of the attacking burden off Josh Vela.

Given they're at home and should have the momentum of a packed Brunton Park behind them, defensive stability should be the priority for Simpson and sticking with Barclay would be the smarter choice.

The energy of the fans can help to will the ball into the opposition's net more so than it can help keep the ball out of the Blues'.