carlisle's predominant playing position is as a centre-back and he has been described as a "defensive lynchpin". he has stated that as a youngster, he modelled his style of play on defenders such as steve bruce and gary pallister. however, he says that their style was too "ruthless" for modern football, and he now attempts to read the opponents' attacking plays. he is not known for his pace, and this has caused him some disciplinary problems as he has received eight red cards during his career. former leeds united teammate michael duberry described carlisle as a "strong" defender. carlisle is recognised as being a highly intelligent footballer, and is often seen as an imposing figure in the centre of the defence thanks to his 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) stature. he also looks to use his size to cause an attacking threat from set pieces such as free kicks and corner kicks, and scored 39 goals in his career.