Preston North End Post Match Thoughts

[Ronners]

We should be trying to emulate PNE.
Their home crowds aren't that much bigger than ours and have similar away followings.
We can do the same starting by retaining our cship status this season and improving the quality of our squad incrementally over the next few seasons

Luton and Millwall are the same. Both in playoffs.
MT has said that's what he wants and that's his long term plan

Good post flour, lutons average home gates for this season are below ours simply because their ground is smaller. Preston's average gate is an extra 50% more than ours because their ground is bigger so will get more home and away supporters at this level of football. If we want to become a regular championship team, we would have to gamble a little and extend our capacity at the stadium because most championship clubs would nearly always fill the away end, and for quite a few games at championship level we would always get a few more home supporters. All this would be bringing more money into the club which would hopefully mean we could attract a better standard of player, or am I missing something? UTM

[Brin]

I agree about Preston being a good championship club, maybe they’ll win an award for the time wasting, they must be a contender for record holder.

Yes I know we and others do it but they held a tea party from KO and only 3 minutes added on in 1st half was just laughable but no surprise with a clown in middle of pitch

It's not about spilt milk but, only 6 minutes injury time? 10 subs = 5 minutes, add 1 goal =30 seconds. Now add the amount of time Evans was down for on three separate occasions...approx 7-9 minutes. If a Ref can play 12 minutes of injury time at Burnley because he thought we time wasted, then why wasn't there at least 10 minutes of injury time yesterday? Worse then Wycombe! Yes a better team overall but I hate cheating in a game like that.

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

Preston 2nd goal celebrations, long enough by the corner flag west / north stand,
then they decide to celebrate with manager / coaching staff at the away dug-out,
referee was poor in cutting short the celebrations.
Not sour grapes, we were out of the office last night, where Preston were not.

[ragingpup]

Yes they were the better side but that doesn’t excuse the poor defending,passing,crossing. We can’t even take a decent throw in.If we stay up & I think we will just, we have got to spend a hell of a lot of money for next season.

I agree lol but for me we started well and matched them in the opening 15 but you could then see Preston crank it up and I think our players wilted hugely under this pressure, over thought, hurried passes and crosses and generally feel apart in a way that lower quality players at this level are more prone to do. If they didn't tend to do that, had the ability to raise their game under pressure and fight off the challenge of very good opposing players on the top of their game squeezing them, I would imagine that they might not be playing for us!

I think we have the players that if some of the better teams aren't at their best and allow us to click, and maybe even get some luck, we can do ok at this level. But if even mid table teams play on top of their game against us, the odds are always going to be stacked against us and we have to rely on luck.

Full credit to Birmingham and Preston in my opinion. Both were aggressive and didn't give us chance to play and frankly we didn't have the quality to cope.

[mellowmiller]

When Scott Brown was appointed as goalkeeping coach, Matt Taylor said he was also a specialist set-piece coach.
All I can say is wow, is he on strike or something because we are shocking in that aspect of the game.

[PerigordMiller]

Nothing much to add here. We don't have any game changers to bring on with the injuries at the moment.

Preston were well organised as expected and stifled our attempts to get in crosses or play through them.

It's been said before, but its so crucial to get that first goal. I think we haven't won coming from behind all season. Not only gives confidence but also raises the crowd, who seemed very flat all night, not sure if it was actually that quiet in the stadium? Example Yates scores a third minute penalty for blackpool, they go on to win big.

We should be up for it on Saturday.

[caytonmiller]

One thing to add. No press last night. Hugill was chasing the ball and the 4 midfielders were watching him. Fergy joined in on occasions.
I lost my manners last night at a game for the first time since the loss to Wimbledon a few seasons back.
"***ual jerking press as a team you ***ual jerking over paid lady gardens ".

[Godsend.F.C.]

It's not about spilt milk but, only 6 minutes injury time? 10 subs = 5 minutes, add 1 goal =30 seconds. Now add the amount of time Evans was down for on three separate occasions...approx 7-9 minutes. If a Ref can play 12 minutes of injury time at Burnley because he thought we time wasted, then why wasn't there at least 10 minutes of injury time yesterday? Worse then Wycombe! Yes a better team overall but I hate cheating in a game like that.

They could have played 15mins of extra time & still not scored the equaliser.
Can't blame referee for average to poor defending. - plus Nob End were the much better team overall. - move on to Saturday.

[fc_miller]

Not sure I'd describe Evans goal as a wonder strike, if it wasn't for the deflection then would be comfortable save for Viktor.

[Godsend.F.C.]

Not sure I'd describe Evans goal as a wonder strike, if it wasn't for the deflection then would be comfortable save for Viktor.

Never ought to have given him the time & space to get his shot off in the first place - someone ought to have been a bit tighter to prevent him from doing so & no not a wonder strike from Ched Evans - just enough to win the game.
We dropped lucky last night - could well have been 4/1 or 5/1 and the goal difference taking a big hit.