Preston North End 0-1 Watford Fc - 16/02/2021

Discussion in 'Match Day' started by EB Hornet, Feb 14, 2021.

?

What will the scoreline be ?

Poll closed Feb 16, 2021.
  1. Watford by 3 goals or more

    9 vote(s)
    11.4%
  2. Watford by 2 goals or more

    17 vote(s)
    21.5%
  3. Watford by 1 goal

    26 vote(s)
    32.9%
  4. Score Draw

    7 vote(s)
    8.9%
  5. No Score Draw

    7 vote(s)
    8.9%
  6. Preston NE by 1 goal

    9 vote(s)
    11.4%
  7. Preston NE by 2 goals

    1 vote(s)
    1.3%
  8. Preston NE by 3 goals or more

    3 vote(s)
    3.8%
  1. EB Hornet

    EB Hornet Reservist

    Not a preview but was keen to get discussing. Please merge into the proper one when made.

    Nervous as hell about the team sheet for this one. We’ve been given hope and that could mean major disappointment on Tuesday!

    No need to rotate (bar any injuries). Let them loose to go and play.

    Looking ahead though there are plenty of ways to rotate / rest without destroying what we saw yesterday. And no need to play out of position when doing so.

    GK Bachman / Foster
    RB Femenia / Ngakia
    LB Masina / Lazaar
    CB any of 5
    CM 3 from Clevs, Chalobah, Hughes, Gosling (Hughes most important)
    Wings - Sema, Sarr, Zinc (maybe Pedro)
    CF Pedro / Perica (maybe Success)

    that’s a squad of 20 with Success. Add a few U’23’s for some keen enthusiasm and possibly find one who clicks.
     
  2. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    We will see one of Gray or Deeney play ...

    Just you wait .
     
    La_tempesta_cielo_68 likes this.
  3. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    [​IMG] Vs [​IMG]
    Preston had a terrible start in terms of their home fixtures unable to score and secure a point until their fifth game. They are running on a tight budget limiting Alex Neil's options and their initial thoughts of a playoff push can now be limited to another season in the Championship.

    That said the club were rather busy in the transfer window with many outgoings and incomings. Ben Davies left for Liverpool and Ben Pearson for Muff. Another Ben arrived in the form of Whiteman.

    The other additions by Neil have already featured in the local derby win against Blackburn in an attacking 4-3-3. Anthony Gordon out on the left, Whiteman controlling things from infront of the back four and infamous Ched Evans upfront with Liam Lindsay and Greg Cunningham in a second loan spell with the Lilywhites bolstering the defence.

    So it will be a completely different side from the one that faced us in late November and which ended in a thrashing. Even the goalkeeper that day Declan Rudd has been sidelined by new arrival Alan Iversen.

    That's enough about PNE. What about us ? Everyone connected with the club must be immensely buoyed by the win albeit against a poor Bristol City side ravaged like PNE by injuries. Simply put we cannot put too much burden on the team by expecting six nil scorelines to be a matter of routine. Football is not like that. However what is certain is that we must play to our strengths which is speed of movement and passing it on the ground.

    We must dispense with hoofball and by logical extension Deeney. He no longer has the mobility to play in this pass and move system. Compare him to Pedro who won the ball, came deep and indeed played all over the pitch but led the line so well and ran the channels creating space as did Cleverley and Chalobah by movement allowing General Hughes to mastermind switches and through balls and ball retention.

    We played a high press and unlike Deeney who can manage it in fits and starts and Gray albeit contributing to the sixth goal lacks the effort for me to work hard enough. Yesterday both midfielders ahead of Hughes and the front three chased and harried in concert and forced turnovers both deep and cheap possession to us strangling the life out of the Robins. This is what we must do from now on. Furthermore the advanced positions taken up allow more bodies to get into the box with ease as witnessed several times yesterday rather than no one at all or seeing a puffing Deeney making his way slowly to the 18 yard line.

    I will reiterate it again we need to keep at this system of speed of thought, execution and passing because few teams will live with it. Even for a time at Swansea we managed it and forced the Swans deep until we scored and decided to shut up shop. It was tremendously heartening to see the foot not taken off yesterday and moreover a pleasure to see the general character of the players with smiles on their faces playing with some freedom.

    Deeney has served his bit for the club and perhaps it is unfair to target him so much but he has been the fly in the ointment even in the relegation from the PL where we elected to play hoofball instead of pace and movement off the channels with Pedro and Welbeck. He makes defenders lives easy. Witness Ostergard struggle against Ukpeazu as Wycombe pulled off a tremendous comeback and Deeney versus the same player the other week.

    The sad part is this should have been implemented from the start of the season. I have put forward this line up in recent weeks.
    -------------------------------Foster------------------------------------------
    Femenia-----------Wilmot---------------Sierralta----------------Masina
    Cleverly
    Zinckernagel---------------------------Hughes
    Sarr--------------------Pedro----------------------Sema

    Zinckernagel and Hughes to play beyond Pedro as often as possible.Push Kiko or Adam alternately using Cleverly and Wilmot as a deep pivot. Sarr and Sema to get into the box on the opposite side of the attacking fullback cross and stay out wide when not to open up the space for the two attacking midfielders. Pedro free role. Press hard from the front five.

    For those who have watched football a long time you do not need a plethora of coaching credentials to see what is going on and what needs to be fixed. It amazes me how many times even some of the most experienced coaches such as Alfio Basile love to try and make inflexible systems work, pick players not on form but past reputation and use formations that force round pegs into square holes.

    Hopefully this is all behind us and the team can march on and string a run together that sees us make a bid for automatic promotion. However my heart remains heavy fearing that what we will see against PNE is a return to Deeney masquerading as a striker upfront and the team come to a juddering halt.

    Happy Days and happy faces:

    [​IMG]
     
  4. Relegation Certs

    Relegation Certs Squad Player

    So long as deeney and gray don't start the decisions to be made about the other positions don't matter one bit. Sarr, hughes, cleverley and sierralta seem to be guaranteed starters now. All the rest are much of a muchness, but with Gozzers and the Laser having the potential to be ace so I hope they get given a chance ASAP.

    The jury is still out on zinc for this pundit. He looked powderpuff again v brizzle and his offside goal donated by Sarr doesn't paper over that gaping crack for me.
     
  5. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    With games in Tuesday and Friday I'd be surprised if he doesn't rotate a little/lot. He won't play the same starting 11 three times spanning 6 days and 7 hours surely ? I expect Gray and Ngakia at least to start.
     
    wfc4ever likes this.
  6. jackwfc

    jackwfc Academy Graduate

    Great write up, voted for watford by 1 goal, but I fear troy will play, if he does I think we’ll draw, this game all depends on the lineup for me.
     
    Moosegasm likes this.
  7. tonycotonstache

    tonycotonstache Squad Player

    Same team and we win.

    ANY changes and we won't.
     
  8. JimOrn

    JimOrn Academy Graduate

    We have a terrible record at Preston, wasn’t our last win there way back in the 70’s?

    Same team as yesterday 1-2
    Deeney and Grey back 1-0
     
    The Voice of Reason likes this.
  9. leighton buzzard horn

    leighton buzzard horn Squad Player

    Same again please, Xisco. Same line up, same formation, same attitude, same desire. Do that and we win.
     
  10. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    I remember Patching scored in a 2-1 away win 1st or 2nd season back up in that league under GOD c1980.
     
    Rozerhorn likes this.
  11. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Preston North Endless season.
     
    Chumlax likes this.
  12. LondonOrn

    LondonOrn Squad Player

    Just one league win, and a win in the FA Cup in 1949-50 long before the sides first met in the league.

    We have an awful record against northwest clubs in general for some reason, one win at Liverpool (and think we've lost every other game there), no wins at Everton, no league win at Man Utd, three wins at Burnley (first win wasn't until the crazy 7-4 in 2002/03), no wins at Bradford (although they're more north central).
     
  13. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    I suspect our lads are just mentally crushed by the northern grimness every time they go up there.
     
    3000 likes this.
  14. Chumlax

    Chumlax Squad Player

    I've never had cause to look closely before and realise how sick PNE's crest actually is.
     
    Dr. Roland likes this.
  15. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    Agreed. I don’t mind if Gray starts to be honest as he is just an underperforming cog in the wheel. Deeney starting is what changes everything and would undo the progress made Saturday.
     
    Moosegasm likes this.
  16. leighton buzzard horn

    leighton buzzard horn Squad Player

    Annoyingly, Deepdale is a ground I’ve always wanted to visit but never been able to for various reasons.
     
  17. Rambo

    Rambo Academy Graduate

    What does Gray starting give us?
     
  18. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    Nothing. But we could have the same approach as Saturday playing Gray over Pedro. We play Deeney we will go back to 4-4-2
     
  19. EB Hornet

    EB Hornet Reservist

    Deeney changes the dynamic of the team, the youngsters don’t perform as well with him there and our game play changes as well to suit his needs.

    Gray is unfortunately just completely useless at the moment and has been for a while. We wouldn’t be the only club in the world of football to drop someone not performing.

    I’ll be gutted if either start.

    Is this one on sky? Red button?
     
    Dr. Roland and Chumlax like this.
  20. Leighton Buzzer

    Leighton Buzzer Reservist

    Yep. and I was there. Friday evening if I remember rightly, freezing cold. and I only had a very light jacket on.
    Seem to remember it was the game where Ross Jenkins got his front tooth knocked out.
     
  21. If it ain't broke don't fix it. I fear he will though...
     
    Dr. Roland likes this.
  22. Dreadnought

    Dreadnought MMC 2010/11 Prediction league 3rd 2011/12

    Just checked and yes this game is on the red button
     
    EB Hornet likes this.
  23. JimOrn

    JimOrn Academy Graduate

    You’re not missing out on much
     
  24. Cassetti's Beard

    Cassetti's Beard First Team

    Don't start Deeney or Gray and we win, it's really that ******* simple.

    I appreciate we may have to rotate with a game on Tuesday and Friday but please start Zinc and Perica or anyone from the reserves over them.
     
  25. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    ‘Sick’ in the traditional ‘tasteless’ sense, or ‘sick’ in the modern ‘really rather good’ sense?
     
  26. Chumlax

    Chumlax Squad Player

    Modern, CLEARLY GRANDDAD #OkBoomer
     
  27. Oscar calling

    Oscar calling Squad Player

    Agreed. I would like to see Perica given some minutes and have no problem if Wilmot starts.
     
    Cassetti's Beard and Chumlax like this.
  28. Carpster

    Carpster Squad Player

    Surely not. If he does he needs sectioning.
     
  29. Chumlax

    Chumlax Squad Player

    Literally no reason whatsoever not to start Zinck, and his ball progressing abilities will be especially useful in an away game (as long as we all pretend there's such a thing as away effect without crowds, to spare the feelings of our mentally-soft little princelings).
     
    Cassetti's Beard and wfc4ever like this.
  30. Happy bunny

    Happy bunny Cheered up a bit

    So what was the main reason for that amazing scoreline? Change of formation, change of players, change of attitudes or Bristol's total crapness?

    We'll have a better idea on Tuesday evening. Fingers crossed for the teamsheet.
     
    Moosegasm likes this.
  31. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    :D
     
    Chumlax likes this.
  32. Chumlax

    Chumlax Squad Player

    Just look at it, it's a holy sheep chilling with a heraldically-embossed crosier.
     
  33. a19tgg

    a19tgg First Team

    I’ll smash my TV to pieces if Deeney starts.
     
    Chumlax likes this.
  34. Teide1

    Teide1 Squad Player

    Yesterday the players looked rejuvenated because Deeney and Gray didn’t start they probably thought all eleven of us are on the same page let’s go for it, and go for it they did, as perfect a performance as you are likely to see!

    Play Deeney. And I’m afraid everything changes up front!
     
    Dr. Roland likes this.
  35. nascot

    nascot First Team

    Really? I've always enjoyed Preston as an away day (apart from the actual match, obviously).
     

Share This Page