PNE Vs Middlesbrough (Sunday, 12pm, Live on Sky)

[SF_]

The kick off time is a bit shit for their fans but they're still expected to bring close to 4k. Fair play.

We've started at Deepdale in the last two seasons and the last two have been fucking dour games, a 0-0 snorefest against Wolves and a 1-1 against Notts County when they time wasted from the 4th minute. I'd be happy with another point here to kick things off as Boro are more than capable of giving us a smashing.

Been a frustrating pre-season for us and we're still trying and seemingly failing to get players over the line, with Pickford, Cunnningham and Keane the only new faces at the moment. If we sign anyone today or tomorrow then I would be surprised to see them thrown in right away.

Think we will line up similar to how we did in the play-offs, with a narrow 4-2-2-2 of sorts.

Pickford
Clarke, Huntington, Wright, Cunningham
Welsh, Kilkenny
Gallagher, Johnson
Garner, Beckford

Jones, Woods, Humphrey, Browne, Reid, Keane, Hugill​

Fully expecting us to let them have a lot of the ball and hit them on the break, trying to pick out Garner and Beckford down the channels.

 

[TomPNE94]

1-1

 

[SF_]

Wing backs on Saturday now Vermijl has signed?

I wasn't a fan of that system at home last season and it generally got changed at half time, but Vermijl and Cunningham seem like genuinely attacking wing backs so it might be a bit more effective.

 

[TomPNE94]

I'd imagine so yeah. With Humphrey an option from the bench to replace Vermijl. I prefer Humphrey at RWB to RW tbh.

-----------------------Pickford
---------Clarke-----Huntington----Wright
Vermijl---------------------------------------Cunningham
------------------Welsh------Johnson
------------------------Gallagher
-----------------Garner---------Beckford

Maybe? Although he seems to want to fit Keane in somewhere.

 

[JJH]

Wing backs on Saturday now Vermijl has signed?

I wasn't a fan of that system at home last season and it generally got changed at half time, but Vermijl and Cunningham seem like genuinely attacking wing backs so it might be a bit more effective.

Wouldn't say Cunningham is an out and out attacking wing-back like Little or Bryan that were regular starters last season - but I think if you played too expansively you'd get exposed in this league, as we all would.

Cunningham was very good at wing back for us though, he'll be defensively sound, as he was for us in L1 and the Championship, and he'll provide a threat going forward as well.

 

[TractorBoys]

PNE 0 - 2 M'boro

 

[Ciderhead]

Wouldn't say Cunningham is an out and out attacking wing-back like Little or Bryan that were regular starters last season - but I think if you played too expansively you'd get exposed in this league, as we all would.

Cunningham was very good at wing back for us though, he'll be defensively sound, as he was for us in L1 and the Championship, and he'll provide a threat going forward as well.

This. Think he's more effective as an attacking FB in a 4, on the overlap with a wide player ahead of him, but he's still a perfectly good wingback and it's always difficult comparing him with Bryan who's tailor-made for the role

 

[Dazza]

PNE 1-3 Boro

 

[WhiteRussian]

Short of getting smashed for a high score I don't think Preston can really go wrong here. If they win or draw it will be a bloody good result and a close loss against one of the favourites for the autos isn't really going to impact too much on their confidence. I reckon a surprise could be on the cards.

 

[zanderpne]

I'm fully expecting us to lose tomorrow, a draw would be great.

Hopefully Stuart Downing can give us a few laughs

 

[TomPNE94]

I'm fully expecting us to lose tomorrow, a draw would be great.

Hopefully Stuart Downing can give us a few laughs

Yeah, maybe he'll tell us a joke after banging in his 3rd goal.

 

[SirTomFinney]

Feel like a kid at Christmas! Back in the championship at long last

On to the game. I fully expect us to line up in a very similar way to the play off final. Let Middlesbrough have the ball and try to pick them off down the channels on the break. Beckford and Garner are very capable of causing many problems up top.

A loss would be no shame here. Playing a team who have are offering 10 million plus for a player is way out of our league! And the signing of Stuart Downing at this level is ridiculous.

But with our team spirit and quality up top,I see no reason why we can't get a result.

I'm going for a 2-2 draw.

Can't wait to get to Deepdale today,COYWWWWWW

 

[SirTomFinney]

Team for me would be
Pickford
Clarke Wright Hunts Cunningham
Welsh Kilkenny
DJ Gallagher
Beckford Garner

 

[markwwfc1992]

PNE 1-1 Middlesbrough

 

[JoeJoeJoeJoe]

Don't rate that PNE side at all.

 

[JJH]

Don't rate that PNE side at all.

No Beckford?

 

[JJH]

Pretty even start in fairness.

Both teams have had good chances, Keane and Leadbitter notably, and Walsh has had Downing on locks currently.

Pretty impressed with PNE so far, look a far better side already than we did yesterday, admittedly away from home, but still.

 

[TomPNE94]

Playing well here. Impressed with Cunningham.

 

[SirTomFinney]

Great first half for PNE. Garner causing havoc up top. Teams must hate playing against the lad!!

Cunningham has had a fantastic first half. Very impressed. Keane looking good on the ball.

No reason why we can't nick this

 

[WhiteRussian]

Playing well Preston.

 

[JJH]

Downing still barely had a sniff.

Makes me angry watching this and seeing Cunningham have a good game, knowing that Bryan went off injured yesterday.

They've got themselves a good player there.

 

[TomPNE94]

Well happy with that. Reassuring for the rest of the season.

 

[KevinMcallister]

poor Downing, he was meant to be the next Pele of the Championship

just another over-rated PL footballer that was meant to tear it up

good result for Preston

 

[SF_]

Don't rate that PNE side at all.

Cool.

 

[JoeJoeJoeJoe]

Cool.

I was waiting for this

 

[SF_]

Very happy with that, up against one of the best defences and midfields in the league who were able to bring about £6m+ worth of talent off the bench and we matched them. Could have nicked it if Garner buried that chance at the end.

Bailey Wright was my man of the match, he was outstanding.
John Welsh did a superb job on Downing though who didn't get a sniff, his passing was suspect but he's not in there to look good on the ball.
Cunningham had a great game at left back too, controlled Adomah well and got himself forward to put some good crosses in. Looks a top buy.

Impressed by all the new signings actually;

Pickford didn't have much to do but his distribution is top drawer,
Vermijl started slowly but he started to bomb on as the game progressed and looked good on the ball
and Keane worked his nuts off and put himself about, think he will be a bit of a fans favourite here.

Promising start, with Beckford to come back too.

 

[Costello]

Well done PNE, looked a really hard-working and well organised unit, which will stand you in good stead for the rest of the season.

Also shows there's little to be feared for the rest of the Championship, if we didn't know it already, with Derby and Boro both drawing blanks this opening weekend (despite the many millions worth of attacking recruits).

 

[KevinMcallister]

Well done PNE, looked a really hard-working and well organised unit, which will stand you in good stead for the rest of the season.

Also shows there's little to be feared for the rest of the Championship, if we didn't know it already, with Derby and Boro both drawing blanks this opening weekend (despite the many millions worth of attacking recruits).

TBF to Derby they had bad luck, 2 injuries to good players in 25mins then Darren Bent and WEimann stayed on the bench, WEimann came on very late, not much can be read into on opening day tbh

 

[Costello]

Ahh, who needs context?

 

[TomPNE94]

Very happy with that, up against one of the best defences and midfields in the league who were able to bring about £6m+ worth of talent off the bench and we matched them. Could have nicked it if Garner buried that chance at the end.

Bailey Wright was my man of the match, he was outstanding.
John Welsh did a superb job on Downing though who didn't get a sniff, his passing was suspect but he's not in there to look good on the ball.
Cunningham had a great game at left back too, controlled Adomah well and got himself forward to put some good crosses in. Looks a top buy.

Impressed by all the new signings actually;

Pickford didn't have much to do but his distribution is top drawer,
Vermijl started slowly but he started to bomb on as the game progressed and looked good on the ball
and Keane worked his nuts off and put himself about, think he will be a bit of a fans favourite here.

Promising start, with Beckford to come back too.

Yeah Wright was my MOTM too. Was absolutely everywhere. Pickford can seriously fucking kick the ball too, absolutely miles.