by MoorgateRoyal »
13 Mar 2017 09:22
I went on Saturday.
For the first 30 minutes we looked really good going forward, creating a lot and testing their keeper a couple of times. They had a couple of forays forward and I thought we handled it well enough, then Blackett got caught in two minds on a ball over the top, didn't deal with it and Hugill nipped in, squared it to the striker who then smashed it in. From that point, we lost it at the back. Blackett seems to have no mental strength; one mistake and he is all over the place, with another poor touch which could have resulted in a goal and lots of poor control and wayward passing. I thought he was OK until the first goal, and played well against Newcastle too as one of the back three.
The second goal was a handball but the officials couldn't have seen it. In any case we should have dealt with it. Third goal was just shit and really from the moment they went in front we never looked like we would get back into it.
I thought Ali's distribution was good on the whole and he had no chance with the goals. Defensively, we were OK until Blackett melted down after the first goal. McShane was OK until the injury, JvdB looked good throughout, and I thought Gunter was crap. McGeady beat him constantly, and I think he may have stopped one cross. Did shit all going forward. Obita was good but faded with the rest of the team.
Swift was OK but couldn't quite create enough to really cause danger, whilst Grabban looked entirely uninterested for most of the game. He went on one run where he committed a few Preston players and I think we got a corner, then he did nothing else. Mutch was crap and got a suspicious-looking injury just after they scored their second. Williams couldn't influence the game when he came on, McCleary looked good and had a couple of decent efforts, but again faded late on, and Beerens came on at 3-0 which I don't see the point of.
Kermorgant was shit in my opinion. He made really unintelligent runs, either away from the play into a position into which a midfielder is going, or right out to the wing for some reason. Then he crosses the ball and complains there's no one in there to head it, not seeming to realise it should be him. He has looked good with someone playing just off him or alongside him, but on his own he causes almost no danger and for me with his experience he should be able to modify his game at least a little bit. He also whinges at the ref and lino too much and is almost constantly offside. I think he's a decent player but he just can't effectively play up top on his own.
Oxford wasn't on long but he looked very composed on the ball. I think we'll be seeing more of him in the next few weeks but it was a decent enough start.
All in all, we started really well but the wheels came off when they scored and we couldn't recover to get back in the game. Preston were functional and looked dangerous going forward, but if we'd had a little bit more guile in the first half especially, we might well have gone in front and things would look different now. We've still had a good season though and progress is there to be seen.
On a personal note, I won a signed Preston shirt in the raffle. I got to go on the pitch to pose for a picture with my spoils, and they offered to frame it for me and have it sent down south and everything. I politely declined their kind offer and gave the shirt to the steward who'd escorted me down to pick it up.