Back from the game - Preston

[Dirk Gently]

We sat back for the whole match - that was the game plan from the start, to soak up pressure and counter-attack - so I didn't see why everyone's getting so critical about "sitting back" and "siege mentality." That was the idea all along.

The main difference in the second half was that Preston were committing more and more player forward (as they would when chasing a deficit at home), so we had to cover back more and sop had fewer changes to break, since we often just had one up front alone, and our midfield was pushed ever deeper so that at times there were 16 or more players in or around our box.

Despite that, we did still have breaks in the second half, but the longer the game went on the less our midfield went forward to help - again, understandable in the circumstances. Midway through the second half McAnuff had a great chance close it which came off the post and then span away from him - that would have ended the game there and then.

But I don't see it's reasonable to criticise the fact that we played-counter attacking football throughout and as the game went on counter-attacked less and less.

[Vision]

But I thought Kebe wasn't a footballer?

He's not. For every 1st half v Barnsley and Preston, we get a dozen Doncaster's!!

HTH.

Four of his last 6 starts away from home ( Derby, Norwich, Barnsley & Preston) have seen matchwinning performances, which is actually a pretty high consistency rate from a winger.

Its probably a combination of being more suited to the counter-attacking style of football more prevalent in away games and a lack of mental toughness that means his home perfromances don't reach the same level.

Either way your "he's not a footballer" mantra looks a bit tired to be honest.

[I was there at Elm Park]

We sat back for the whole match - that was the game plan from the start, to soak up pressure and counter-attack - so I didn't see why everyone's getting so critical about "sitting back" and "siege mentality." That was the idea all along.

The main difference in the second half was that Preston were committing more and more player forward (as they would when chasing a deficit at home), so we had to cover back more and sop had fewer changes to break, since we often just had one up front alone, and our midfield was pushed ever deeper so that at times there were 16 or more players in or around our box.

Despite that, we did still have breaks in the second half, but the longer the game went on the less our midfield went forward to help - again, understandable in the circumstances. Midway through the second half McAnuff had a great chance close it which came off the post and then span away from him - that would have ended the game there and then.

But I don't see it's reasonable to criticise the fact that we played-counter attacking football throughout and as the game went on counter-attacked less and less.

Spot on! Preston are a team who are hoping/expecting to reach the play-offs and that siege on our goal is to be expected from teams with those ambitions. The end to last year's game was exactly the same and I doubt too many Preston fans moaned back then about them allowing us to throw everything at them.

[towserSL2crew]

Well done lads, Kebe was excellent as was Karacan.They all did well and the only little error was ( I thought) taking Jobi off and replacing him with a centre half.It left us open on the left side and that was when they came back at us . Apart from that great night , keep it going against the Smoggies on Sat, and well sung ALL of us who turned out last night.

Jobi still needs protecting, he's a quality player but there is no way he can be completely fit to play 90 minutes at the moment. Still needs another couple of games to get up to full fitness.

I know what you are saying and I agree but wot I meant woz he could have put Noel on in a similar role to cover that area of the pitch and not give them so much room to push forwards unchallenged.
We won so thats all that matters....again well done all.

[ROY AL]

We won!, it would appear that BR did make the right substitutions. O'Dea and Ivar would not have coped with Parkin etc, the pressure was relentless. Fed made some great saves and if Preston had played in the first half as they did in the second I am sure they would have been going in to half time with the score in their favour, they were pretty poor didnt look like near top of the table form. Ivar dead a decent job but didnt look fully fit . But I'll say again WE WON!

[handbags_harris]

Rodgers ultimately nearly lost this one with his tactical substitution. Mills couldn't handle Parkin, and he strikes me as a defender who can't handle a big lump up front, a worrying trait for a central defender.

Three points yes, lucky to have three points at the end yes, but that's karma. We should have stuffed Preston by at least three goals last year and lost 2-1. This was payback

Agree with the second point, after last year we definitely deserved it. As for Mills, how do you think O'Dea and Ivar would have coped with Parkin, Mellor and Brown without help from a third centre back? That is not a criticism of your point just a question as I think Rodgers was right to make the substituiton but I could also see what it took away from the team. I actually thought it was Ivar who was struggling at the end.

Ivar didn't seem to have too many problems handling Parkin last year, and as a result (in hindsight) my feeling is that it was Ivar who should have been put on him. O'Dea still has to answer some questions I think, although there's no doubting he's from the "cultured" school of defending. Whether he can hack it long term at this (and of course Celtic's) level remains to be seen. I also mentioned that I could see exactly why Rodgers made the substitution and immediately thought it was exactly the right thing to do. Again, in hindsight and as I mentioned before, a slight tinkering would have been beneficial I feel, and we wouldn't have been under quite so much pressure.

[The Quiet Man]

I thought Mills did pretty well when he came on - made a couple of vital blocks and I would agree with the poster who said Ivar was the one who was having the most problem with the one touch PNE passing late on.

I would disagree with Dirk re sitting back, our central midfield disppeared in the latter part of the second half as it did at Peterborough. If the opposition get that much free possession then chances and goals will follow in most games (once in a while you will ride your luck as we did against preston but over a season you will get more Peterborough style results unless you can use the ball a little bit more effectively). We did have one good chance in the second half equally preston had a goal identical to the one Watford scored on Saturday chalked off for offside early in the second. All in all the win was the most important thing and if we get the confidence to play a litttle bit more football on the break then it will be for the best.

[Sarah Star]

I don't know if this is right or not, but we always look knackered in the 2nd half of any game and so when we do "sit back" - either by being forced back or by design - we're more likely to make mistakes and let the opposition score.

That's my theory anyway. We need more stamina.

[BenReadingFC]

2 seconds AF1ter Kebe scores

[Focher]

2 seconds AF1ter Kebe scores

Was that Compo?

If so a helmet of the very highest order

[79Royal]

2 seconds AF1ter Kebe scores

Disgraceful use of Gilksey's chant, by sullying it with Kebe's name! Ne'er should the two be mentioned in the same breath.

FWIW, based on what I've seen of him I'm not a big Kebe fan, but I do think he has a place as an impact player in our current squad. Well played tonight Kebe, you obviously had a blinder. PLEASE try to inject some consistency into your game though!

[FiNeRaIn]

LMAO! the pure disbelief that kebe has scored

[BenReadingFC]

Deepdale Panaramic

[The Prisoner]

Kudos to the people who tried to start the Jobi McAnuff chant to the tune of KC and the Sunshine Band "Baby Give it Up" BTW.

Still bugging me that we lost so much shape and had no outlet for the counter other than Jimmy when Mc went off. That seemed to be the tide turning point for the Alamo as we just kept punting it back to them. I assume he is not fit enough for 90 yet. Think we have a good signing there.

[PremAddict]

Amused by the 2-3 references to the Alamo. I wasn't aware that such an historical Texas event had made it to football metaphore across "the pond".

BTW, I grew-up in Texas so I had to learn all about Alamo history.

[floyd__streete]

2 seconds AF1ter Kebe scores

ALOL @ high-pitched squealing from AF1

[Royalee]

2 seconds AF1ter Kebe scores

LOL

[FiNeRaIn]

Amused by the 2-3 references to the Alamo. I wasn't aware that such an historical Texas event had made it to football metaphore across "the pond".

BTW, I grew-up in Texas so I had to learn all about Alamo history.

When the pressure is on and the kitchen sink been thrown at your goalkeeper, its always known as " the alamo"

[Ian Royal]

Amused by the 2-3 references to the Alamo. I wasn't aware that such an historical Texas event had made it to football metaphore across "the pond".

BTW, I grew-up in Texas so I had to learn all about Alamo history.

When the pressure is on and the kitchen sink been thrown at your goalkeeper, its always known as " the alamo"

I'd rather it was Rourke's Drift.

That was us and a win for the defence (admittedly under the usual method of guns vs spears). Didn't everyone at the Alamo get slaughtered?

[PEARCEY]

I don't think we should criticise too much. Preston were third in the table and unbeaten at home. An excellent result.
Lets hope the winless home run ends on Saturday. If it does things will be looking up.