NP is not exactly the sort of manager to pull off a surprise change of formation is he? That's more PB's scene. NP is more likely to name the most obvious starting XI possible. Either unchanged or Harer in for Cairney.
just go in had with a no sh*t attidute go in hard, and go for the win, and yes ash may know our tactics, but one thing he cant contain is the attacking threat of mclean, stewart and frayatt, and where are there goals coming from? our defence is just too good for there lacking attacking play.
agreed, he thinks he has too much time on the ball, and thinks hes a better player than this league, he is not very good at all.
Maybe 99.9% was a little exageration. I'm probably about 80-90% on our chances of victory. But come one, I think alot of you are being very naive. In fact, you are, it is very naive to assume that just because they are bottom of the league they will not be able to contain us or throw any attack threat whatsoever (ok they may not have any attack). Remember this is a Phil Brown team, and when they cross the white line, he will have them all stepping up to the plate, specially for this one. Remember: Emirates 2-1 (nearly twice in the FA cup if not for 2 well offside goals) White Hart Lane 1-0 (and 0-0) Old Trafford 3-4 (I know we lost but still) Stamford Bridge 1-1 (nearly happened twice) Anfield 2-2 (should have been 2-0 if not for officials) Chelski at home 1-1 Man City at home 2-1 How many people expected even one of those results. And if not for poor one-sided officiating there could have been a couple more. These were all Phil Brown tactics, when we had a poor squad. Now in comparison, Prestons squad quality against our current squad must be as good if not better in comparison to our premier league squad against the top premier league sides mentioned above, and browny got results. All I'm saying with Ash's knowledge is he will know each individuals little weak points. Maybe theres a trick Chester will always fall for and let them through on goal easy, maybe McLean and Fryatt can't play to a certain style of defending, just little things like this can all add up.
The team that beat Arsenal wasn't really a poor team ---------------- Myhill McShane Turner Zayatte Dawson ----Marney---Ashbee---Boateng --------------Geovanni -------------King----Cousin It was in our second season where it really turned to ****.
What are lot on about with regards Ashbee knowing our 'tactics' Surely any manager worth his wage will change his tactics game by game dependant on the opposition. If he played the same team the same way week in week out by the 4th game of the season eveyone will know how we play. I suspect Pearson will do the usual in respect of keep things tight at the back, tight in the middle and get his strikers to work hard and close down the ball (defend from the front), when we have the ball, he will want to do something different each week, either mix it up and hit it long, pass the way through, use the channels, play through the middle etc etc. We have pace up front, we have strength up front, we have skill in midfield and we have solid defenders (unless McShane plays)...my worry is the damage Ashbee will cause by kinking 10 bells out of our skillful players....... Expect Gerrard and Ashbee to be sent off for fighting and Wayne Brown been sent off for pulling down Fryatt cos we all know in this league he is a decent defender but against pace or skill he was rubbish. 2-0 Tigers...scrappy game with 2 really good attacks....Preston will park the bus and hope to get us on the break...if we get a goal Brown will panic cos he has no plan b UTT
You said above that we won despite having a poor squad, I don't think that's really true, it might not have been as good as Arsenal's, but it wasn't really a poor squad. The mob that Brownies bring on Saturday, now that's a poor squad.
Ok poor could have been the wrong word but by all accounts I wouldn't have called it a 'good' premier league squad. Mediocre maybe? But still, I think on paper the chances of that team gaining success against the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham were lower than the chances of Preston getting a result against us. Preston undeniably are a very poor team but this league is very hit and miss and it's not unusual to see results go the opposite way than expected. I just don't think it will be as easy as alot of people are making out, but don't get me wrong, I'd love to be proved wrong on that and give them a serious thumping dominating from start to finish.
He looked way better when he moved inside on Saturday, he's definitely more useful in the middle of the park. I'm sure the players won't be complacent at all, Pearson will want to get one over his predecessor, particularly as he didn't manage it against Leicester.
Fair enough, I don't it think it will be easy on Saturday, I just think we should be too strong for them. We've got a great defence and now we're scoring goals too, against the worst performing team in the league(who've been soundly beaten twice since Brownie arrived), we should be confident going into this game.
It looks Preston could have one or two new bodies in by Saturday: http://www.lep.co.uk/sport/league_football_2_1863/brown_set_to_dip_into_the_loan_market_1_3055206
