Match Day Thread Preston North End v Swansea City Deepdale 12/1/2019

North End return to league action on Saturday after their less than epic defeat in the cup to Doncaster against Graham Potter(no relation of Brian) Swansea City, it is the Swans first visit since a 2-1 defeat in our relegation season, at the time their manager was Brendan Rogers who complained about the length of the grass after the game, the Swans also won promotion that season.
City have not been consistent this however do not drawn a game since 2/10/2018 when they drew with the Pies on the rugby league ground. Play decent football and think they will be tough opponents will have to keep an eye on McBurnie.
Selection problems of the right kind for us 9 who didn't start last week available interesting team selection for the manager, form guide they are 7th and we are 16th, looking forward to this one
First Team News
Team News: Swansea City

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It’s a very different problem for manager Alex Neil this weekend, after five games of the team picking itself!
Having had 12 or senior outfield players to pick from for the festive period, there is finally light at the end of the tunnel for the gaffer in terms of options available to him for the visit of Swansea City to Deepdale.

Ben Pearson is available again after completing his four-match ban for his second red card of the season, picked up at Sheffield Wednesday prior to Christmas.

New signings Jayden Stockley, Brad Potts, Josh Ginnelly and latest recruit, goalkeeper Connor Ripley, are all in contention to be involved in the squad for the first time against Graham Potter’s Welsh outfit.
Alan Browne returned to play 45 minutes against Doncaster Rovers last weekend, whilst Brandon Barker and Sean Maguire also came off the bench, which also included Josh Earl, another back from injury.
These four, plus goalkeeper Declan Rudd and skipper Tom Clarke, who were both rested for the clash with Donny, are all in contention to be involved in the clash with the Swans.

Ben Davies and Louis Moult (both hamstring) are also edging closer to a return to training and will be monitored closely this week. Once they have returned it will leave only the long-term injured; Callum Robinson (hamstring) and Billy Bodin and Josh Harrop (both ACL) unavailable for selection.

Like his opposite number, City boss Potter will hope to welcome back some key men, with strike duo Ollie McBurnie and Wilfred Bony expected to have recovered from the sickness bug that ruled them out of last weekend’s convincing cup win over Aston Villa, along with a number of other members of the squad, who all returned to training this week.

However, he also has long-term absentees and is still without Martin Olsson and Tom Carroll for the trip up to Lancashire.

Ref Watch: Swansea City

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Taking charge of his first Preston North End game of the season at Deepdale this weekend is experienced official Keith Stroud.
Last season, the Hampshire official took charge of two PNE games, both away from Deepdale, the first at Birmingham City back in September 2017, when goals from Tom Barkhuizen, Daniel Johnson and Jordan Hugill saw the side come from behind at the break to end Harry Redknapp’s tenure at St Andrews and the second, the win at Burton Albion in December the same year.

In 2016/17 his only game with the whistle for a PNE game was our loss at Brentford, whilst the previous season he also took charge of our game at Birmingham, as North End came from 2-0 down against what was then Gary Rowett’s men, with goals from Alan Browne and Greg Cunningham earning the Lilywhites a point.

That was his second North End game in two months after he took charge of the Lilywhites' home win over Sheffield Wednesday in February 2015, as well as PNE's last clash with a steel city side at Deepdale, 2014/15's FA Cup tie with Sheffield United. The win over the Owls was his last visit to Deepdale, so it will be almost four years since his last trip to PR1.
The official also refereed the Lilywhites Play-Off clash with Rotherham United in May 2014 as well as the previous season’s 3-2 home win over Ipswich, when Joe Garner scored a second half hat-trick as a substitute to knock the Tractor Boys out of the FA Cup at the fourth round stage.
His two previous league trips to Deepdale prior to that also saw wins, the famous 6-0 triumph over Cardiff City, which led to the Play-Offs in 2009 and a 2-1 win over West Brom the previous year, when the Lilywhites ended the game with nine men after the dismissal of both Youl Mawene and Chris Brown.

On Saturday back here at Deepdale Keith will be assisted by John Flynn and Matt Foley, with Martin Coy acting as the fourth official.

It will be Keith’s 16th game of the season, having so far issued 51 cautions and one red card, his last game being West Brom’s 1-0 home FA Cup win over Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

 

Preston North End 1 Johnson pen Swansea CITY 1 Baker-Richardson

PNE line-up: Rudd, Clarke © (Fisher, 67), Hughes, Pearson, Huntington (Earl, 46), Storey, Potts, Johnson (Maguire, 74), Stockley, Browne, Barkhuizen. Subs not used: Ripley, Gallagher, Ledson, Nmecha.

Swansea City line-up: Mulder, Van Der Hoorn, Fer ©, Celina, Dyer (Montero, 80), Routledge, Grimes, Rodon, Roberts, Naughton (McKay, 89), Baker-Richardson (Bony, 75). Subs not used: Nordfeldt, Carter-Vickers, James, Fulton.

Attendance: 11,604 (570 Swansea City fans)

Referee: Mr K Stroud

Will take a point given we were up against a decent side, ended up with 10 men and a back four consisting of two full backs a midlielder and a 19 year old centre back.
Possibly had a shade of luck with the penalty decision but Earl's sending off for two bookings was harsh to say the least.
Only two of the new signings started Stockley and Potts, with the former showing some nice early touches when we occasionally got the ball, difference in the early stages and in truth throughout the match was ball retention. Treated them withfar too much respect in the early stages and it was only on raqre occasions in the first have where we got stuck in that we caused City problems. Their two vastly experienced wingers Dyer and Routledge were a constant source of daqnger and the intelligent running of Fer could have led to a goal but his cross cumshot found no one when it skimmed past the goal.
Rudd pulled out a great save to deny the Welsh side the lead possibly Celina's shot, all we had were a Clarke header which caused problems and a Potts shot which Mulder saved in unconvincing fashion. Bit tactical was the first half.
The second was more open for a period of time, North End lost Huntington to injuy at the break Earl replaced him, both sides were more attacking which was more of a worry to us because they were inventive around the box and so it proved when they scored, two missed tackles by us a series of lightning fast one twos and Baker-Richardson tapped home from close range, really decent goal.
We were not behind for long a Stockley cross was handled according to the linesman, after what seemed an eternity waiting for Mulder to get between the sticks Johnson rolled home the penalty.
Clarke went off injured and Johnson was switched for Maguire meaning Potts in his preferred position centre midfield found Maguire whose shot was saved by Mulder who also did well to save Barkhuizen's effort following teh save. We seemed to be just about getting on top when Earl got two quick bookings both harsh, this led to Browne playing left back, in truth apart from a Bony effort which he headed wide we were not overly troubled and snaffled a point.
Ace purple away kit from Swansea who played some great football but were also pretty good at taking men out of the game when they didn't have the ball, best of the three relegated Prem sides we have played this season.

Preston manager Alex Neil:

"Overall I think a point was a fair result. It was a bit of a stuffy game.

"I thought the sending-off was extremely harsh. I don't think either were clear bookings, the second one especially so. We didn't even think it was a foul, so we are disappointed with the decision.

"We are still looking for players, we want to try and finish the window with as strong a squad as possible and so never say never."

Swansea manager Graham Potter:

"We scored a really good goal and started the second half really well and had control of the game, but when you concede it changes the game and they had a spell where it became scrappy and then it favoured them.

"You need to survive key moments and be a bit more clinical. We gave the ball away too easily and did not do enough to score more than one.

"We are some way off being a top-six side still and we need to keep improving."