Dave Seddon’s PNE pressview: Darnell Fisher is fans’ choice to play at right-back for Preston

Humour was something in short supply at Preston North End last weekend following the first day defeat to Swansea.
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The fact that transfer speculation about Daniel Johnson and Ben Davies, swirled round both before and after the loss, so too the lack of incoming activity, hardly helped the mood at Deepdale.

Spirits were raised by the Carabao Cup win at Derby on Tuesday night, and the cloud lifted off them.

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Post match at Pride Park, North End manager Alex Neil had a laugh about his own tough refereeing rules in training when it comes to Darnell Fisher.

Darnell Fisher looks likely to start at right-back against NorwichDarnell Fisher looks likely to start at right-back against Norwich
Darnell Fisher looks likely to start at right-back against Norwich

The right-back got his first slice of competitive action since last season in the 2-1 win over the Rams.

He had a good night, providing the assist for Tom Barkhuizen’s goal and then winning the penalty which Johnson put away.

Fisher was also typical Fisher, winning a string of free-kicks with his habit of drawing nudges and pushes from the opposition.

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He was second only to Sean Maguire last season to being the most fouled player in the North End squad.

It was on that subject after the Derby game that Neil cracked a smile.

Neil said: “If you look at it, they (Derby) did it all night as well.

“When you get wrong side and feel a bump, you go down, it’s really difficult for the referee not to give it.

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“In training, Darnell does that all the time and I don’t give him a free-kick ever, 100% I don’t!

“I’m preparing him for the worst-case scenario.”

That little insight into Tuesday evening’s events is a good way into the right-back debate at North End.

It is a position Neil hasn’t seemed too sure about since June’s restart, with him trying a few different things.

Alan Browne, Fisher and Joe Rafferty all played there over the course of last season’s final nine games.

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It was Browne there for the Carabao Cup first round win over Mansfield, and again for Swansea.

Fisher got his turn in midweek after shaking off an injury suffered during pre-season, with Rafferty over on the other side at left-back.

Last Saturday against Swansea, Browne didn’t have the most enjoyable of afternoons, Jake Bidwell a lively opponent as the Welsh side’s left wing-back.

It’s fair comment that Browne looked far more at home doing an attacking midfielder’s job at Derby.

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In the Swansea game it might just have been a slight lack of match sharpness which caught him out, having been away with the Republic of Ireland for 10 days and not having kicked a ball in their two games.

His standard of display though, was far greater on Tuesday night, being a big part of PNE’s high pressing game which gave Derby plenty of problems.

That brings me back to Fisher who on his day can be very good.

He’s clearly got the North End fans onside if a quick question I posed on Twitter is anything to go by.

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It was a simple who do you want to play at right-back? The vast majority of replies leaned in Fisher’s favour.

If he plays like he did at Derby consistently, PNE have a very decent player on their hands.

I thought Rafferty did well there in the latter stages of last season, as he did at left-back against the Rams.

Browne could well be played there again as the season progresses, after all Fisher likes a yellow card which can pile-up to lead to a suspension or two.

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Heading into the visit to Norwich, I would regard Fisher as the first-choice right-back if Tuesday was anything to go by.

The use of Browne there has maybe been down for a need to add an attacking element on that side.

Fisher first and foremost is a defender rather than a full-back who will motor up and down the pitch.

After North End’s sticky display against Swansea, they were much better at Derby.

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For the record it was a decent Rams outfit they knocked out, not a ‘weakened’ team as I saw mentioned more than once.

Phillip Cocu only changed four of the starting XI from their opening-day defeat to Reading – Neil swapped 10.

Barkhuizen’s corker of a goal and DJ’s stoppage-time penalty winner made the headlines but really it should not have needed a fight back.

North End were by far the stronger side for the first half hour, that work undone only by dropping off early in the second to concede.

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They regained their foothold in the game and went on to win, helped by three good substitutions.

Johnson was one of those who came off the bench, Neil having opted to start with Tom Bayliss in midfield.

No doubt he had prepared with Johnson in the side for the Swansea game, only for the Rangers speculation to blow up and perhaps prove something of a distraction.

Whether this turns into a saga over the remainder of the season or gets resolved one way or the other, we will have to see.

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Johnson would be a big loss should he opt to take the high road over the border.

He’s shown over the last five-and-a-half years what a good player he is – scores goals, he’s creative and takes a mean penalty.

Davies is another to have made the news this week, with Bournemouth said to be interested.

That’s not had the column inches and attention on the scale Rangers’ attempts to get Johnson have done.

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Would you sell to a fellow Championship side, however good the money is?

There’s a Scottish link too with Davies, Celtic having been talked about as a possible destination but not right away.

An option for him is to sign a pre-contract agreement with Celtic in January ahead of his PNE contract running out next summer.

There could be some big calls for North End to make before this window is out.

Best case scenario of course is for new contracts to be agreed, together with the arrival of a new face or two.

The alternative could mean a rough ride.