Graham Alexander gives reaction after Preston North End lose to Sheffield United
Preston North End lost 3-2 to Sheffield United on Saturday.
Graham Alexander bemoaned Preston North End’s tendency to concede ‘soft goals’ after his side lost to Sheffield United on Tuesday.
It’s now six games without a win for Alexander, with Preston remaining on just five points after 14 games, making it the joint worst start in terms of results in the Championship since the league’s rebrand in 2004.
North End started the game well, with Leo Leroy firing in the opener after just two minutes and the side looking positive on the counter attack.
However, a ‘nothing ball’ from Sydie Peck into the box wasn’t defended properly and it went all the way into the net. The set-back again hit Preston hard, with Peck completing his hat-trick by half-time.
Alexander couldn’t hide his frustration with the defending. Speaking after the game, the manager said: "Great start, really good goal, had moments after that where we need to have more composure or quality, but when you concede a goal from absolutely nothing.
“Just a nothing ball into our box, we can't win the duel and make the header. Open wounds really, for the next 20 minutes.
“To get in at half-time 3-1 down after starting so well was a big blow.”
When it was put to him that the drop off after the equaliser typified the season so far, Alexander said: “It's not just this season, is it?
“It's calendar year, I've realised that now in the last week what the players have been through for a long time, it's still there bubbling under the surface.
“We have to fight inch by inch, day by day, to close those wounds. You can only do it by how you train, how you behave in between and how you play, ultimately.”
“Not all the way through the game but we did have it for spells [commitment, endeavour].
“We had it in the first 20 minutes. We conceded a goal and then, I don’t think it’s an intentional drop of effort, I think it’s just a human-nature thing in that we maybe feel a bit sorry for ourselves a little bit and maybe lose a bit of confidence in that first step back.
“I think after the first goal, we're from me to you away from challenges. The whole game is in the final yard and we have to get in that final yard as often as possible and be connected.
“When you're like that, as you saw in the second-half, as you saw against West Brom, then we're a competitive team. The calibre of the opponents we've played, West Brom, Stoke, Sheffield United tonight are all at the top end of the division but we've had spells where we can compete but ultimately, we've not been winning the games. What we have to do is get back to winning games.”
What Alexander said to PNE players at half-time
Preston managed to steady the ship after the break and fought back into the game when Callum Lang smartly finished into the bottom corner late on, but an equaliser couldn’t be found.
Alexander said on the response: “We asked the players at half-time, win the second-half, that's the minimum requirement. They've done that. Seen the response from the supporters but we can't keep letting ourselves and the support base down.
“They're desperate to get behind us, you can see that, you can feel it. But it's hard to support us when we give so many soft goals away.”
Alexander made two half-time changes, bringing off Jordan Storey and Andrija Vukcevic for Liam Lindsay and Caleb Wiley, while Alfie Devine came on in the second half and set-up Lang’s goal.
When asked about the changes, the boss said: “I just felt it was going to get worse if we didn't do something. We had to do something, we have to be proactive.
“That's not just putting it on the two individuals we brought off because it's never a two or three-man game, but we have to expect better. There has to be consequences for performances.
“So there's players on the bench, Linds, we know of his defensive qualities and we haven't seen Caleb because of his injuries.
“We wanted to have a look at him that position and I thought he did really well. I thought all the subs that came on, I thought Alfie Devine looked like the Alfie Devine from last season.
“So there was good responses from people in the second half but we're putting ourselves in a position to respond to.
“I'd like us to act in a way where we don't put ourselves in that position. But we're here to help, we have to help the players and be better on Saturday.”
He continued: “At times, we might look like we don’t care or we’re not fully committed but we are. We’re just human beings and if you have that period for a long time, six-to-eight months or something [of struggling] and it can wear you down a bit but it’s only us who can get ourselves out of it.
“We have to find a way of creating that mentality, that anger, because that’s what I thought we saw in the second half. There was an anger about our team, a controlled anger and football’s a competitive business.
“You have to compete, you have to fight, and you have to scrap, and what we have to do is do the basics well. “
Alexander asked if there were any positives
When asked if there was any positives to take from the performance, Alexander said: “It's hard to say that right now, but I did ask them at half-time, let's make sure we win the second-half and give ourselves something to take forward.
“When you get the goal back and try to get the next one, an equaliser, who knows after that, I know there was a comeback last season in similar fashion but we didn't quite get that.
“We had moments and opportunities around the box but we didn't get it. I'm glad we won the second-half, I'm glad the players finished that way, I'm glad some of the supporters got behind us.
“It was hard to do that at the end of game when you've almost thrown it away so I'm really grateful they stood with us at the end of the game but we have to give them better if we want them to really believe in them.”