Lack of creativity is the problem admits Preston North End boss Alex Neil

Alex Neil says the search goes on for a ‘solution’ to Preston’s creative issues after managing to stop the leaking of goals at the other end of the pitch.
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The Lilywhites’ goalless draw with Huddersfield was their first clean sheet since a 2-0 win at Stoke in February.

However, they did not have a shot on target in the game despite having much the better of the play.

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Tom Barkhuizen led the attack, the fourth different starter in the striker’s role since the restart.

Preston midfielder Brad Potts tracks Huddersfield left-back Harry Toffollo (photo: Tony Johnson/JPIMedia)Preston midfielder Brad Potts tracks Huddersfield left-back Harry Toffollo (photo: Tony Johnson/JPIMedia)
Preston midfielder Brad Potts tracks Huddersfield left-back Harry Toffollo (photo: Tony Johnson/JPIMedia)

Sean Maguire, Jayden Stockley and David Nugent had started up front in the games against Luton, Cardiff and Derby respectively.

North End manager Neil said: “We have struggled since we came back in terms of being creative.

“The forward players have changed a lot during the matches so I just need to try and find a solution to give us the best possible chance of scoring goals.

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“A big part of our planning for the game was to make sure we were hard to beat.

“We’d lost twice in a row and we needed to stop that.

“I wanted us to be hard to beat, solid, we went back to basics and did it well.

“Did that come at the expense of our attacking play? Maybe it did.

“In the past we have found a better balance of being hard to beat and still having a real threat

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“If we want to be challenging anywhere near the top end we need to be offering a threat all the way through the game.”

The play-offs are looking a faded dream, with North End six points adrift of Cardiff, who sit in sixth place.

Position-wise they were up and down over the weekend.

They dropped to 10th on Friday night when Millwall won at Charlton.

Saturday’s point nudged them back up to ninth before Swansea knocked them back to 10th with a 2-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday yesterday.

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It is the Owls who North End play next at Hillsborough on Wednesday evening.

Ahead of that trip, Neil will assess the fitness of midfield duo Ben Pearson and Ryan Ledson.

Both struggled with cramp in the latter stages, Ledson going off in the 83rd minute while Pearson battled on until the end.

Said Neil: “I thought Ryan did well coming back into the side, he got his tackles in and put in some good passes.

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“Him and Ben Pearson did well, they bounced off each other well.

“In the second half there was a Huddersfield break when Ryan got back and put in a great tackle. It was a good, solid performance from him.

“Pearo and Ryan both had cramp at the end – you’ve got to remember that Ryan hasn’t played a lot.”