Paul Heckingbottom on loss to Derby County as transfer admission made amid Preston North End pitch frustration
Defeat at Deepdale for PNE on Saturday afternoon
Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom lamented his side’s productivity in the final third against Derby County.
The Lilywhites were beaten 0-1 by the Rams, with Patrick Agyemang’s header on 82 minutes clinching victory for the visitors at Deepdale. PNE had a massive penalty shout turned down at nil-nil when Lewis Dobbin was hacked down by Matt Clarke, but on the whole North End struggled to work Derby goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström.
On the performance, Heckingbottom said: “I thought it was good, against a team who made it really difficult. We knew how they'd set up. Obviously, the pitch plays into their hands as well, so we knew we were going to have to work a lot on capitalising on second balls. Then set plays, I thought we coped with them well because they'll sling all the balls into your box with the throw-ins, free-kicks - big side, aggressive.
“So yeah, no surprises there, exactly what I thought they'd do and how they'd play. But the moments we needed to capitalise on, we couldn't. I thought our best opportunities came on the counter but then it never really resulted in a pass or a shot. As dangerous as we might’ve looked and it gets the crowd on the edge of their seats, but what next? So that's it, turning those moments into clear-cut chances.
“Alfie in particular, I thought he drove really well and tried to be the one opening it up. Obviously, Milly and Dobbo are a different dynamic to Jebbo and Smudge. Milly and Dobbo give us that threat in transition. We tried to play through; I didn't think we opened them up enough in those moments. Alfie made a great pass to Pottsy in the first half. Ali was making the box, Alfie on the other side, but it never really dropped for us.”
Speaking on the penalty appeal, Heckingbottom said: “Even Clarke had his head in hands when he did it. Yeah, it's a penalty or a red card, whichever side of the line it is, but I’m not sure. I tried to (speak to the referee post-match), but they wouldn’t let me in.”
The tired state of North End’s pitch is a hot topic of debate. Heckingbottom stressed last week that it cannot become an excuse but PNE’s boss envisages home games following a similar pattern.
“Yes, 100 per cent,” said Heckingbottom. “They're going to be like that. We spoke about it. We even discussed, does it change what we go for in the transfer window, and we've totally changed tact. But we can't do that, we can't do that. Derby using Agyemang, going direct into him, dropping on seconds... it's hard to go and get those type of players, and then if you don't really want to play like that and don't believe in it?
“But it's a dilemma, it's one that gets me thinking every day, definitely. We've got no right to be beating anyone in this league. I spoke to one or two of the Derby players in the summer and we're nowhere near competing with Derby for signing players. So we've got no right, and what our players are doing is fantastic.
“As angry as I am with them for one particular incident in the game today, I know how hard they work, how competitive we are, what we give to get the results... so yeah, I'll say the same again. The pitch is a factor for us and we've got to deal with it. We've got to come up with solutions, but that's it.”
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