Graham Alexander discusses the roles of Stanley Mills and Brad Potts in his Preston North End team

Graham Alexander says he works with every single one of his players to ensure they can all defend and attack in the wake of Stanley Mills’ brief defensive lapse in the build-up to West Brom’s equalising goal, and he also named Brad Potts’ most natural position.

Preston North End finally got their first point on the board since Alexander took charge on Saturday in a galvanising performance, but were left with some regret over missed chances and frustrating refereeing decisions.

It was also a blow for North End to concede just four minutes after Andrew Hughes had given the home side a deserved lead against promotion-chasing West Brom.

He was far from the only culprit as the ball had travelled a long way up the field unimpeded, three players in the box did not react quickly enough to the loose ball before it fell at Aune Heggebo’s feet and, of course, it shouldn’t have been a West Brom throw-in to begin with, but Mills did lose Isaac Price in the pivotal moment of Albion’s goal-scoring move.

Defensive mishaps are to be expected from an attacking player being asked to take on further defensive responsibility, though, and when asked by The Post if he was working with Mills on the defensive side of his game, Alexander said: “We work with all our players to defend and attack.

“We talk about our centre-halves joining in on attacks, which you saw last week especially with the turnovers. You saw Andy Hughes and O [Odel Offiah] especially on the outside joining in on attacks, creating overloads, crossing the ball from the final third.

“So it's the same as the other way, we want all our attackers to be able to defend, put pressure on the opponents, to get back. That counter-attack in the 89th minute, Dela was a great example, in that he started in their box and he was back in our box within about eight seconds.

“That's it. We can't go: ‘You lot defend, we'll attack.’ It can't be like that. We need 11 attacking and 11 defending. All our individuals, with clips, analysis.”

Alexander wants players to own their mistakes

Alexander also revealed he has had a personal talk with Mills this week, but on multiple subjects, and he is not the only player who gets one-on-one time with the manager or members of his coaching staff.

“I have sat with Stan this week but on several different things, both in and out of possession,” he said.

“But he's not the only player I've done that with, and Chris [Lucketti, assistant] will do it, Euelly [Jason Euell, coach] will do it, Polly [Mike Pollit, goalkeeper coach] obviously with the goalkeepers.”

The boss also shared how he wants his players to react when they do make mistakes, while stressing a goal conceded is never solely down to one person.

He continued: “We have to help each individual to understand the game and it 100 per cent isn't one person's fault. Any single event. It's a team game, and there will be several steps up until the final moment when we could have done better.

“The biggest thing for us is when players understand that, hold their hands up, if there's any sort of issue or mistake that they own it but then we don't carry it forward and beat them to death with it.

“It's important that we have that accountability for ourselves, and we hold our hands up as a coaching staff as well sometimes.

“I think it's important we have that humility about us to not expect perfection, not to pretend to be perfect and then just make sure we can improve the next time we train.”

Alexander names Brad Potts’ best position

After starting the season side-lined through injury, Potts returned to action as a second-half substitute at Wrexham and then made his first start of the season against West Brom.

The 32-year-old put in a hard-working display in the heart of midfield, but he’s played a lot of his 257 games for North End out on the right flank.

With fans desperate to see Mills given a more attacking role, it has been wondered if Potts could be deployed at right wing-back to allow Mills to go further forward.

However, while he thinks Potts has the attributes to play on the wing and he likes that versatility, Alexander says he sees him as more of a centre midfielder.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire: “When we play 3-4-3, especially, we talk about wing-backs being midfielders anyway, that's how we envisage them. We don't talk about a back five.

“So I can see why Pottsy has played as a wing-back for a certain period of time, he's got the attributes to do that. But, I think his natural position is probably as a central midfield player.

“Last week was a good step forward for him because he'd missed a big chunk of games in training, he definitely has the attributes to be a really influential player for us in the team but we have to get on board with what we're expecting to see.

“I thought it was a good step forward for him in a really competitive game. He was basically out on his feet in the end, we're thinking can we get another five minutes, but it was just risky about him going that five minutes longer and pulling out with something which wouldn't be productive for us.

“I think he has the attributes to play in midfield and then wing-back but the thing for me with players is I think you have to have a bit of variety to your game because it gives you more options to play.

“If you’re just specific in your role, different managers, the same manager changes the formations, if you insist on being this one position you're doing yourself a disservice and I think a lot of players have got the ability to play in different positions.

“We ask all our players to defend and attack but I do like to keep round pegs in round holes.”