Liam Lindsay gives Greg Docherty verdict as he shares mood in Preston North End camp

Liam Lindsay says Greg Docherty has been 'great' since starting training with Preston North End, while giving his thoughts on why the players struggle to respond to setbacks on the pitch.

Preston are hoping to 'potentially progress' with Docherty and sign the free agent to a contract after over 10 days training with the club.

Graham Alexander has been impressed with the 30-year-old's fitness, communication, pedigree and attitude since arriving at Euxton, watching him play over an hour for the Under-21s on Monday night.

The manager says Docherty could be fit enough to be involved in the squad for Saturday's visit of Southampton to Deepdale if he is signed in time and he has not been the only one impressed with the experienced midfielder.

"Yeah, of course," Lindsay told The Post when asked if Docherty had been a positive presence.

"He was captain of Charlton. Brings legs, brings energy, brings talking. He's been great. It's been good having him about."

Why Preston's heads keep dropping

Preston are in dire straits, with Tuesday's 3-2 defeat to Sheffield United leaving them nine points from safety with just five points from 14 games. It's the worst start in Championship history on goal difference.

As Alexander has explained, one of the biggest issues is the players struggle to deal with setbacks. Any conceded goal completely rocks confidence, knocks them off any promising start and usually leads to more goals.

Lindsay, who is feeling 'fit and ready' after a recent knock, admitted that was the case, and tried to find an explanation as to why it keeps happening.

"I think the repetition that's happened this season," he said.

"We're not scoring many goals, it's not on attacking players, just like conceding goals is not just on defenders. It's a team effort all the time.

"Maybe what's happened previous this season is the reason, but it needs to stop."

Alexander bemoaned the 'soft goals' his team conceded against The Blades, and Lindsay also gave a theory as to why so many keep slipping through Preston's cracks.

"I don't know if it's switching off. When you're in this kind of rut, you can't go quiet.

"We can't go quiet as players. We need to keep talking, keep people ready. Maybe a bit of switching off, it happens, but it can't happen.

"I don't know. We just need to keep switched on. Like I said, talking's a big thing. Even if you're talking nonsense, you're keeping someone switched on, you know what I mean?"

The mood inside the Preston North End camp

Lindsay also shared that the mood was understandably 'not too high' within the squad, but insists everyone is still fighting and working hard, while trying to remain positive.

"I mean, for the situation we're in, I wouldn't say you wouldn't know that we're where we are, but it's not bad at all.

"We've got a lot of youth coming in the dressing room, and it's good to have them about because they're lively.

"As you get older, you think a bit more about what's happening, so it's good to have them. It's as positive as it can be.

"The training's been competitive. When the gaffer came in, he has brought a competitiveness to training.

"I can't say it's showing because it's not, but everyone is pulling their weight. Boys are training well, but on a Saturday we need to be better."

When asked about the mood in the camp by BBC Radio Lancashire, the 31-year-old added: "As you'd expect, it's not too high.

"But there's many of us in there who've been in this kind of situation, so I think it's up to us mainly to keep spirits high.

"We obviously all know what the situation is, it is hard. Football's hard enough with confidence, never mind without it. We just need to keep as positive as possible."

On how the senior players can keep those spirits up, he added: "Just keep going. Set examples. Be positive around the place. Body language, training with tempo, positive.

"Just make sure heads don't drop, stuff like that."