The big Preston North End 2024/25 season preview with clear task for Ryan Lowe and co

The mood

A bit of a strange one! The general feeling out there seems to be neither great optimism or concern, which is a little bit of a numb place to be. Your head tells you the experience and quality, within the squad, will ensure the team stays clear of danger. Enough to push any higher, though? As things stand, most likely not. Of course, there will be plenty of excitement out there among young supporters in particular, and Preston North End fans whom long for the return of club football on a Saturday afternoon.

The Lilywhites head into their fourth - third full - campaign under manager Ryan Lowe. Finishes of 13th, 12th and 10th would signal gradual improvement; point tallies of 64, 63 and 63 are perhaps a truer reflection of the sameness that has been on show. In terms of enjoyment and entertainment, those first six months were probably the pick. With that period all about loan sensation Cameron Archer, Lowe only really started building his squad in the summer of 2022.

Since then, North End have been a mid-table outfit. PNE’s boss has endured a couple of rancid spells, which others may not have survived - credit to him for riding that out. Lowe would be the first to admit his tenure is now at a vital stage, where greater consistency - both in results and performances - is essential. Two-and-a-half years in the hot seat, Preston’s manager has had the time to coach, build, learn and develop - while being backed pretty regularly. All the work to date has led up to this; it’s time to deliver.

The business

Quite simply, there hasn’t been enough of it. And while PNE would’ve, ideally, got the bulk of their business done ahead of the opening game, there is still time. North End have to add in wide areas - the importance of doing so is not lost on the powers that be. The manager’s system is built around wing-backs and that is the area where the Lilywhites, currently, are most light. It’s clearly a challenging position to recruit for, but Preston are crying out for some specialists. Lowe will want those deals wrapped up, and PNE could also do to strengthen in the heart of defence - which is surely due a freshen up.

As for the two recruits, both Stefan Thordarson and Sam Greenwood have potential. The former is an exciting addition - a 25-year-old, international midfielder with power to his game, experience under his belt and a steely mentality. The latter will be looking to really prove himself on the Championship stage, after an up and down loan spell at Middlesbrough last season. Greenwood looks to have the trust of the manager, who highly values his work rate for the team and set-piece ability. On the evidence of pre-season, it will be important to get the 22-year-old high up the pitch - close to team-mates.

As things stand, North End have brought in two talented players but the bigger picture is that they have simply replaced the departed Alan Browne and Ben Woodburn. The weeks ahead are hugely important and Preston can breathe life into the campaign by getting it right. Slavia Prague’s Conrad Wallem is one player being targeted. That would be a statement of intent and another refreshing dip into the European market. On the outgoing front, it looks like it’ll be a challenge to move Patrick Bauer on.

Unless the German pushes for a move - which he is within his rights not to do - then he may well end up staying That would be a shame though; the 31-year-old deserves to be playing at a decent level for someone. PNE will look to get young players out on loan - you would imagine Josh Seary, Kian Taylor, Kacper Pasiek, and possibly Noah Mawene, fall into that category. And there are several North End players in the final year of their contracts. Of those, Emil Riis is the obvious stand out to swiftly extend. Fresh terms for last season’s Players’ Player of the Year, Liam Lindsay, would not be a surprise either.

The positive

A strong midfield has been the key to any successful North End team and Lowe now has an abundance of options in there. It will be on him to utilise that efficiently, from game-to-game. Captain Ben Whiteman can be expected to start if fit and available; the hope is that Mads Frokjaer - whose talent is clear for all to see - can start to influence matches on a consistent basis. Duane Holmes is capable of providing a spark and must not be forgotten about. Lowe will also be keen to get Ali McCann back and up to speed as quickly as possible - the relentless number 13 often sets the tone and allows Preston’s creative players to express themselves.

The concern

A lack of pace within the team and predictability, which both relate to the earlier points around wing-backs. Liam Millar often provided the the direct threat last season, while Alvaro Fernandez’ driving runs were a danger to opponents the year before. Emil Riis has soaring pace and power in behind, but a worry - as things stand - is how PNE will break down deep blocks and also get from one end of the pitch to the other at speed.

The midfield will absolutely need to win the battle. North End’s boss has tinkered between a three and box in pre-season, so we can expect to see both over the course of the campaign. A big onus is being placed on set-pieces, while the two summer recruits are capable shooters from distance. If the system is being stuck with, though, PNE need a few more strings to their bow than they currently have.

The opener

A tough one, but good one. The Lilywhites will need to perform extremely well to get anything on Friday night, against a Sheffield United team guaranteed to be fired up. The Blades have done some eye-catching deals in recent weeks, but there are a few injuries in camp and North End are getting them early. On home soil, Preston’s intensity needs to be through the roof in order to make it horrible for Chris Wilder’s team. It would not be a surprise to see Lowe try and stay in the game for an hour, with a box midfield and one up front. If so, there has to be a really strong plan out-of-possession and threat on the counter attack.

Injury to number one goalkeeper Freddie Woodman is not good news at all, but Dai Cornell is a paid professional at the club and it will be on the Welshman to step up to the plate if called upon. Under the lights, Preston can get the home crowd going if they put in an energetic and relatable performance. For those 90 minutes, the players need all the backing they can get and the buzz of match night one should naturally kick in. It’s a fixture that whets the appetite, as North End look to get themselves up and running.

The prediction

All three relegated clubs have strong squads once again and should be up there, along with Leeds United. At the other end, though, there aren’t many obvious strugglers. Most people’s top 10 would probably feature a lot of the same clubs; after that, it feels like we could see anything. North End, therefore, cannot allow an ounce of complacency to creep in - they will have to fight for every point. There’ll be very little between a lot of the teams, as is often the case in the Championship. Sitting here today, we’ll say 15th for PNE.