Graham Alexander channels Jurgen Klopp to earn first Preston North End point and potentially make believers

Graham Alexander quoted Jurgen Klopp in his programme notes for Preston North End vs West Brom, saying it was ‘his job to turn doubters into believers.’

However, it was another famous adage from the legendary manager that could be applied to Preston’s first point under their own after an entertaining and full-bloodied 1-1 draw with West Brom: “No playmaker in the world can be as good as a good counter-pressing situation.”

Alexander has spoken repeatedly about how he wants his side to be aggressive and competitive to impose themselves on the opposition.

He spoke about how Alfie Devine's goal in the 4-1 defeat at Wrexham was the pattern he wanted his team to attack in. They didn't do it enough in Wales. Back in the stormy conditions of Deepdale, they did it to an impressive degree, even if it wasn’t enough for a win.

A fantastic 10-minute period in the first half was sparked by Alfie Devine running full pelt to win a loose ball in a sliding tackle, which sparked The Gentry into life and spurred the team into action.

They hassled and harried a talented WBA side chasing promotion, storming forward with the roar of the crowd at their back.

In what has been the story of the season, there was just a lack of cutting-edge quality and composed decision-making when getting into dangerous positions to make them count.

In the first-half, Delano Burgzorg, whose energy helped the attack look more lively, opted to shoot from outside the box when he could have laid off Devine in space. The shot was blocked. When there was an opening for Stanley Mills to charge into, Brad Potts under-hit the pass and it was cut out.

All the while, West Brom, when they did get passed the initial press, were able to exploit gaps in the back line and get into several ominous positions in the box, forcing repeated acts of last-gasp defending.

Preston can only hope of the one-touch play in tight areas they displayed, and Albion will think they should have won the game given the amount of goal-preventing interventions the defence and goalkeeper made.

The lingering dread that a promising performance may again count for nought would not dissipate.

Preston’s best half under Graham Alexander so far

Still, it was Preston's most promising half under Alexander so far, until the second one blew it out of the water.

Johnny Kenny, after a quiet first 45, moved to the left and immediately threaded a pass through to Burgzorg, whose effort was well saved. Then Kenny himself forced a save and Andy Moran, on at the break, hit one wide.

The golden chance came when Mills, finally released down the right, played a perfect low ball across the face of goal but Burgzorg, meeting it on the slide at the back post, could only divert it wide.

All of these chances were coming from winning the ball high up the pitch and quickly transitioning with quick passes into the space to catch the opposing defence on the turn. Just as Klopp has done to such resounding success and clearly how Alexander aims to achieve it at Deepdale.

Yet, the challenges preventing him from doing so couldn't have been made more obvious when Jusef Erabi did well to win the ball back wide of the goal but with no one opposing him his subsequent shot went out for a throw-in.

Once again, it seemed like that same old story would continue. All good work undone by the late winner that would surely come from the opposition. All the promising signs unable to be properly praised because of the final score line.

But no, instead, Erabi, moments after his miss, won a corner with a deflected shot after good work from Burgzorg. From that corner, the ball flicked into the path of captain-for-the-day Andy Hughes, who turned it home with 12 minutes to go.

It really felt like the turning point. A real hard shift rewarded. The rapturous cheers almost like new life being breathed in at Deepdale.

Sadly, the lead lasted just four minutes, as a brief lapse in defensive concentration that had otherwise been absolute proved costly.

Mills lost Isaac Price, affording him a yard of space to shoot. Iversen saved it, but he could do nothing about Aune Heggebo’s deflected rebound.

In one light, the result could be read as that same old story of the season. Preston doing well but throwing away hard-earned points in the closing stages due to defensive frailty, but this had the air of an exciting new chapter rather than a tired retread.

The players' efforts really can not be questioned after this game. To a man, they all put everything into the performance.

They pressed hard. They charged at the opponents and repeatedly won the ball back high up the field. They threw their body into harm’s way. Won big tackles at the crucial moment time and again. They attacked with numbers, with three more shots than their opponents.

The deficiencies in technical quality are well-documented, as is the soft under belly, but Alexander only has this to work with for now and he showed how he can make the whole greater the sum of its parts.

The manager wants to ‘turn doubters into believers.’ If his side players with that level of commitment, heart and spirit in every single game going forward, he just might.