Ben Pearson's Preston North End column: Goals are great but I'm shattered after a game!

To be honest, I was absolutely shattered on Thursday morning after the 4-3 win over Brentford the night before.
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I’ve missed a few games this season and with the international break I hadn’t played for a couple of weeks.

When Paul Gallagher came on for Daniel Johnson late on I turned to him and said ‘you’re going to have to do the running, I’m drained’!

I couldn’t move and could barely move the morning after.

In action against Brentford on Wednesday nightIn action against Brentford on Wednesday night
In action against Brentford on Wednesday night
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With how open some of our games have been I’m covering plenty of ground.

Brentford’s style of play, moving the ball and rotating players, meant it was one of the games where I’ve run about the most.

It was tough but the main thing was the win.

We scored four goals and I nearly got on the scoresheet myself.

A few of the lads asked me what I was doing so high up the pitch and to be fair, I don’t really like getting that close to the net.

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I managed to get a one-two off Lukas Nmecha and then panicked a little bit.

I haven’t been in the box for a long time, my only Preston goal coming against Aston Villa two years ago.

It was nice to get up there and was just a shame I couldn’t finish it off.

That’s not my role in the team though. If I get too far forward then I panic about what happens if there is a counter attack and I’m not there.

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I prefer to stay behind the ball and when it was Daniel Johnson next to me and then the front four, I’ve got to be the one to sense danger.

I take it upon myself to make sure there’s someone there.

That defensive mindset maybe means people maybe underrate my game on the ball and I think it’s the best part of my game.

I first broke into the team at Preston because I started putting my foot on the ball.

I needed to make a statement at the time because I hadn’t been playing much and wanted to get myself in the team.

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I had to put myself about a little bit more. I enjoy getting stuck in and winning the ball back but I think every player would say they prefer it when they are on the ball.

At the moment it’s great to be in my position and see how the players in the final third are playing.

We’re the third highest-scorers in the division which is really good compared to last year.

As a team we recognised we needed to be more of a threat up front and it’s nice that the lads have been able to do that.

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We’ve got some real firepower up there and I can see us scoring a lot of goals this year.

Callum Robinson has been on fire. Everything he touches seems to go in the net or create a chance for someone else.

Tom Barkhuizen and Alan Browne scored the other night and Sean Maguire is back from injury as well.

Lukas has hit some really good form as well which is impressive considering it’s his first loan.

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It can be tough for young players coming into this environment, I had about 18 months to two years on loan so know what it’s like.

When you’re at a big club like Manchester City coming somewhere like here means you get a big reality check. 
The lads are different and are of all ages. There’s different banter around the changing room and you’ve got to gel with players and the people off the pitch.

I remember coming here and it probably took me six months to really get going.

You don’t know the level and you’re trying to get used to it and that’s what Lukas has managed to do now.

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He’s got through that stage of settling in and is reaping his rewards.

He was excellent again against Brentford.

It was another game that showed goalscoring wise we’re doing really well at the moment, it’s just conceding goals that is hurting us.

It’s a balancing act. Last season we were solid but we didn’t score many goals.

We won a lot of games 1-0 and 2-1 and it’s been the complete opposite this year.

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I don’t mind being in an open game as long as you are on the right side of it.

Over the past three or four games we’ve managed to do that.

If you look at the Sheffield United game or the West Brom game then when you are on the wrong end of it, it looks bad.

Sometimes when you are scoring goals you have to sacrifice something because you are pushing men up the field.

It’s something we’ve got to address and as we try and get back to conceding as few as possible. But if we’re winning games going on the attack then we’re going to stick with it.