[themaclad]

The mad rush of fixtures until the next International comfort break continues on Wednesday with the arrival of the upwards looking Huddersfield Town to Deepdale.
Given we played in the fourth in the league on Saturday, we now play the third in the league followed Norwich and Newcastle who just happen to be first and second respectively, so some tough fixtures ahead.
Town head honcho David Wagned is best friend with Herr Klopp at Anfield and his team play in a similar way to the Liverpool side with echoes of the Bundesliga with their all action pressing style.
Today they lost their 100% home record losing to local rivals Sheffield Wednesday who I think got their tactics spot on to beat the Town, hopefully the watching Mr Grayson will have learned someting.
Both games last season they battered us winning easily in Huddersfield before we got a rather fortunate 2-1 at Deepdale. On the road this season they have won at Ipswich, Leeds and also scored a notable victory over the Toon in August. Wagner has invested wisely using his knowledge of German football to bring in Kachunga, Stankovic Paurevic, Lowe, Hefele and Schindler that is quite a list of Germans although Stankovic is Slovenian but did come from a German club, given their cosmpolitan look they also have ex Wolves player Van La Parra. Palmer fom Chelsea on loan is no mug either. They are not as free scoring as they were last season winning and losing most games by a single goal, what they will be is fit and will last the entire 90 or so minutes with the double training sessions that they have.
Wells has a habit of scoring against us, however this will be an interesting contrast in stytles against or more funtional style.
Welsh joins the injury list, Gallagher was walking painfully when I saw the team coach on the Toll road services last night, Cunningham free of a ban althpough Pearson getting mighty close to one, probably to early for Vermjl, McGeady will be another two weeks and who knows how long Beckford will be out for.
Should be entertaining but we need to be at our best against a decent side..

[Imre varadi]

possesion is a killer note England and why other teams let us have the ball the game has changed withing 3 seconds of England learning what to do when youve got the ball sit back and be clynical the championship is a nasty bussiness type place these days unlike the pile of shite premier league which is now looking like a poor cussin ? serie A vervus the premiership league division 1

Sit back let them have the ball and hit them with pace note lets hope mcgeady isnt the plan make mistakes and its goodnight you will have the upper hand as its going to be a wet windy night and German isnt fluent in youre waters the paper notes will get blown away

[themaclad]

Imre, McGeady shock horror has been playing well for us, out now with a hamstring. As for stats you can have all the ball you want but you have to put the ball in the net, happened on Saturday, Brighton had tons of the ball didn't win. Laughed at the note stealing yesterday ex North Endrr with a sense of humour.

[WakeyTerrier]

On the 3 previous occasions we've lost this season Town have bounced back to win the next game 2-1.
Saturday was poor by our standards this season and I think the PNE fans will see a different team on Wednesday night, plus PNE are at home and will have to attack a little bit more than Wednesday did(but broke well when they did). Thus leaving gaps for Town to try and exploit

[themaclad]

Attack us well no, do what we do with a lot of teams even at home let them have the ball catch them on the break, do it to all the better footballing sides

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Wakey glad you were poor on Saturday obviously played better when you lost on Sunday !!!!!!!

[themaclad]

David Wagner's 45th birthday was yesterday, he didn't get the present he wanted, however when he looks back on this game the image will be of Paul Gallagher's right foot. Three times from free kicks this wand was used and three times it led to gaols as North End overcame high flying Huddersfield Town in an decent game at Deepdale. Only disappointment was there were not more than 12862 to watch obviously watching City get destroyed in Spain proved a bigger attraction for those with saggy arses.
Grayson made three changes with Pringle and Gallagher back in the side along with the previously suspended Cunningham. Huddersfield also made a few changed from the defeat on Sunday.
On 6 minutes free kick number one, whipped in from the left touchline, Clarke on the end of it not sure if Ward got a hand to it but in it went, fair play to Clarke didn't celebrate unlike the rest of us.
Within five minutes Town had two chances Scannell denied by a great saving tackle by Cunningham and keeper Maxwell was almost caught 40 yards from goal but was saved by his defenders.
Town dominated possession forced several corners which well all caught by the impressive Maxwell, although they had possession for long periods they were slow in the build up and always seemed to want ten passes to many whereas North End were a little more direct got the ball in the box causing panic in the Town ranks. Keeper Ward looked suspect on balls into the box and the two central defenders Hudson and Schindler could not cope with the improving Hugill who also showed that he has a decent turn of speed for a big man.
Free kick number two on the stroke of half time, personally this was the pick of the three, Gallagher to Johnson back to Gallagher cross was inch perfect Baptiste made it two.
Two substitutions by Hudersfield Wells and Bunn came on they looked better, but North End nearly made it three when Pringle could not quite force his way through, didn't matter though, free kick number three, Gallagher cut out the middle men on this one curled it past everyone into the net. Game over not quite, Town piled on tons of pressure lobbing in many shots in a valiant attempt to get back in the game, they had a series of corners as they pinned North End back. The consolation goal came about 15 minutes about 15 minutes from time from unsurprisingly a free kick, Schindler heading the ball back into the six yard box for Wells to score from close range. North End could not quite relax but survived the final period without too many alarms to take a deserved three points.

Preston North End 3 Huddersfield Town 1 Att 12862

Preston manager Simon Grayson: "Maybe leaving Paul Gallagher out for a couple of games has given a reminder that nobody is safe in the team if others are doing well. Gally, on his day, is as good as anyone in this division with his delivery.

"We knew what a good team they were and we knew that we had to be very good off the ball to stop them playing.

"Sometimes you win a match with the ball and how you play, but that was as much about what we did off it as well.

"We made them kick it long and not get into a routine. We got the goals at the right time and it was a really strong performance from first whistle to last."

Huddersfield boss David Wagner: "To be fair, the explanation for our performance is very easy, we weren't on the aggression that we normally are.

"If you want to be successful here against Preston you have to be aggressive, especially in the first line to defend the ball and keep the ball. This is what we completely missed.

"In the end, three set-pieces decided the game. But credit to Preston, Gallagher is a great deliverer and unfortunately we were not able to defend these balls.

"It was a weakness in that game yes, but my bigger concern is that we didn't have our fighting attitude. In the second half it was better, but the first half was not good enough."