Ryan Lowe has now been in charge of Preston North End for two years – and he faces a potentially crucial festive period amid a run of poor form.
December 7th marks the anniversary of Ryan Lowe’s arrival at Preston North End.
PNE raided Plymouth Argyle less than 24 hours after sacking Frankie McAvoy, with fans excited by his arrival.
Lowe was chasing promotion with the Pilgrims but decided to make the move back to the North West with PNE.
Two years on, Lowe is set to embark on a six-game run to end 2023 which may dictate the fate of his immediate future…
Ryan Lowe under pressure as he brings up two years at PNE
Lowe said all the right things upon his appointment.
The Liverpudlian told Lancs Live that he wanted to ‘take the shackles off’ the PNE players and play an ‘attacking brand’ of football.
That phrase of an ‘attacking brand is one which just won’t go away, constantly brought up by fans who aren’t exactly happy with life under Lowe.
The number don’t exactly save Lowe in this regard.
Lowe has been outscored 112 to 135 in his 96 games in charge of PNE, and North End managed just 45 goals last season – less than one goal per game, the lowest of any top-half side and more than only three Championship sides.
Even relegated Reading and Blackpool scored more goals than PNE last season, leaving fans a little underwhelmed with the so-called ‘attacking brand’.
Across those 96 games of the Lowe era, PNE have only scored more than two goals in a game on eight occasions – and two of those came in cup ties.
In 32 games – a third of Lowe’s total games in charge – PNE have drawn blanks and failed to find the net.
In terms of xG, PNE sit joint-bottom in the Championship for xG per 90 minutes this season at just 0.80, alongside struggling Rotherham United.
These statistics do not point towards the attacking brand promised by Lowe, but it isn’t all bad.
Lowe has shown the ability to string together runs of results to catapult PNE up the table; we saw that early this season as PNE won six in a row, and it was a similar story towards the end of last season as North End won five of six to push towards the playoff places.
North End are a little streaky; just as capable of going eight without a win as going eight without defeat.
The bigger picture is that PNE still sit eighth in the Championship table, just two points off a playoff spot.
Fans would have taken that at this stage in the season, but two wins in 12 is dire form and the pressure is mounting on Lowe.
North End have six games between now and the end of 2023 and Lowe needs to pick up some results amid rising unrest from some supporters.
Norwich City away, Huddersfield Town away, Watford at home, Swansea City away, Leeds United at home and Sheffield Wednesday at home.
That’s a tricky run for PNE in a busy period and Lowe needs results.
PNE have taken just six points from the last six games and a similar run before the start of 2024 may leave North End with a decision to make.
We never like to see anybody lose their job but continued poor form may leave PNE with a choice of whether to sack or back Lowe with the January transfer window coming up.
North End tend to look at the bigger picture and certainly aren’t trigger-happy in terms of sacking managers, so Lowe has a certain level of security here.
We would love to see him turn this form around and bring that attacking brand; the talent is there in the PNE squad and Lowe has shown the ability to string together results.
The festive period is a big point in the season and PNE head into it with Lowe needing to get sections of the fanbase back on side and deliver on some of the words he offered on this day in 2021.