Preston travel to take on Coventry City on Wednesday night and Ryan Lowe is facing some tough decisions.
North End head to the Coventry Building Society Arena in desperate search of a win; even a goal would do!
Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Cardiff City means Preston have still only scored once in the Championship this season.
Five 0-0 draws and one 1-0 victory have given Preston a truly bizarre start to the campaign.
The clean sheets are incredible but the lack of goals is a huge concern, leaving Lowe to try and figure out some solutions.
As well as changing system – possibly from a 3-4-2-1 to a 3-5-2 – Lowe could freshen up his starting XI to try and find that elusive win.
With that in mind, here are three players who are knocking on the door for a start on Wednesday night.
Ali McCann
Anybody who knows us knows we love McCann and believe that he should be in the Preston starting XI more often than not.
The Northern Ireland international is outstanding in terms of winning the ball back, including high up the pitch; look at how Ben Woodburn scored against Wolverhampton Wanderers last week.
Preston need goals and, if you include cup games, no North End player has found the net more than McCann this season.
McCann brings energy, tenacity, quality on the ball and superb defensive ability to help complement Ben Whiteman.
Ryan Ledson has been solid if unspectacular but it’s now time for McCann to start and be given a real run in the middle of the park.
North End impressed against Barnsley and Middlesbrough at the back end of last season, two games that McCann started.
Sure enough, Preston’s two wins in all competitions this season came when McCann started too.
We don’t want to see him at wing back; it’s time for McCann to play regularly in midfield.
Ben Woodburn
Preston need some attacking thrust from midfield and that has been a little inconsistent so far this term.
North End have struggled to get Daniel Johnson involved and he was substituted in the first half against Cardiff City on Saturday.
Alan Browne showed some promising signs against Watford but he has been lacking some dynamism on the ball in the final third.
We don’t doubt Browne’s off-ball ability; he’s a great runner and can break into the box late, making himself a real threat when on top form.
Neither Browne nor Johnson have been at their best so far this term and Woodburn is right there, ready and waiting for a chance.
Woodburn has looked bright in substitute appearances and grabbed himself a goal at Wolves.
We would still like to see Woodburn get involved a little more, and there are concerns that he isn’t quite physical enough for the Championship, but he hasn’t started a league game yet.
It may not be a great time for Woodburn to come in and give Preston something a little different, with the former Liverpool talent no doubt desperate for a chance.
Emil Riis
It feels crazy to be even talking about giving a start to last season’s top goalscorer but here we are.
The Dane started Preston’s opening two league games but has been on the bench ever since.
We can absolutely accept that Riis hasn’t started the season as he would hope.
Riis has looked a shadow of last season’s player, and seems to be making the wrong decisions in the final third in order to force his way out of his mini-rut.
That has been a major frustration for Ryan Lowe, but the North End boss isn’t exactly blessed with many alternatives.
Ched Evans hasn’t scored since last November, Troy Parrott hasn’t yet found the net in the Championship and a new signing up top doesn’t look likely as things stand.
With the rumours about a potential move to Middlesbrough now over, we can only hope that Riis gets back to top form and starts back on the goal trail once again with a start against Coventry.