Preston North End are set to embark on their ninth consecutive season in the Championship. Ryan Lowe has brought in six signings over the summer but there is still work to be done by his own admission.
In the eight previous seasons there have been flirtations with the play-offs whilst relegation has never felt like a real threat.
This season, certainly in comparison to last, gives an aura of negativity. The fans are used to Lowe’s set-up and style of play now and there have been some big departures since the end of last season.
Mads Frokjaer-Jensen has to fill Daniel Johnson’s shoes, whilst Alvaro Fernandez has yet to be replaced and it looks like we are hoping for Tom Cannon to fill the void left by Tom Cannon. Let’s hope that doesn’t become another Cameron Archer situation.
The Championship is always a hard league to predict but as things stand the three sides relegated from Premier League have very strong squads. Any team demoted from the top flight can now demand very high fees for their players which tends to stop a lot of them being poached.
The likes of James Ward-Prowse, Romeo Lavia, Willy Gnonto, Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho will run riot in this league. Whilst Leicester City have added very well with Conor Coady and Harry Winks.
Ipswich Town are backed to follow up an impressive League One campaign and there will be others such as Sunderland and Coventry City hoping to follow up their top six finishes.
Deepdale Digest writers verdict
Olly Dawes: Strengths – PNE always seem to have a very tight-knit squad and, as much as it sounds silly at times, that bond and camaraderie can help a lot.
Some of this group have been together for a while now; Jordan Storey, Andrew Hughes, Alan Browne and Brad Potts spring to mind, so hopefully that familiarity will count for something.
PNE are also blessed with one of the top goalkeepers outside of the Premier League with Freddie Woodman set for another big season.
Woodman was outstanding last term and will be called upon throughout the campaign to be a real difference-maker between the sticks.
North End have also made some key additions to Ryan Lowe’s backroom staff this summer.
Peter Murphy will now play a key role in helping developmental players around the first-team picture whilst Rob Kelly brings valuable experience.
Add in that Lowe is now entering his second full season as a Championship boss and PNE should be better-equipped than this time a year ago.
PNE are hard-working and committed so should pose a challenge for most Championship teams whilst having one of the best away followings in the division will make for some memorable away days.
Weaknesses – There are still major questions over where the goals are coming from.
Maybe Tom Cannon comes back but maybe he doesn’t; without him it’s hard to feel encouraged about PNE’s goalscoring chances.
Emil Riis and Ched Evans remain on the sidelines and it’s unclear just when they will be able to return.
Will Keane has looked sharp in pre-season but more for his movement and link-up play than goalscoring threat.
Layton Stewart is only a kid and Ben Woodburn is unlikely to make a major goalscoring impact this season.
No goals scored against Barrow, Fleetwood Town and Stockport County hardly inspires confidence and it’s quite astonishing that Mads Frøkjær-Jensen was the only non-teenager to score a pre-season goal for North End.
If PNE can’t find a consistent source of goals then this could become a very long season.
Prediction – 15th – There is still some fear that PNE will get dragged in at the wrong end of the table but we will back North End to get a striker and a left wing back in to avoid that kind of trouble. It’s still hard to see PNE challenging for the play-offs this season and a lower mid-table finish in a very competitive Championship may be on the horizon.
Josh McLoughlin: Strengths – Nothing jumps out as an obvious strength this season. Freddie Woodman is a key player for us but it’s hard to look past the fact he has two years left on his contract so this could end up being his last year with us if we are to cash in next summer.
There is a bit of depth in midfield after the additions of Frokjaer and Duane Holmes. Jack Whatmough could be a shrewd signing after joining for free from Wigan Athletic. I’m also very happy with the purchase of Layton Stewart from Liverpool. A young striker on a three-year deal; exactly the sort of signing this club should be making. Could have a big sell on value if he hits the ground running.
Last season showed Preston never gave up with some memorable last minute goals coming against Middlesbrough, Reading and Blackburn Rovers. What the squad lacks in quality they make up for with their fighting spirit.
The youth players have impressed in pre-season and whilst Kian Best looks set to start at left-wing-back it would be nice if a few others can break into the team this season.
Weaknesses – Ched Evans and Emil Riis still being out means we are likely to start the season with Ben Woodburn sitting in just behind Will Keane. Woodburn didn’t set the world alight last season and it was frustrating that he activated a year’s extension.
Keane has never prolifically done it at this level but did score 26 goals in League One the season before last. It will be a relief when Ched and Riis return but until then we’ll have to hope there are goals coming from elsewhere.
The defence also seems a bit up in the air at the moment. It started so well last season but then ended in a very leaky way. Andrew Hughes is probably the most reliant but is quite injury-prone. Liam Lindsay has been hit and miss and Jordan Storey seems to be stifled when it comes to carrying the ball forward. Whatmough may give the back three something they are lacking but we’ll wait and see.
Prediction – 17th – There are worse teams than us and we have a habit of beating the teams below us when it matters. There is plenty better than us and we may be on the end of some thrashings once again. Let’s just hope North End can deliver some better home form for the fans to enjoy this season.