25-08-2017, 13:55
Did make a goof in the pre match thing we won in the cup in 87 not 86 as stated
T'other matches and a bit of guff from the management
Fri
Brizzle v Vanilla
Dull v Notlob
Sat
Toby Tyke v Graysonland
Harry v Jaap
Bees v Portugal
Brewers v Owlers
Colin v Ollie
Tractors v River Thames
Lions v Delia
Trees v Marching All Together
Blunts v Direby
Neil Hoping To Cement Solid Start
Alex Neil is hoping his side can get a positive result at Middlesbrough on Saturday to end the first month of the season on a high.
Alex Neil is hoping his side can get a positive result at Middlesbrough on Saturday to end the first month of the season on a high.
The gaffer is pleased with the start his team have made to the Championship campaign and although he feels it's a good start regardless of Saturday's result, the PNE boss knows the trip to the Riverside is a chance to show everyone that North End mean business this year.
Speaking to iFollow PNE ahead of the game, Neil said: "I think regardless of the result this weekend I think we've had a good start. I think having seven points at this stage, certainly having played teams who are fancied to be around the top six and even for promotion, we've done extremely well.
"Middlesbrough is another opportunity for us to go and cement that good start and show everybody that we are tailored and ready to have a good season this year.
Neil also spoke of the importance of picking up points early in the season, something that North End have struggled with in the past two seasons.
"I think it's important to get points on the board early doors, it sort of takes the pressure off you having to have a good run at some stage.
"If we can get the points on the board, then we can keep that momentum going and get the confidence of the lads up then you never know what can happen from there.
"I think we've shown all of the signs at the moment that we're going to be competitive and we are capable of beating anybody on our day.
On this weekend's opposition, Neil is expecting a tough test against Garry Monk's side who return to the Championship after a year in the top flight, but the 36-year-old isn't expecting it to be easy for Boro this season.
"It's difficult when you come down from the Premier League because if you come down from the Premier League you aren't used to winning games, trying to change the mentality as much as anything else can prove to be challenging.
"I think Garry has brought in quite a few players which I think helps the turnover of the group but he's also got a lot of players to try and keep happy which can prove to be difficult.
"I think the last time I checked they had five out and out centre forwards so it can prove to be challenging but they will be a decent side, there's no question about it.
"On their day they are going to be a good team and we are going to have to make sure we play well.
The manager is hoping to have the backing of a strong away following again on Saturday, and wants his players to make the travelling fans proud by full-time at the weekend.
"It's great to go to big stadiums with lots of fans and different things, our away fans have been excellent so hopefully we can take quite a few to the Riverside to back the lads and hopefully the lads can give them another good performance that they can be proud of."
North End make the trip to Teeside at the weekend, looking to end Middlesbrough's 100 per cent home start this season, where they have so far won three out of three at the Riverside.
Home wins over Sheffield United, Burton Albion and Graham Alexander's Scunthorpe United in the Carabao Cup earlier this week have given Garry Monk a positive start to life with Boro, but he acknowledged to his local paper, so have the Lilywhites.
“They’ve had a very good start,” he told the Northern Echo.
“I know Alex [Neil] very well, and he’s a very good manager. They’ve started really well, and like every game, we know it’s going to be difficult, very competitive.
“We had a good result on Tuesday, which was a good response to losing against Forest. We want to take the positives from that and finish with a good result before the international break.”
In terms of team selections, there are plenty of options for the former Leeds United boss, however, summer recruit Martin Braithwaite will not be involved on Saturday as he continues to recover from injury, the former Toulouse man not set to be available until after the international break.
Lewis Baker, Ashley Fletcher, Grant Leadbitter and Fabio staked claims to be involved against North end with impressive dsplays against the Iron in midweek, but Monk is likely to revert to the bulk of the side beaten 2-1 at Forest last weekend.
Meanwhile, the former team-mate of the PNE boss still has a 'couple of bits of work' to do ahead of Thursday’s closure of the August transfer window, adding: “We’ve done the bulk of our work, we’ve been very good with it.
“I think we’ve had a successful window. We’ve had more outgoings than we’ve had incomings. We’ve done that smartly and brought a lot of money in and moved a lot of players out, as well as recruiting new players.
“We’ve got a couple of bits of work we’d like to do, but that’s with the club and there is a lot of hard work going on behind the scenes. There are a couple of positions where we’d like to try to strengthen the squad. But it’s in the club’s hands and things are being worked
T'other matches and a bit of guff from the management
Fri
Brizzle v Vanilla
Dull v Notlob
Sat
Toby Tyke v Graysonland
Harry v Jaap
Bees v Portugal
Brewers v Owlers
Colin v Ollie
Tractors v River Thames
Lions v Delia
Trees v Marching All Together
Blunts v Direby
Neil Hoping To Cement Solid Start
Alex Neil is hoping his side can get a positive result at Middlesbrough on Saturday to end the first month of the season on a high.
Alex Neil is hoping his side can get a positive result at Middlesbrough on Saturday to end the first month of the season on a high.
The gaffer is pleased with the start his team have made to the Championship campaign and although he feels it's a good start regardless of Saturday's result, the PNE boss knows the trip to the Riverside is a chance to show everyone that North End mean business this year.
Speaking to iFollow PNE ahead of the game, Neil said: "I think regardless of the result this weekend I think we've had a good start. I think having seven points at this stage, certainly having played teams who are fancied to be around the top six and even for promotion, we've done extremely well.
"Middlesbrough is another opportunity for us to go and cement that good start and show everybody that we are tailored and ready to have a good season this year.
Neil also spoke of the importance of picking up points early in the season, something that North End have struggled with in the past two seasons.
"I think it's important to get points on the board early doors, it sort of takes the pressure off you having to have a good run at some stage.
"If we can get the points on the board, then we can keep that momentum going and get the confidence of the lads up then you never know what can happen from there.
"I think we've shown all of the signs at the moment that we're going to be competitive and we are capable of beating anybody on our day.
On this weekend's opposition, Neil is expecting a tough test against Garry Monk's side who return to the Championship after a year in the top flight, but the 36-year-old isn't expecting it to be easy for Boro this season.
"It's difficult when you come down from the Premier League because if you come down from the Premier League you aren't used to winning games, trying to change the mentality as much as anything else can prove to be challenging.
"I think Garry has brought in quite a few players which I think helps the turnover of the group but he's also got a lot of players to try and keep happy which can prove to be difficult.
"I think the last time I checked they had five out and out centre forwards so it can prove to be challenging but they will be a decent side, there's no question about it.
"On their day they are going to be a good team and we are going to have to make sure we play well.
The manager is hoping to have the backing of a strong away following again on Saturday, and wants his players to make the travelling fans proud by full-time at the weekend.
"It's great to go to big stadiums with lots of fans and different things, our away fans have been excellent so hopefully we can take quite a few to the Riverside to back the lads and hopefully the lads can give them another good performance that they can be proud of."
North End make the trip to Teeside at the weekend, looking to end Middlesbrough's 100 per cent home start this season, where they have so far won three out of three at the Riverside.
Home wins over Sheffield United, Burton Albion and Graham Alexander's Scunthorpe United in the Carabao Cup earlier this week have given Garry Monk a positive start to life with Boro, but he acknowledged to his local paper, so have the Lilywhites.
“They’ve had a very good start,” he told the Northern Echo.
“I know Alex [Neil] very well, and he’s a very good manager. They’ve started really well, and like every game, we know it’s going to be difficult, very competitive.
“We had a good result on Tuesday, which was a good response to losing against Forest. We want to take the positives from that and finish with a good result before the international break.”
In terms of team selections, there are plenty of options for the former Leeds United boss, however, summer recruit Martin Braithwaite will not be involved on Saturday as he continues to recover from injury, the former Toulouse man not set to be available until after the international break.
Lewis Baker, Ashley Fletcher, Grant Leadbitter and Fabio staked claims to be involved against North end with impressive dsplays against the Iron in midweek, but Monk is likely to revert to the bulk of the side beaten 2-1 at Forest last weekend.
Meanwhile, the former team-mate of the PNE boss still has a 'couple of bits of work' to do ahead of Thursday’s closure of the August transfer window, adding: “We’ve done the bulk of our work, we’ve been very good with it.
“I think we’ve had a successful window. We’ve had more outgoings than we’ve had incomings. We’ve done that smartly and brought a lot of money in and moved a lot of players out, as well as recruiting new players.
“We’ve got a couple of bits of work we’d like to do, but that’s with the club and there is a lot of hard work going on behind the scenes. There are a couple of positions where we’d like to try to strengthen the squad. But it’s in the club’s hands and things are being worked
Why should a man go to work, if he has the health and strength to stay in bed?