Preston v Burnley - Player Ratings

[Bordeauxclaret]

Muric 6
Roberts 7
THB 7
Taylor 7
Vitinho 7
Brownhill 6
Cork 8
Cullen 6
Tella 5
Rodriguez 5
Benson 6

Zaroury 7
Beyer 7

[pistol]

Muric 6
Roberts 7
THB 7
Taylor 6
Vitinho 6
Brownhill 6
Cork 7
Cullen 6
Tella 6
Rodriguez 6
Benson 7

Zaroury 7
Beyer 6

[Swizzlestick]

Muric 6 - unfortunate slip but not much to do and some good distribution again
Roberts 7 - a bit more like it
THB 8 - seriously looking the part and a well taken goal
Taylor 7 - not bad
Vitinho 6 - bullied out of it a tad
Cork 8* - class
Cullen 7 - works well with Cork but dwells on it too much sometimes
Brownhill 6 - he was ok but not convinced that's his preferred role
Benson 7 - he's frustrating, but a real live wire, and he did keep showing for it
Tella 6 - not really his game tonight, they did a good job on him
Rodriguez 6 - dropping deep a little too much and looked gone at the end

Zaroury 7 - very promising
Beyer 7 - assured on the ball but he'll have tougher defensive tests. Great rampaging run.

The game went how I thought it would - PNE were ultra conservative and kept a good shape and we probed without overly testing their goalkeeper. All the ingredients are there but we just can't quite get it spot on at the moment. Still really enjoy watching us and Preston's defensive solidity has been something else this season so no real dramas that we couldn't get another.

[KRBFC]

Have you forgotten how poor he was against WBA, when we asked why Vitinho was retained in that position?

That was his first game back from suspension in a tough away trip when we didn't dominate the ball, last night we had 80% of the ball in the 2nd half and 0 shots on target, he HAS to play. I don't think he was great at WBA but soon as he went off we got absolutely battered down our left hand side, cross after cross which led to the goal.

[Herts Clarets]

Muric 6
Roberts 8
THB 8
Taylor 7
Vitinho 6
Cork 8*
Cullen 6
Benson 6
Brownhill 7
Tella 7
Rodriguez 6

Beyer 7
Zarouzy 7

I thought Roberts played well but a couple near me were berating him for slowing the play down when in possession.....

[Stalbansclaret]

Muric 6...damn that slip
Roberts 8...stood out, Best game of the season for him easily.
THB 8..quality again and a great header
Taylor 7 ..solid. Sad to see him injured.
Vitinho 6.. some nice touches but not great impact really
Cullen 6...decent but nearly lost the ball in dangerous positions a couple of times and this seems to be a trait of his eg Shrewsbury pre-season, Blackpool
Cork 8..stand-out MoM
Brownhill 6....pretty nondescript despite the usual energy
Benson 6....can beat a man but frustrating in terms of final ball other than the cross which Roberts nearly glanced in
Jay 6..just average. Often too deep it seems to me but could have done with a partner up top
Tella 6...too good to be stuck out on the touchline

Zaroury 7...liked the look of him and gave us more penetration down the right, supported by Maatsen (7)
Beyer 6...don't remember too much of what he did tbh

[IanMcL]

Muric 5 one game good one game calamity is not 1eal.
Roberts 6
THB 7
Taylor 7
Vitinho 6
Brownhill 6
Cork 8
Cullen 6
Tella 6
Rodriguez 6
Benson 7

Zaroury 7
Beyer 6

[Vino blanco]

Muric 7 shame about the slip, I don’t think they would have scored otherwise
Roberts 7 decent performance, covered some yards
THB 8 a very good, young centre back
Taylor 7 hope it’s not serious, I would mind seeing him return to left back
Vitinho 6 not convinced of his defensive abilities
Benson 6 good in bits
Cork 8 he is our De Bruyne in this setup, which he were 5 years younger
Brownhill 6 not as good as can be
Cullen 6 not great when he drops into his Westwood sideways mode, much better when he affects the final third
Vella 7 I prefer to see him getting alongside Jay in the box, not stuck out left
Jayrod 7 didn’t get much support, but he was good when the ball came to him

Beyer 7 very good debut, showed touches of class when he settled, plus he gives us height.
Zaroury 7 showed some nice touches for a young un

The football we play is very good to watch but VK needs to find more incisiveness round their box otherwise all the teams will just shut up shop when we get the ball and make life difficult for us.

[Taffy on the wing]

Muric 6
Roberts 8
THB 8
Taylor 7
Vitinho 6
Cork 8*
Cullen 6
Benson 6
Brownhill 7
Tella 7
Rodriguez 6

Beyer 7
Zarouzy 7

I thought Roberts played well but a couple near me were berating him for slowing the play down when in possession.....

I'd have been one of them ......i think he's awful for the most part.

[Lowbankclaret]

In the sense that Bambi was slipping on the ice, I suppose the comparison is apt. Criticising him for slipping is like criticising someone for needing a sneeze though - perhaps he should have cleaned his studs better or something. Even ignoring the slip, it's not a goal if Cullen does his job on the lime instead of inexplicable standing a foot behind it.

Not sure about the idea he's cost us 6 points either. Blackpool aside, not sure what other game you are thinking of, even if you include last night (which you shouldn't).

If he does not slip it does not go in, hence his fault.

Having been to every game except Watford, he is is good distributor of the ball. He has learnt to vary it over the 9 games. But he is a liability that means you start most games minus 1 goal as he is going to throw one in. So we need to score at least two to win a game.

[Duffer_]

Muric 5
Roberts 8
THB 8
Taylor 7
Vitinho 6
Benson 6
Cullen 6
Cork 8*
Brownhill 6
Rodriguez 6
Tella 5

Beyer 7
Zaroury 7

[quoonbeatz]

If he does not slip it does not go in, hence his fault.

Having been to every game except Watford, he is is good distributor of the ball. He has learnt to vary it over the 9 games. But he is a liability that means you start most games minus 1 goal as he is going to throw one in. So we need to score at least two to win a game.

This is drivel.

[Lowbankclaret]

This is drivel.

We are all allowed an opinion, he has conceded several goals other keepers would not have.

[Goody1975]

That was his first game back from suspension in a tough away trip when we didn't dominate the ball, last night we had 80% of the ball in the 2nd half and 0 shots on target, he HAS to play. I don't think he was great at WBA but soon as he went off we got absolutely battered down our left hand side, cross after cross which led to the goal.

Who plays Saturday?

Bristol City are dangerous.

[RVclaret]

We are all allowed an opinion, he has conceded several goals other keepers would not have.

Which? And which other keepers we comparing to?

[quoonbeatz]

We are all allowed an opinion, he has conceded several goals other keepers would not have.

We are all allowed an opinion. Mine is that yours is drivel.

[claretspice]

We are all allowed an opinion, he has conceded several goals other keepers would not have.

OK. First you said he's conceding 1 goal from an error a game. That's not an opinion it's an assertion of fact which is plain wrong.

But parking that and turning to this more modest claim he's conceded "several" goals another keeper would not have- name them.

As for slipping night - it's not a mistake. Its a moment of misfortune.

[KRBFC]

You have to be a complete novice to blame a player for slipping on the grass.

[nil_desperandum]

We are all allowed an opinion, he has conceded several goals other keepers would not have.

A dubious claim, but you also fail to give him the credit he deserves for his assists that "several other keepers would not have ....."

[claretonthecoast1882]

We are all allowed an opinion, he has conceded several goals other keepers would not have.

Of course everyone is an allowed an opinion, but it shouldn't be that hard to be able to back up your opinion with reasoning

[Lowbankclaret]

Let’s all regroup after a few more games and restart the debate. I might have changed my view by then.

[ClaretPete001]

Muric changed my view of him against Millwall. He made a fantastic save in the first half and a full length pass, which setup a goal, in the second.

I can see why he divides opinion though...!

[boatshed bill]

Muric changed my view of him against Millwall. He made a fantastic save in the first half and a full length pass, which setup a goal, in the second.

I can see why he divides opinion though...!

I think some posters are still pining for Nick Pope.
Fantastic PL goalkeeper, but he cost us some points last season, all goalkeepers do.