Roper Reports will endeavour to make sense of the recent happenings at North End and offer general comment on the world of Football.
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Time for a breather
Friday 3rd February 2012With the postponement of the Brentford game we all get a chance to take a breather and to take one step back from all the happenings at Deepdale. I think Graham Westley might be quietly pleased in some respects that he now gets another full week to work with the squad before next Saturday's visit to Birkenhead. Clearly the introduction of no less than seven players into the squad will mean time for adjustment and the getting to know you process which I think is vital for team bonding in any walk of life. People say you only get one chance to make a first impression but in my experience first impressions can be very misleading and you only get to know people when you have worked with them for a while.
Westley seems to have been determined to make a very big first impression with a my way or the highway sort of approach. It would appear one or two of the senior professionals might take exception but those looking at the bigger picture will realise it is for the good of the club in the long term. Paul Coutts seems to be a perfect example having captained the side but not showing a consistent level of effort in the eyes of the manager. Consequently the Captain was sent home from Training on Monday and allegedly told to come back Friday when he had decided which direction he wanted his career to go in. A little harsh, perhaps, but every one is equal in Westley's eyes as he clearly has no favourites.
Back to the matters on the pitch and a disappointing result down in Somerset last Saturday as we went down 2-1 to the glovers of Yeovil. A very sociable little slurp of the local Cider and Ales in Ilchester before the game saw all the PSG coach in good heart on arrival at the very quaint Huish Park. The sending off of Craig Morgan after three minutes sobered everybody up very quickly and despite a late fightback from North End we still did the 500 mile trip for sweet FA as usual. A much shorter 60 mile round trip to Prenton Park next week will see the new look 'Seventh Heaven' North End side take on a bit of a bogey team for us in Tranmere Rovers. Whether the manager plays all seven new faces will have to wait until next week but having seen Holroyd, McAllister, Procter and Marrow, I will be keen to see Cummings, Robertson and particularly the boy from Arsenal, Ryan Murphy. Let us hope we have got it made in Birkenhead and, roared on by what should be a sizeable following, the manager gets his first win.
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