Preston North End midfielder Paul Gallagher spoke to iFollow PNE to reflect upon the first month of the season at Deepdale.
The North End No.12, who could this season become one of only two dozen players to make 300 appearances for the club, analysed the opening games of the campaign and feels that even with some good results, there is still a ‘could do better’ attitude in the dressing room.
“I think we’ve had a mixed bag, but we have started better than last season, which is a positive,” he said. “In the games, we have not really been out-played and every game has been a tight game.
“We would like to have more points on the board, which I feel we have deserved – you go back to the Swansea game, where we were really dominant in the first half and with a bit more game management after the equaliser, we would have come away with a point.
“Then at Nottingham last week we were tremendous in the first half again; then we showed some character digging in in the second half, but that was another game that got away from us. We should have scored more goals in the first half, when we were on top, maybe been two or 3-0 up, but overall we would like to have been a bit higher – that’s the standards we have set.
“The way we have played in the games has been a positive start and we need to carry it on.
“Twelve months ago was difficult, we only had five points after ten games, so to have ten points now, level with the Play-Offs is a start. But it is only a start, we need to maintain a level of consistency all the way through.
“We have had to deal with having a few players missing, but it shows how far we have come that we have gone to places like Swansea and Forest and dominated the game, but we have to try and get more points on the board and that’s what we will be trying to do before the next international break.”
With three of the next four games at Deepdale, including the mouth-watering Carabao Cup tie with Manchester City, Gally says that the squad should be looking to maintain their positive start to the year at home.
“We have to take advantage of our home form,” he continued. “We have started really well in the league and cup games that we have had at Deepdale.
“We are scoring plenty of goals and the fans coming to the home games must be enjoying it, because there is some good football being played and we need to maintain that.
“The games coming up after the international break are difficult, but all the games in this division are tough and we have to try and keep chalking those three points up and if we do that all season, we will give ourselves a real chance.”
And with the ticket sales for the next home game linked to the cup tie, a bumper home league crowd is expected for the visit of Brentford, something that he believes will give the fans value for money.
“I think the fans are buying in what we are trying to do; even the away games this season, we have gone out and tried to dominate possession, get on the front foot and create chances and when you see that brand of football being played, it makes you want to go out and watch a game of football and we have some mouth-watering games coming up.
“We need all the support we can get, because if we are going to achieve something this season, we all need to be in it together,” he added.