Lee Johnson was not a happy man after the Latics went down 1-0 at Preston North End on Saturday. Although they controlled a lot of the play it was the same old story of not being able to put the ball in the net. They created only one good clear goal-scoring chance and a few half chances in the whole match.
The manager disagreed but admitted, “I thought we were dominant second half and I thought we had chances throughout the game. We just can't score despite good chances. You go away thinking you've got to bring someone in but then you look at it and realise you've dominated the whole of the play so it's frustrating. I do feel quite low after that game because what more can you do. I think if fans sit down with me in the cold light of day and watch that game back without any emotion, by keeping the ball and moving it quickly, we created a lot of chances and we had them on the ropes. But it's alright having them on the ropes, you need to have someone to stick it in the net and that's what we are really craving. We've got to try and do something to adjust it.”
Regarding the goal he said, “I thought it was a silly foul from George in the first place. I thought the referee let them take the free kick further on from where the foul was and he's managed to find the angle to pick out the cross. We did have chances to get back in it with Forte in the last minute but he scuffed it into the floor. It's disappointing but at least there are signs that we have played well against a top team. I'm going to have to do something - whether that be a favour from a Premier League friend or move a couple out to get a couple in - that's the nature of the beast I'm afraid and sometimes it happens.”