Premier League outfit Aston Villa sent young winger Andre Green out on loan to Championship Preston North End.
Andre Green was a skilful, jinking winger when he joined Preston North End on loan from Aston Villa on August 1. But will he return to Villa Park 12 months on not as a chalk-booted wideman but a fully-fledged centre-forward?
Green made his second Championship appearance for Preston in Saturday’s thrilling 3-2 defeat to Swansea City. But manager Alex Neil didn’t position him out on the flanks, instead moving the 21-year-old into an unfamiliar striking role after a serious looking injury to Louis Moult.
“It was a foreign position for me, but wherever I’m asked to play I will try my best,” Green told the Lancashire Evening Post after Preston conceded twice in the blinking of an eye to lose at the Liberty.
“The manager wanted me to link-up play like Moulty did, we tried to stick to the game plan.”
Though it’s fair to say a bold tactical decision didn’t really work. Neil was perhaps encouraged by Green’s fine volleyed goal in the midweek League Cup thrashing of Bradford City but lightning wasn’t about to strike twice in South Wales.
Green failed to produce a single shot on goal during over an hour on the pitch and Preston fans flocked to Twitter in their groves to ask why Neil didn’t put his faith in Jayden Stockley, a 6ft 2ins targetman, instead.
Is this is an experiment that’s set to blow up in Neil’s face?
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