Preston's boss was given a lot of abuse towards the end of last season but the majority of the fans have given Westley a clean slate this season starting with a whole new squad of players. He has been allowed to bed in his team and the fans have allowed him time to gel his new squad but after Saturday the first murmurs of discontent have surfaced.
The week previously, Westley had opted for a 4-5-1 formation against Gillingham in the FA Cup and he continued with this against Crewe after the midweek JPT tie at Bury was postponed.
Beavon was ill prior to the game and so was replaced up front by Elding with Mousinho and Wroe in support. Monakana started on the left with Holmes on the right. Sherriff filled in at left back with loan signing Kane at right back.
It was as if the Preston players had only just met for the first time as they gave an incoherent performance as they were taken apart by a Crewe side that passed the ball well but will not be troubling the automatic promotion spots.
Huntington and Roberston looked as if they had just rolled in from a night out as for the first two Crewe goals a through ball was sliced through the pair allowing Crewe a simple chance to finish on both occassions.
The third goal was more basis. A corss, free header, goal. Not for the first time this season have we seen slack marking from crosses with Brentford and Leyton Orient springing instantly to mind.
Preston pulled one back towards the end but it was only a consolation and the players were rightly booed at the end of the game. The formation was all wrong and with three strikers on the bench questions were asked as to why Elding, who looks inefficient, played ahead of Sodje and King.
Westley defelected attention from th team's performance by correctly taking some of the blame himself but this far in the season it is not encouraging that Preston are in a similar position to that which Phil Brown left the club in some twelve months earlier.
Only time will tell if the Westley way is the correct way but results will have to improve to avoid further discontentment amongst the Deepdale faithful.