The Lounge

[onyadon]

Listened to the Northampton match on WDON. Thing out of the game for me is how much Wimbledon have come on this season. Think about it: the Dons at times had the runaway L2 leaders on the ropes on their own ground and came so close to an incredible victory. Even Cobblers fans said afterwards that the Dons were the best team they had seen at Sixfields this season. Ardley didn’t shrink from a positive approach and when time came for subs he brought on more attackers – Rigg and Azeez. Significantly, he left Bayo Akinfenwa on the bench. Bayo rarely starts these days and the growing feeling is that his contract will not be extended in the summer, releasing a considerable amount of funds for Ardley to shop with. Lyle Taylor’s goal was out of the box; the fellow is proving a massive asset for the team, while Tom Elliot continues to improve. We are thin on defence. If something happens to either Robinson or Sweeney, there is no recognised CB in the squad to come in and Ardley has tried persistently to bring in a loan defender yet to no avail. But the playoff race is still well and truly on, the draw at Northampton confirmed that.

[MacWomble]

Quite a string of impressive results. At the end of last season I feel that many of us would have doubted that we would be in a play-off position one year on, and looking good for a finish on 4th or 5th (if things continue). It is somewhat disconcerting, if enjoyable. Despite the feedback that we were the best team this season at Sixfields (and hopefully in the decades to come we will have bigger targets than being the best club at whereverfields) we are never going to challenge Northampton, Plymouth or Oxford. But, we clearly are able to hold our own against those three teams with whom we are within one point (Accrington, Pompey, and somewhere called Bristol). As mentioned earlier, while the play-offs would be fun, is there not a danger that we could actually get promoted? Would promotion be a disaster for the Gaffer and the club? Too early in our development? Interesting for sure. Anyway, fantastic to see Leicester shaking things up a bit and the Toon hopefully going down. With all that happening, who is not to say that we will be in L1 next season.

[Windlesham Don]

I fear that tonight may be a game too far for the boys. Although NA has talked a lot about rotating the starting XI and not exhausting the regular starters, there has been little evidence of him doing it so far – his natural conservatism perhaps? Whatever the reason, I fear that it may be the wrong decision. Kennedy, Akinfenwa and Azeez have been kicking their heels on the bench, while Meades, Taylor and Elliott have been playing twice a week.

I hope I am wrong and we turn in another good away performance, but it is a horrible place to go and not a favourite venue. With Accy hosting Pompey as well, it is a huge night in League 2. If we can pick up 3 points then a playoff place will become an expectation rather than a hope…

A 2-0 defeat is my guess, but fingers firmly crossed that I am wrong.

COYD!

[onyadon]

Good call Windlesham, definitely the tough schedule had something to do with it along with some calamitous defending which virtually threw away the game against Bristol Rovers before halftime. Still, credit to the Dons for fighting back to 2-1 before another defensive blunder cost them the third. So after four straight games against top-7 sides, the Dons gained 2 out 12 points, not great, but look at the table and the Dons are 7th so no real great damage done. Morecambe will be a tough ask on Saturday. A win, a loss and 2 defeats at the Globe in L2 so a chance of getting something, but depends on the mental and physical state (along with injuries) of the Dons. One thing confirmed for me is that this will be Adebayo Akinfenwa’s last season at the Dons. Once again he came off the bench (where he is in the pecking order these days) yet his lack of professionalism led to a direct red card for having it out with the ref after a contested foul. This has been coming for a while and now the Dons will be without him for two(??) matches at a crucial time in the season. And comes when they are those (me among them) questioning whether it is worth a third season, given his lack of impact this season and his expensive wages (we could do without, IF we have other and better attacking options in the squad). Sure, he’s popular among the fans, but the truth is that when he does come off the bench these days the Dons attack loses pace and vibrancy. He’s done well for us, particularly last season, but time is inexorably moving on and Bayo is not getting any better. A decision for Neal Ardley come the end of the season. I’ll be surprised if he keeps him on given what he costs.

[Colum]

The Bristol defeat summarises our season well. We are not quite a team worthy of promotion. We are much better than last season, but this recent run of twice weekly games has taken its toll. Niggles and tired legs everywhere. The defeat was on the cards. That said, we showed signs of getting back in the game from 2-0 down. That would not have happened in the past.

[Cape Cod Womble]

Definitely fork in the road time guys. The Dons can summon up some type of resolve and fight on along the play-offs path or politely just go away as I’m sure a few teams around us would prefer. I was at the Accy game on Saturday and there was a distinct lack of quality about both team’s performances. I guess someone has to fill that last play-off berth on offer but the likely recipient didn’t look to be either of the teams on show at Kingsmeadow. I remarked to Liam Nolan that “honourable draws” aren’t going to get us to the post season. AFC need some more scrappy 1 nil victories or else this season will just that flirtatious jaunt manythought it was all along. A good test of NA’s talents from here on in.

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