The Lounge

[Windlesham Don]

Having watched Tuesday’s game back I have formed an opinion on why we couldn’t mount any threat after the sending off. IMO it comes down to the midfield – individually I like Trotter and Hartigan, but for me they are too similar. Both have an eye for a pass, but both lack pace and neither tackle – not a great combination for a pair of CMs. Add to this the fact that Pinnock was blowing after 30 minutes (nervous energy perhaps?) and Wagstaff was spending his time manfully working with Sibbick to cover the right flank, and I can see why we barely got out of our half. There was little point leaving Hanson up with no midfielder within 30 yards of him!

This IMO is one reason that the signing of Jake Jervis may turn out to be a decent one. He has pace and can run the channels, giving us a threat that didn’t exist on Tuesday.

On to today, and an important match IMO. Good performances count for nothing unless they are accompanied by a haul of points. We need another good performance and a minimum of a point to keep confidence levels high…

COYD!!

[Singapore Don]

Despite the beautiful sunshine, a very disappointing away day in Burton. I’m hoping we’ll chalk this down as a blip, a bad day at the office. We’d lost our last three games, but I came away from all of them entertained and happy that the team had given 100% for the cause. Not yesterday. At the final whistle I felt that familiar sinking feeling, and frustration at what can only be described as a dire performance. Burton best us to every ball, and we failed to play with that high tempo, fast pressing game we’ve enjoyed in previous matches. It was not enjoyable to watch – the first time this season we’ve suffered that short changed feeling.

The two big disappointments: our barren frontline (again) and Will Nightingale. The forwards squandered chances galore again, even Pigott being woefully inept in front of goal. Hanson and Appiah had really decent chances and failed abysmally. Only new boy Jake Jervis had a good strong shot on goal – but straight at their keeper. It just was not good enough.

Ok, cards on the table for me: Nightingale makes me nervous. He played superbly against West Ham, but at Burton – as in other matches too often – he looks edgy and panicky. He lacks the composure and assurance of Oshilaja. He was definitely at fault for Burton’s second, failing to clear his lines, and fingers could be pointed at him too for getting turned for their first. We’re really missing the second composed centre back of Darius Charles, and neither Thomas nor McDonald seem to offer a great deal of hope in this department either. I fear with young Sibbick or Watson also still gaining their experience, we could be leaking more goals yet.

Which makes it all the more important to score at the other end. And who knows how that will happen. Three league goals in six games; the only match in which we scored two – the Cup game at Portsmouth – required an own goal for our second. Perhaps we need to bring in a top strikers’ Coach, since our current coach in this department was not a distinguished forward – actually not a forward! – in his lower league playing days. Something’s not right, not clicking.

I’m not despondent. I’m hoping yesterday was an aberration. But we must make sure yesterday wasn’t the start of a rot setting in. First and foremost, get those strikers focused day in, day out at training this week on target practice. We need to score goals! Then we can enjoy our Dons football again.

I’m off to China for a couple of weeks now (work not pleasure!), so hope to hear of happier experiences in the next few games which I shall miss. COYD!

[liamwimbo]

Heading off to deepest Kent shortly to see the Dons at Gillingham. Looks like I chose a good one to miss last week. Was at Charlton midweek and the Dons played OK with a team mostly of Fringe players. My big hope is that we start converting chances. COYDs

[liamwimbo]

Very welcome three points today against an extremely poor Gillingham team. First half we dominated possession but only real chance was Hanson hitting the bar. Most common comment at HT was that we should really be beating such a rubbish team. Thankfully Pigott took advantage early in the second half to put the Dons ahead. Apart from a late flurry, they never looked like equalising. King made one good save, Deji and McDonald were solid at the back, Trotter and Soares played well again and the Pig was superb in the second half. On a negative note, our forwards don’t seem to work well together and we can’t rely on Pigott all the time. COYDs

[Windlesham Don]

Yesterday’s result will allay some of the fears that had been building after a set of poor results. We couldn’t afford to miss out on 3 points yesterday, against a side tipped to struggle at the start of the campaign. Fortunately the team added an end product to another promising display and for the time being we sit in mid-table.

Saturday will be another hurdle to overcome – winning at KM against another average-looking side this season in Scunthorpe. It will be good to a have a full week for recovery before “going again” (in true manager-speak).

Let’s hope, like yesterday, we can turn a promising display into another win and can get some real momentum into our season.

We have issues in front of goal, but it is amazing what picking up points can do for squad morale. This squad looks good enough to finish mid-table IMO, if they can just keep the confidence they have started the season with, and confidence will only come from turning good performances into wins…

COYD!!

[Wimbledon_rumours]

got mixed emotions so far this season as defensively i think we are great but attcking i dont think we have enough of a goalscorer. pigott is great but he isnt a 20+ goal a season striker, and for me we have nothing else as kwesi is just a sick note and i dont think hanson or jervis are league one quality, hope they prove me wrong.

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