The Lounge

[onyadon]

Three new loans, the chance of key midfielder Anthony Wordsworth playing some part and taking on *them*. It is an opportune time for the Dons to kick-start their season on Saturday. There is a buzz about the joint following the signings of Brentford striker Marcus Forss, Brighton under-23 midfielder Max Sanders and Rochdale defender Ryan Delaney. News that Wordsworth – a key player in last season’s Great Escape and yet to play this season because of Achilles trouble – completed a full training session this week raising hopes of his imminent return. While Wordy may not be ready for a full 90 minutes, he could be on the bench and that is good news as the Dons search for their first win of the season.
Wally spoke about Wordsworth’s step up in training..

He has made a comeback ‘Woody’ today. He was out there, the first time he has been full-blast with us this season, and his quality shows through in the training sessions. He was chirpy enough, and he came through, so it was a very good session for him.

The Dons lost their League Cup tie on penalties to Milton Keynes earlier in the season. Wimbledon have drawn and lost on their two visits to MK, but the fractious history between the two clubs will mean there is extra bite in this encounter. The Dons focus will be to pull off a victory that will be savoured by the supporters and hopefully turn things around this season.

MK manager Paul Tisdale knows what’s coming..

It’s not just another game. We have to prepare like it is, but it’s not just another game. The people around it and on the periphery make it different. We know the dynamic of the game, there is a small matter of beating the opposition and three points at stake, and that’s the reality. Supporters will see things differently to a player and manager. We sympathise, empathise with the fans and we really want to win, and it’s not a case of how much but how we go about it.

[Windlesham Don]

Not even bothering to watch today’s freak show of a fixture, despite it being on TV.

Hopefully two of the new arrivals will start and contribute and that Woody will play some part.

For me the true test starts after today’s circus, with a run of fixtures where we need to integrate the new loanees whilst picking up a few wins.

If Forss and Sanders turn out to be as promising as their cvs then we should have enough to avoid relegation.

Let’s just get today out of the way first…

[onyadon]

Had my first opportunity to have a good look at the Dons on TV. Some observations..

Like many I was bemused how the Dons started this match. They were muted, passive almost pedestrian as MK swiftly took control and dominated possession and the pitch.
Given that Wally set up the team to defend with four CBs (Will Nightingale started in midfield), it was particularly galling to see Franchise cut open the Dons defence down the middle of the pitch. Our marking and defending was dreadful.
Up front Joe Pigott and Kwesi Appiah spurned a couple of reasonable chances, Appiah, in particular, directed a free header straight at the keeper.
The team was booed off at HT trailing 2-0 and seemingly with the game out of their reach.
You expected a reaction and Wally brought on Folivi and new loan signing Max Sanders at halftime, but there was no sight of Championship-level striker Marcus Forss.
The Dons showed more spunk and fight in the second half, obviously after Wally’s halftime rev-up.
But despite having more of the game, and Appiah spooning another chance over the bar, Wally continued to hold off with his third and final substitution (Forss). It was obvious that the situation badly needed an infusion. Forss finally came on in the 78th minute for the wasteful Appiah and scored with a leaping header off a corner five minutes later.
Paul Kalambayi had the chance to snatch an equaliser but his header was directed wide much to his and Wally’s annoyance.
MK were there for the taking late in the second period. The Dons were not clinical or good enough to prise a point out of it.
Not many positives: obviously Forss must start from now on and maybe jettison Appiah or the technically-stretched Pigott to make way. Pigott’s ball control at times was woeful.
Young Max Sanders looked lively in midfield with his movement and possession, definitely looks better than what we have, while we desperately need the leadership of Anthony Wordsworth, who is nearing a return from injury.
Wally preferred Joe McDonnell to Nick Tzanev in goal and left Mitchell Pinnock out altogether, possibly as a response to that awful own goal concocted by both of them in the mid-week whatsisname cup tie with Brighton Under 23s.
So the Dons remain win-less after seven league games. Patience is dwindling on the terraces, and self-inflicted errors continue to hound the Dons.
It seems a long time ago we cheered home the Great Escape. On the evidence of this one match, it looks another exasperating season ahead, unless Forss, Sanders and Nightingale can ignite something in a limited squad.

[MacWomble]

Was that better? To hold Shrewsbury to a draw? I’ll be interested to hear your reactions. Looking back over the last three seasons, by the eighth game, we have been on eight points each year. So, only five adrift after a poor start. The only way can be up I hope. I’ve always been bemused that football players perform better after a half-time rocket. You would think that they could self-motivate for an entire 90 minutes per week? Perhaps they are just too young, too clueless. Is their a leader on the pitch for Wimbledon? Someone who encourages others during the match?

[onyadon]

Eight games in and still without a league win. It’s the worst start to a L1 season for the Dons — the preceding three seasons the Dons had 8 points after as many games, this season we have three from three draws. Another salient stat: Wimbledon have won just ONE of their last 14 league games (going back to the final stages of last season’s Great Escape). Goals are again an issue. Just seven goals in the opening eight games. Another thing that is showing up, look at this …’

Up to halftime generally competitive, it's the next 45 minutes where #afcwimbledon infuriatingly lose their way and it's costing the Dons big time … pic.twitter.com/4Vv4nt6Cwt

— wombles downunder (@WDownunder) September 14, 2019

The Dons cannot, it seems, put two good halves together and it’s costing them. A case in point an early goal lead against Shrewsbury Town was pulled back in the second half for a 1-1 draw at home on Saturday. As yet Wally and Glyn have not found a solution and fortunately the Dons are in touching distance of three other teams above them, so IF a run of wins/points can materialise we might be okay. But it seems that run of togetherness that fired up the fans late last season is missing; goals are not going in and we are conceding as well. I know I’ve said this before but hoping that the imminent return of Anthony Wordsworth along with more minutes for the lively Max Sanders might spark up the midfield and feed through the team. It gets no easier next week… the Dons face unbeaten league leaders Coventry City away..

[Colum]

Those first half stats tell the story perfectly of Saturday’s game. We could have gone in 2 or 3 up, but spurned the chances. Forss looked lively but him and Pigott didn’t really seem to gel together. when we did lump the ball forward it was Pigott who always seemed to be underneath it, and we know that the result of that is.

Shrewsbury came out all guns firing in the second half and we just couldn’t handle it. The surprise was how long it took us to acknowledge it. The subs when they did occur once again confounded opinion. We were getting overrun in midfield, so the like for like swap didn’t seem to make sense. Perhaps it was a symptom of not having anyone else?

In the end you could sense the inevitable, which made the inevitable all the more hard to accept when it happened. Maybe poor old Folivi cold have had a penalty near the end, and there were some handball shouts also, but to be fair they’s have been fairly harsh. Their centre backs bossed our front two all game, even scoring our goal for us.

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