The Lounge

[Singapore Don]

I’m not sure that in my decades of watching the Dons I’ve seen a more dominant and exquisite display of football as the first 45 minutes at Peterborough. We were quite frankly brilliant. Our control of the game was supreme. It was sheer joy to watch the silky passing, the tough tackling, the killer passes, the high pressing, the outrunning, outthinking….in every single area and facet, we were simply outstanding. Of course Peterborough gave it a go in the second half, but our defence was rock solid, the team was in tune, fighting for each other, and even though a 1-0 lead always feels vulnerable, at no point did I really think we were going to give away the equaliser. The only question may be how we didn’t win this by four of five goals.

There were six changes to our starting line-up, and when the ref blew the whistle to start the game, I really thought we’d be in for a hiding. How wrong could I have been, and how brilliant is Neal Ardley as a manager?! Darius Charles pulled up in the pre match warm up, so Will Nightingale was elevated to a starting berth next to Chris Robertson who was in for the suspended Robinson. This central defence pairing had only played together once before in the EFL Cup against Plymouth – but their 90 minute showing at Peterborough was faultless. Each of them was strong, solid, powerful, skilful and clever. It’s the first time I’ve seen Robertson play, and I was hugely impressed. So calm, mature, reassuring – in him, we have a very safe and reliable back up to Charles and Robinson. As for young Will, well Ardley’s big problem is going to be that if he doesn’t start him more often we may lose him to higher league competition (as we did with Sweeney) because he is a very rare young talent – assured, strong, commanding, and mature beyond his years. Absolutely superb performance by our young centre back. After today’s fantastic new pairing, there must be a question mark over Robinson and Charles as automatic first choice centre backs. One to ponder….

Either side of the centre backs, Captain Fuller was as solid as ever, showing the pace of old to get back and stop winger attacks. As for Jon Meades, well he’s becoming crucial to the Dons’ overall confidence and attacking play. He looks so assured on the ball, effortlessly wins the ball, goes past players, and sets attacks in motion. He’s a class left back.

IN midfield, Tom Beere was superb. Tirelessly energetic, tough tackling, surging runs forward, don’t worry about Dannie Bulman needing to have the odd games off. In Beere, we have a great replacement – again, a youngster playing with a maturity that is a credit to our academy system. Francomb had a very solid first game back in a while, while Jake Reeves was – to quote Ardley’s adjective of the day – “immense”. He really is the bedrock at the beating heart of our team, winning the ball back, creating chances, pressing the opposition, cajoling team mates to go the extra mile, he’s our captain in waiting as far as I’m concerned. He’s an inspiration.

Wide of the central midfield, Andy Barcham is back to nearly his best form. He was fast, willing to take on the full backs, whipping in crosses, tracking back to help defensively, he put in a fantastic display of wing play. Very impressive. I’m afraid less impressive, and the one more downbeat reflection on today’s sublime team performance, was the contribution of Chris Whelpdale. He looks slow, unfit, out of breath, struggles to keep up with play, and I think he won’t be long with us; he is noticeably well off the pace and thinking of the rest of the team. He just doesn’t seem to have found his form since the injuries he’s suffered, and the question has to be whether he will ever find his old form again. For now, he’s the one player I would not have in the starting eleven.

And so up front: Tom Elliott played as the lone target man in today’s 4-2-3-1 formation, and he was for much of the match unplayable. He won every header, hit the post twice – the second time after a beautiful lob of the keeper from 30 yards which looked certain to hit the back of the net, only to hit the inside of the post and back in to the keeper’s arms. He could easily have scored a hat trick, but more than than that he put in a consummate 90 minute team role, not only harrying the Peterborough defence, but coming back at set pieces and other times to do his crucial bit for the Dons’ defence. He could easily become a transfer target for rival and higher league opposition, he’s grown in to and is more than comfortable as a League One striker.

Well that’s the outfield analysis. The last player who deserves credit is James Shea. We are unbeaten since he took over the number one role from the hapless Clarke, and today he showed his mettle again, commanding his box, taking crosses cleanly, punching clear when necessary, getting his body fully behind hard on target shots on a few occasions, playing sweeper keeper very comfortably – he looked completely calm and assured throughout, and is clearly a crucial factor in our recent successful form. The defence feeds off his confidence.

Final word from me has to go to Neal Ardley. Who would have thought to make such sweeping changes to the line-up which beat Bury 2-1 in midweek? Around me in the crowd at Peterborough, there were murmurs of unease at the number of changes and a resignation that they would be our undoing. Far from it. Neal knew something we didn’t, he knew how tight a unit this squad is, how they fight for each other, believe in each other, and in any combination or permutation, they can deliver. We saw that clearly today. We really do have a squad, not just a team, that can do the business, and while we shouldn’t get carried away at finding ourselves in the play off places, I think we can believe now that we will survive in this league – and quite comfortably. One defeat in fourteen, unbeaten in nine, that is the form of a team, a squad, that has real ability and belief. Undoubtedly we’ll come a cropper sooner or later – Bradford at home next week is going to be very tough – but when that dreaded defeat comes, it won’t be the end of the world, heads won’t drop, it won’t mean relegation battles ahead. I’ve only missed a couple of matches in the past couple of months, and from what I’ve seen, we’re going to be ok. This is a great Dons team, a great Dons squad, with a great Dons manager. All is well.

[Singapore Don]

PS I meant to mention LTB. There were question marks early in the season over his commitment, his fight, his morale. Today put pay to all those simmering doubts: he really got his mojo back. He seems to have accepted without any sulking or despondency now that he’ll be rotated and has to play a squad role. He smiled and laughed throughout the pre match warm up; he was joking and bubbly in his sub warm ups down the touch line during the game; he had an excellent pacy long run which won a corner and he curled a beautiful shot on the turn which only narrowly missed. And at the end he was laughing and hugging other players, punching the air delighted with the win, a picture of happiness. LTB is back!

[liamwimbo]

Wow!We really are in nosebleed territory now. It is amazing that the worst thing about last night is that we only one by one goal. Some many positives, a clean sheet, new players coming in and doing a good job and the return to form for LTB. He took his time getting going last season and it was only after Christmas that he really looked like our best player so hope this lasts all season. Great to see Will Nightingale come in and do a job.But the whole team deserves credit. This excellent run will no doubt end at some point so let’s all enjoy it while it lasts.
COYDS.

[onyadon]

Many thanks Singapore Don for a terrific report from Peterborough, don’t think anything was missed and extremely valuable for us not there.
A couple of thoughts – 15 games in and the Dons stand perched on their highest league place of 6th in L1 since reformation. Rarefied times, maybe it might become our highest point this season, but who can say with any surety given the improvement so far this season.
The Dons were knocked out of the League Cup by Posh 2-3 at the same ground back in August and by all accounts this was the ‘biggest’ 1-0 win for some time by our boys.
What also impressed me was that Neal Ardley made six changes to the team that won 2-1 at Bury only four days beforehand and they still did the business. A new centre-back combination Chris Robertson and Will Nightingale kept a clean sheet. Tom Beere came in for Dannie Bulman and played his part. George Francomb for Dean Parrett, Chris Whelpdale for Lyle Taylor, Tom Elliott for Tyrone Barnett. Despite all that a comfortable win and long-time regulars described the first-half performance as one of the best by the Dons in ages. The upshot is that manager-on-the-rise Ardley has a squad (not a team) that can compete in L1. 23 points from 15 games is more than just survival; one loss out of the last 12 league games. Sure, there are challenges ahead: high-riding Bradford City visit Kingsmeadow next weekend, but Ardley has a tight-knit squad, playing for each other. It really is a team coming of age.
The Dons currently stand 13 places above Franchise on the table. Franny manager Karl Robinson’s job is said to be hanging by a thread. In six games time Wimbledon – the REAL Wimbledon – are off to MK for what will be another emotionally-charged affair, but this time we – for now – have a better team than Franchise.
Another thing. Wealthy Irishman Darragh MacAnthony, the owner of Posh, once wanted to buy into AFC Wimbledon and he was firmly rebuffed by the fans-owned club still traumatised by the bitter club ownership memories of the past. The Dons just went to MacAnthony’s PUFC team on Saturday and outplayed them. A couple of his thoughts on Twitter in closing. A wonderful time to be a Dons supporter.

Disagree, Wimbledon played well, passed to each other, won tackles, look forward not backwards, attacked, worked bloody hard & won. Simples! https://t.co/xWkAtzGiBY

— Darragh MacAnthony (@DMAC102) October 22, 2016

That's an insult to Wimbledon, they played to win, did it well & won easily. https://t.co/Re1joLok60

— Darragh MacAnthony (@DMAC102) October 22, 2016

[MacWomble]

You get the impression that this lofty height may not be our high water mark and that even better things are in store. An amazing story thus far! And we have always struggled against the Posh. Looking forward, I can’t see Robinson being in charge at MKD for much longer. He seems to have lost his appetite and mojo since relegation last year; cannot imagine his board will have much patience left, especially as the crowd numbers and gate receipts fall. Unless we face a brand new manager in our game against MK (and thus the usual first game bounceback that new managers get), then I’m seeing a 4-0 thumping in the stars and a happy away day for wombles.

[Windlesham Don]

In a season of remarkable performances yesterday’s was probably the most remarkable yet, even eclipsing the televised demolition of ex-bogeymen Oxford. I’m sure I wasn’t the only fan who had an “oh sh*t!” moment of dread when seeing the starting line up. No Robinson was expected, but no Charles, no Bulman, no Parrett and Poleon not even in the squad? No hope!!

But by all accounts the entire squad were immense (many thanks to Singapore for his thoughts) and listening on WDON we seemed to create chance after chance in the first half. Even in the second half the Posh huffed a little, but barely created an opportunity.

An epic performance and one which should ensure another full house at Kingsmeadow for the top of the table clash (sounds odd doesn’t it?) against the high flying Bantams next week.

One final thought – the much reviled and despised Checkatrade Trophy gave NA the opportunity to play Will Nightingale and Chris Robertson together at centre back in a competitive match and so they were not totally new to each other’s games. With a strong squad all pushing for places, we must have a decent chance of going deep into this competition and making a decent amount of prize money (blood money some would say). However, beggars cannot be choosers when it comes to generating revenue and as a minnow at this level we need all the cash we can get…

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