The Lounge

[Windlesham Don]

After our washout yesterday there were some interesting results. IMO the playoff spots are all open, but I would expect the current top 3 to close out those positions over the coming weeks.
For the playoff spots I feel we can perm any 4 from 9: Bristol Rovers, Mansfield, Orient, Pompey, Accrington, Cambridge, Wycombe, Carlisle and us. Hopefully, we will hang in there to the end while some of the others fade away.
Mansfield have tough trips to Oxford and Plymouth this week, so I won’t be upset if they get null points from those! Rumour in the weekend press is that Gareth Ainsworth is wanted by Barnsley. If he goes then I’d be confident that the challenge of the Chairboys will fade.
The others all look strong – Pompey have been known to buckle under the pressure and the last couple of months of the season will be physically and mentally tough for newly promoted Bristol Rovers. However, Orient are clicking into gear after picking up some canny (and probably expensive) signings – Nolan, McAnuff and Gnanduillet. Big spending Cambridge are also back in form with a bunch of big club loanees.
I feel that we have the quality to claim one of the playoff places, we just need to stop giving away stupid goals. Hopefully the new keeper will add some dominance at the back and allow the centre backs to concentrate on their own jobs rather than protecting a shaky keeper.
Personally, I feel that the next 6 games, all toughies, will give us a good idea where we stand.

[liamwimbo]

Totally agree with your analysis, Windlesham. We are are in a bunch of teams all in with a shout of a play-off place. If we are good enough, we will do it, but we need to win several of these upcoming 6-pointers. Am heading over to the UK in March, so hope to see 3 wins v Accy, Morecombe and York. Should that happen we will be well in the hunt. I think Shea is a good keeper, but there have always been doubts about his size and his presence in the box, so well done to Ardley for giving him some competition. Whatever happens, we should be celebrating our best ever finish since regaining our rightful place in the League.

[onyadon]

A cracker issue of Wombles Downunder #216 is about to hit inboxes this week… how about this for a lineup… Kevin Gage, Paul Fishenden, Ian Cooke, Rob Cornell, our very own special report from inside the Under18s camp, a bulging Around League 2, a tribute to Don Howe, more on WDSA’s planned prilgrimage to our ‘spiritual home’ PLUS a lot more from our wonderful regulars. 25 pages literally crammed with thoughtful pieces and devoted all to the Dons …. the longest running (by far) Wimbledon fanzine.

[onyadon]

And those going to the Under 18s FA Youth Cup game against ‘the best Under 18 side in Europe’, we would love your analysis/insights on the tie…..

[liamwimbo]

Well there is no doubt that we will be underdogs, but that is how Wimbledon like it. Did not realise they were the holders and having beaten Man Utd 5-1 in the previous round, they are obviously going to be hard to beat. But with a potential 3,000 fans cheering them on, who knows? Win or lose, another small step forward for our remarkable football club. Maybe 1 or 2 playing tonight will be gracing New Plough Lane in a few years time.

[Colum]

When we went 3-1 down, the guy next to me said, “That flatters them.” He was right. For periods of the game we took the game to them and could have scored more. Even after conceding the second, we went straight up the other end and missed an equaliser by a whisker. Apart from the first 15 minutes, when we couldn’t get a foot on the ball, we gave them a real test. To be fair to Chelsea, they never panicked and they were clinical with their finishing. Still I suppose you have to expect that from players, some of whom were rumoured to be on £25,000 a week. Our boys did you proud and it was nice to see Mark Robinson and the whole team win Man of the Match. Well done lads. If you play like that, I’ll look forward to seeing you at Plough Lane soon.

[Author]

Posts