The Lounge

[liamwimbo]

I was at the game yesterday (unfortunately). Opinion seems divided – were we rubbish for the whole game or only in the second half? I’m afraid I am in the former camp. Had lots of possession in the first half but absolutely no cutting edge. Apart from a very short spell in the second half just before they got the second goal, we were awful. It was so bad Ardley had to put Barnett on with 10 minutes left. Totally agree with Singapore that it was impossible to find a MotM candidate. I think Will Nightingale got it because he played OK for the first 15 minutes.
There had been a fear that the Fleetwood game would be a let down after the joy of the win over Franchise, but after a good performance up there, this was maybe the inevitable come down from that great night.
Ardley’s job now is to find a way to motivate the players when there is not much to play for other than securing a few more points to make survival a certainty. Personally my aim would be to see us finish above the scum.

[Windlesham Don]

Another difficult game tonight against opposition who are in the last chance saloon for making a move into the playoffs. Rochdale play an attractive passing game, but if they try to knock it around on our cabbage patch then we should be able to pick them off (if we play a high pressing game).

Another performance like Saturday will not be acceptable to management or fans and so I’ll be hoping for something better.

Call me reckless, but I’m going to predict a tight 2-1 victory with (PotS in waiting) Tom Elliott to notch another.

COYD!!

[Devon Womble]

Well… trust me to have to work on the day we probably ensured our League One survival and with the sort of typical crazy five minutes of football we seem to have a flair for producing (on occasion).
I say “probably ensured” because of course it’s still technically possible for us to get relegated. However, looking back on the last twenty years of stats, the highest number of points a team amassed yet still got relegated with was 51. Perhaps we should send a thank you card to Keith Keane for making it just that little bit easier for us.
Onward then to the season finale with mid-table obscurity apparently assured… or is it?

[onyadon]

The Dons crashed through 54 points with victory over Rochdale, given the safety level in 12 L1 seasons is between 50-51 points, we can safely assume that AFC Wimbledon have secured League 1 football for next season — and with six games to spare. That is a wonderful achievement from Neal Ardley, his coaching staff and squad on one of L1’s lowest club playing budgets. The opportunity is there to give a run to several youngsters in the remaining games and apparently Ardley has already foreshadowed an opportunity for our ‘Ginger Messi’ Alfie Egan… it really has been a tremendous first F1 season for the Dons. Thoughts?

[Colum]

My summary of the Rochdale game? How the hell did we win that 3-1?

For the first 25 minutes we were chasing shadows as Rochdale got the ball wide and delivered cross after cross across our six yard box. Only a combination of poor finishing and a good luck stopped them scoring.

Then all of a sudden that their weak link was doing the same to them. Even Kelly and Charles had a go, cuing panic in the Rochdale defence. Four yellow cards and a red card later, and it was a different game.

Then up pops the deserved man of the match Sean Kelly at the back stick, followed by the obligatory Taylor effort and a Deano penalty after some rock paper sisters antics with Taylor over who was going to take it. All in the space of eight minutes.

Game over? Not a bit of it. Shea made a utter mess of a fairly tame long range effort, although it may have bobbled a bit as it approached him. Then they went close with 10 minutes left.

Neil Ardley made three substitutions on the hour mark when we were 3-0 up. That either showed complete trust in his team to see the game out, or utter carelessness. One of those was Tyrone Barnett. He was actually good for the first ten minutes, but then injured himself taking a shot, and decided after that to return to type.

Young David Fitzpatrick looks very lively up front when he came on. He is one I’d love to see more of in the final few games.

The highlight of the evening for me was the ribbing given to the winner of the Corkie last season for “Desperate signing of the year”. Yes Ben Wilson is on loan at Rochdale, yet still can’t get off the bench. Even the fat wolverine on display yesterday was in front of him in the pecking order. I wonder why!

[MacWomble]

I liked your editorial Rob. Has the Gaffer got the will to resist the offers that are going to be coming his way? The stadium looks to be years off. Surely the odds of him lasting the course are too long. He would probably be the longest serving manager in the entire country if he made the first game at the New Plough Lane given Wenger is on his last legs. But, as our mate Karl Robinson has found, the grass ain’t that green in Charlton when your old pals come back and kick you for two, and on a special evening at that. I think the club may just have to release some funds this Summer before he find a club who will.

[Author]

Posts