Xmas Games

If it was only this one defeat then I agree there wouldn't be a problem, but once again they have had the vast majority of possession but cannot turn it into goals. This was the problem last season, its been the problem this season.

It is also a fact that of the 30 points that have been up for grabs against the other teams in the top half, MK Dons have only won 12.

With the exception of the Brentford game, MK Dons have not scored more than 1 goal against any of the teams in the Top Half.

Winkie needs to decide quickly whether he is going to fork out for a proven striker that can score goals (who hasn't been injured) or risk another season in League 1.

This is a really big game for the outcome of our season. We really do need a win today against Coventry - a draw is not enough.

A win increases our chances of promotion by 29.2%

A defeat decreases our chances of promotion by 17.8%

Bizzarely, a draw decreases our chances of promotion by 21.6%...

We need to win.

It appears I am a bit of a Mystic Meg.
Once again I was at work, and once again we lost.
Unless we buck our ideas up we wont get a play off spot, because the likes of Coventry, Bournemouth, Swindon are playing better than us.
Our confidence has gone, our once solid defence are now conceding goals by the bucket load.
You will say I am a pessimist but we really MUST get promoted this season, or we will lose players, our manager and fans if we dont progress.
I just cant see us having the bottle to do it.

We didn't play that bad and gave our all, but conceded a few sloppy goals. How their shortest striker managed to score with a header I will never know.

You will have to get off work soon SD, we need you.

The thing I can't work out, is that once again the loan market is starting to open, and once again Robbo is going for a Midfielder!!

Can someone please explain to him, its goals not possession that gets the points,

I believe we are looking for a new striker and Jabo might go to get someone else in, but while Ali showed he is good enough we can't expect him to make it a permanent position at the moment and we do need someone (although George Baldock is on loan).

The thing is the other clubs near the top have greater resourses than us, the injuries to key players is and will continue to hit us hard.
Its a shame because we have a better squad than last year, but in my opinion have no chance of auto promotion, and will make the play offs at very best.
From what I remember being said at the start of the season that this is the weakest League One for some time.
It appears we are going backwards while other clubs are going forwards.
We have players who are performing under par, Balanta, McDonald, O'shea, Kaye.

I dont believe for one minute that Sheff Utd, Brentford, Doncaster and Bournemouth are any better than us, yet we continue to lose games because we havent got players with the will to win when the going gets tough.

I agree SD, but we are still saying what we were saying this time last year, that we are not scoring enough goals or making enough clear chances.

Anyway, Happy New Year to all MK Dons Fans, Supporters and Followers (and any AFC W fans / owners)

Partly agreed SD, however Kay has been good against Sheff U, Tranmere, Col U, AFC, Walsall etc. etc.

The strategy this season evidently has been to go for quality over quantity again, within whatever size playing budget is available to Robbo. Which is great if no-one gets injured or suspended...

It's a high risk strategy, hoping to get no injuries or suspensions to your key players throughout a season.

But when the inevitable injuries and suspensions arrive, as they always do every season, it's a struggle again like last season.

And when MacKenzie, Otsemobor, Gleeson, and Chadwick get injured, we're in real difficulty.

Unfortunately, Balanta and MacDonald have been poor this season, while O'Shea, Ibehre & Flanagan have been loaned out elsewhere (although Ibehre is back but injured..) so we're now relying on the kids again - perhaps George Baldock can fill in for Gleeson's role, which might be asking a bit too much.

On the other hand, having a bigger squad filled with lower wage players may not deliver good enough results to get promoted either.

Imho, we won't achieve promotion again until the strategy and budget allows enough good quality players available to cope with the inevitable injuries and suspensions which every league season brings.

Probably not this year again then, but we don't know what January may yet bring, or if it will be enough for promotion.

Here's to a happy January and New Year everyone