Lets talk about the M.K.Dons match

[selby]

   Another place I have never seen the Rovers win or get a point in the past. a team that are in the bottom four, but are only one place behind us in the form table in ninth position.
   They are coming off a heavy defeat at Wigan 5-1, but let's face it we were mullered at the same place, and were just as outclassed on the night.
   We have learnt how to get a result when not playing at the top of our game lately, a useful  addition to our armoury we didn't have earlier in the season, only letting in 3 goals in the last 6 games.
  I do not envisage many if any changes to our starting line up, unless there are injuries in training, Fergie for the first time in a long time looking as if he is happy not to tinker with things and is happy the way things are going.
  M.K. Dons are not a team I have a lot of affection for, a team with no history, and have that American idea of a franchise potential money making exorcise, that has no place in English football.
    They played a 4 4 2  formation at Wigan were only 2-1 down at half time and had missed decent chances of their own, so can play well if allowed. They have followed the modern trend of  having a foreign coach(Dan Micciche) who not many have ever heard of.
  In Upson and Aneke they have 2 players in the top 10 in the card count of this division
 so are no angels, but like ourselves have no player in the scoring charts.
  So at on present form , not much between the sides, M.K.dons needing a win, and us trying to finish the season well.
   What do you think?
   Can we get a result?
   Will we play largely the same team?
   What formation will we play?
   Please feel free to have your say.

[Bristol Red Rover]

MK are laying for their lives, a most win game for them. We're relatively safe, and so now we can see if DF has the team sparked up enough and hungry to push on for what is simply a healthy mid table finish. Also, are too many of our players feeling comfortably safe for next season?

On balance I think MK will win.

[JonWallsend]

Bad feeling, as ever, visiting MK.  Just think they will sneak it. Micciche,the manager, isn't a foreign appointment, Selby. He's English and was working with the FA youth teams quite recently.

[drfchound]

Like Gillingham, MKD are playing us off the back of a bit of a thrashing so in Fergie speak, I expect a reaction from them.
Teams in relegation trouble don’t roll over too often so it will be another tough game for us.
However, we are harder to beat right now even if we are not particularly exciting going forward.
So for me it is another draw and and another point.

[selby]

  Jon, I didn't know that, I would have bet he was Armenian, but then I am not surprised working for the FA is where you go when nobody else in football wants you, or knows who you are.

[RoversAlias]

  Jon, I didn't know that, I would have bet he was Armenian, but then I am not surprised working for the FA is where you go when nobody else in football wants you, or knows who you are.

What, like when Sean O'Driscoll was U19s manager a couple of years ago?

[selby]

 Hound, it is a bit of a last hurrah  for the Dons, we are the lowest ranked side in this division they still have to play, and it is one of only two home games they play, the other is against Scunthorpe.
    So their supporters are seeing this game as a must win fixture. That builds pressure on their team we may be able to exploit. I think we can pinch it if we show the doggedness in our performance we have shown in games lately.
    If we play well we will win the game.

[drfchound]

Hound, it is a bit of a last hurrah  for the Dons, we are the lowest ranked side in this division they still have to play, and it is one of only two home games they play, the other is against Scunthorpe.
    So their supporters are seeing this game as a must win fixture. That builds pressure on their team we may be able to exploit. I think we can pinch it if we show the doggedness in our performance we have shown in games lately.
    If we play well we will win the game.

Only if we can take the scoring opportunities mate.

[drfchound]

Hound, it is a bit of a last hurrah  for the Dons, we are the lowest ranked side in this division they still have to play, and it is one of only two home games they play, the other is against Scunthorpe.
    So their supporters are seeing this game as a must win fixture. That builds pressure on their team we may be able to exploit. I think we can pinch it if we show the doggedness in our performance we have shown in games lately.
    If we play well we will win the game.

Only if we can take the scoring opportunities mate.

That’s every attacking player let’s not pick on one. If we had scored one goal more in six of the draws we would have had 12 more points. Can’t blame one player for that.

Steve, excuse me mate but where have I pointed the finger at any single player?



Also, if we had conceded one more goal in six of our draws we would have six points less.
You know the line about “if my grannie had”..........you know the rest I guess.

[normal rules]

two words.

padded seats.

[drfchound]

Hound, it is a bit of a last hurrah  for the Dons, we are the lowest ranked side in this division they still have to play, and it is one of only two home games they play, the other is against Scunthorpe.
    So their supporters are seeing this game as a must win fixture. That builds pressure on their team we may be able to exploit. I think we can pinch it if we show the doggedness in our performance we have shown in games lately.
    If we play well we will win the game.

Only if we can take the scoring opportunities mate.

That’s every attacking player let’s not pick on one. If we had scored one goal more in six of the draws we would have had 12 more points. Can’t blame one player for that.

Steve, excuse me mate but where have I pointed the finger at any single player?



Also, if we had conceded one more goal in six of our draws we would have six points less.
You know the line about “if my grannie had”..........you know the rest I guess.

Not the first time you have blamed Alfie
Quote
  Just over 400 away fans made it to the game, to be rewarded with a poor game  that in the end we could have and probably would have if the ball had gone to anybody but Alfie may in the Gillingham penalty area a couple of minutes from the end of the game, his usual stab at the ball of a first touch, resulting in him having to have another touch and the defender taking the ball off him being the best chance of the game.


Hound I know that, we have lacked goals from attacking players that’s the point.

Steve, the comment “only if we take our scoring opportunities” was written by me, not selby.
Your response appears to be to that comment.

[scawsby steve]

Steve, there's only one poster who's always berating Alfie May, and that's certainly not Hound.

[steve@dcfd]

Apologies Hound I’ll delete the posts

[drfchound]

Apologies Hound I’ll delete the posts

No worries Steve, easy to make a mistake.

[selby]

   Looking at their forum reminds me of how jumpy we were when we were relegated a couple of seasons ago.
   There are a number of fixtures tonight and tomorrow that could affect their position, and if they go badly for them,will mean they are under even greater pressure to get a result against us on Saturday.
    With us may having to get a result to be certain of our own survival, and not being dragged back in a scramble, this game is beginning to look a little more important to both teams than I first thought.
  A win would be just the ticket, and I would not feel any remorse at helping to relegate a plastic side I have no affection for.
 
   

[idler]

The difference is Selby that a point for us will be acceptable. A point for them will leave them possibly worse off and a tough end of season run in.
That must ramp up their pressure.

[Alan Southstand]

Mix of good and not so good results tonight, which has seen us fall a few places, but with the inevitable games in hand. I've been getting the vibe from their website that they see us as their easiest game out of their fixtures remaining. Not sure about that, as it depends on what attitude we turn up with.

I don't think it'll be pretty and they'll come out all guns blazing, but if we do turn up then they (mk) could end up shooting themselves in the foot. If they get the first goal then it may well lift them, but if they don't, I can see they'll get jittery.

Rochdale' recent good run came to end (no surprise there) and they still have a lot to do. The shock, for me, was Wimbledon's win over Charlton.

[selby]

  Why Alan? they beat us, The Mighty  Rovers at home.

[scawsby steve]

Mix of good and not so good results tonight, which has seen us fall a few places, but with the inevitable games in hand. I've been getting the vibe from their website that they see us as their easiest game out of their fixtures remaining. Not sure about that, as it depends on what attitude we turn up with.

I don't think it'll be pretty and they'll come out all guns blazing, but if we do turn up then they (mk) could end up shooting themselves in the foot. If they get the first goal then it may well lift them, but if they don't, I can see they'll get jittery.

Rochdale' recent good run came to end (no surprise there) and they still have a lot to do. The shock, for me, was Wimbledon's win over Charlton.

I noticed that on their forum as well, Alan; most of their score predictions had them winning by 2 or 3 goals. Pride before a fall eh? I hope so.

[RoversAlias]

  Why Alan? they beat us, The Mighty  Rovers at home.

They were absolutely awful against us to be fair, we just allowed that to be enough to beat us.

I will be pleased for Wimbledon if they stay up, particularly at MK Dons' expense as is now looking very possible. We of course will have a big hand in the fate of both clubs in the next few weeks.

[Alan Southstand]

I have absolutely no axe to grind with either Wimbledon or MK, I just want us to remain switched on for all the remaining games. It will be interesting to see if Houghton is fit for Saturday, as I think we are more solid with him in the team. Whiteman has his work cut out in the summer, as he isn't pulling any trees up just yet.

Win on Saturday and what little pressure there is will be gone. Then we can start playing with a bit more freedom.

[selby]

  I didn't realise that Elliot Ward was now residing with the MKDons, a player who will always have a part of me that says YES YOU BUTE for THAT goal that shocked the dee dahs into silence, and reality that little old Doncaster had a better side than them, and had just played them off the park for ninety minutes. One of the best displays of football we had ever given, and one of my best moments watching the Rovers.
   Lets hope he is as bad as he was against us at Blackburn this season, and is now too stiff in the limbs to score goals again like that one.

[RedJ]

I hope we beat Wimbledon obviously but I hope we give McDons a proper arseholing.

[Donnywolf]

The difference is Selby that a point for us will be acceptable. A point for them will leave them possibly worse off and a tough end of season run in.
That must ramp up their pressure.

Could be good that they are pressure / desperate though. Pressure can make them play out of their skins but could also make them make errors as well .

We should not to use that horrible phrase "on the beach" until we are mathematically safe !

[wing commander]

   While I'm obviously hoping for a win,I would happily take a point..We have so many home games to come in the remainder, so if we can at least keep the status quo on Saturday we are in a good position to push up to mid table and above to finish..

[steve@dcfd]

Our squad for this game is one of thre strongest we’ve had all season.
All GKs are fit.
Every defender apart from Andrew(big miss all season) are available.
All midfield players are available.
All attackers are available.

So the first eleven and subs should be the best we can offer(again apart from Andrew)

So if our defence and defensive midfield players continue to blunt attacks, then it’s up to our attacking midfield players and attackers to create and put away chances.(not been good enough from all this season so far.)

Win would be ideal but a draw would be acceptable at this stage of the season.

[Dutch Uncle]

I would be very happy with a draw.

I think MK Dons, rather like us 2 years ago, are better than their position and then had a horrific run. They do seem to have turned it around though (losing to Wigan and Blackburn is no marker) and will still fancy their chances of avoiding the drop if they can beat us.

[southwestexile]

MK are laying for their lives, a most win game for them. We're relatively safe, and so now we can see if DF has the team sparked up enough and hungry to push on for what is simply a healthy mid table finish. Also, are too many of our players feeling comfortably safe for next season?

On balance I think MK will win.

Laying for their lives?

Most win?

Are you wearing the right specs?

[Alan Southstand]

Our squad for this game is one of the strongest we’ve had all season.

Good point made by Steve there and has possibly been overlooked by many. It really does bring into focus how good a job DF has done this season, given what he has had to work with, at various times throughout the season.

Obviously, losing Andrew has had a massive impact and just when DF could have done something about it (in January), we had the massive impact of losing all our cb's, so he had his work cut out filling that gap. Credit was due to all at the Club to get us out of that crisis!

Saturday brings a very unusual problem for the manager - who does he leave out of his squad?

[Bristol Red Rover]

MK are laying for their lives, a most win game for them. We're relatively safe, and so now we can see if DF has the team sparked up enough and hungry to push on for what is simply a healthy mid table finish. Also, are too many of our players feeling comfortably safe for next season?

On balance I think MK will win.

Laying for their lives?

Most win?

Are you wearing the right specs?

Well spotted teach. As anyone could see, I obviously meant:
MK are laying on their livers, a most windy game for them.