Away Match Day Thread +++ L1 29/12/2019 AFC Wimbledon v OUFC +++

DannyW

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Going to be few changes and always a tough place to visit. 1-3 were going to start hitting that net again
 
Archer, Long, Dickie, Moore, Ruffles, Baptiste, Gorrin, Brannagan, Sykes, Mackie, Hall
Subs: Stevens, Mous, Taylor, Cadden, Fosu, Aygei Henry
Is the team I think KR will play, I would prefer Aygei to start instead of Hall
 
Arguably the hardest test over the festive season....that said as illness' are overcome and squad players possibly get a (last) chance to impress before being punted out on loan, this could be an emphatic away win ....0-3 and the gd starts to climb as well as our points tally
 
With one or two players struggling with slight injuries and illness Karl Robinson told iFollow that the plan was always to mix things up a little and Jamie Mackie, Elliott Moore, Sam Long, Rob Hall and Dan Agyei could all feature during the busiest period of the season- the U's also travel to Doncaster on New Year's Day.


Simon Eastwood, Anthony Forde, George Thorne, Ben Woodburn and Malachi Napa are still unavailable through injury but youngsters Fabio Lopes and Nico Jones are both in the travelling squad.


Archer

Long Dickie Moore Ruffels

Baptiste Gorrin Brannagan

Agyei Mackie Fosu

Subs: Stevens Cadden Jones Mousinho Henry Hall Taylor
We always struggle here. I say we go behind and have to fight for it. But we run out 2-1 winners. Fosu breaks the drought, and Henry off the bench.
 
Archer

Long Dickie Moore Ruffels

Baptiste Gorrin Brannagan

Agyei Mackie Fosu

Subs: Stevens Cadden Jones Mousinho Henry Hall Taylor
We always struggle here. I say we go behind and have to fight for it. But we run out 2-1 winners. Fosu breaks the drought, and Henry off the bench.

History actually says we have a very good record against this iteration of the Dons. We beat them pillar to post in the Conference/League 2 days.


However three defeats since 2016 at the non-League ground that is Kingsmeadow suggests they have the wood over us at present. I agree that this game looks tricky and another really physical challenge. With tiredness creeping in, I’d go with our most physical XI we can muster - Mackie to start for certain, Long at RB and Gorrin taking divots from the pitch, players and hopefully the ball too.
 
Absolutely disagree with the old fashioned notion that the best way to combat a physical team is to fight them. If that’s their strength you probably won’t be as good at it as them, so it’s a false economy to sink to their level as you lose your own skill set and walk straight into their yard - they’re used to scrapping and you aren’t so you’re immediately at a disadvantage. It makes no sense. You have to expose their weaknesses and try to exploit and counter them. The idea that the best way to beat somebody tougher than you is to have a fist fight and see who drops first is absurd. It’s another hangover from the days of putting skilful players on the wing instead of in the middle of the pitch, because that’s for hard men and not twirly wirly sissies. We went to Southend and battered them because we are better than them, and played our own game. We then went to MK and inexplicably tried to counter them and lost while turning in a dreadful performance. There’s no need to get caught up constantly trying to outsmart the opposition when it’s often no more complex than ‘our players are quite a lot better than yours’.

Play our own game and we win. Get bogged down in trying to scrap them and we stand far less of a chance. I fear that’s what we will do, but I hope that we keep the ball moving and do what we do on our way to a nice 2-0 victory.
 
Absolutely disagree with the old fashioned notion that the best way to combat a physical team is to fight them. If that’s their strength you probably won’t be as good at it as them, so it’s a false economy to sink to their level as you lose your own skill set and walk straight into their yard - they’re used to scrapping and you aren’t so you’re immediately at a disadvantage. It makes no sense. You have to expose their weaknesses and try to exploit and counter them. The idea that the best way to beat somebody tougher than you is to have a fist fight and see who drops first is absurd. It’s another hangover from the days of putting skilful players on the wing instead of in the middle of the pitch, because that’s for hard men and not twirly wirly sissies. We went to Southend and battered them because we are better than them, and played our own game. We then went to MK and inexplicably tried to counter them and lost while turning in a dreadful performance. There’s no need to get caught up constantly trying to outsmart the opposition when it’s often no more complex than ‘our players are quite a lot better than yours’.

Play our own game and we win. Get bogged down in trying to scrap them and we stand far less of a chance. I fear that’s what we will do, but I hope that we keep the ball moving and do what we do on our way to a nice 2-0 victory.
‘Never try wrestling with a pig. You get filthy and the pig enjoys it.’
 
A tough game as we have struggled there in the past few seasons and they are in decent form.
A win would be a terrific 3 points. This really could go either way and I reckon a draw.
Agyei instead of Hall for me if Fosu is rested.
 
Despite the onset of a cold (Christmas gift from me) Mrs Lounger is determined to go so, we shall be the two Antarctic explorer looking types trying to see the pitch from the terraces and our boys give the Kingsmeadow men a lesson in how to play footy.
My chest infection has subsided enough to cough only once in a while and with the thought of Fat boys cafe providing some fine dining pre-match I am willing to venture out.
Referee tomorrow is a newbie to League 1 with just two games this season, Sam Purkiss. Previous two seasons he was non league status. He'll need his wits about him with some of the nonsense we've seen in the past.
 
Archer
Long Dickie Moore Ruffels
Cadden Gorrin Baptiste
Henry Mackie Fosu

SUBS: Taylor, Sykes, Brannagan, Agyei, Mous, Hall, Stevens

Brannagan has played a hell of a lot of football since returning from a long injury layoff, and surely needs a rest, and could certainly be one who benefits from a bit of squad rotation.

If we win this, we're potentially only a few points off top spot, with fantastic momentum going into the new year!

COYY
 
Played for both the U’s and the Dons includes Danny Hylton, Michael Collins, Jon Meades, Jack Midson, George Long,
Sean Rigg, Alfie Potter and Tyrone Barnett.

ChrjZTbVEAEzNBl
 
I would welcome a draw - squad is going through a tough patch physically so 1-1 without injuries would be great
 
Unless Cadden is half-dead with illness, why wouldn’t we play him? Possibly his last League game for us - run him into the ground!

If it’s five changes, I’d suggest Long, Moore, Sykes, Agyei & Mackie for Ruffels, Mous, Henry, Fosu & Taylor. But obviously depends on who is sickest......
 
Strange thing about Cadden, I have not yet heard a definitive date for his departure. Radio were saying the cup game could be his last home game but they didn't seem sure so that's why I didn't include him in the team I thought KR would play. Who knows?
 
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