I'll be there, anyone else going? We'd sold 2500 tickets a week ago so there'll be quite a few of us there on the day, should be a good day out...
I was tempted to go but there thought of giving 1p to that club that shouldn't exist is proving my stumbling block - still I must confess tempted to go... but it's on Sky.......and we've formed a very successful South West supporters group in the Bristol/ Bath area so quite possibly watch the game with them instead. Is anyone going to Brighton? Four of us from the S.W club going with accommodation booked..... have a feeling that is going to be a messy as hell evening. If anyone wants a semi sober/ hammered discussion / discotec fun and games hit me up. Very excited for it - I live in a little village ( Yes I'm the only gay ho ho - hence Brighton right ? ! ) so I always drive / rarely drink. Even nights out now I struggle to get the incentive to want to get a cab home when I can drive back - my hangovers have become utterly shocking - turn 30 in January and on the alcohol front I'm certainly showing my age! Digressed a little but hey ho it's fun to - REALLY hope we get back to winning ways at M.K. Hoping Bru is back / McGoldrick fitter and I'm a little confused re Tommy Oar.
I think I mentioned it elsewhere, but out of the several fixtures we've got coming up, this match looks the most likely to give us all three points. MK Dons have only won once in their last eight games, their manager, Karl Robinson, has come out and said the players have three weeks to 'save their careers', and they're a point off the bottom three. In theory then, this is precisely the type of game we should be winning if we want to finish in the top six this campaign. The problem for us, and one which was brutally highlighted in that second half collapse against Middlesbrough, is that we lack quality in our full back positions, that there is a creative deficiency in the middle of the park, and that the 4-3-3 formation against Boro left us overwhelmed and outnumbered in the centre. Hopefully against MK Dons, those apparent weaknesses won't be exploited to the extent they did on Friday night, but it's still worth bearing in mind as we approach the busy festive period. So Mick can either stick with the usual team and hope our quality can outmatch MK Dons which, on paper, it should do. He could be bolder and introduce one, or more, of Emmanuel, Malarczyk, or one of the other youngsters knocking on the first-team door, giving them an opportunity to impress. At least in the short-term, we have Bru and Bishop due back, which should address our problems in the centre of the field and give us a bit more spark. What's clear to me is this club needs investment in January, or at least a few additions, if we are to sustain a credible attempt for promotion. Freebies can be fine, but our record in the summer transfer window is patchy, at best. We're in danger of coming unstuck against the bigger clubs in this division, and I have a horrible feeling December will be the month that really underlines the gap between us and the sides that has really invested in a promotion charge.
I'm also contemplating going - only about half hour drive for me - but, like Westy, I begrudge everything about the MK Dons (seeing as I used to live a stones throw from Plough lane, and Wimbledon were always my 2nd team) I think we'll win this one comfortably, I haven't seen anything in the MK Dons team that would worry me (other than Bowditch coming back to haunt us). Hopefully the fringe players are fit enough to get a game, or at least a half, and give a few of the seniors a rest (Pitman, AMN, Douglas). I'm also confused about Oar, anyone know why he's not getting any game time? Is he injured? Now would be the ideal time to start playing him, especially with the crazy season now approaching.
" Hopefully the fringe players are fit enough to get a game, or at least a half, and give a few of the seniors a rest (Pitman, AMN, Douglas). " Christ that's optimism, a win with a few getting a rest! Hope you're right. I can't see us losing this, I maintain and have banged on about how I fancy us being better on the road than home this season, however, unsure we'll win. Heart 3-1 town, head, 1-1. Nuggets, Emmanuel is on loan.
I think we will see a few changes for this one. Resting, giving bench a great chance to shine, whatever, I hope we see an invigorated performance to take us into A Christmas Cracker period and top 6 again! 3-1 Town. Pint glass overflowing for some reason!
We have three games in a week I've just discovered ( some fan I am ) Fulham away the Tuesday then DERBY ( gulp ) at home. After these 3, we sit on 22 games which is very close to 50% of the season done ( probs 48.75% or something after these three ) so it may well be time for a midterm assessment at this point. Come on town, lets have a good positive week.
Ha ha..so predictable Spanish! You know what, I travelled the 300 miles plus tother night, met some amazing fans, chatted and roared my lungs away and enjoyed 1st half decent game, despaired the 2nd half...groans all around.....but still loved PR! Then we all vanished into the dull damp night never to see each other again perhaps! Then...guess what? I stayed at cheerfl little old lady's B & B who didnt give a flying f.....k about football, and drove on up North to.......Turnip land! I stayed with cousins, mostly 5 fingered! And loved the wintry Broadland scene. East Anglia. Cant beat it!
I'm mixed on this - I actually don't quite know where it's all going in a roundabout way Mick or no Mick. * Relegated sides with parachute payments - unfortunately this season Hull + Burnley have got it right.... QPR may even get top 6. * Derby + Boro have spent tonnes on fees/wages and have got it right. * Brighton apparently have in wages. * Forest/Bolton/Blackburn/Charlton/Fulham examples of very poorly ran clubs for years - we don't wanna be that.... * Wendy chucking tonnes at it - if they don't get top 6 this season they'll surely be very high up again next...same with Cardiff. ££££ for ££££ spend we're by far the best team in the division - with actual sales we turned a profit and reinvested in improved deals for a few, loan fees, a small fee in Knudsen. Not that from the romance position does this help us remotely! Wind back 15 years and football has sadly changed for the worse in many aspects. Rich owners coming into the Premier League, then having clubs in the championship with wealthy owners. Must be 30+ clubs with potentially heavy financial backing. This is going to become a rant here - take the " champions league " - 4 teams in the competition is an absolute disgrace. 12/32 teams from three sodding countries, Feyenoord/ Sporting Lisbon / Red Star Belgrade/ Rosenborg etc - laughing stock in Europe now. Then they are on about doing a game abroad. Disgrace.
Even if we fail to reach playoffs I wouldn't say Mick out. It's too much of a gamble, not to mention how he's stabilised the team. As Westy points out we're competing with teams with bigger budgets, PL players on PL wages etc. Getting back up to the PL is always going to be tough for teams like ours, but Mick is giving us a better chance than anyone else has in years. The Championship is a decent league these days and as long as we're competing to be in the top 6, I'm happy.
I am more and more inclined to accept our realistic position and status as good all round over-performing Championship team that does not have a visionary and enterprising, purse strings free owner who will invest to take us up to next level. And, in general, more pleased than not, with our standard of play this year, albeit marked by several truly awful games, and several surprisingly good performances. Still Top 6 candidates! Bring it on at MKD!
MM Manger of the Month?!Bit of a barrel scraping exercise! We beat Bolton,Rotherham and Charlton and drew with Wolves,hardly ripping up trees,or has ME been splashing the cash for a change?
