It’s been a rough ride for MK Dons, here’s what need to change at MK Dons to improve things.
Considering than Fulham were 12th and Dons 21st going into this game, you might have thought that a point would be very welcome. Whilst it does help a little towards the goal and points tally, these draws and losses are hardly going to keep the side away from relegation. So what can they do to change that?
The first thing that anybody would usually look to in this sort of situation is the defence. If a side is towards the bottom of the table, you’re usually conceding far too many goals. The Dons haven’t got the worst defensive record, but obviously it could be far better. The two centre backs, Kyle McFadzean and Antony Kay, unfortunately have to take some of the blame for this. Kay’s 33 years certainly show when he is on the pitch, in more ways than one. You can definitely see the experience and authority he has over the squad, but it’s his lack of pace which hinders the team out, which was evident in spells today against Fulham as he came up against Moussa Dembele.
The same can be said more club captain Dean Lewington, who often finds himself caught out by the Championship’s tricky wingers.
Kyle McFadzean has also come under increasing pressure from fans this season with some of his hesitant play and dodgy passing, which lead to goals against Bristol City back in October and at Middlesborough at the end of September.
The depth in the defence isn’t optimal either, with veteran Matt Upson sidelined once again through injury, Joe Walsh injured as well and no other recognised left-back in the squad. Right-back Lee Hodson is usually the cover there. Taking all of this into account, a dip into the transfer market certainly doesn’t seem like a bad idea in January to shore up the defence and stop the leakage of goals.
To stop conceding goals is one thing, but scoring them is just as important to make sure that you win games. That’s something that is fast becoming a problem for the Dons, having only scored more than two goals in a game twice this season, in the 4-1 away win at Rotherham on opening day and the 3-0 home win against Blackburn about a month ago.
Simon Church and Nicky Maynard have just 3 goals between them this season, less than Carl Baker, the top scorer, who has 4. Maynard though has been improving recently, and opened his account for the club just before the international break in the 2-1 away defeat at Brighton. This, coupled with the lack of action from Sam Gallagher this season, doesn’t give a lot of hope to anybody travelling to Milton Keynes expecting goals.
A look at other options certainly wouldn’t go amiss in this position either; not in seeking replacements, but to provide support and offer a bit more competition to the established attackers in the hope that this could inspire them to more goals.
All that Dons fans can hope is that Karl Robinson has a plan of sorts up his sleeve, because if he doesn’t it could be set to get a lot worse for MK Dons.
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