United 2 MK Dons 1 - report

[Revolution]

I reckon we will rest 3 or 4 first team players for next Sunday allowing for us to maximise the rules 3 days later in the dead rubber at Grimsby where we will basically then flood the team with fringe players. Hussey, Lavery, Whiteman and possibly Wilson (if fit) could be the ones to step in

That makes some sort of sense but these guys need to do better than they've been doing thus far.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

I reckon we will rest 3 or 4 first team players for next Sunday allowing for us to maximise the rules 3 days later in the dead rubber at Grimsby where we will basically then flood the team with fringe players. Hussey, Lavery, Whiteman and possibly Wilson (if fit) could be the ones to step in

The Checkatrade rules are based on league games only, so that wouldn't help.
I'd still rest key players for both though and pay the measly £5K fine

 

[Revolution]

The Checkatrade rules are based on league games only, so that wouldn't help.
I'd still rest key players for both though and pay the measly £5K fine

If the fine is 5 grand for that competition I would hope we will play our under 18s. It's a dead rubber. And the league deserve all they get for foisting the stupid changes to the competition on us.

 

[RammyBlade]

Great report Deadbat
Thanks.

I thought we'd have been better with JOC instead of Basham and even though Bash didn't have a bad game, there were a few times where his control let him down and where he booted it anywhere when in space rather than look for a man and keep possession. I'd definitely have brought JOC on, probably for Freeman and moved Bash to RB/RWB, after we went 2-1 up. I can see why Wilder would keep him in though and we won so there's nothing really to complain about.

Fleck had a really good game, as did Wright but what does Scougs have to do to win over our fans on here? Scores a goal, then shows some great play in setting up the winner and he worked his proverbials off the rest of the time. There was a great bit of defending from him when I think their No.2 (good player) got past Lafferty (I think) and Scougs had tracked him all the way back into our area, closed him down and didn't allow him to play the ball. He was also on the end of an awful but very typically MK cynical challenge that should have been a straight red for me when Scougs was breaking into their box in the second half, might have been Potter, in which case he definitely should have gone!

Scougs puts in a lot of effort clearly but I think its a case of square pegs in round holes and trying to get the balance of the side right. Most teams dont go up with 2 midgets up front who lack pace and unfortunately although Scougs harries and scuttles he doesnt have that physical presence and pace that would frighten a defence and I dont think that a pairing of Done and Sharp is the right one either really so I hope we can strengthen this side of things in January and cant see why we wouldnt go up if that happens.

 

[spongebobblade]

The Checkatrade rules are based on league games only, so that wouldn't help.
I'd still rest key players for both though and pay the measly £5K fine

I was under the impression it was just the previous first team game?
Not disputing you though, your quite possibly right

 

[Blend-it-like-Harris]

Amazing athleticism from Scoogs (no...... can't possibly imagine Diego being able to do that) following getting up to win the header too! Obviously Cootsey had confidence in him having the spring in his heels to get up there as he clearly aimed the cross directly to him. Before Scoogs came I watched video of him and posted "this lad can play" - and he can, and should. He gets goals as a midfield player - how many midfielders have we had in recent seasons able to do that? He sat on his arse watching that numbskull Hammo ponce around....... must have been even more soul-destroying for him than it was for us.

 

[Revolution]

Amazing athleticism from Scoogs (no...... can't possibly imagine Diego being able to do that) following getting up to win the header too! Obviously Cootsey had confidence in him having the spring in his heels to get up there as he clearly aimed the cross directly to him. Before Scoogs came I watched video of him and posted "this lad can play" - and he can, and should. He gets goals as a midfield player - how many midfielders have we had in recent seasons able to do that? He sat on his arse watching that numbskull Hammo ponce around....... must have been even more soul-destroying for him than it was for us.

Before this season Scougall had managed 3 league goals in 50 odd games. He was part of the problem. His finishing was poor.

Credit to him and Wilder. He's already equalled his output from the last 3 seasons combined in terms of league goals.

 

[coaxingstar71]

Scougs puts in a lot of effort clearly but I think its a case of square pegs in round holes and trying to get the balance of the side right. Most teams dont go up with 2 midgets up front who lack pace and unfortunately although Scougs harries and scuttles he doesnt have that physical presence and pace that would frighten a defence and I dont think that a pairing of Done and Sharp is the right one either really so I hope we can strengthen this side of things in January and cant see why we wouldnt go up if that happens.

I don't agree at all. The balance looked fine on Saturday in what I reckon will be one of the toughest opponents all season. Scougs scored one goal and made the other so not bad for a 'round peg in a square hole' eh?

You're right of course, most teams don't go with two midgets up front, I suppose most would favour the old 'big un and a little un' partnership. Well the thing is, as we've shown on our unbeaten run (and against some good sides I might add), if you play the right way for the players that you've got, you can still find success.

Thinking of a few examples off the top of my head. 4th goal v Port Vale, Billy wins the first ball in the air from a cross albeit goes across goal to where Scougall outjumps the defender to head in. Winner v Bristol Rovers, another one of our midgets, Chapman, scores winning header outjumping defender. Winning goal on Saturday, Scougall wins header then has presence of mind to keep eye on ball and set up easy chance for Sharp. Sharp scored header v Wimbledon....... need I go on?

Don't agree that Done and Sharp can't work. Both work very hard, Sharp's scored 10 and Done 2 (Done should probably have had a couple more). Done's put some great balls in the box. Done lay off for Billy 1st goal at Shrewsbury, Done cross for Billy to score header (as above) at Wimbledon. I agree that when Clarke comes back it gives us a different option but as long as we don't revert to just knocking high up to him and hoping for knock downs like we did those first 2 home games. I'm sure we won't because I think we've turned a corner and the general play is much more fluid.

 

[Grecian2000]

Enjoyed the different nature of the game.

Fitted into the "good teams can have off days and win" category for me. Not at our best but still managed the three. That's a good sign (not in the nature of the last few seasons where we've won games whilst not playing well and that level of performance has been the norm).

As with others my one disagreement with the OP would be the ref. He was rubbish. Good to see a comedy linesman back at the Lane though. Looked like someone forced a flag into his hand and told him to run up and down a bit. The joy on his face when he had an easy decision a few minutes from the end was nice.

 

[sitwell]

Amazing athleticism from Scoogs (no...... can't possibly imagine Diego being able to do that) following getting up to win the header too! Obviously Cootsey had confidence in him having the spring in his heels to get up there as he clearly aimed the cross directly to him. Before Scoogs came I watched video of him and posted "this lad can play" - and he can, and should. He gets goals as a midfield player - how many midfielders have we had in recent seasons able to do that? He sat on his arse watching that numbskull Hammo ponce around....... must have been even more soul-destroying for him than it was for us.

That's a really good point actually, that other players have faith in him ,Coutts definitely aimed the cross for him rather than Sharp who was better marked. For a little un Scougal won quite a few headers against bigger players and he rides tackles well. Just always think he is one challenge away from an injury though.

 

[coaxingstar71]

Enjoyed the different nature of the game.

Fitted into the "good teams can have off days and win" category for me. Not at our best but still managed the three. That's a good sign (not in the nature of the last few seasons where we've won games whilst not playing well and that level of performance has been the norm).

As with others my one disagreement with the OP would be the ref. He was rubbish. Good to see a comedy linesman back at the Lane though. Looked like someone forced a flag into his hand and told him to run up and down a bit. The joy on his face when he had an easy decision a few minutes from the end was nice.

The way I saw it was that we actually had to play well to cope with their threat. Port Vale offered nothing and we beat them in every department but MK have a very good team (it shows when they can bring Agard, Maynard and Powell off the bench) with a lot of pace, but apart from their goal which was very well worked, we contained them very well and put enough to pressure on them (10 corners to 2) to force a narrow win. Apart from their goal which was from the edge of the box, I only remember them having one shot on target in the first minute which you would have expected the keeper to save. I think that showed how well we defended and managed the game overall. I love the fact we are managing being the lead much better than when we had 10 men desperately defending on the edge of the 18 yard box.

 

[coaxingstar71]

That's a really good point actually, that other players have faith in him ,Coutts definitely aimed the cross for him rather than Sharp who was better marked. For a little un Scougal won quite a few headers against bigger players and he rides tackles well. Just always think he is one challenge away from an injury though.

Aren't we all?

 

[Sothall_Blade]

I was under the impression it was just the previous first team game?
Not disputing you though, your quite possibly right

I was only going off information on one website. I've looked into it a bit more and you may be right actually. I hope so.
Of course, that would mean that the League is now actively encouraging teams to play weakened teams in the FA Cup in order to avoid getting a fine in their poxy unwanted Trophy.
Is there no end to their ability to screw football up?