Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 2:48 pm
Posts: 4891
Location: In the Armchair.
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IT’S THE FINAL MELTDOWN – CRAWLEY TOWNOnce again I am unsure where to even begin, but congratulating Crawley Town seems to be the most appropriate, and of course wishing them well at Wembley in the Playoff Final against Crewe Alex.
They never just beat us, they humiliated us, schooled us, and despite the average age of the teams being similar it looked like men versus boys, the gap was so wide. I described it after the Tuesday night game as a yawning chasm, but that hardly does the gap in class, skill, discipline, and general approach to the game justice…..light years apart….yep….light years.
I think most fans adorned in white that turned up last night felt it was possible, the team news though soon knocked that positivity out of us as we saw Marschall had been given the nod for whatever reason. The rumours were that after the 1st Leg and Kelly going ape out our fans, Williamson had flexed his muscles and showed him who was the boss.
Of course Kelly could have had an injury, but he looked fine in the warm up and showed no signs of discomfort or restricted movement….so you have to think this was all down to MW, but in any case this wasn’t down to our rookie keeper as what was to come was an even bigger horror story than Tuesday.
Ahead of kick off the planned DonsAction display was magnificent, and I cannot praise them highly enough, in terms of this club they are a bright star in a gloomy sky. Most of the 8,500 Dons fans had responded to the #DonYourWhite campaign and everyone else joined in with the clubs #BringTheNoise call to arms….sadly though the players were not on the same page and within three minutes the whole thing crumbled to dust.
People will often say that’s the worst they’ve ever seen us play after a game, I don’t think many will argue after this one, and guess what, last Tuesday comes a close second.
The game just about defies description, and I’m not going to even attempt it, as I can hardly believe what I’ve just seen, and I’m struggling to understand how we played so bloody awful over the two legs.
Of course now anybody remotely worth anything will be sold, those out of contract will go and I don’t think any of us will be sorry about that, and the retained list will be short…but probably not short enough in many people’s eyes.
Being fair though….don’t worry this won’t last long…..to finish in 4th was remarkable, but as I said in my last edition of “The Meltdown” some of this was down to how appalling the standard is at this level, we have taken some right kicking’s this season but still managed to work our way up the table and am I right in saying we conceded more goals this season than we did last after being relegated from League 1.
It’s easy to sit here now and talk about recruitment, but I have questioned it several times before this season, so I feel justified in raising the subject again, so let’s understand how we ended up with an “Emergency” loan keeper as our Number 1 and someone who was probably intended to be our 5th choice striker as our main goal scorer, and I think that pretty much sums up how bad the recruitment and investment has been, is that Sweeting again, or does MW have to shoulder some of that blame, and of course PW not wanting to spend money doesn’t get away with some of the responsibility in all this.
Whilst I am generally against major rebuilds I cannot deny we have to start again, all the keepers have to go, the defence has to go, most of the strikers, in fact I’m struggling to want to keep any more than 4 or 5 and at least one of those could get sold for a “snickers bar”….watch the video.
Of course the “10 Million Dollar” question is, what’s going to happen to MW. There has been interest in him, but he has massive question marks hanging over him now, namely the ability to win the big matches, does he have that big game mentality that is needed to get the team over the line, and to be honest he doesn’t look like he has as he as shown great naivety at times, and when it matters most, that must be a concern to any interested suitors.
Today….If I was PW I would be concerned, even though just 8,500 Dons fans attended the biggest game in our season some would have probably returned next season, but not now. At times this season we have recorded just over 5000 fans, I expect that to drop to just under that mark, and on a Tuesday little over 4000.
For what its worth I think the damage started when we got promoted to the Championship, we never invested in the team to secure our position, and have cut back every year since, and we just continue to spiral down and that must be a concern as sooner or later this “Football Experiment” is not going to be sustainable.
We missed our opportunity back then and through a succession of poor decisions and strategies it’s just got worse and is going to get worse still, and until we draw a line in the sand and invest in the team to get us up and get the crowds in, I can’t see how we are going to get out of this.
Theres not much else to say really, and this is about as low as its ever felt, yes we finished 4th, and it could have been worse, it just doesn’t feel like it right now.
That’s it from me then for another season, I hope you have enjoyed my musings, I’ve always tried to be honest, there’s no malice, nothing personal, I’ve just tried to tell it how it is. If that doesn’t sit well with some of you, well that’s how it is, opinions are subjective, some people think we owe PW the world, I personally do not, that doesn’t make either of us right, but consider this, you could just be part of the problem, as for years fans have just allowed this to continue unchecked.
He has taken us as far as he can, or wants to, it’s time to physically put the club up for sale now, and by that I mean come out and actually say it, I know that is complicated but until it happens I fear more of the same.
The building of a training ground tells you all you need to know about PW and this club….. over 20 years and still nothing, the Egyptians built the pyramids quicker….how is that even possible.
They say we have no history, yet today a new chapter has been written, the biggest defeat over two legs in a playoff, and our run of six attempts in the playoffs continues to top the charts and stretch out it's lead....it gets you right there doesn't it, makes you so proud at what we have achieved
Until next season, enjoy the summer.
Thankfully we will soon be back to the bread and butter of the club….”Take That and party”. 
WD
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Read the MELTDOWN after every game, no bullshit, just giving it straight
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