THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

THE CAZBAR BIG GAME PREVIEW – Wrexham
Morning disciples, lightweights, bedwetters, non-believers, or whoever has chosen to join us for what we hope is a tour of the less salubrious grounds in the EFL and a whistle stop journey on the Promotion Express. Yes folks we weren’t good enough to stay up contrary to the belief of those that hang on every word from “De Management”, we were as s**t as some of us thought, and rightly and deservedly so we find ourselves in the back woods of football yet again.

Last season was a “S**t Show” of biblical proportions on and off the field of play as many hung on to the unqualified belief that there were surely four teams worse than us …..there weren’t.

I suppose we should have guessed on the opening day of the season as we trotted out at Cambridge with our hearts full of expectancy, wearing the worst football kit in the history of worst football kits, and we came out second best….the writing was possibly on the wall from the first kick of the ball….hindsight……not at all…..I can’t claim to be the first to call relegation, but looking back at some of the old “Meltdowns”, I would say I was firmly on board the relegation train by mid-November.

We oh so nearly got away with it on that last day, and I would have been more than pleased if we had of, but in a way this is the better of the outcomes as it has propelled those responsible at the club front and centre and finally people won’t put up with the bullshit, and that’s probably down to the new generation of fans that are not from the “Eternally Grateful” brigade, they want to see the club succeed, nothing else matters and they won’t be chatted out of it by anyone.

In my mind this season, there is no hiding place, mid table obscurity just won’t wash, and I don’t want to hear any mention of time to gel or rubbish like that, if we are not in the thick of it come the day of reckoning, this club has failed the fans, and the accountability game should start in earnest.

I’m going to start the season by being positive and hopefully the only repetition you will see from me, is me waxing lyrical about our latest victory, you will also gather I am writing this in the weeks before the season starts covering the PSF’s right up to the day I publish this article, so my emotions might change as we make our way through the PSF’s.

Last season was bloody depressing, frustrating and really hard to report on never mind watch it, after all there are only so many ways to describe rubbish football and the awful experiences we had to endure week in, week out, I know some were critical of my weekly musings, saying every week was just a rehash of the previous report, a great pity then that some could not work it out for themselves instead of being critical of me….I have no influence on performance or the results, so if the end result is the same, it stands to reason the flavour of the report is not going to alter that much….hopefully I have educated some that those criticisms should be aimed at those responsible….don’t shoot the messenger.

Before I take a look at our opening game versus Hollywood’s favourite football team I should probably give my opinion on one or two things. So in no particular order……it looks like most people have got their season tickets which is a change from the previous two seasons, but I would imagine the numbers are down so that probably made the job easier and it’s going to be interesting to see what the home attendances are going to be, hopefully if we can put a bit of a run together some of those that decided not to renew may have a change of heart.

Kits are always very subjective, unless you come up with a design like last years, so it is pleasing to see this season’s effort has been generally well received, but in honesty absolutely anything would have been an improvement. For what it’s worth they look sharp, clean lined, and I like them, and they are in the shop which is always a good idea before we kick a ball in anger.

On the recruitment front we of course have a new gaffer in Graham Alexander who from now on I will refer to as GA, he is well known with a pedigree of sorts at this level, hopefully he gets it right and we are challenging from the opening bell, if not it won’t take long for the finger pointing to start, as I have already said, there really is no excuse this season from anyone, top to bottom.

At first sight the players coming in look fairly decent, and hopefully some of those raw recruits we took on last season are a season wiser and better equipped at this lower level, it certainly won’t take long to give an informed opinion, but I’m under no illusion that this is going to be a walk in the park and promotion is a given, there are one or two teams that are obvious contenders, none more so than our first test away to newly promoted Wrexham.

Alongside Notts County last season they were a very large fish in a very small pond and the Hollywood money from Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney helped them dip into recruitment from leagues above them which is almost unheard of to think that players were willing to drop down from League 1 to a well-paid life in Wales and National League football which dispels the myth that players wouldn’t come to us in LG 2, if the money is right they will come.

Last season they finished on 111 points which is a record for the top five divisions of English League football, they progressed to the 4th Round of the FA Cup dumping out Coventry City on the way and only succumbed to Sheffield Utd after a replay and have become media darlings in the docuseries “Welcome to Wrexham”.

It’s hard to imagine that Wrexham won’t be there or thereabouts at the end of the season, so this is going to be a good test of where we are in the grand scheme of things, I don’t think they will have it all their way this season, but nevertheless they are still a big fish but in a slightly bigger pond.

We of course can’t yet give you all the usual facts and figures ahead of the game, they will come in the weeks to come as the results roll in, but we can take a look at the Wrexham Gaffer Phil Parkinson who also chose to drop a few levels after holding down positions at some notable clubs such as Hull City, Charlton Athletic, Bolton Wanderers, and Sunderland.

In total he has been at the helm for 913 games with a record of W 368, D 255, L 290 with a Win Ratio of just over 40%, and that rockets to over 65% in his time at Wrexham where they have lost just 15 out of 109 games.

This game marks a return to the Football League after 15 years in the wilderness and some desperate times including administration, winding up orders, points deductions which ironically saved us from relegation in 2004/05, and debts in the region of £2.6m including £800k in unpaid taxes.

I note that the first PSF stirred up a few emotions with the 2-1 defeat against Wealdstone which I have found slightly humorous. Some have pointed out that PSF’s mean nothing, and to a large degree that is true, and we could point out that the lads had a full training session before travelling, it was their first game, and one or two were tried in unfamiliar roles, so there are excuses, no need to wet the bed just yet…..is there…. but I wonder if we had achieved a convincing victory, those condemning the bed wetter’s now, would they have been screaming promotion is nailed on from the roof tops…. fans eh !

The friendly down at the Hive versus Barnet was badly affected by gusting winds and the 1-1 final score has probably done little for those already nervous for the start of the season. Our new No 1 made another mistake to gift Barnet a goal but it has to be said other than that he was fairly solid.

Its more vital minutes in the tank before they jet off to Germany for a brief summer training camp, hopefully it’s going to mean we look a lot sharper on our return, and GA is somewhere close to his assessment in the team and its capabilities, for me I would really like to see a striker or two with a proven record and that will suffice IMHO, whether GA can get them playing as an efficient unit is the question.

The “Summer Camp” did little to change the Dons fortunes with a training game versus a German 3rd Division outfit resulting in a 1-0 defeat, and once again that on the back of a full training session.

Whilst I’m sure and by his own admission GA doesn’t give much store to pre-season results I’m just as sure that it will be in the players’ minds especially those that pulled on the oiled stained jersey last season, losing like winning can easily become a habit.

News from the training camp is that there is a likelihood we will be signing two players in the week before the start of the season, and as I have ventured before, a striker or two will hopefully be top of the shopping list as everything so far suggests we are still lacking in that area…..next up Coventry City on Tuesday night.

Outclassed I think is the best assessment of the Coventry game and it’s difficult to write too much into a game against a team basically one kick away from the Premiership. Several injuries to key players blunted most of our forward play and despite shipping 5 goals I am hopeful that the back line will be better equipped to deal with the rigours of life in LG 2……again GA went on about more strikers in the post-match presser and I just wonder why we always seem to leave that aspect of our recruitment until the last minute…..and then probably panic buy or just decide to stick with what limited resources we have…..sound familiar?

My final thought on this game….it was only 3 years ago we were playing Coventry City in LG 1 and have an even record against them, now we are talking about being outclassed by them, still we shouldn’t be shocked, they won’t be the first club that have left us behind.

I know I said I wasn’t going to talk doom and gloom before a ball was kicked in anger, but already I’m struggling to inject any sort of positivity or enthusiasm into my thoughts so hopefully we will have something to cling to in our game with Northampton on Saturday and I think that will give us a much clearer picture of what we can expect this season…..I’m not holding my breath.

On the eve of the Cobblers game, I was one of a steady stream in the Club Shop purchasing the new blue shirt…. have to say I like it…shame it wasn’t yellow replacing the red, but I think it looks even better in the flesh so to speak, a definite “Vive la France” look and feel to it, and I’m told its outselling the red and white shirts combined, and with several sizes sold out.

In other news Zak Jules has left for Exeter City for another undisclosed fee which I can’t imagine amounts to much, and Tommy Smith a centre half comes in. Smith although born in England has represented New Zealand on 50 occasions and has 456 appearances to his name.

The Cobblers game to me showed more than ever how much we are lacking in some positions. Newly promoted Northampton were nothing special, in honesty they didn’t need to be, as we looked woeful on occasions and I reckon there is more than a whiff of last season still hanging around, and I’m already hearing people questioning our promotion credentials, and I don’t blame them, I can’t see us going anywhere with what we have to call on player wise. The only highlight for many was the first start of Joel Anker who only signed pro-papers in June, he looked solid in all aspects of his game, and was just about our best player.

Anyway……If we don’t recruit before the window closes I’d rip up the betting slips as based on the collective ability of the players I can’t see us scoring the required number of goals to get us in with a shout, which for the record averages out at 75 goals over the last 20 years of promoted teams.

If it makes you feel better saying its only pre-season, well you’re kidding yourself, perhaps like last season when so many said we are too good to go down.
Recruitment is going to be the key…. the clock is ticking.

Wrexham, Head 2 Head– For what it’s worth we have a decent record against Wrexham which is shown below, but it was so long ago its hardly a yardstick to base a prediction on.

Games shown are LG 2 unless stated.

2004/05 – MK Dons 3 Wrexham 0 (LG1) (Rizzo, Small 2).
2004/05 – Wrexham 0 MK Dons 0 (LG1)
2006/07 – Wrexham 1 MK Dons 2 (McLeod, O’Hanlon).
2006/07 – MK Dons 2 Wrexham 1 (Andrews, Platt)
2007/08 – Wrexham 1 MK Dons 0
2007/08 – MK Dons 4 Wrexham 1 (Swailes. O’Hanlon, Wilbraham 2)

That’s a record of P 6, W 4, D 1, L 1, GF 11, GA 4.

Betting – Unsurprisingly Wrexham are the bookies favourites to take the points.

Wrexham 4/6, Draw 3/1, MK Dons 9/2

In case you didn’t know Wrexham are favourites to win the title at 7/2, we are 7th in the betting at 20/1 to lift the trophy and 100/30 to get promoted, and if you are a doom and gloom merchant, we are 33/1 to be relegated.

Prediction – This is a big game for both sides and victory for either will set the tone even at this early stage, personally I would be happy with a draw, but even if we lose I will be looking closely at team performance as I will be hoping to see evidence that we are up for the fight…. currently I’m not sure we are.

I will leave you with this…. over the years there have been many comments that have come back and haunted this club…..” We’re going for it” (PW), might just be the next in the saga…. sorry I’m just not feeling it at the moment.

See You Next Time.

WD

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Read the MELTDOWN after every game, no bullshit, just giving it straight

Good to see some things haven't changed and welcome back WD. Although I strangely see these in some future edition of some journal, titled journey into despair.

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Disclaimer: All my comments are my opinions unless stated otherwise. I'm just a fan following my club.

Great write up Welldon, I think expectation wise most of us are in the same slightly dark place. We definitely need a couple more new faces and we still seem to be carrying some deadwood.

As tgey say though it is the hope that gets you!!

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2022/23 Runner up: How Crap, Prediction league and football in general
COYD

He's back. Enjoyable to read as always, look forward to reading them over the rest of the season.

Nice to chat for the first time WD.

A bid reductive in places but enjoyable as ever.

I predict this next 3 weeks will determine our next 3 seasons. I detect that Pete does not have enough confidence in GA’s player preferences and will not release funds until he has more confidence in his decisions. I’m speculating there, but it fits Pete’s view of the world and the current circumstances.

If Pete is concerned about resources being pissed away, then we either (1) pull the rabbit out of the hat and get our recruitment shit together and put ourselves in a position to fight for promotion 2) go cautious and end-up a mid-table team or (3) piss away funds on average L2 players as we have done already this last few weeks and end-up a mid-table team.

2 and 3 will lead to lower gates still and I can only see it taking 3 years to recover, depending on how well the Inter businesses perform.

So the next 3 weeks drives the next 3 years IMO. The stakes are that high.

Feel similarly. Sorting out decent recruitment over the next few weeks will be the difference between promotion or not. If we don't go up this season then we lose those players that give us a bit of an edge over 75% of this league and any advantage we have now will be lost next season. If we were talking a decade ago I'd have said that wasn't much of a problem but the league is the strongest its ever been.

Staying in L2 more than one season when morale amongst fans is probably the lowest its ever been will be a big problem for the club. I could see attendances falling dramatically if we don't bounce straight back.

I think Pete needs to back GA 100% as he talks a lot of sense, he knows we don't have enough strength in depth and that the last few years barring 21/22 haven't been good enough.

We need to make the most of any advantage we have now. Get the chequebook out. Whatever it takes to make this a short stay in L2.

Yep - apart from Pete won’t release funds if the ideas presented are poor.

There will be more going on behind the scenes. What’s sweeting’s role here is unclear. It feels like a GA takeover. If LS is being sidelined, in disagreement with GA or simply not coming up the right answers (like last season) all of those do not bode well at all. It will be hugely destabilising for the club and it will spill over onto the pitch. GA’s recent demeanour also plays out that something is not good in the back room.

The answer is to get our shit together on recruitment. Get some real quality in and don’t overpay. Given how disrupted L2 is this season that might be an impossible balance to achieve.

If a balance cannot be struck, then I agree Pete has to overpay but not for ‘average’. So far it has been IMO. It has to be real quality. No news yet on loans of course. There may be some gems to be had there. Three weeks and counting…

How does it feel like a GA takeover? I've not gleaned that at all from what the club has said or done.

Just the recruitment process. GA made it clear he is leading recruitment and referring to himself as manager not coach.

Maybe something to that, he seems to want to set out a very pragmatic approach with little concern for style or flair and is probably getting a huge say - but as PW said, transfers are a three-way collab between him, the manager, and LS.