Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 2:48 pm
Posts: 4820
Location: In the Armchair.
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THE CAZBAR BIG GAME PREVIEW – AFCI think it would be hard to argue against that the performance versus Newport County was about as good as it gets. You could though argue we should have gone on to record a bigger victory, but we shouldn’t forget they were the form team in LG 2 with 5 wins from their last 6 games, including Wrexham, and it wasn’t all that long ago they beat Stockport County, and in midweek they quickly bounced back to slaughter Harrogate on their own pitch who themselves are chasing a playoff place so we shouldn’t take anything away from the victory…….in 30 minutes the game was done, welcome to big school.
While many will heap praise on our midfield, and it must be about the best in LG 2, plus of course Wearne who has stepped in upfront and performed well enough to keep out two recognised strikers…and I use that phrase in the loosest of terms, anyway, I want to congratulate Dan Harvie.
I know Harvie is not everyone’s cup of tea, but you cannot deny his effort and passion, but what I want to focus on is the way he dealt with 20+ goal striker Will Evans. He completely nullified his game, to the degree Evans was raging, running round like a headless chicken, and Harvie was loving it and fuelling the fire constantly talking to the frustrated Newport striker, and with the biggest grin on his face….Harvie was laughing….I was in bits.
On Saturday we face a totally different challenge, no game against AFC could be described as run of the mill, even though they are four games without a win.
Below are the league positions and records of both teams plus the home form of AFC and our away form.
AFC (13th) – P 34, W 12, D 11, L 11, GF 47, GA 39, Pts 47.
Dons (5th) – P 34, W 17, D 7, L 10, GF 55, GA 44, Pts 58
AFC (H) (16th) – P 16, W 7, D 4, L 5, GF 31, GA 21, Pts 25.
Dons (A) (12th) – P 16, W 6, D 3, L 7, GF 23, GA 27, Pts 21.
Below is a brief look at those home results of AFC with the most recent game shown first.
AFC 0 Crawley 1
AFC 1 Morecambe 1
AFC 2 Barrow 0
AFC 2 Mansfield 1
AFC 5 Colchester 3
AFC 0 Sutton 1
AFC 4 Swindon 0
AFC 4 Notts County 2
AFC 2 Doncaster 0
AFC 2 Accrington 4
AFC 0 Bradford 1
AFC 4 Tranmere 1
AFC 2 Crewe 2
AFC 1 Stockport 2
AFC 1 Forest Green 1
AFC 1 Wrexham 1
A mixed bag of results there with the probable standout win against the current leaders Mansfield, in fact they have taken 4 points off the Stags this season, I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t mind that.
Sorry AFC fans tuning in I have to mention the home defeat last time out to Crawley although they have hit a bit of form lately, and of course Sutton Utd a few weeks ago.
I think we can say AFC have it in them to get the big result, but they can just as easily throw in a bad result, and without a win in 4 games, you have to ask, are AFC dropping out of the race again….but don’t forget they are just 4 points out of the playoff spots….the league table is a very confusing picture that’s for sure.
Ali Al Hamadi is the current top scorer at the Meccano Stadium, but of course the Iraqi International moved to Ipswich Town during the transfer window and so far he has been used sparingly.
The responsibility has therefore fallen to James Tilley and Omar Bugiel who have 10 and 8 goals respectively. The assists are coming from Jake Reeves (7) and Armani Little (6) who both play in centre midfield, and it’s bound to be a decent battle with our quartet who are buzzing at the moment.
The gaffer for AFC is former midfielder Johnnie Jackson who strangely for them had no previous connection with the club, or ours come to that. He had 2 stretches as Caretaker at Charlton before finally landing the job full time and was then subsequently sacked after 27 games and a poor run of results.
Jackson wasn’t out of work long, just 13 days, and then along came AFC with a 2 year contact in their hands back in May 2022.
His career Win Ratio stands at getting on for 38% which puts him just over the average of the sliding scale, but during his time at AFC it drops to 33%, which you hardly need me to tell you is bang on the line and starting to getting dangerously close to fans calling for your head, so I think it’s fair to say Jackson is playing for a contract extension, and it will depend on what happens between now and this June to see if AFC “Stick or Twist”.
For the record Jackson’s stats at AFC stand at P 100, W 33, D 30, L 37.
Historically…hahahaha…listen to me talking about history, well we have the edge although it doesn’t really count as AFC have already won, but if you want reminding it’s below….AFC fans look away now.
2012/13 – Dons 2 AFC 1 (FAC) (Gleeson, Otsemobor)
2014/15 – Dons 3 AFC 1 (LC) (McFadzean, Powell, Afobe)
2014/15 – Dons 2 AFC 3 (JPT) (Powell, Afobe)
2016/17 – Dons 1 AFC 0 (Bowditch)
2016/17 – AFC 2 Dons 0
2017/18 – AFC 0 Dons 2 (Seager, Ariyibi)
2017/18 – Dons 0 AFC 0
2019/20 – AFC 2 Dons 2 (LC) (McGrandles, Kasumu) MK 4-2 on pens.
2019/20 – Dons 2 AFC 1 (Nombe, Healey)
2020/21 – Dons 1 AFC 1 (Fraser)
2020/21 – AFC 0 Dons 2 (O’Riley, Sorinola)
2021/22 – Dons 1 AFC 0 (O’Riley)
2021/22 – AFC 1 Dons 1 (Parrott)
2023/24 – Dons 3 AFC 1 (Kemp, OG, O’Hora)
That’s a record of P 14, W 9, D 3, L 2, GF 22, GA 13.
The game at our place was fairly comfortable with us racing to a 3-0 lead after 22 minutes with goals from Kemp and O’Hora, either side of a bizarre own goal. Little pulled one back early in the second half capitalising on an awful pass out by Marschall but any hopes for AFC to reduce the deficit further were thwarted when Biler and then shortly after Kalambayi pulled down Max Dean as he was closing in on goal, and Ref Sunny Gill gave them their marching orders.
I have to say I find the betting for this one really strange. Before I click on the bookie sites I normally guess what I think the odds are, and after doing this a few years I’m often not too far out, but I’m way out this week as AFC are favourites, and we are attractively priced…..what do I know.
AFC 6/4, Draw 5/2, MK Dons 15/8.
Once again I am steering clear of making a prediction, as you know I’m a bit superstitious about predicting a Dons win, but I will of course be hoping for the best.
If you want my assessment on what I think is going to happen, well I expect AFC to put up a bit more of a fight, and I would imagine the message from AFC gaffer will be to stay in the game and don’t concede early. Again, I can only see AFC having to surrender possession as I can’t see our midfield being content not dictating play. The issue for AFC could be who they have available as they look to be down to their bare bones at the back with Biler, Johnson, and Kalambayi all out injured last weekend.
We of course still have our injury worries, so hopefully we can put out the same team for this 12-30 Kick Off.
Fingers crossed, safe travels, enjoy the game.  WD
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Read the MELTDOWN after every game, no bullshit, just giving it straight
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