THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

THE MELTDOWN – MANSFIELD TOWN
Well it certainly wasn’t a classic, well not from our prospective, but I imagine Stags fans will look back fondly upon today, but for us it was a day to forget.

I did feel positive before kick-off after all SMK had become something of a fortress under the stewardship of MW, but I’m afraid for whatever reason we just never found our form.

Reasonably happy about the team but I feel Kemp offers more than Wearne, and I’m not entirely sure this was a game for the skipper, and I don’t think the Mansfield thought so either as it was obvious they saw him as the weak link and clearly targeted the left side of our defence with balls over the top, I would have preferred Cam Norman, and it goes without saying not having Tommo is a massive blow……oh and by the way I’m not really a fan of Lofty, he looks like decent player, but I don’t really think he is.

Theres a number of potential reasons or more likely a mixture of most of them why we failed and miserably today. Mansfield had obviously taken on board why we dominated them at their place and set about rectifying things.

For one the high press had gone, no longer closing our back line down committing themselves and opening up gaps, allowing O’Hora to just walk it up to the halfway line and give him no options, personally I would have like to see him keep going and unleash a Harry Darling type attempt….but no.

They obviously worked out Gilbey and Bate had pulled the strings at their place, and whilst they never really got to grips with Bate Gilbey and indeed the threat he carries was extinguished, my only complaint about Bate is when working himself an opening now and again he has to shoot, and I’m afraid that is at the root of things, we never really made Pym work for his supper.

Our goal was as good as anything we’ve seen from Max this season, turned the defender inside out, chose his spot and thumped it in the corner with Pym well beaten.

Whilst we had the better of the first half, we certainly never made it tell and I can’t really recall any real opportunities to stretch the lead and I think the only thing letting the Stags down was their wayward passing, but in the second half despite a lot of possession we weren’t really in it.

Fair play to Mansfield the better team won and always looked the more likely to score, and although the scoreline probably flatters them, we had to try something when going behind and it left us stretched, and we were punished.

So in another must win game we came up short…and woefully short and I see some are already questioning our big game mentality, and they are right to mention it as I agree, I don’t think we do have the credentials.

We are in honesty a half decent team in a sea of mediocre and poor teams, and I think if we do manage to navigate the playoffs we could well be straight back in LG 2, and I’m sorry to say I think Mansfield will struggle as well.

Congratulations to Stockport and Wrexham and I think they will be ok as they have the funds to survive, but whoever goes up in the playoffs is destined for a poor season.

We have two games to see out and although not 100% assured of a playoff spot, its hard to see us dropping out of contention, so what do we do now.

Well I’d suggest we rest a few, and he probably will, no point getting potential match winners injured or banned, but this is MK so who knows what will happen, we like to apply Murphys Law, which basically means whatever can go wrong will go wrong.

I’m not confident about the playoffs, why would you be, so many times we have failed to turn up, and let’s be honest if its’s the away leg first we could be almost out before we kick off the home tie.

One team I wouldn’t fancy is Barrow after they took us apart at their place, another is Doncaster who look like world beaters at the moment, and we all know our record with them, and finally AFC, you can just imagine what that would be like…bloody horrendous… a bloody nightmare.

Who would you prefer to face and why, or flipping it over, who don’t you want.

Oh well enjoy the rest of the weekend.

I’m going to open a rather cheeky bottle of South African white and pretend I don’t care.

WD

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

Good post.

Btw we are guaranteed a playoff place after today. Not even us can throw it away now

I’d rather take our chances with AFC over two legs, however, that seems highly unlikely and I feel we are fated to meet Doncaster and the pain that fixture always seems to serve up

Even after today’s defeat, Doncaster are the only lilely playoff team in better form (last 6 ) than us.

But they have had 8 wins in a row. Sod’s Law says we will get them.

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I like clean air and low traffic

That winning run will come to an end at some point. Probably in the playoffs.

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

A tough day today. Mansfield were excellent - they were physical , quick and defended superbly. They did their homework - Boateng man marked Bate in the first half, their other midfielder did the same to Payne. That led to the bizarre walking the ball out by our back 3 but that’s it - we couldn’t get up the pitch well at all as Bate and Payne were shut down. Second half Mansfield were ruthless.

That defence today is the same one that sent us down last season- it isn’t a good combination and never has been. Norman must come into the side.

But our biggest issue today for me were the wingbacks. Both were dreadful especially Harvie. I also thought Wearne was very poor today.

Lots to not be happy about today. We were beaten up by a much better team.

Good write up well done Nansfield did their homework and deservedly won at a canter. Only point I disagree with is that I feel Kemp seems to offer very little in a Dons shirt we don’t appear to be able to get the best out of him.

Agree about Lewie the first goal was the warning the ball was trickling out and our defence seem to stand and watched whilst Mansfield kept it in play and as they say the rest is History.

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

Thought Boateng was their best player. He's the league 1/2 Mousa Dembele. So strong on the ball with great control. First goal was all about him as he just bodied past Wearne in the area.

Would much rather play AFC than Doncaster in the play offs, talk about a team going in with momentum!