No Improvement

I have to disagree about Smith today, we were a different team when he was on, but Robbo didn't give him enough time. A Lowe Smith partnership might work. In regards to Ian Wright, he does work Saturdays, but on the TV and at the moment it would be nice to score 1.

The trouble is if Smith is not the pitch more than 20 minutes he gets a card.

I do agree he number of shots on target was better, but some games are like that, 2 shots 2 goals, 11 shots no goals.

And for once I got the score exactly right.

The thing that puzzles me is that Robbo seemed to spend all summer trying to boost the midfield, but last season it was the midfield that got MK Dons into the playoffs with the number of goals.

I do agree with McMaccer that it is not easy finding a 20 goal man, but instead of concentrating on he old men, he could have pulled 6 young strikers out of the Blue Square and given them a chance, even if he took them on loan with a view to buy in January

No idea how we can draw many conclusions based on so few games. The team are quite capable of demolishing any team in this league. But they need to find rythmn - which I am sure will come. Yes we do not have a "20" goal a season player - but playing as a team they are more than capable of making up the goals between them.

Overall on what I have "seen" - which is not all the games by any means - the defence look much more solid, and (touch wood) Martin is looking more confident. We can create the chances, just need to start putting them away.

We are 4 points off the auto promotion spot with 41 games left to play - a tad too early to be writing us off me thinks

Totally agree with Moocamp, absolutley no time of the season to be making judgements!
For all we know, Lowe could notch in 20 goals?? Things change over a season.

I do agree with Bill in one sense though, no matter how good Bullard could turn out to be for us, given that we've signed him on a short term basis, when we probably didn't actually need another midfielder, we could have signed a talent from the lower Leagues, although there is one problem with that and that's that a lot of them are part timers and happy in their location. Not all, and I'm sure we could find a talented striker who'd be willing to sign for us but even they aren't easy to find.
It's a big step to make up, and it can prove difficult, which is why I understand Robinson signing experience over youth but then again you look at Charlie Austin and that geezer Leicester just signed and alsowhat a few people have said regarding whether Rickie Lambert can score goals in the Premiership, put a clinical striker in goal scoring positions and he'll score goals no matter what League you're in, you'll always have that urgency to score goals (Nobody mention Torres ). So I'm on the fence with that one.

My post was not really saying we cant get promotion, but at the present I dont feel any more confident than last season.
What I was saying is we have been losing to teams like Walsall for many seasons, including last year, where if we had even drawn we would have had home advantage in the play offs.
We are not cold blooded enough and let teams off the hook, we miss way too many chances which cost us points.
I am a big fan of Ian Wright and I thought his influence would have had the forwards buzzing, but most of our strikers seem short of confidence in front of goal.
We had countless corners on Saturday all came to nothing, we have got to make these count.
There are plenty of strikers out there I thought we might have gone for Kedwell of Gillingham as we have Flannagan there on loan.
The next two game against Yeovil and Notts County will go a long way in showing wether we are title contenders or not.

We'd never have got Kedwell in exchange for Flanagan. That'd be like us selling Gleeson or Potter in exchange for a young Championship centre back on loan for half a season. Utterly pointless on their behalf losing their main man in order to bring in a youngster on loan!

I wasnt suggesting a swap but actually spending a bit of money to get a striker like Kedwell in, just using Flannagan as a lever, I would not like Flanners to leave as he is a great prospect.

I agree with Superdons, rather than looking at Walking wounded or the pension queue, Robbo should have lookd for youner talent that was willing to learn - surely that is what Ian Wright has been brought in for.

I take the point of part-timers not wanting to move but what about any of the Luton Strikers, they would also be a few youngsters that would see the advantage of playing at a L1 club and be willing to move.

Or maybe someone from the London clubs youth or second teams - they would be an easy commute.

I also agree it is too early, but given the teams played so far are probably not the promotion candidates, MK Dons need to make some headway.

I don't believe the team does have the ability to demolish any team, they do have the ability to keep the ball.

The Away form which was a big factor last season has completely deserted them. Teams know how to play against them and the strikers cannot (or aren't allowed to change) so it results in huge Possession % but very few goals.

promotion candidates - Swindon, Carlisle and Bournmouth - I feel will all be pushing - not the favourites agreed - but tough teams - we were battered by Swindon (but they only managed 1-0 against 10 men), Bournmouth we matched them with 10 men - and Carlisle we won comfortably (as we did against Oldham - and from all accounts we should have won or at least drawn yesterday.

So definately points dropped to the Saddlers - but I still stand by my contention that we have the ability to beat any team in this league - does not mean we will go up - but I still feel that overall this is the best squad we have had. (and yes it can be improved).

I agree with Bill when he says we aren't the type of team that would batter a team, mainly just keep the ball and settle for a 2-0 win, often been times we could and probably should have won by 4 or 5 (Carlisle an example already this season) but had those chances gone in, we could have sat back on those two goals and been happy to see out a 2-0er.

Firstly I don't think Luton would sell to us unless we offered a lot of money. Luton aren't paticually fond of us so couldn't see them wanting to give us one of their better players cheaply. The only player I'm aware of who has potential to achieve at this level is Stuart Fleetwood but even then is he Championship quality? And judging the supporters on 3CR every other week, seems like their other players aren't that great.