Like so many teams in this league Wimbledon are not all that predictable. They are on a poor run at the moment. After beating 10-man Mansfield in added time, drawing away at Bradford and beating Barrow 2-0, they lost to Accrington (A), drew at home to Morecambe and most recently lost at home (0-1) to Crawley. So several chances to ascend to the top 7 have been lost.
They did of course sell their prized asset Al-Hamadi for just over £1m at the end of January, but he hasn’t played for them since 1 January. So it does appear that their form has dropped off a little since he went, but nevertheless they are far from being a one-man team. They have remained in the top half of the table all season and are an awkward side to handle . Added to that we do not seem be able to play well against them even if we are otherwise in good form. So they have an unsettling effect. They are usually physically big and industrious which is a bit concerning since several of our players are not exactly robust.
But, we are the new improved Rovers with a defence which has suddenly become more solid, an attack with more than one prong and a midfield that now longer has Close to constantly apply the pause button. We have dynamism. Or we had it last time we played and the time before. So there is renewed hope on a scale which has not been visible for a long time.
Can we break the mould into which this fixture has settled? When all is said and done, this is only League 2 and our ambitions surely exceed play-off form - obviously knowing that it is out of reach this season.
So l’ll risk going for a 2-0 win and I’ll revert to Ironside plus Anderson as a back-up for goal number 1.
DPL v AFC Wimbledon
posted on 23/2/24
We all live in hope we can keep scoring goals, and maybe keep a clean sheet. I think I'll top Donaldo and say 3-0! First goal Adelakun with Ironside as the back-up.
posted on 24/2/24
Yes, Hope is eternal and a nice place to visit the Peak District. Hopefully GM has a settled team now and they can build on the last few performances. AFC Wimbledon are a bit of a bogey team for us so I wouldn't be surprised if the result doesn't go to plan. It definitely won't be 15 love or a tie break at 6-6 .so I'll say well find the net twice and keep them to love. That's 2-0 then, Ironside,Craig
posted on 24/2/24
I always feel that Wimbledon are a bogey team for us but I'll be positive and predict a 2-1 Rovers victory. Ironside with the first.
posted on 24/2/24
Rovers 2-1 Wimbledon
Ironside to score ⚽
posted on 24/2/24
Another performance deserving of credit. We seemed to be close to becoming reliable in defence with an attack that is really threatening, a proper “team” again. And it’s a long time since I had any real confidence in the players as a team.
The stabilising effect of a proper goalkeeper has been a factor that has had much to do with the rebuilding of the team as a whole. Craig instead of Close (whose stagnating influence was rather like Bostock’s) has been shown to turn the whole thrust of the midfield into everything that is positive and Adelakun has provided the drive to the front line.
posted on 25/2/24
What a start again - I thought "WOW, it could be like last week!" However, not quite so, but it could have been a better score line if our finishing had been as clinical as last week. It was another encouraging performance, despite Molyneux's air-kick and a couple of chances that I thought Ironside might have scored.
Not a poor performance by anyone which was good to see. Although Matty Craig had one or two misplaced passes, he probably deserved the "Sponsors' man-of-the-match".
I'm now have more hope for next Saturday's match.
posted on 27/2/24
Here is my latest summary of DPL results with PDXM and Crazy continuing their uncanny knack of being the best. I welcome your suggested corrections and reflect on my extremely lucky Sutton forecast which I shall take as a reward for being there to will the result and subsequently navigating our way (somehow) through weird junctions, avoiding bus lanes and all the other tests which come with a journey from Sutton to Hampton Wick. There we had a very enjoyable meal and overnight stay in a Fullers pub followed by a visit to Hampton Court Palace on Sunday via a walk along the river! ...The (almost) perfect weekend.
Bradford C 1 : Rovers 0
>>>>>>> Scorer Score > Result >> Bonus > Total > Pts B/F >>> O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 54 >>>>>> 54
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 68 >>>>>> 71
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 69 >>>>> 69
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 44 >>>>>> 47
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 66 >>>>>> 66
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 6 >>>> 0 >>>>> 6 >>>>> 301 >>>>>> 307
Sutton U 1 : Rovers 1 (Ironside)
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F >>> O/all
Donaldo>>> 4 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>> 5 >>>> 13 >>>>> 54 >>>>>> 67
PDXMickey> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 4 >>>>> 71 >>>>>> 75
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 69 >>>>> 69
Mooligan>> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 47 >>>>>> 51
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 66 >>>>>> 66
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
>>>>>>>>> 12 >>>>> 4 >>>> 0 >>>> 5 >>>>> 21 >>>> 307 >>>>> 328
Rovers 2 (Ironside) : Tranmere R 1
>>>>>>> Scorer Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F >>> O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 67 >>>>>> 67
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 75 >>>>>> 78
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 7 >>>>> 69 >>>>> 76
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 51 >>>>>> 51
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 66 >>>>>> 66
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 6 >>>> 0 >>>>> 10 >>> 328 >>>>> 338
Salford C 2 : Rovers 2 (o.g.)
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F >>> O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 67 >>>>>> 67
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 78 >>>>>> 78
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 7 >>>>> 76 >>>>> 83
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 51 >>>>>> 51
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 66 >>>>>> 66
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 4 >>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 7 >>>> 338 >>>>> 345
Grimsby T 1 : Rovers 5 (Molyneux)
>>>>>>> Scorer Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F >>> O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 67 >>>>>> 70
PDXMickey> 4 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 8 >>>>> 78 >>>>>> 86
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 83 >>>>> 86
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 51 >>>>>> 54
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 66 >>>>>> 69
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
>>>>>>>>> 4 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 12 >>>> 0 >>>>> 20 >>> 345 >>>> 365
Rovers 1 (Adelukan) : AFC Wimbledon 0
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F >>> O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 70 >>>>>> 73
PDXMickey> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 7 >>>>> 86 >>>>>> 93
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 86 >>>>> 89
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 54 >>>>>> 57
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 69 >>>>>> 72
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
>>>>>>>>> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>> 15 >>>> 0 >>>>> 19 >>>> 365 >>>>> 384
posted on 28/2/24
Donaldo, you have given me 1 point more than I deserve for the Grimsby game. I got the scorer and result, but you awarded me scorer and score instead. I always love gifts, but I also have to be honest!