Remember you were a womble. MK Dons (H) EFL L1 7.8.21 3pm KO

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

...can look forward to having a half a second less this season with opportunities that come his way. A couple of times today we saw him snatch at chances.

I completely get what you're saying and agree, but surely the latter is a function of the former: he's not daft, he knows he needs to be sharper, but that leads to him rushing things.

As you (and Evatt) say, he's had a very disrupted preseason so hopefully he can play his way back. He's good enough for this division; at some point soon he may have to prove himself good enough to start in our team.

[Worthy4England]

I still think midfield balance isn’t quite right. Turnovers are an issue and MJ looks to be isolated too often for my liking. Going to be tired that man by January if Sarce and Sheehan don’t fill the gaps better.

^^. MJ was my MOTM today. Looked more solid with Lee, a division down, but I thought we lost mf a shade, today. It all looked a bit of a step up. Jones/John a bit less attacking on overload, Doyler clearly a few secs off the pace, given he's had COVID not surprising. Sheehan great FK, but I thought missing on occasion. Dapo not quite ripping them one. Despite all that, I thin we should probably have won by the odd goal.

[BWFC_Insane]

I still think midfield balance isn’t quite right. Turnovers are an issue and MJ looks to be isolated too often for my liking. Going to be tired that man by January if Sarce and Sheehan don’t fill the gaps better.

^^. MJ was my MOTM today. Looked more solid with Lee, a division down, but I thought we lost mf a shade, today. It all looked a bit of a step up. Jones/John a bit less attacking on overload, Doyler clearly a few secs off the pace, given he's had COVID not surprising. Sheehan great FK, but I thought missing on occasion. Dapo not quite ripping them one. Despite all that, I thin we should probably have won by the odd goal.

It’s no massive concern but I just feel the balance isn’t right. Sheehan clearly a good player. But neither he nor Sarce seem to naturally want to do the other side. They both work hard like but it’s just not natural for them.

I do think we need another MJ type personally to share the load and also on occasion to provide a double block.

Doyle is no surprise at all amazed he started. Gilks looked a bit rusty too again slightly surprised he started after a disrupted Pre season.

Happy with a point.

[Bruce Rioja]

...can look forward to having a half a second less this season with opportunities that come his way. A couple of times today we saw him snatch at chances.

I completely get what you're saying and agree, but surely the latter is a function of the former:

Yes, absolutely.

[Worthy4England]

...can look forward to having a half a second less this season with opportunities that come his way. A couple of times today we saw him snatch at chances.

I completely get what you're saying and agree, but surely the latter is a function of the former:

Yes, absolutely.

I'd still give him a "let" today, I think Brucie....Didn't look "match sharp" probably coz he ain't...but will be interesting to see how it works out over a bit more time

[nicholaldo]

Positives:

1. The atmosphere. 15,688 supporters is a sterling effort regardless, however it sounded as if there were at least another couple of thousand again in attendance. Even immediately after conceding, the encouragement was still audible. I hope the very late equaliser, which felt to me as though it happened almost in slow motion, will persuade plenty of our casual supporters to keep with it.

2. Excepting the almighty f*ck up, I thought George Johnston was equally as impressive as he was last Saturday. His positioning is superb, and he adds an intriguing dimsension to our forward play. I recall him putting in a very good cross into the penalty area from about forty yards out and there was more than one cross field long pass to the full-back. He also deserves credit for maintaining his cool after his mistake led to us conceding the first goal. Taking into account his relative lack of experience and today being his competitive debut for our club he could easily have hidden but he didn't.

3. Our pressing. They were well drilled in playing out from their goalkeeper but our intensity out of possession led to us winning possession high up the pitch quite often. There will be a good number of opponents who aren't as adept at beating our press this season and that should bode well for us.

4. Josh Sheehan looks quality. He, and we, found it difficult to get him involved in proceedings early on but if we can get him in posession for longer periods he has the ability to make the step up and open up opportunities at this level.

5. I felt I gained an appreciation as to why Baka became a cult hero at his previous club. He certainly can't stake a claim to possess a great deal of finesse but he puts a shift in and took his goal well.

6. I get the sense there's more to come from Kachunga. His recent goalscoring record is alarming, to put it politely, but can be explained to a degree, and I'm slightly perturbed by the suggestion from supporters of his previous clubs that his legs have gone after injury, however he looked fairly lively when he was brought on and his composure in cutting it back to Baptiste for our last-gasp equaliser was indicative of a player who's played at a higher level.

Negatives:

1. Our propensity to get turned over in central midfield is our achilles heel and needs to improve quickly if it isn't going to be exploited. How we do that I don't know, but it's for Evatt to find an answer. We got away with it last season. We might not this season.

2. Doyle understandably played like a player who hasn't had a pre-season. The effort was still there, but on today's showing he has quite a way to go. A similar verdict can probably be reached for Gilks.

3. From about seventy minutes onward, it felt to me as if we were being given a rude awakening as to the standard required in the third tier. Our strength of character and determination got us back into it late on but my worry is that that might not be there every week, just because of how physically taxing it is more than anything.

I was pleased with how we acquitted ourselves though, and it was great to witness such an exciting match after so long away.

[officer_dibble]

My short summary is our effort matched their quality…if we work like that every week you can’t say fairer, we’ll end up where we deserve. Well happy with the effort and what a game of football to come back to…short of their time wasting (we’d have done the same) both teams fancied winning that. Football!

[nicholaldo]

I don't think I've ever been as piss wet through, either before or after.

Are we sure it's August?

[officer_dibble]

Just got back to yooooorkshire and I’ve peeled my wetsuit off!

[TonyDomingos]

Screenshot_20210807-202724_FlashScore UK.jpg (425.28 KiB) Viewed 1096 times

The Whites are going up!

[enrdentw]

We have an outstanding talent in George Johnston. From what I’ve seen in two games, I think he can go all the way to the PL. he reminds me of Gary Cahill.

Thought Dapo was poor in his decision making today. Should have slid in Sheehan and he should have had a shot when he got through on goal instead of trying to pass.

I think our best signing this summer has been tying down Evatt.

Really enjoyed it today and really excited for the future.

[TANGODANCER]

Iles wasn't too complimentary about today's ref; was he justified?

[nicholaldo]

The equalising goal:

I think it's shanked in off Baptiste's standing leg.

[BWFC_Insane]

Agree on all those points above from nicholaldo. Midfield wise and physicality.

Also on Kachunga said the same. That quality on the pull back was someone who’d played in the premiership. I’m not convinced any of our other attacking options would have managed that. Whether he can do it consistently or not…

[DJBlu]

Baptiste with the Rabona.

[officer_dibble]

Iles wasn't too complimentary about today's ref; was he justified?

Did us a favour with the MJ challenge on first view, also dealt with the incident well
Missed a pen on Sarcevic that surely was a pen
Foul in the build up to their third
Bought a few more free kicks from them in my opinion
5/10

[officer_dibble]

Looked like Declan John did his hammy at the end to me as well

[DJBlu]

Iles wasn't too complimentary about today's ref; was he justified?

Did us a favour with the MJ challenge on first view, also dealt with the inferential well
Missed a pen on Sarcevic that surely was a pen
Foul in the build up to their third
Bought a few more free kicks from them in my opinion
5/10

Was behind the tackle, slid in with the left foot and his right looked like it went over the top of the ball.

[officer_dibble]

Gilks could have done better on all 3 goals for me
Too early to be worried about the keeper position?

[BWFC_Insane]

Gilks could have done better on all 3 goals for me
Too early to be worried about the keeper position?

He had an operation in the summer and then had to self isolate. Barely played. So we know this yet people still throwing nonsense around. Same with Doyle. Absolutely what you’d expect from them.