MATCHWATCH : AFC Wimbledon (h)

[Orion1871]

Wimbledon fan I know said he thought these lads were better than our first team.

[Hound]

Just got back, quite enjoyed it. Sometimes prefer this fairly meaningless cup games. Stand was fairly full and an ok atmosphere

We weren’t especially good tbh but a wins a win. Two great goals, really
Enjoyed the second. Seemed like a ‘proper’ team goal not just a banger or a single through ball

No one was especially amazing but Dorsett, Garcia and O Mahony all had better games than recently (O Mahony looked quite handy actually, far better then JOP)

Doyle and Ahmed impressed again at times. Fraser prob MotM. Like him, was the only one big enough to bully the opposition

[WestYorksRoyal]

I have 2 questions following a good Doyle performances.

Could a midfield trio of Wing, Elliott and Doyle work, without having the more workman like Fraser/Savage player in there?

And even if it could, would Hunt select it?

Feels like Elliott or Doyle will alternate the role of "best player due to not being on the pitch" this season.

[Brogue]

7k in the bank. Happy days. North/South decide is now over. And teams in Europe enter in the next round. Spurs away please. Want to go to their new stadium.

[Stranded]

Home game v Arsenal, live on ITV.

[West F]

I have 2 questions following a good Doyle performances.

Could a midfield trio of Wing, Elliott and Doyle work, without having the more workman like Fraser/Savage player in there?

And even if it could, would Hunt select it?

Feels like Elliott or Doyle will alternate the role of "best player due to not being on the pitch" this season.

Of course it could work. Doyle and Elliot don’t really count as ‘luxury’ player and will also work. Doyle looked a class apart tonight. Some of his ball carrying was Premier league quality. The touch to take it away from the Wimbledon player to then drive and set up Garcia was worth the money. I could almost hear him say “See Ya”.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Thoroughly entertaining evening out for £12. Wimbledon's second string were pretty good and created quite a few chances. And they absolutely should have had a penalty. Made for an even game.

We scored two fantastic goals - a wonder strike and a beautiful, flowing team effort. A lot of effort and some naivety too. It would be churlish to complain.

And next up I'd like Manchester City at home. You've got to have dream.

[Snowflake Royal]

I have 2 questions following a good Doyle performances.

Could a midfield trio of Wing, Elliott and Doyle work, without having the more workman like Fraser/Savage player in there?

And even if it could, would Hunt select it?

Feels like Elliott or Doyle will alternate the role of "best player due to not being on the pitch" this season.

Nah, lacks energy and bite.

[Esteban]

Two great goals, some terrible football at times, some really good stuff occasionally and a pretty poor referee. But I do think there are some green shoots. Still a long way to go.

Ian made a good point about the lack of height in our side, and maybe I'm seeing it wrong, but it looks like we deliberately leave the shortest players to do the man marking at corners. It's a very strange tactic.

[Hound]

Was watching Liverpool last night and they had Salah marking Burn at times from corners . Must be some weird plan or another that definitely didn’t work today

[Millsy]

maybe I'm seeing it wrong, but it looks like we deliberately leave the shortest players to do the man marking at corners. It's a very strange tactic.

Lingering EFL restrictions I'm afraid.

We're only allowed to use man-marking if we promise to use our shortest players to do so otherwise we have to go zonal. Take your pick.

[rabidbee]

Was watching Liverpool last night and they had Salah marking Burn at times from corners . Must be some weird plan or another that definitely didn’t work today

Isn’t that quite normal - the defenders mark the forwards and the forwards mark the defenders. I’m sure I can times when that’s come up on MotD &c.

[West F]

Was watching Liverpool last night and they had Salah marking Burn at times from corners . Must be some weird plan or another that definitely didn’t work today

Using smaller players to mark the taller ones isn’t a new tactic. The point of it is to block, or interrupt the runs of the taller players, allowing your players to get a cleaner jump to clear the ball. The other side of the coin, is to use your smaller players to basically impede the opponent’s centre backs from attacking the ball. This is what led to the penalty for Man Utd at Fulham, where Mount basically ran into Shirley and tried to grab him without looking at the ball, with Shirley then throwing him away to try and get his head on the cross.

[West F]

Was just thinking this game was showing why Wing should play in front of the defence and not Fraser, because we were really missing him dictating play, then Fraser just passes one into the far corner from 25 yards.


Oh dear oh dear

Apart from that, thought he was played to par. Out of possession seemed to fall very deep. Second half was making a back five. Which may have been an instruction.

[Snowflake Royal]

Was just thinking this game was showing why Wing should play in front of the defence and not Fraser, because we were really missing him dictating play, then Fraser just passes one into the far corner from 25 yards.


Oh dear oh dear

Apart from that, thought he was played to par. Out of possession seemed to fall very deep. Second half was making a back five. Which may have been an instruction.

Thought he was just a bit slow and safe in possession, without Wing's range of passing. He didn't play badly, he was fine, just no Lewis Wing.

[Snowflake Royal]

Was watching Liverpool last night and they had Salah marking Burn at times from corners . Must be some weird plan or another that definitely didn’t work today

Using smaller players to mark the taller ones isn’t a new tactic. The point of it is to block, or interrupt the runs of the taller players, allowing your players to get a cleaner jump to clear the ball. The other side of the coin, is to use your smaller players to basically impede the opponent’s centre backs from attacking the ball. This is what led to the penalty for Man Utd at Fulham, where Mount basically ran into Shirley and tried to grab him without looking at the ball, with Shirley then throwing him away to try and get his head on the cross.

Yeah, shorter players are blockers, taller players are zonal to attack the cross and win it.

Looks bloody stupid when it doesn’t work.

[Orion1871]

Fraser was playing short quick passes and was always in space to receive the ball in possession. He didn't just get it and look to lump a long ball forward like Wing does in that position.

If we are going to insist on playing Wing there then Fraser should be a bench option, because last night made it even more clear that his position is the one he played in and not further up the pitch.

[Royals and Racers]

3860 with 622 Wimbledon fans.
Seemed more there than that !!

[windermereROYAL]

When`s the draw for the next round, before or after tonight`s games?

[RG30]

One thing to note about the draw is because of the extended Champions League format, not all 3rd Round matches are played in the same week. For example if you get drawn with a Europa League team, the scheduled fixtures would be I think w/c 15th September and anything else is the week after.