MK Dons (A) League One, 12th November 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

We visit Franchise FC hoping to extend their home performance record in League One this season...so far it reads Played 8, Won 0, Drawn 3, Lost 5. In fact they haven't won a League match at home since March, and in a mirror image of what most people would expect from a club's home and away results, they've won 4 games on their travels picking up 13 points from those 8 games compared to the paltry 3 point yield at home. Very strange. They are also without a manager since the departure of the odious Karl Robinson a few weeks ago - Richie Barker is caretaking, but Chairman Pete Winkelman is reported to be in no hurry to interview a successor, saying he is looking at a timeline of the end of November.

Ignoring the real and Mickey Mouse cup matches of late, the Dons' current League One form looks like this:

1 Oct Oldham Athletic (A) Won 0-2
9 Oct Port Vale (H) Lost 0-1
15 Oct Scunthorpe Utd (A) Lost 2-1
18 Oct Bristol Rovers (H) Drew 3-3
22 Oct Southend United (H) Lost 0-3
29 Oct Sheffield United (A) Lost 2-1

Although they are 20th in the current League One table, level on points with the relegation line, it should be noted that the Dons have scored the same number of League One goals as ourselves (but conceded 4 more) and whilst noting that their top scorer Dean Bowditch has 6 goals to his name, the striker who worries me more is club record signing from Bristol City Kieran Agard. He created a fair bit of havoc for us at Wembley, and scored twice in the following 8-2 drubbing at Ashton Gate.

In all honesty I haven't kept up-to-date with who will and will not be available for Jon Whitney's selection process this week. There's a whole clutch of European Region World Cup Qualifying games this weekend but it doesn't affect us apart from Cyprus and Ireland, as Canada and The Philippines aren't yet part of the EU....... So with everyone fit (including Osborne/Osbourne/Osborne) who knows what line-up we will see? I would like to think that Amadou Bakayoko will start, and preferably as a striker rather than a winger. It must surely be a temptation to play 2 up front (Bakayoko and Jackson) relying on our Turkish Messi to be chief supplier.

Prediction time - and there has to be a huge motivation factor in the fact that we're only 3 points away from the top 6 with a game in hand, and a win in this game will take away some of the nasty taste from the Macclesfield performance. Bearing that in mind, and aware of the Dons' apparent inability to win at home, I'll go for a 1-3 result with Oztumer and Bakayoko (2) netting.

UTS :D

[IHTC.]

Thankyou but you forgot to mention their superstar ball playing defender :lol:

[Welsh_Saddler]

Thankyou but you forgot to mention their superstar ball playing defender :lol:

:oops: He played in the 0-3 defeat by Southend United, after which Karl Robinson left, and Downing hasn't figured since except for warming the bench in the F.A.Cup tie against Spennymoor. As he's number 23 in the squad I would imagine he isn't the first name on their teamsheet...... :mrgreen:

[chunkster]

Thankyou but you forgot to mention their superstar ball playing defender :lol:

:oops: He played in the 0-3 defeat by Southend United, after which Karl Robinson left, and Downing hasn't figured since except for warming the bench in the F.A.Cup tie against Spennymoor. As he's number 23 in the squad I would imagine he isn't the first name on their teamsheet...... :mrgreen:

Plus the fact he was caught arguing with one of his fellow players. I hope he plays against us :mrgreen: fully expect us to win this quite comfortably :)

[JonnyOwen]

Thankyou but you forgot to mention their superstar ball playing defender :lol:

:oops: He played in the 0-3 defeat by Southend United, after which Karl Robinson left, and Downing hasn't figured since except for warming the bench in the F.A.Cup tie against Spennymoor. As he's number 23 in the squad I would imagine he isn't the first name on their teamsheet...... :mrgreen:

Plus the fact he was caught arguing with one of his fellow players. I hope he plays against us :mrgreen: fully expect us to win this quite comfortably :)

As far as I know he looks likely to play against us. The centre half who was ahead of him in Walsh has been called up by Wales last second. I think that only leaves them with the two centre halves in Downing and Hendry.

As for Downing, he will either play a blinder to try and prove us all wrong... or he will put in a similar performance to Bradford away and leave the pitch crying. :lol:

[reedswood sadler]

Hard to predict games like this, on form and league position seems easy win for us but add the fact they have not won a league game at home and it changes a lot.

Every team gets their first win at some time we only got first away win recently at swindon let,s hope their poor run continues for another week.

[Walsallone]

Agree with that last comment...MK have to win at home sometime....lets hope its not Saturday

[SoccerHQ]

Yes Downing will play.

Personally I don't understand anyone who boos him. He served the club for 4 years, generally gave solid performances (the odd shocker accepted) and then left for a club who had just come down from the championship (as loathsome as they are).

A quick applause from me.

Always said I'd never given MK Franchise any of my money until Wimbledon were above them in the league structure pretty much making them renderless....so here we are my first visit. :lol:

2-2.

[reedswood sadler]

Same feelings soccerHQ have avoided going to franchise but have finally cracked and going this time to add new ground to list.

[Mazza01]

Yes Downing will play.

Personally I don't understand anyone who boos him. He served the club for 4 years, generally gave solid performances (the odd shocker accepted) and then left for a club who had just come down from the championship (as loathsome as they are).

A quick applause from me.

Always said I'd never given MK Franchise any of my money until Wimbledon were above them in the league structure pretty much making them renderless....so here we are my first visit. :lol:

2-2.

I couldn't agree more , he served us well and actually played very well at times last season.

Deserves a warm greeting from the fans.

[BathSaddler]

My old pessimism raises it's ugly head and I can see a 1-0 defeat.

Downing to score :?:

[Walsallone]

Don't bet on this game lads and lassies. The referee is............................................................................................................................................................................................................TREVOR KETTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[TownSwift]

...er....thats a draw then?

[TownSwift]

...no! a win :D

[DawleyDick]

I am surprised that this match is being played. I thought that it would be postponed because of the international break. Aren't our internationals playing?

[Welsh_Saddler]

I am surprised that this match is being played. I thought that it would be postponed because of the international break. Aren't our internationals playing?

As I stated in the preamble, there's a clutch of European World Cup qualifiers being played this weekend, but Canada and The Philippines aren't included...... :wink:

[pumajaguar]

There is so much venom towards Downing on social media and I don't understand why. He was generally a good player for us. He had a soft centre and that cost us in the end last season, but you could say the same for most of that team, who were found wanting when it came to the crunch.

[chunkster]

I am surprised that this match is being played. I thought that it would be postponed because of the international break. Aren't our internationals playing?

I think we are only losing makris, which puts things into perspective as to why we didn't feel the need to postpone the game :|

[bleed_red_n_white]

No Makris or Sangha away on INT Duty but according to Sky Sports O'Connor and Morris are also injured for today

Not looking good

[IHTC.]

JW saying Tuesday gave him selection headaches & decides keeps the same side from the Macclesfield game :lol:

[DonningtonSaddler]

Line up this afternoon. Ginnelly gets a start on the strength of his midweek performance against a few of Leicesters under 21's.

Downing starts for the Dongs.

1 Etheridge
5 McCarthy
32 Toner
16 Preston
3 Laird
7 Chambers
2 Edwards
18 Ginnelly
10 Oztumer
44 Moussa
9 Jackson
Subs
4 O'Connor
6 Dobson
13 MacGillivray
14 Osbourne
20 Bakayoko
22 Sangha
28 Cockerill-Mollett

[chunkster]

southend 2 up at bury already :shock:

[m&m]

Why won't he start Bakayoko?

[chriss5471]

Why won't he start Bakayoko?

Whitney is saving him for the Checkatrade EFL Trophy :lol:

[saddla]

Get in there! Goal by the Scunthorpe 5th choice full back :lol:

[saddla]

Currently 1 point off the playoffs in 9th place with a game in hand :D
Whitney out :roll:

[funk_hits_the_fan]

Pathetic, embarrassing! The Physio is clueless - worst first half performance I've seen in 102 years of watching The Saddlers. The 1-0 score is merely papering over the cracks! We will be found out in the next half or if not the next game!! They just don't care whether they embarrass us long suffering supporters.

Absolute disgrace

[moaning saddler]

Only one team in it after the first 15 minutes.
MK offering nothing in attack since then.

[chunkster]

sounds like we are playing well, just need another goal to make sure.

[saddla]

Where's AM when you want to take the piss? :mrgreen: