lets talk about the MK Dons Game

[Crowle Rover]

Another MK Dons fact.

This was the last game we played before the first Covid lockdown in 2020 a 1-0 win at their place, Jacob Ramsey scoring the only goal.

Earlier that day it had been announced on the news that the second confirmed death in the UK from Covid had occurred in Milton Keynes.

As we passed the hospital on the way to the game there were a couple of news crews stationed outside the hospital gates. Seems a lifetime ago now.

[Campsall rover]

Another MK Dons fact.

This was the last game we played before the first Covid lockdown in 2020 a 1-0 win at their place, Jacob Ramsey scoring the only goal.

Earlier that day it had been announced on the news that the second confirmed death in the UK from Covid had occurred in Milton Keynes.

As we passed the hospital on the way to the game there were a couple of news crews stationed outside the hospital gates. Seems a lifetime ago now.

That match is firmly fixed in the memory bank. Quite the opposite for me. It seems so recent.
Hard to believe it was 46 months ago.

[selby]

  This game to me is a cross roads of the season, more than a result I an looking for a repeat performance and the team to turn up and play well.
  I have harped on for ages about a good performance followed by a rank poor one, in fact the game at MK Dons earlier in the season encompassed that in one game, a very poor display in the first half, and a good display in the second half.
  In the second half of the season we now have to ditch that habit and put some good performances together and look to move forward with a view to be in better fettle next season and restore some confidence in the supporters that the club mean business.
  It is a big test of that resolve today against a team in form and following the Mansfield game. Have another shocker like the last two home games and any better feelings the supporters had leaving the stadium at Mansfield will soon disappear.

[Metalmicky]

1:0

[Metalmicky]

2:0

[jmt23]

Could have been a cricket score for us in the first half - superb from us, but they look very poor.
If it was 6-0 at the break, they would still have come away thinking they have been lucky.

[Wiltshire Exile]

3-0…wow!

[Colin C No.3]

Moly could & should have had a hat trick in that first 45 minutes. Let’s hope those missed chances don’t come back to haunt us 2nd half!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Kin marvellous. First bleeding half I've missed all season.

[i_ateallthepies]

There'll be a few absentees on this thread later.

[normal rules]

I’m wondering if we look back come season end, and the Mansfield game/ change of formation really was a “moment”.

[Chris Black come back]

PLEASE CAN WE KEEP A CLEAN SHEET.

[normal rules]

Ft

[Wiltshire Exile]

PLEASE CAN WE KEEP A CLEAN SHEET.

You’ve got it. Won 3-0!

[Chris Black come back]

That was a really excellent result. They’ve been on a superb run but we dismantled them. Bit like how they dismantled Wimbledon, just that we didn’t steal a club. Well done Grant McCann for turning this around so quickly. Hope it continues.

[Sammy Chung was King]

That’s how you back up a good result, from your previous game. Cost me Ironside anytime and two nil bet with it ending up three. If this is how 2024 is going to be for rovers, I will have some more, or do we jump off the ride now?

[ncRover]

haaaaas anybody seen in the box?!

[Paul Simpson]

Absolutely superb!! Well done Grant and co for getting this team playing to their ability. Thoroughly enjoyed this performance!!

[RoversInSpain]

Great Result, superb first half performance and a good containing second half.
Great energy, got stuck in took a couple of ‘Whitemanesqu’ bookings.
Owen Bailey doing a Maradona run, whatever next?
Best performance since??? Must be 3 years.
All the team take a bow.

[pib]

Superb first half, and a very controlled second for the most part. We could’ve had 4 or 5 first half easily. More of that please!

[Plumbster]

Incredible first half where we looked dangerous throughout and should have scored more.  Couldn’t keep the ball in second half but maintained the very high work rate  and barely gave them a look in.  Crowd looked a bit sparse, especially in south stand, but hopefully they will be flocking back if we can maintain today’s level.

[Pliskin]

First half we were excellent, blew them away. Probably the best half of football we've played all season.

Second half, we didn't play much football, it was just a case of not doing anything stupid to let them back into the game. They had all the ball but did nothing with it.

The Notts County defeat seems to have helped us weirdly - prompted a change of system and the players have reacted positively.

[Peebles Rover]

Defensively that’s one of the best performances I’ve seen for some time

[drfchound]

Outstanding quality football by us first half and it could have been five or six at half time.
MKD were always going to up the ante after the break but our determination not to concede was immense.
We were battling for every ball and Jones only had three or four saves to make.
Every player gave 100%.
I think I read on here a few weeks back that GM might not have the dressing room but this performance on the back of the Mansfield draw shows how far off the mark that is.

[roversdude]

We made a very good team look, pretty well….shite
The 11 that started were all brilliant, the clean sheet was an added bonus

[danumdon]

Fantastic first half, MK can count themselves lucky they did not go in 6 down. Second half to me was just as important because we contained them at a canter and they really did not get much change  with our superb closing down and harrying, everything we wanted them to do they did and they did it with purpose.

The fact we did all this and kept a clean sheet in the bargain will greatly please GM and give the lads a massive boost for the rest of the season, we've just backed up a very good performance with what looks like the best half of football this season.

Only way is up, well done all.

[tommy toes]

I hope people get off Oluwu's back now. He was terrific all game, won almost every header in our box. Having Bailey alongside him must help.

[roversdude]

Another good defensive display without Anderson

[ravenrover]

A back 4 whose 1st job is to defend but get forward when you can. 4 3 3 McCanns preferred set up working well. Only downside the bench is still weak, let's get some of the injured back and/or a couple of new signings and we can only improve

[ForsolongaRover]

Outstanding quality football by us first half and it could have been five or six at half time.
MKD were always going to up the ante after the break but our determination not to concede was immense.
We were battling for every ball and Jones only had three or four saves to make.
Every player gave 100%.
I think I read on here a few weeks back that GM might not have the dressing room but this performance on the back of the Mansfield draw shows how far off the mark that is.

I think that when a good few of the team don’t put in 100% the situation becomes very tense. I reckon GM’s talk of the lack of “bravery” in those 3 poor performances was a very diplomatic way (possibly a concession to the backsliders) of saying that he did not think a lot of them were trying at all. The other words “not taking risks” was certainly true. The fact was that they weren’t even trying hard, let alone being even slightly brave. So my view was that there were very severe words after that third game, possibly with threats about what would happen come the window and that plus the tweak to the system was enough to shame those not pulling their weight into mending their ways.