Match Discussion: Play Off Semi - The Dons (A) Live

[PON_News]

Play Off Semi - The Dons (A)

Team: AFC Wimbledon

Date: 17/05/2025

Where: Plough Lane

What line-up should Stuart Maynard opt for? What will be the key areas for the Magpies to get a victory? What do you think the final score will be?

Have your say below, join in with the Pride of Nottingham match discussion.

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

The moment of truth for Notts arrives at 12:30 on Saturday. Can Notts turn things around?

My team to get Notts to Wembley.

Bass, Macari, Platt, Bedeau, Austin Palmer, Hinchy, Jarvis, Abbott, Grant, McGoldrick.

Subs, 

Miller, McDonald, Edwards,Traoré, Whitaker, Jones, Morias.

I would put Abbott in the number 10 jersey just behind McGoldrick.Jodi would be on the bench if needed. I would have both Traoré & Morias on the bench

I have always thought that Abbott has the talent to play in an attacking midfield position. Hinchy would be ok next to Palmer in central midfield.

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

1 hour ago, Robbie said:

I would have both Traoré & Morias on the bench

I’ve been wondering what’s happened to Morias, is he even still at the club? I haven’t seen or heard his name mentioned for ages. If he is fit he could be our secret weapon.

I’m not holding out any great hopes that Notts can win at Wimbledon, I’m pessimistic so at least I won’t be disappointed when the inevitable happens. 

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

Imagine if we did play Junior Morias and he did well, it would fuel further disappointment as to why we have never given him much of a chance. Training doesn't count, most players perform equally in the drills, and against our players isn't the biggest reveal of a player's ability. His pace could be very vital, especially to make Wimbledon less hands-on and scare them into making challenges.

We have to use the home game as fuel to push ourselves, provide a strong group, and just go for it.

I really want us to get one up over Johnnie Jackson, he barely did anything for us and didn't like that he wasn't walking straight into our team. Very disrespectful towards our club, which most fans don't seem to care about. Jake Reeves faced boos and was labelled a County reject. However, he made it very clear he signed a one-year deal and wanted to play league football. There's no comparison to Reeves, he served us during his time and wasn't all that bad.

Because we won the league, Jackson is oddly remembered with false praise despite doing all he could to walk out of our club. Long before Munto was even known to be false, he disrespected Nottingham, or club, and didn't want to fight for his place. I wished more knew, but booing players IMO tends to encourage them to be at their best. I just want us to beat Wimbledon and Jackson. To show Notts should be taken more seriously.

It's going to be difficult, missing Alasana Jatta and David McGoldrick are major blows.

It could work to our advantage if they start counting their chickens and feel the 1-0 lead is enough. I mean, they looked like they were settling for a point before they scored. We have the ability to control the narrative and outcome, we just need to convert chances and work hard to create them.

I expect it to be very cagey at the beginning, but I hope we grow into the game and I'll be doing all I can to create a positive atmosphere. We need to sing loudly and be proud, no matter what happens on the pitch. Our backing and encouragement comes from how vocal we can be. COYP!!

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

32 minutes ago, Chris said:

We need to sing loudly and be proud, no matter what happens on the pitch. Our backing and encouragement comes from how vocal we can be. COYP!!

I’ll do my best in front of the telly, hopefully they’ll hear me. 

[menzinho]

I’d imagine Wimbledon will be going into this game even more positively now they know he two players that basically score all our goals won’t be playing.

I've listened to the little interview with Jodi and it sounds encouraging, he clearly thinks Wimbledon are feeling a tad over-confident so the team isn't lacking any motivation.

It'll be tough though as we will have to play a slightly different system now. It's either going to look short on quality and provide little to no threat or it will surprise everyone and work pretty well!

[Morten Johansen]

Hopefully missing Jatta and McGoldrick will be a blessing in disguise.

Wimbledon will be well prepared for Notts` usual way of playing. We need to play high energy football and run like dogs.

COYP!

[DangerousSausage]

All I really remember about Jackson's stint with Notts is that he never really did enough to justify a first-team spot and left fairly quickly @Chris. If he was stamping his feet and sulking behind the scenes because he wasn't in the first 11, I don't recall hearing about it at the time, which is maybe why nobody seems all that bothered. Reeves was a good player for us and we were lucky we were able to replace him with Palmer. He was seen as a big loss when he left. I've got a lot of respect for Wimbledon because of all they've achieved, but as far as I'm concerned they can stay in L2 another season and stuff the franchise one more time!

13 hours ago, Morten Johansen said:

run like dogs

Yes, but like the energetic dogs that sprint round the field again and again and not tired old dogs that keep stopping to sniff pee on lampposts.

If the Dons think they've already reached Wembley, that could work to our advantage. We've already showed that we can beat them and we'r strong away. What came before doesn't matter, tomorrow is what counts. COYP!

[ARLukomski 𝕏 ARLukomski Instagram declanweliczko_arlki]

Unconvincing for a lot of the season, missed chances to capitalise on other teams' slip ups, a lack of ruthlessness and mentality over the course of the season. However, we have another chance to give it our all and to leave it all out on the pitch. Into battle we go. COYP

Yes, I have got behind the team all season before that arises. If going to every game home and away in League and Cup isn't getting behind the team, then I don't know what is. 

There has been points of very valid criticism this season, as well as some that has gone OTT as well. If we had created and taken the clear cut chances against Wimbledon, but in other games (Cheltenham, Barrow, Chezzy, Crewe, Newport, Salford, Colchester) then we wouldn't be needing the play-offs. Yes other teams have had similar results in dropping points, but it's made extra frustrating that we haven't taken advantage.

All we can do is go for it. Take the safety off, loosen the strings and attack. Let Jarvis and Jodi run at them, get Traore playing on the last defender, bring more energy in midfield than in previous games this season and if you have to, play the dark arts. 

I would love it if we could get over the line, even if I did lose hope a few weeks ago and mentally checked out a few weeks ago as well. Yo-yoing between positives in our performances in different games, as well as constructively criticising the points where we needed to improve and pointing out when we played well and when we played poor, and doubting that we have it in us to get over the line. All we have is hope.

[super_ram]

My  first team performed minor miracles at the end of the season so why can't Notts too?Good luck anyway.