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.

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

I'd like to think that Notts will cast off the shackles & attack, attack, attack, but Notts are only one down & we know that Stuart will have a mind to keep it as tight as possible at the back.

With Didzy unavailable, I think we may see some surprises up front. I'd like to see Abbott in an attacking midfield position, alongside Grant behind Traoré. 

I hope that Stuart will put Morias on the bench if he's fit. The Notts shape will be different & hopefully it will pose problems for Wimbledon.

Notts demonstrated that they can open up the Wimbledon defence & hopefully Notts can put some of the chances they create away this time.

CMON U PIES!!!

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

It's Matchday.

 

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

All I ask is that they give everything they’ve got and see what happens, if we fail then let’s go down fighting. 
 

COME ON YOU PIES!

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

Stuart's team to face Wimbledon.

Junior Morias & Robertson on the bench. 

[Dripsey3]

A season that promised much but ended in disappointment. There was an air of inevitability well before the season ended. Teams had figured us out yet nothing really changed. We need a change and that starts with SM. We need a manager, not a coach. A manager who's not afraid to play his way, not the way the owners want to play. 

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

Dissapointing end to the season for Notts. They were well beaten today. The early goal didn't help, & Notts never looked as if they could get back into the game.

We knew that Didzy & Jatta would be missed today & that was certainly the case. Unfortunately, it demonstrated that the squad was lacking another quality striker.

I think it has been painfully obvious that since the beginning of the year the Notts squad hasn't been good, enough to sustain a promotion push.

In Dan Crowley, whether you love or hate him, we had a player that could open defenses, with his passing ability.

The players that came in during the January window certainly never looked like replacing him, & none of them have been players that you could say have strengthened the squad.

The injuries did hurt Notts but other teams have injuries too. It's part of the modern game & that's why it's essential to build a strong squad to reduced the effect of injuries.

Another big factor was the players that returned from injury just haven't been the same players. Palmer, Edwards, & Jones, to name a few.

I hope that lessons will have been learned by the powers that be at Notts. To get out of this League, you have to have strong physical players & a plan B & C. Not just a plan A.

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

Well I wasn't expecting us to win so I'm not too disappointed after 60 odd years of supporting Notts you get used to disappointments, we desperately missed our two star players and sadly the team that Maynard put out didn't step up to the challenge. I'll be there next season and hoping once again that it will be our season.

[menzinho]

I am very disappointed that we couldn’t at least score a goal against Wimbledon in 180 minutes of football… That was actually worse than the home performance, we were comfortable enough on the ball but looked a clueless when it came to attacking them. Their goal just totally deflated us even though we still had 80 minutes of football left to play, we never looked like getting back in the match. I was a lot more gutted after our NL play-off campaign defeats, as deep down I never really thought this season would end in a promotion.

I do think we would’ve struggled in League 1 next season so in a way it might be a blessing in disguise. Sometimes getting promoted doesn’t always result in long-term progression. Crawley are coming straight back down after their play-off win last season and Carlisle who won the play-offs the season before are now in the National League…

There’s a lot more right than wrong at Notts at moment but there are a few big decisions to be made over the summer.

[Piethagoram 𝕏 @piethagoram]

 

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

Someone needs to ask the owners at the next open evening.

Is it tippy tappy football only or the highway?