Johnnie: I’ve learnt a lot since the summer

Gaffer reflects on the past seven months

3 March 2023

Johnnie Jackson is expecting a very different encounter on Saturday to our last against Mansfield Town, with the Dons out to show how far we’ve come since August.

As well as looking back to our previous meeting with the Stags, our manager pinpoints how we’re aiming to get the best out of several players and highlights the importance of our Head of Performance and Recruitment Analysis, Tom Daws.

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WHAT ARE THE MAIN THINGS YOU’VE LEARNT AS A MANAGER SINCE THE LAST TIME WE PLAYED MANSFIELD?

I remember feeling a bit hard done by on that night. We started the match well, took the lead and they got back into it because they’re a good side. The red card cost us the game – in the end it got rescinded, so you wonder what might have been had we had 11.

A lot has gone on since then, it feels like a lifetime ago. We’ve changed a lot of personnel since then, we’ve changed our style and our formation. We’re a very different team and for that reason I expect a very different game. I’ve learnt a lot about this league, about my own squad and about how best to approach games.

DO YOU THINK PLAYING IN A FRONT TWO AGAIN IS HELPING JOSH DAVISON?

I believe so. It’s easy to forget how much football he’s played this season. I think he’s played one of the highest amounts of minutes in the league. That’s something we’re well aware of but Josh wants to play every game, which is something we’d never discourage.

Up to now he’s not had a natural strike partner and we haven’t had the luxury of potentially taking him out of the starting 11. It’s given us that flexibility. As a front two they’ve looked good together, they’re dangerous and they like playing together.

KASEY MCATEER HAS MADE A GOOD IMPRESSION ON THE FANS SO FAR. WHAT DO YOU FEEL HIS BEST POSITION IS?

One of the things we like about him the most are the capabilities that he has to play in numerous midfield positions. I think he’s naturally an eight, an attacking midfield player. But equally he can play that role on the right – he can run, he can go past people.

I feel he could do it off the left hand side as well. Leicester City have used him at wing-back and full-back as well. He’s one of those players who managers love to have because of his versatility.

AARON PIERRE HASN’T PLAYED A LOT OF FOOTBALL THIS SEASON. WHAT’S YOUR MESSAGE BEEN TO HIM SINCE HE JOINED US?

It’s been difficult for him. We had a good chat with him today. As long as he trains hard and keeps himself in top condition there will be opportunities to play. Injuries, suspensions and rotations – all those things come into it.

INJURY UPDATE

Alex Pearce and Jack Currie are touch and go. We hope to have them available but we will make late calls on both. Huseyin Biler is still a few weeks away – he’s one of the longer term ones along with Diallang Jaiyesimi and Harry Pell.

Tom Daws has moved into a new position as our Head of Performance and Recruitment Analysis. How impressed have you been by his work since coming to the club?

Dawsy has been first class, I’m really impressed with his work. Since I’ve been in management I’ve looked to work closely with analysts – it aids your game preparation through the use of clips.

He’s very thorough and in turn he’s started to learn what I want and what I require from that side of things. It’s a two way thing as I’ve also learnt how he works best.

Rob Tuvey is mic’d up to Tom on the gantry during our matches, he provides us with a different view point and has his input at half-time, full-time and in the build up to games.

PICS: Pro Sports Images and Lucy Dixon

Match Reports

Clinical Stags punish Dons

Defeat at home

4 March 2023

AFC Wimbledon let a lead slip once again on Saturday afternoon as a ruthless Mansfield Town side came away with a 3-1 win.

In what felt like a carbon copy of the start we saw on Tuesday, Ali Al-Hamadi gave us the lead with his fifth goal in yellow and blue.

However our Achilles heel came back to bite us as Riley Harbottle quickly equalised after we switched off from a set piece.

From that point onwards it went from bad to worse for the Dons, with Danny Johnson and Davis Keillor-Dunn striking a double blow on the counterattack for the play-off chasing Stags.

Johnnie Jackson made two changes to the side which lost 3-2 to Stevenage as Jack Currie and Alex Pearce came in for Lee Brown and Will Nightingale - this meant the latter dropped to the bench.

Wimbledon started well with Currie and Ethan Chislett interchanging on the left before the latter saw a shot blocked. Our South African attacker then came even closer as his volley whistled wide of the upright.

As the half hour mark approached we were rewarded for our bright start with the opening goal. Al-Hamadi picked up the ball on the far side before tearing into the box – our number 12 steadied himself before powerfully firing past Scott Flinders for his fifth goal in four games.

However Mansfield equalised soon after through Harbottle’s close range finish – with our side guilty of losing runners in the penalty area. The Dons almost hit back immediately as Armani Little’s free-kick cleared the bar by inches.

The second-half started slower than the first, with much of the flow of the game being disrupted by several stoppages. Al-Hamadi was still posing a threat and almost came up with an assist as Kasey McAteer saw his shot blocked from close range.

The Stags always offered a threat on the counterattack and as a result it was them who took the lead for the first time on the day. A through ball was threaded through the Wimbledon backline, leaving Johnson with the simple task of poking past the onrushing Nik Tzanev.

A flurry of substitutes followed for the Dons, however it mattered little as Keillor-Dunn charged through to put the visitors 3-1 ahead - a deficit that we couldn’t recover from.

AFC Wimbledon: Nik Tzanev, Chris Gunter (George Marsh), Alex Woodyard, Josh Davison (Sam Pearson), Ethan Chislett, Ali Al-Hamadi, Alex Pearce (Aaron Pierre), Armani Little, Kasey McAteer (Saikou Janneh), Jack Currie, Paul Kalambayi

PIC: Ian Stephen (Pro Sports Images)

Match Reports

Ticket News

Mansfield Mega Offer! Kids for a Quid

Our exclusive initiative

1 March 2023

With Saturday’s big game against Mansfield Town just around the corner, there’s no better time than now to take advantage of our special offer!

We're delighted to launch our 'Kids for a Quid' initiative, so make sure you bring your children along to join a crowd of over 7,000 and spread the word to your friends about this value-for-money offer.

Your help can get us even more support for the Dons so that we pack out the Cherry Red Records Stadium at a key stage of the season.

And please don’t be shy to let fans of other clubs know, as it's the ideal time to show them the way to Plough Lane!

The £1 tickets are availble for children 17 years and under.

Buy now from our ONLINE SHOP.

Please note the following conditions of sale for online bookings:

Tickets much be purchased with at least one adult/concession ticket
Maximum six kids tickets per booking
Children 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult

If you would like to purchase more than six kids tickets, or if children over the age of 15 would like to purchase without an accompanying adult, please contact us.

Email tickets@afcwimbledon.ltd.uk

RETURNS

Season ticket returns will help us significantly as we can make your seat available for resale, allowing more Dons to come along and get behind the team.

Please let us know by emailing ticketreturns@afcwimbledon.ltd.uk with your name, the block, row, and seat number of the seat(s) you are releasing.

PIC: Ian Stephen (Pro Sports Images)