Will Nightingale believes last night’s dogged Carabao Cup display against West Ham can be the catalyst for the Dons to convert more performances into wins in League One.
“I think we’ve got to start believing that we can win most games, if not every game,” said Will, in an interview with our iFollow Dons premium channel, which can be seen above. “Obviously, the defeats are hurting at the minute, but with the style of play and the heart and desire we are showing throughout the team, I think we will be more than alright this season. Against a Premier League outfit it’s not the worst, but at the end of the day we want to start winning and so does the gaffer. The manager is doing what he can with us and I think a lot of the fans are impressed.”
Will was thrust into action last night when centre-back Rod McDonald was sent-off. It forced Neal Ardley to bolster his back-line by taking off goal scorer Joe Pigott early in the first-half.
“I think that you’ve just got to stay solid, keep talking to each other, hold on and keep on at each other,” said Will. “If you stay solid defensively, you keep a clean sheet and we would have won the game. We had something to hold on to, but credit to West Ham, they kept the pressure on. They showed their quality at times, but it’s about the smallest of margins or the fine moments.
“Overall I think we have defended well as a team, but the little lapses of concentration can punish you. We’ve still got things to learn, but I think we really believe that we can start to challenge this year. As soon as we get one result I think the floodgates will open."
Will was also keen to acknowledge the contributions made by fellow Academy graduates, defender Toby Sibbick and midfielder Anthony Hartigan.
“Toby got our man-of-the-match, which is brilliant,” said Will. “I think it’s his third game in a row now and as he’s still young he’ll keep getting better and better as each game comes along. He’s fitted in really well.
“I think everyone can tell how much of a class, footballing brain that Anthony has. It’s brilliant for those two to get a test against a Premier League side. They both have huge potential and with a bit of luck, who knows? If they keep going with their careers they could end up playing at the very top level. These are the games you want to test yourself in.”
A clip of the interview is available below, via a link to our official club YouTube channel.