Ali Al-Hamadi praised a great team effort and the backroom staff after Wimbledon moved into the play-off zone by brushing aside Swindon.
In a post-match interview for Dons TV, Ali said: “That’s six wins on the bounce at home, so I feel that we’re turning this into a bit of a fortress now. Teams don’t like coming here, as you could see in the 93rd minute when we were like a pack of dogs getting after the ball!
"We just look so fit at the moment after all the games and, touch wood, we’ve not got any injuries, so the medical team are doing a great job. Everyone is doing a great job – from top to bottom – so I think we’ll be up there.
“Last season we lost 5-1 at home to Swindon and I can still remember that game – I had a few of their players right in my ear! It was nice to get one back on a few of them. It was exactly what we set out to do – press them high and force turnovers. It was a similar game to Notts County. We should have been more goals up at half-time, but we did it in the second-half. We are just being really good in both boxes, and at this level you are going to win games when you do that.”
Our Iraq international added that the Dons are playing to their strengths – and more of the same can keep his side up there come the end of this season.
“With no disrespect to teams in League Two, they are not good enough to play out from the back all of the time. Pressing teams really high and making it difficult for them - getting in their faces - is our identity now. It’s our biggest strength. Whatever team we play against, they know what’s coming, but it’s just whether they can handle it or not.
“Some players will go on their phones straight after games and check where we are in the table. I can’t lie, I don’t really do that, to be honest. It’s a long season and I don’t think the table will be similar to what it is now at the end. It’s too early and we have to keep ticking over and going under the radar slightly, but I believe we’ll definitely be up there come the end of the season.”
For our Dons TV pre-match show, we were also joined by a true Dons great – Dave Bassett.
The man who led us from the old Fourth Division to the top-flight in the 1980s spoke passionately about his return to Plough Lane and you can listen to the interview below.