A Long Hard Season, But We Will Rise Again - Notes for Milton Keynes Friday, 29th Apr 2016 11:00 by HarryFromBath HarryfromBath assesses the mood in the opposition camp ahead of Saturday’s final home game of the season by delving into their forums. “Confirmed and deserved”, “Completely deserved, we are nowhere near good enough for this level. League One is our level for the foreseeable future”, “We all knew it would happen. If we weren’t relegated today, it would have happened next week”, “We have returned to where we belong.” Saturday’s 4-1 home defeat to Brentford confirmed an immediate return to League One for Karl Robinson’s team after one season in the Championship. Relegation had felt inevitable for many fans given that their side had picked up just two points from six games since the international break. “We would have had a fighting chance had we not screwed up the biggest week of the season.” Defeats at the start of the month to Fulham, Wolves and notably a heavy 4-0 loss to the Millers did irreparable damage. “Our season was effectively ended after losing to Rotherham.” “In the Rotherham game we looked like a bunch of players who had accepted their death sentence without so much as a whimper”, “I wanted us to put up a fight and we didn’t do that in the end. We went down like a limp-wristed boxer with a glass jaw”, “We were nowhere near ready for this level.” Fans are philosophical about how the campaign has ended. “We have just been relegated and the mood at the end was sad rather than angry. There was applause for the players and Karl Robinson”, “There is no reason for fans to be angry. That is reserved for teams that should be doing better.” A Lack of Quality“The bottom line is that we underestimated this league. The biggest screw-up of all was not finding players anywhere near the level of Will Grigg, Benik Afobe or Dele Alli. I’m not saying we could find like-for-like replacements but none of the players we brought in were anywhere near this level.” “A Championship squad in League One last season was replaced this season by a League One squad in the Championship.” A poor summer transfer window was coupled with the loss of three players pivotal to last season’s promotion. “Only two out of nine summer signings have played regularly.” “It’s sad seeing so many fans slating the philosophy and style of play that Robbo has brought to the club. It’s not the style of play that’s wrong, it’s the players not being good enough for this division”, “The possession and passing game is great when you have players who can execute it properly.” Karl Robinson“Karl Robinson genuinely looked on the verge of tears in his interview after the Brentford game. He genuinely looked like he cared and mentioned how he loves the club. I can’t imagine many managers would say that about their club”, “The guy lives and breathes the club”, “I would hate it if he left.” Fans have great affection for their 35-year-old manager who has been with the club since 2010. “He overachieved in our promotion year, building a brand of football that mixed local talent with Premier League prospects. We had a blessed squad and over-performed with the budget we were on.” “Robbo isn’t going to change now or in the future, 4-4-2 works for other teams but he won’t even try it”, “It will be 4-2-3-1 from here on in under Robinson.” He has been criticised for sticking with his preferred style of play when the team have struggled and for the side’s poor transfers this season. “Relegated is relegated and it doesn’t matter what spin Robinson tries to put on it. It has been a miserable season with dreadful signings, a wasted budget and shocking tactics”, “Robinson got us into a good position by the start of April, credit to him, but equally we have completely blown it.” Formation“The poor man’s tiki-taka”, “We will be stubbornly playing 4-2-3-1 until the concrete cows come home”, “Robbo needs to get out of his 4-2-3-1 comfort zone. It worked when he had a capable lone striker in League One but none of our current strikers can hold their own and score goals.” CropperBaldockMcFadzeanWalshLewingtonPotterForster-CaskeyBakerWilliamsMurphyMaynard
The starting XI against Brentford last Saturday (above) included loanees Jake Forster-Caskey, Josh Murphy and former Blue Jonny Williams, who has now returned to Crystal Palace at the end of his 93-day loan spell. Murphy has been widely seen as the side’s danger man in contrast to strikers Nicky Maynard and Alex Revell who have posed insufficient attacking threat. “There is no point going gung-ho when we don’t have the pace to deal with counter-attacks”, “The one ingredient we have missed this season was a strong box-to-box midfielder.” Darren Potter is seen as a decent holding player, but a lack of steel and adventure in midfield has been highlighted. “We have so often this season seen no one from midfield making runs into the box in support of attacks”, “Bags of possession in the middle and at the back but little or nothing doing forward”, “It is annoying to watch our clueless midfielders run into defenders as crosses go into empty space.” The defence has been less criticised although left-back Dean Lewington’s lack of pace is a concern. Fans are far more exercised over their goalkeeping options with David Martin injured and former Town man Cody Cropper having to be replaced by 20-year-old youth product Charlie Burns at half-time on Saturday. BurnsSpenceMcFadzeanWalshLewingtonPotterCarruthersBakerWilliamsBowditchRevell
The team (above) which secured a nil-all draw in their previous game at Hillsborough included some players who have been rotated in and out of the starting line-up. Burns covered for the then-suspended Cropper in goal. Both Jordan Spence and George Baldock are seen as decent prospects at right-back. All tactical discussions inevitably return to the squad’s lack of quality. “Our passing game worked in League One against poorer opposition and with us having a better team. If we can better players with the ability to play ‘our’ way, I would like us to return to the style which saw us get promoted.” Milton Keynes 1 - 4 Brentford“It was pretty obvious that survival was unlikely. Parking the bus and hoping to grind out a result will work on occasions but cannot base an entire campaign on this strategy”, “It was odd how fans were deflated even when we were still in the game. Everyone knew how it was going to pan out.” “As if we would ever hold a lead.” The hosts went ahead on six minutes when Nicky Maynard fired a cross home from close range. The Bees hit back three minutes later when a Sergi Canos long-range strike beat Cropper, a shoulder problem subsequently forcing the US U23 international off at the break. Cropper’s replacement Burns was beaten by strikes from Lasse Vibe and Ryan Woods, while a late Jake Bidwell freekick evaded everyone to seal the hosts’ relegation. “No lack of effort, just a lack of quality”, “Lose your best players and you get relegated”, “We are back where we belong.” “An easy 4-1 win against a really poor side”, Brentford fans were very critical of their hosts. “The 45 minutes of silence was impeccably and movingly observed”, “Their performance all over the park except for Josh Murphy was gutless and shameful”, “It is no surprise that they have gone down.” Sheffield Wednesday 0 - 0 Milton Keynes“Full-time and nil-all somehow, we successfully prolong the inevitable”, “How we got a point I will never know”, “Their fans seem cross that we took a point off them and that the referee sent their guy off when he literally kicked our player up in the air”, “It is too little, too late.” “Their fans thought we were playing for a draw? They should see us when we really are playing for a draw!” The Owls hit the woodwork four times but failed to score in an ill-tempered stalemate which saw Ross Wallace sent off for violent conduct late in the game after a challenge on Jonny Williams. Preston 1 - 1 Milton Keynes“It’s not quite over yet”, “Pleased I went, it was great fun really”, “My Dad slept through most of the first half and even he’s happy he was there to see Alex Revell’s save.” Fans were treated to some late drama in what was an otherwise routine draw between two of last year’s promoted sides. The Lilywhites opened the scoring after six minutes when Jermaine Beckford latched on to a through ball and lifted it over Cropper but the visitors levelled nine minutes after the interval when Maynard turned in a Josh Murphy cross. Cropper was sent off with nine minutes left for a foul on Eoin Doyle. With all substitutions having being made, striker Alex Revell’s first task as stopgap keeper was to face a Joe Garner penalty which he expertly saved. Even the home fans were full of appreciation. “Their makeshift keeper has to be applauded, he did extremely well”, “Every credit to Revell.” Preston fans had some interesting views on their visitors having known them in League One. “Milton Keynes looked very much a relegated side, a lack of movement, no closing down and little quality on the ball”, “They relied on loan signings like they did last season and it has come back to bite them.” Goalkeepers“Charlie Burns had a mare against Brentford.” The 20-year-old youth product “was way out of his comfort zone but did make one brilliant tip-over”, “He showed his inexperience for a couple of the Brentford second-half goals where Martin would have done better”, “He needs to prove himself.” “A clean sheet at Sheffield Wednesday is no mean feat.” Burns had a better game at Hillsborough. “He was greatly helped by the defence hoofing it downfield rather than passing it back to him”, “The Brentford defeat will stop people thinking he can step into the number one role. He’s not ready yet.” Cody Cropper“I have a few concerns with Cropper, actually holding the ball rather than keep parrying it away is one, another is he doesn't seem to command the box particularly well”, “We haven’t ruined him, he wasn’t that good to start with”, “You could say that his good saves outweigh a few mistakes.”  The 23-year-old one-time Town academy keeper “is a real mixed bag. He makes some decent stops but a worry would be the two or three goals he has got a good hand to and yet they have still gone in”, “Does Cropper ever hold shots? I’m just asking because he seems to spill most of them.” “I didn’t like the cut of his jib today.” He was criticised for his first-half performance last Saturday. “I really rate Cody but he was awful. His decision-making was poor”, “He had a nightmare although at times it was oddly entertaining”, “Bloody awful but I suppose he’s what our budget could afford.” Defenders“Meet Kyle McFadzean up close and he’s not that tall and he certainly lacks bulk as a player, but who wouldn’t want him as a player?” The 29-year-old former Crawley centre-back “has been superb but has made a few mistakes. He has what it takes overall physically and he acknowledges his mistakes”.  “After a McFadzean cocktail you will feel as if you have been grappled and flung to the floor”, “He battles well”, “Grappling, pulling, shoving”, “How does he manage to head the ball away with such power?”, “He has not been the same since Chelsea tore him a new one in our [5-1] FA Cup defeat.” “Joe Walsh will hopefully stay. He seems a real asset and a player capable of playing at a higher level. He has contributed to a solid defence.” The 23-year-old centre-back also played for Crawley, arriving at Stadium MK last summer. “He is decent in the air, something we have been lacking for a while.” “Walsh has moved up the pecking order since arriving”, “He is a bit more assertive than Anthony Kay and is better in the air”, “He has had a bit of a resurgence as the season has progressed”, “I don’t think Joe has had a bad game for us. He is very consistent and has improved our creaky defence.” “Anthony Kay has been questionable for large parts of the season.” The 33-year-old former Terrier “is probably not quite up to the Championship”, “He played well for a few months but his form has deteriorated”, “He has looked weak in this division and has been all over the place this season.” “I don’t think Kay would have intentionally injured Michal Zyro for a second. He is just a really slow footballer.” Kay was involved in a controversial tackle which badly injured the Wolves winger earlier this month. “He went for a ball he shouldn’t have”, “The type of challenge which ends careers.” “Dean Lewington is never out of position and is off the pace a bit but he’s also a good reliable left-back and will prove tough to get past most of the time.” The 31-year-old club stalwart “is looking more and more off the pace as time goes on”, “My problem is that he’s slower than a stoned sloth.” “Lewington has made the second highest number of tackles in the entire league, pretty impressive”, “He puts in some good tackles but he could be a touch quicker in reading situations”, “His fans say he makes up for his lack of speed with his vision, but a lack of pace has let him down more often.” “I rate Jordan Spence and think he’s a decent right-back.” The 25-year-old former Hammer “is a natural defender”, “A speedy player with a good work rate”, “At times this season he has looked exhausted and out of ideas. He undeniably has talent and needed a rest to return to form.” “Spence has been reliable and at times our best player on the pitch. He is strong, quick and athletic”, “Our player of the season until about November but his form has been just okay since”, “He seems to have been wiped out by playing week-in and week-out in a team which keeps getting beaten.” George Baldock“Good attacking full-backs are rarer than wingers and so important in the modern game. Baldock has developed very well as a full-back”, “The lad has got pace. I wouldn’t be surprised if a Championship or one of the promoted League One clubs put in a bid for him. He has looked capable at this level.”  The 23-year-old youth product was recalled from a successful spell on loan at Oxford. “He might be a winger, certainly at League One level. Everyone here likes his attacking ability”, “We rate his ability on the attack but gloss over his defending but he’s probably our most marketable asset right now.” Central Midfielders“Darren Potter will be tasked with getting us back in the Championship. A player of his type will be invaluable in League One.” The 31-year-old former Owl “is essential to bringing the ball out of defence and spreading the play, helping maintain our attractive style of play”, “An unsung hero.” “Potter will hopefully stick around. He’s very reliable, retains possession well and doesn’t shy away from the fight”, “He has made some outstanding last ditch tackles and interceptions and his passing helps relieve pressure”, “A controlling player who can be predictable and needs to spring surprises.” “Don’t underestimate the impact which Jake Forster-Caskey (JFC) has had. He has really started to take hold of games with more match time.” The 21-year-old, the stepson of former Blue Nicky Forster, is on loan from Brighton and “can play in a holding role but with extra attacking prowess. Some of his touches in games have been genius.” “I’m a JFC fan but when we are chasing a game his role can diminish massively”, “There is lots of hustle and bustle which is good but his passing, even short passes can go astray”, “Generally decent and solid as always”, “He is good competition for Samir Carruthers in the box-to-box role.” “Jonny Williams has been hard-working, brave and comfortable running with the ball.” The 22-year-old arrived on loan from Crystal Palace in January with his spell having ended after last week's match. The former Blues loan signing “is quite small but he wins a lot of freekicks. It looks as if he’s being bullied”, “He gets clobbered left, right and centre.”  “When Williams goes off, our striker has looked isolated and we lose the ability to hold the ball high up the pitch”, “He’s very skilful, puts in a great shift and opponents can’t handle him”, “Huddersfield could not handle him in February, hence he was a human kicking-bag throughout the whole game. Samir Carruthers“Samir is the only one of our midfield players who could make it in the Championship”, “I had hoped he would be our strong box-to-box midfielder but he’s too inconsistent and fond of the referee’s notebook”, “In games he has missed, we have clearly looked less effective in the opposition half.”  “Only Samir has any bite in his tackles.” The 23-year-old ex-Aston Villa man “spent four months of the season trying to be Dele Alli and he failed miserably, bringing most of our attacking play down with him. He spent the next three months trying to be the old Samir and it has worked well.” “Oh dear, Samir”, “A storm in a teacup”, “A pint glass, I believe”, “He pees where he wants.” Samir was sanctioned by the club for indiscreet behaviour when attending the Cheltenham races in March. “Carruthers is a great player but needs to knuckle down if he is to make the most of his career.” Wide Midfielders“Carl Baker is another who has possibly reached the end of the line.” The 33-year-old ex-Coventry man “exemplifies leaving everything on the pitch but was mostly ineffective against Brentford”, “He will be missed more off the pitch than on it if he leaves this summer but of course we all love him.” “I think that Daniel Powell could make a good case for being a cult hero”, “God bless him, but he is unpredictable.” The 25-year-old youth product “looks unpredictable and dangerous. He causes panic in defences when he gets a run at them. He is a strong battler and does his fair share of defending.” “Powell polarises opinion. I like him but he can frustrate the hell out of me”, “He has one good run and then nothing. Once or twice in a season he can change a game but is a passenger for the rest of the season”, “All of his best performances have come when he has been an impact substitute.” “The fat lady is warming up”, “That’s good. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas normally just stands around rather than warming up.” The 25-year-old QPR loan signing has hardly featured since arriving in early February. “An Adebayor-type character, awful and lazy one week but a match-winner the next.” “I have never seen a man so uninterested in being somewhere as JET on the pitch, sloppy passing, ambling around and generally just not giving a hoot about the game.” The former Blue “looks less fit than when he first arrived”, “What is the point in him being here? He has done next to nothing.” Dean Bowditch“Bowditch is a really intelligent player, but the body often won’t do what the brain wants it to.” The 29-year-old one-time Town youngster “still has a few years ahead of him. He is not spectacular but makes the right choices far more often than our other attacking players which goes a long way”.  “Dean normally always seems to get a pass away before defenders can close him down. The few dribbles he tries work, his shooting is from sensible positions and his first touch is good”, “He rarely does anything outstanding but his work-rate and ball retention are fantastic. He rarely gives it away.” The former Glover “is not a flair player so his ability is less obvious”, “Bowditch also tracks back and when playing wide right, he tucks in and opens the flank up for Baldock to run into”, “He may not be our best player but he always pops up with a few goals and has won us some important points.” Josh Murphy“The only decent signing this season has been Murphy.” The 21-year-old has been on a season-long loan from the Canaries. “Our most creative and dangerous player this season by a country mile, he has been average for me, producing occasional bouts of quality but he can also be very lazy”.  His work-rate and consistency have been questioned. “All I see Murphy doing is getting the ball in good positions and running it into defenders’ legs, so the criticism of him is justified”, “He has his faults but he has put in some of the best crosses I have ever seen. He is going to be hit and miss.” “Young wingers are almost without exception inconsistent”, “His defending is largely irrelevant and we have a decent defensive record for the bottom half of the table and Murphy’s strengths are around creating chances”, “One of our only attacking outlets capable of testing or beating a keeper.” Strikers“We are struggling for goals like never before”, “Top scorers in League One to bottom scorers this season.” Milton Keynes have netted just 36 times in their 44 league games. “We only see two strikers for 20 minutes, and then only in a makeshift way when we are chasing a lost game.” Alex Revell“Revell is a target man but we don’t play long direct football, which is the kind of service you need to get the best out of him.” The 32-year-old ex-Rotherham frontman “offers a physical presence and an aerial threat that had been lacking earlier in the season, a great workhorse but not a finisher”.  “Revell offers a sight more than Maynard. He brings players into the game, wins headers and keeps defenders busy. This allows our midfield to get involved”, “Starting Revell, you allow the opposition defence to push up five yards given his lack of pace. This compresses the space our midfield need.” “The save”, “Revell reminds me of Aaron Wilbraham, who funnily enough also had a storming game in goal for us once”, “He secured a spot in the Football League Team of the Week, as the keeper”, “A hero”, “I did not know whether to laugh or cry when Revell saved that penalty against Preston.” Nicky Maynard“How can we go from Afobe and Grigg in League One to Maynard and Revell in the Championship?”, “With the right service, Maynard could easily score 15 goals in League One. His movement is very good and he has great composure in front of goal”, “He small and agile but wins nothing in the air.”  The 29-year-old former Bluebird “is too small to lead the line on his own”, “I was impressed with him initially. He looked the kind of striker who would get a hatful of goals with the right service and the right runs. The past few game he has played have completely passed him by”, “His pace has gone.” “At least Revell’s feet leave the ground occasionally, which is more than Maynard’s ever do”, ”I don’t rate his work ethic or desire”, “He does the square root of bugger all but starting him allows us to try and wrestle control of the midfield and find some pockets of space in which we can create chances.” Milton Keynes Supporters’ Views on ITFC and the GameMilton Keynes fans have had little specific comments about the game but no fewer than 70 per cent in have forecast a Town victory against 13 per cent going for an away win. A remarkable 40 per cent of their fans expect us to score at least three goals with several 4-0 home wins predicted. WebsitesThe busiest Milton Keynes message board is the polite and aptly named The Concrete Roundabout.
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