Preview: Bromley vs AFC Wimbledon

When the pre-season odds were drawn up, Bromley and AFC Wimbledon were in the same category: Small clubs likely to be destined for the drop. But while this is new territory for the Ravens, their opponents have defied the league’s odds-makers in the past.

The Dons swerved relegation last season by a four-point margin, suggesting that getting over the 50-point mark is League One’s golden elixir. Looking back on that successful fight, Dons manager Johnnie Jackson said:

“It’s one of the best moments I’ve had in football… It feels up there with what we did last year (promotion from League Two), which was a monumental achievement.”

Andy Woodman might repeat Jackson’s refrain bar for bar should Bromley achieve a similar goal at the end of this season. But to do so, he first needs to find a way to stop his side’s early-season rot. 

Two back-to-back defeats, during which Bromley conceded 12 goals, have jolted confidence both off the pitch and on it, and the situation calls for a strong response against AFC Wimbledon.

Sky Sports cameras will be in situ for this London derby, and truth be told, given Wimbledon’s equally stuttering start to the season, all signs point to a fairly even encounter.

The Dons have conceded seven goals away from home (0-3 Huddersfield, 1-4 Burton Albion) while picking up a draw and a win at home (0-0 Reading, 1-0 Wigan Athletic).

Does this mean the Dons come into this encounter with some away-day ills to cure? A deeper look suggests the bigger issue is their inability to create chances.

So far this season, in four matches, they have mustered just nine shots on target. Sound familiar?

What price a 0-0 draw? I suspect both managers would walk away relatively content with that outcome.

The Dons are likely to line up in a derivative of a 3-5-2, some might even say a 3-5-1-1, as they pursue a clean sheet at all costs. They are also likely to play with a counter-attacking mindset, but perversely, so will Bromley. As such, it will be an interesting subplot to see which team prefers to have less of the ball on the night. 

The Dons have seen several comings and goings ahead of this season. 

In addition to the three deadline-day loan signings of Dujuan Richards (Chelsea), Joe Bursik (Portsmouth), and Freddie Simmonds (Brighton), their notable signings includ Harry Cornick (free), Andy Yiadom (free), Jayden Stockley (Port Vale), James Tilley (Wycombe), Steven Sessegnon (free), Zack Nelson (free), and Dan Sweeney (free). They also secured a few significant contract renewals.

The most eye-catching departure was that of winger Junior Nkeng, who joined Charlton for an undisclosed fee rumoured to be in the region of £750k to £1 million.

To delve into life at the Dons, I spoke with Rob Smith from the Wombles Down under fanzine.

“It’s been a rocky start so far after a busy transfer window, like yours. We got thumped 3-0 at Huddersfield and went down 4-1 at Burton after scoring first. We also earned a point at home to Reading and a flattering 1-0 home win over Wigan. Defence has been a problem.”

“You face harder opposition each week and get swiftly punished for your mistakes. We’ve also found it hard to get the goals we need to win games (so far).”

“With a stadium debt to pay off, money for players will always be a problem until our finances are sorted out. We are a fan-owned club, after all. That said, we are negotiating for a potential minority investment, but that comes with caveats. 

“So for now, it’s a case of surviving while selling our best young talents for a profit, like the recent move of Junior Nkeng to Charlton. We also scour the market for experienced players who are coming back from fitness issues, and we’ve been known to take a punt on the occasional young star from the lower leagues. We have a resourceful football director in Craig Cope, who has brought in some good recruits.”

“Cope was active in the summer window: Twelve signings, including seasoned pros like Dan Sweeney, Jayden Stockley, and Andy Yiadom. To balance the books, we sold Junior Nkeng for a large undisclosed fee and allowed a few fringe players to move on. Skipper Jake Reeves is another departure, heading out on a season-long loan at Barnet.”

“Jayden Stockley is strong in the air and we are playing to his strengths a lot of the time. Former academy keeper Joe Bursik is back on loan from Portsmouth, and the moody Marcus Browne is one to watch, as he has the technical skill to score goals out of nowhere.”

The more you read Rob’s words, the more it seems like this could be a very cagey affair. If someone is going to win, it will likely be the team that defends best and nicks a goal. Surely Bromley won’t concede another shedload tonight…?

For Andy Woodman, a week of preparation time has probably given him the chance to analyse what his first-choice team should look like. 

His six changes for the Orient game were probably a course correction too far after the Sheffield Wednesday game, so he will likely return to something resembling his most tried-and-trusted XI, one that has got him through some of his biggest scraps to date.

Are Bromley at a level where that approach still works? Tonight would be a good time to show it.

Join me over on YouTube for The Eleven, where I take a stab at assessing how Bromley might line up tonight.

How would you line up?

George

Ifill Sowunmi Grant Mendy

Saville

Whitely Hondermarck McKiernan Pinnock

Cheek