Preview: MK Dons vs Bromley

The sides that took the top spots in League Two prepare to do battle again, but this season, the points on offer are important for an entirely different reason. 

Neither promoted side can say they have adapted well to the level. In fact, it would be fair to say that both are having a rotten time of it.

On paper, this is far more surprising for MK Dons. Given their resources, most pre-season pundits expected them to be at the sharp end of the table rather than scrapping to avoid the trapdoor.

Over the summer, they improved their squad with a top-half challenge in mind, welcoming several new players with League One experience or higher.

Manager Paul Warne added Ryan Wintle (Cardiff, free), Sam Nombe (Rotherham, free), Charlie Goode (Stevenage, free), Sam Silvera (Middlesbrough), Ryan Barnett (Wrexham loan), and Will Dennis (Bournemouth), to name but a few.

In Warne, they possess a manager who has escaped the division on four separate occasions with Rotherham United and Derby County, so one has to assume they will make up for their slow start as the season goes on.

Early season stats imply that they aren’t that far off. They have drawn six times, which is too many, but they have only lost three times, so clearly they are a difficult team to beat.

Context be damned.

However, if we dig a little deeper, it is interesting to note that MK Dons have the least amount of possession in the league besides Bromley. Is this a battle to see who wants the ball least?

One side note, and a cautionary stat for Bromley, is MK Dons’ accuracy when it comes to crosses into the box. With three centre backs (Marcus Ifill?) likely to line up for Bromley tonight, they should be set up to counteract this, but watch that space carefully.

For much of this season, Dons have preferred a 3-1-4-2 shape, and they have the technical ability to be a threat from both flanks and through the middle of the park. 

In terms of goals + assists, Aaron Collins leads the way with 9. His ability at this level is proven, and he is just another example of the wealth of resources MK Dons possess. 

That said, Byron Webster may well take heart from Bromley’s last visit to Stadium MK, where the Ravens recovered from a shocking first half to boss the second when they changed shape to a 3-4-2-1. 

Bromley may have lost that day, but given they played in a 3-1-4-2 of their own on Saturday against Peterborough United, they should believe that they can go again and have some joy.

Well-placed sources have suggested that Bromley will not have a new manager in place by Wigan Athletic away on Saturday, so Byron Webster must continue to try and scramble some points for the Ravens before he hands over the keys to Hayes Lane.

Is this game ‘must not drop points’ territory, or are we still in the ‘free hit’ discussion?

I suppose that depends on the nature of the performance come full-time. 

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Sowunmi Jackson Grant

Saville

Ifill Conteh Hondermarck Pinnock

Cheek Kabamba