MK Dons Post Match Thoughts

[DerekProsser(East Anglia)]

What amazed me again were the MK DONS commentary team once again stating how big and strong we are ! It’s the same record every week ! The facts are we only have Smith and Iky and Wood if he had been playing over 6 foot ?
Last year yes with the inclusion of Crookes and Angus but not this season ? I would like to bet that MK average height was greater than ours ? I think they just look at Smith and make an instant judgement ?

I think they must have a pre set list of phrases and quotes that they trot out every season. Not just MK Dons but every set of commentators. Rotherham will always be associated with "land of the giants," "physical," "big and strong," "good side for League 1," "punching above weight in Championship."

We should have a Millers Mad drinking game one afternoon, list of the usual phrases and a shot each time one is said.

[MillerBill]

I think they must have a pre set list of phrases and quotes that they trot out every season. Not just MK Dons but every set of commentators. Rotherham will always be associated with "land of the giants," "physical," "big and strong," "good side for League 1," "punching above weight in Championship."

We should have a Millers Mad drinking game one afternoon, list of the usual phrases and a shot each time one is said.

That is so spot on DP,we are always labelled in a derogatory way and the mainstream sporting channels are mainly to blame.When we were at Millmoor we were a prime target for all the digs thrown at us albeit undeservedly.Now we are at a brand new stadium we and playing a brand new way of football,no longer hoofball but sadly the lazy sporting journalists have not updated their laptops and still have us as the same old ,same old.

[flourbasher]

Direct is also used a lot

Usually trotted out in the context of us pumping balls into the box on a percentage basis.
It's true, we do this sometimes throughout a game and they usually complain that it's poor tactics and they can't deal with it.
Something along the lines of 'we know how Rotherham play, but after working on the training ground all week to stop them it's disappointing my players ignored the advice'

Direct also means getting the ball forward with passing and movement and attacking their goal relentlessly with 20 or so attempts per match. We do this as well throughout any game but they don't acknowledge this bit. e
In other words we tend to avoid the 58 sideways passes in defence and midfield that the likes of Plymouth Portsmouth and MKD do culminating in desperate shots from distance or losing possession in the last third

Mix and matching our approach means they don't know whats coming next and get overwhelmed

They don't like our approach and consider their players and coaching ability more worthy.
Wait til we play Oxford and hear what Karl Robinson has to say about us....again

[PerigordMiller]

Direct is also used a lot

Usually trotted out in the context of us pumping balls into the box on a percentage basis.
It's true, we do this sometimes throughout a game and they usually complain that it's poor tactics and they can't deal with it.
Something along the lines of 'we know how Rotherham play, but after working on the training ground all week to stop them it's disappointing my players ignored the advice'

Direct also means getting the ball forward with passing and movement and attacking their goal relentlessly with 20 or so attempts per match. We do this as well throughout any game but they don't acknowledge this bit. e
In other words we tend to avoid the 58 sideways passes in defence and midfield that the likes of Plymouth Portsmouth and MKD do culminating in desperate shots from distance or losing possession in the last third

Mix and matching our approach means they don't know whats coming next and get overwhelmed

They don't like our approach and consider their players and coaching ability more worthy.
Wait til we play Oxford and hear what Karl Robinson has to say about us....again

In the main we get the ball forward early.

Not the same as the old phrase "route 1 football"

[Brin]

What amazed me again were the MK DONS commentary team once again stating how big and strong we are ! It’s the same record every week ! The facts are we only have Smith and Iky and Wood if he had been playing over 6 foot ?
Last year yes with the inclusion of Crookes and Angus but not this season ? I would like to bet that MK average height was greater than ours ? I think they just look at Smith and make an instant judgement ?

Bit like Refs who when they see the size of Smith, give him nothing when it comes to him being fouled but, constantly pull him up and give him a yellow card when he has to retaliate or use the same tactics.

[ragingpup]

In the main we get the ball forward early.

Not the same as the old phrase "route 1 football"

Good points above. I guess a key thing about our strategy is that we try to very quickly move the ball through to the wings and get crosses in early before the defence has time to organise. To pull them out of shape and cross as soon as we see the opportunity. So it is far less about hopeful hoofing of the long ball forward for the big man to knock down and more towards crossing quickly for a goal scoring header opportunity. But hard for many to differentiate between the two strategies, including our own fans when we were struggling earlier in the season with many comments about Warney's hoofball. From what I can see, the difference between then and now is that we are bossing midfield more with our three, allowing Dan to play more effectively but all three pressing, winning the ball and feeding wide. Our crossing is can still be quite poor though but seem to go on law of averages!