Four takeaways from AFC Wimbledon’s 0-0 draw with Crewe – Time for experienced professionals to step up after loanees depart

Crewe Alexandra and AFC Wimbledon served up the dullest of goalless draws on a quagmire of a Mornflake Stadium pitch on Saturday. 

A very poor home side failed miserably to take advantage of a much changed and much weakened Dons side rocked by injuries and the recall of three loanees, most notably Ryley Towler.

Bissala Sambou hit a post in the first minute of the second half and put an unmarked header wide, but neither side deserved three points at the end of a difficult week for the visitors, who will hope to have players fit and a bolstered squad before the visit of Bradford City on Saturday.

Here are Dave Hunt-Jackson’s four takeaways from the Mornflake Stadium:

A rude awakening with players departing

Loanees were the undoing of Wimbledon last season when none of the players brought in were able to make much impact. That, combined with the inexplicable decision to allow Ollie Palmer to depart in January, sealed their fate in the unsuccessful battle against relegation that followed.

This season the South Londoners have had the opposite problem.

Such has been the form and improvement in the likes of Towler and Paris Maghoma that both have now been lost as the players leave for opportunities at a higher level. 

The upside for Wimbledon is this will cement their reputation as a club that nurtures young players, and in addition to homegrown talent, of which the latest is Jack Currie and Huseyin Biler, they are providing invaluable input for their loanees. 

This means that Plough Lane will be an attractive venue for the placement of youngsters from the higher leagues.

The flip-side was there for all to behold on Saturday – all three of the recalled loanees would surely have started. 

Even Kyle Hudlin, for all his limitations, would surely have made more of an impact than did Courtney Senior, who was restored to a starting line-up further weakened by the absence of the ill Ayoub Assal and the injured Alex Woodyard.

Time for the veterans to step up

Few would have expected back in August that none of Alex Pearce, Lee Brown and Chris Gunter would be first choice in their positions, but Towler and Paul Kalambayi had created a formidable pairing in the centre. 

The form of young full-backs Currie, Biler and Issac Ogundere have meant Brown has been on the bench when fit, and Gunter, having been part of a World Cup Squad, has returned to find his place taken as well.

With Towler’s departure, Pearce returned and also took Woodyard’s armband as the AFC Wimbledon defence registered yet another clean sheet. 

He will now presumably be fighting for the slot alongside Kalambayi with the returning Will Nightingale, unless Johnnie Jackson can bring in another central defender.

Brown and Gunter will no doubt get game time, too, and if the Dons are to salvage a play-off challenge after this week’s departures, they will need to be at their best.

All in all, a point gained

Crewe were very poor, and the side Jackson would have been expecting to choose at the start of the week should have put them to the sword. 

They were ponderous both going forward and at the back – Assal would have had a field day. 

Senior, however, rarely, if ever, troubled them and the Dons still struggle to run at the defence in the final third. 

Given Ethan Chislett’s remarkable conversion rate from dangerous free kicks, it is criminal not to put opposition defenders under more pressure in and around their box.

Having failed to create a meaningful chance, the travelling Dons support, who will have been thrilled at having this fixture parachuted into a train strike weekend at short notice, clearly for Crewe’s benefit, not theirs, will have been grateful to at least have a point to celebrate on their long journey home. 

Another tough week ahead

The Wimbledon manager has another tough week ahead. He will be desperate to have Ayoub Assal available for the visit of Bradford. Indeed he will be desperate to have him available full stop, and it is to be hoped the lessons of last season with Ollie Palmer have been learned. 

He will also no doubt be desperate to try to bring in replacements for Towler and Maghoma, as well as getting a good look at Sam Pearson and the recalled Zach Robinson and Aaron Cosgrave.

AFC Wimbledon’s hopes of a quick return to League One depend very much on the club getting this January window right, and after last year, it is the least they owe the fans.

Best Moment: The final whistle. This was a useful point but a very forgettable encounter.

Star Man: Josh Davison: Played alone up front with no proper support but, as always, ran himself into the ground. His hold-up play surely demands players alongside him to capitalise on his efforts.