The Insider: Goal-shy Wombles have problems for Portsmouth clashÂ

In some of the games, AFC Wimbledon have actually played pretty well '“ but often lacked that finishing touch.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Oct 2018, 17:31 BST
Updated 13th Oct 2018, 04:00 BST
AFC Wimbledon beat Pompey 2-1 in the Carabao Cup earlier this season. Picture: Joe PeplerAFC Wimbledon beat Pompey 2-1 in the Carabao Cup earlier this season. Picture: Joe Pepler
AFC Wimbledon beat Pompey 2-1 in the Carabao Cup earlier this season. Picture: Joe Pepler

Neal Ardley's side are joint-lowest scorers in League One, so it's not difficult to see where the problems lie for a side positioned one place above the relegation zone.

They have struggled to score, while a few silly lapses defensively have been punished.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It's a difficult one because there was obvious intent in the summer to invest a bit more ambitiously, spending fees on players rather than relying on free agents.

AFC Wimbledon beat Pompey 2-1 in the Carabao Cup earlier this season. Picture: Joe PeplerAFC Wimbledon beat Pompey 2-1 in the Carabao Cup earlier this season. Picture: Joe Pepler
AFC Wimbledon beat Pompey 2-1 in the Carabao Cup earlier this season. Picture: Joe Pepler

Yet if they cannot resolve this scoring issue they will struggle. There's not too much wrong defensively, but definitely must click more as an attacking force.

Ardley is one of the longest-serving managers in the Football League. Some of the fans feel the team can do more, but on the flipside he has been working with one of the smallest budgets in League One for a number of years.

Sometimes what you do well can be forgotten and, in recent games, there has been a little bit of discontent in the stands, which can surface on a bit of a sticky run.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

What had looked to be a fairly inviting run of games against teams lower down the table has resulted in a mini-period which was expected to have produced more points.

Oxford United are the only team the Wombles have beaten at home this season, so it has not clicked for them really.

A bright spot, undoubtedly, has been the form of Joe Piggott, following his summer arrival from non-league Maidstone.

Ardley has a good reputation with strikers, giving them a bit of TLC to get them firing again, with the likes of Lyle Taylor, Tom Elliott and Dominic Poleon.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Piggott is decent in the air, not bad on the ground and has turned in a good amount of goals so far, six in total, including one against West Ham in the Carabao Cup.

The summer also brought the arrival of James Hanson from Sheffield United, although he is without a goal in 11 games.

Wimbledon have been searching to replace Lyle Taylor's goals, who left for Charlton and has scored seven times.

That was always going to be a tall order '“ and so it has proven.

Related topics:Oxford UnitedLeague One