MK Dons v Tranmere Rovers Match Preview
By Matthew Jones
January 14 2011
Total Tranmere brings you all the stats, facts and team news you need to know ahead of Saturday's League One game against the MK Dons at Stadium:MK ....
Tranmere Rovers face their first of a succession of long away trips this weekend when they travel south to take on high flying and in form home side MK Dons at Stadium MK.
Despite being terrible away from home, The Dons are eighth in the league table due to their hugely impressive form which has seen them drop just seven points from an available 33.
Les Parry however will be hopeful that his side can pick up a valuable point, or three, in this fixture as they go in search of their fourth away league win of the season, which, if achieved, would insure that Rovers have picked up more points away from home already this season than in the whole of the last camapign.
MK Dons Factfile:
Ground: Stadium MK
Formed: 2004
Nickname: The Dons
Manager: Karl Robinson
League Finish 2009/10: 12th
Kit
Colours: White shirt with black sleeves, white shorts and white and
black socks (home), red shirt with white sleeves, red shorts and red and
white socks
(away), gold shirt with black sleeves, black shorts and socks (third)
Previous Meetings:
A Dale Jennings inspired Tranmere picked up a huge 4-2 win over the MK Dons when the two sides met at Prenton Park on October 30th.
Jennings opened the scoring for Tranmere after little more than three minutes when he raced on to Ian Goodison's long ball, comfortably beating the defender to the ball before slotting past the 'keeper and into the net.
The Dons equalised after fourteen minutes when Peter Leven scored a penalty off the under side of the cross bar after Timothy Cathalina had handballed inside the penalty area, but eight minutes later Tranmere were back ahead when Ian Thomas-Moore scored from the penalty spot after Dale Jennings had been brought down by ex-Liverpool man Didi Hamman.
Three minutes later, Jennings got his second and Tranmere's third with a beautiful curling effort from the left hand corner of the penalty area, with the striker receiving a pass from Showunmi, and, before taking a touch, he fooled the defender with a drap of the shoulder, letting the ball run across his body before beautifully curling into the far corner, leaving ex-Tranmere 'keeper Martin with no chance.
The goals then dried up for an hour, although Gulacsi made a couple of excellent saves to keep it at 3-1, before both sides saw players sent off, firstly McKenzie for MK Dons for a horror tackle on Tim Cathalina, before ten minutes later Zoumana Bakayogo received his second yellow card for a foul on Doumbe.
With fifteen minutes left though, Tranmere made it 4-1 as Ian Thomas-Moore netted his second as he ran on to Jennings' beautiful through ball before curling the ball across Martin and into the corner of the net from a tight angle.
The Dons did get one back late on when Baldock netted from close range from Jemal Johnson's cross, but it wasn't enough for the side as they lost 4-2.
Vital Stats:
Tranmere have never completed the double over the MK Dons, either under their current name or as Wimbledon
In four previous away games against the MK Dons, Tranmere have picked up just one win, losing on three occasions
Tranmere have failed to score in three of their last five games against the MK Dons
In four away games against MK Dons, Tranmere have netted just three goals, conceding on five occasions
Tranmere have played two games in January against MK Dons/Wimbledon, losing on both occasions without scoring
On This Day:
2005: Tranmere hammer local rivals Wrexham 5-1, the last time Rovers netted five goals away from home, with Dagnall, Hume, Hall, Whitmore and Roberts on the scoresheet for Brian Little's side
2000: John Aldridge's Tranmere draw 0-0 with Stockport only a matter of days after beating Bolton in the League Cup semi final
1995: Tranmere suffer a 2-1 defeat at Vale Park against Port Vale in Division One
Tranmere have played twelve previous games on this day, picking up eight wins, one defeat and three draws. In these twelve games, they have scoed an impressive 31 goals and conceded just eleven.
Rovers have played seven previous home games on this day, winning six and drawing once, whilst they have kept four successive clean sheets at Prenton Park on this day.
The Form Book:
MK Dons last six home games: WWLDWW
Tranmere Rovers last six away games: LWWLLW
MK Dons are one of the strongest sides in the division when they play at home, with only Bournemouth having won more home league matches in npower League One so far this season.
Karl Robinson's side started their six match sequence with successive wins, beating Exeter 1-0 thanks to a goal from Aaron Wilbraham, before the Dons snatched the three points in a thrilling 3-2 win over Yeovil, Peter Leven scoring a late penalty to earn the win.
A 1-1 F.A. Cup draw with Stevenage followed on home soil, with Stevenage winning the game on penalties after extra time, before the Dons suffered their only home league defeat to date as they were hammered 4-1 by Sheffield Wednesday.
Successive 2-0 wins for the Dons have followed however as they have picked up six points from their last two home games as they secured wins over Bournemouth and Bristol Rovers over the festive period.
Other notable results at Stadium: MK for the MK Dons this season include wins over Southampton (2-0), Swindon Town (2-1) and Hartlepool United (1-0).
The club have played eleven home league games so far this season and picked up 26 of an available 33 points, this thanks to eight wins, two draws and one defeat.
Impressive results away from home for the Dons include victories over Brentford (2-0) and Walsall (2-1), their only two away wins all season.
Karl Robinson's side come into this game in eighth place in the League One table having played 23 games and picked up 33 of an available 69 points, this thanks to ten wins, three draws and ten defeats.
The icy cold conditions and snowy weather saw Tranmere lose three away games in December, and as such they've played just one away game since November 20th. Rovers have however been fairly resiliant away from home this season and will be hoping to continue that form this weekend.
Tranmere's second successive away defeat followed as Rovers went 3-0 down and then got back to 3-3 before eventually losing 5-3 against Bournemouth in the F.A. Cup first round, but three days later Tranmere turned that form around as they beat League Two side Bury 1-0 in the Johnstone Paints Trophy thanks to a strike from Ian Thomas-Moore.
A goal from Enoch Showunmi was then enough to secure Tranmere a 1-0 win away at Notts County, before Tranmere twice came from behind to draw level before eventually losing 3-2 against Rochdale in their most recent away game on New Years Day.
Other
impressive results away from home for Tranmere this season include wins
over Walsall in the League Cup (1-0) and Bristol Rovers (1-0) in the
League, as well as a 0-0 draw with Huddersfield Town.
Les
Parry's
side have played ten away league games this season and picked up eleven of an available 30 points, this thanks to three wins, two draws and five defeats.
Notable
results at Prenton Park for Tranmere this season include victories over
Plymouth (1-0), MK Dons (4-2), Carlisle (2-1) and Peterborough United (1-0).
Les
Parry's side currently lie in 20th place in League One, having picked
up 26 of an available 66 points from 22 games, thanks to seven wins, five
draws and ten defeats.
Double Hit:
As
well as former Rovers midfielder Gareth Edds, Alan Navarro has
represented both Tranmere Rovers and MK Dons in his career, though the
mdfielder was released by MK Dons in summer 2009.
After
progressing through the Liverpool academy, Navarro enjoyed two spells
on loan at Crewe before joining Tranmere on-loan during the 2001/02
season
Navarro
impressed during his loan spell at Prenton Park, so much so that manager
Dave Watson splashed out £225,000 on the player, bringing him to the
Wirral on a permanent deal.
The
midfielder would stay at Tranmere for four years and put in several
impressive performances before a knee injury sustained during the
2002/03 season hampered his progress on the pitch, putting him out
injured for nearly a year.
On
his return from injury, Navarro never quite looked like the same player
and failed to recapture his impressive form from his early days at
Prenton Park.
The
transfer that Tranmere had signed Navarro on meant that once he got to
50 appearances for the club, Rovers had to pay Liverpool another
installment in his transfer.
With
Rovers unable to afford to pay Liverpool the money, they were forced to
loan him out to Chester and Macclesfield before releasing the player in
September.
After
being released by Rovers, Navarro signed for Accrington Stanley on a
one-month contract before joining Macclesfield Town in October 2005.
At
Macclesfield, Navarro joined up with manager Paul Ince for the first
time and in 2007, having made 71 appearances for the Silkmen, he
followed Ince to MK Dons, where he would spend two years, making 89
appearances for the club and scoring four goals.
In
August 2009, Navarro was released by MK Dons, joining Brighton and Hove
Albion on a free transfer. He has so far made 43 appearances for the
Seagulls, though after only two appearances for the side this season, he
once again damaged his knee, ruling him out, most likely, for the rest
of the season.
One To Watch:
21-year old Sam Baldock is MK Dons' joint top scorer so far this campaign with six goals from twenty games.
Though this may not be a large tally, the striker has proven to be a dangerous player for the Dons and has already netted 29 goals since making his debut for the club in 2005, aged 16.
Baldock came through the youth ranks at MK Dons, first joining the club aged fourteen before making his debut against Colchester United as a substitute in the Johnstone Paints Trophy.
Over the next couple of years, he failed really make a first team break through, but continued to impress at youth and reserve team level where he was a regular goalscorer.
When Roberto Di Matteo joined the club however, Baldock did make his breakthrough to the first team and netted 13 goals during the 2008/09 campaign as the club reached the League One play-offs.
It was after this season that international recognition came for Baldock, as MK Dons' hot prospect was named in England's U-20 World Cup squad that went to Egypt.
Injuries hampered his form last season, but the 21-year old, who was the first graduate of MK Dons' new Milton Keynes based academy, to which his brother is all signed, still manaed to net ten times.
A player with electric pace and a strong ability to finish in the area, Baldock wears the number ten shirt for the Dons and has now netted 29 times in 104 for the club.
Around League One:
There are two League One fixtures on Friday evening, with Brentford hosting Exeter and Colchester taking on Bournemouth, whilst the other ten game takes place on Saturday afternoon at 3pm
Brighton vs. Peterborough
Carlisle vs. Bristol Rovers
Hartlepool vs. Dagehnam and Redbridge
MK Dons vs. Tranmere
Plymouth vs. Oldham
Rochdale vs. Leyton Orient
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Charlton
Southampton vs. Notts County
Swindon vs. Yeovil
Walsall vs. Huddersfield
Team News:
Injuries have once again hit Tranmere hard and as such they will be without four defenders for this weekend's trip to stadium MK.
Ian Goodison injured the medial ligaments in his knee against Walsall and is set to face four weeks on the sidelines, whilst Marlon Broomes picked up a calf injury in training on Monday and will also miss out.
They join Max Blanchard and Tim Cathalina on the sidelines, who are expected to be out for another five weeks after picking up a foot injury and a hamstring injury respectively.
Mark McChrystal is expected to make his first start for Rovers therefore, taking his place in central defence alongisde Ash Taylor, but otherwise Tranmere should name an inchanged side from the one that drew with Walsall seven days earlier.
Jones' Prediction: MK Dons 1-1 Tranmere
MK Dons are a very strong team at home, whilst Tranmere will be missing some key players, such as Ian Goodison, which will immediately make this game very difficult of Les Parry's side.
However, Rovers have proved to be a resiliant side away from home this season - up until the Rochdale game anyway - and will be hopeful of continuing that form this weekend.
The key for Tranmere is, of course, their defence. With Goodison, Broomes and Blanchard all set to miss the game, Tranmere's choices at centre-back are limited, with McChrystal and Taylor likely to start together for the first time.
It will be a tough game for the two players who will need to gel immediately if Rovers are to keep MK Don's strike force quiet, with the club having scored in all of their fourteen home games so far this season.
In defence however the Dons are strong too and it will be difficult for Tranmere to score. In eleven home games, the club have conceded just nine goals, the joint third best defensive record in division, whilst they've kept successive clean sheets in their last two home matches.
Rovers will need to try and attack the Dons, because with their defence weakened with no Goodison, it is unlikely they'll be able to soak up so much pressure on their back line, like they did in games against Carlisle and Notts County.
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Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2011:01:17:17:49:46 by Deadly Submarine.
With a combination of our injuries and the fact that we're playing awful at the moment, I can see it being a comfortable win for the Dongs!
I don't think we will score and without goody and brooms it's gonna be long afternoon.
I'm going 2 0 to them
........................Every ball is a white ball............TRFC
warner,
kay, mcchrystal, taylor, creswell
elford, welsh, labadie, jennings
morrow, mcgurk
and yes LOL is the most likely answer to that
who knows?
I'd probably go with this.
4-4-2
Warner
L-R Cresswell, Taylor, McChrystal, Kay
L-R Jennings, Welsh, Labadie, Alliyu.
Showunmi Moore.
Subs, Collister, Bakayogo, Wood, Mahon, Fraughn, Akins, McGurk,
Warner
Kay Taylor Mcchrystal Cresswell
Labadie Welsh Fraughan
ITM Enoch Dale
I don't see if happening but surely if we hammered them playing this style it would make sense to do the same???
That aside I feel a 3-0 defeat they have a good home record just got easter back from swansea we are a big player light.