The Voice - Match preview MK Dons vs Bradford City Tuesday 24th October 2023 19:45

EFL LEAGUE TWO FIXTURE #15

Tuesday 24th October 2023 7:45pm
MK Dons (18th) vs Bradford City (11th)
Stadium MK

22/23 Results:

Did not play

Head-to-Head Form: WWDWW (most recent first)

Won: 10
Drawn: 1
Lost: 5

Current League Form:

Bradford City: DWWLL
MK Dons: LDLDL

MK DONS

Relegated MK Dons got off to a flyer in League Two, recording a 5-3 opening day win away at favourites Wrexham, and winning 4 of their first 5 league games. The early season form of Mo Eisa, brother of former Bradford City player Abo, was incredibly impressive with a goal in all the Dons’ opening 4 fixtures. Jonathan Leko and Daniel Harvie also scored on a semi-regular basis, though things began to deteriorate after a 4-1 EFL Trophy victory over Chelsea U21’s.

Defeat at Crewe Alexandra (1-3) was followed by a couple of winless games at home against Notts County (1-1) and Stockport County (1-2), and MK haven’t managed a victory in the league since. While Notts County and Stockport County are clearly front runners this season and a nightmarish couple of games, MK Dons have since lost to Harrogate Town (0-1) at home and drawn with Barrow (2-2). Away from home, things haven’t been any better. Draws at Sutton United (1-1) and Walsall (0-0) were followed by defeats at Gillingham (1-2) and Accrington Stanley (0-1) in a run that has not only seen MK Dons sink from table toppers to 18th, but has shown they don’t seem to have the ability to compete with some of the more fancied teams this season.

Perhaps surprisingly (or not), Graham Alexander was given the boot following 8 league games without a win, which amounted to just 16 games in charge of the club in total. Yes, things had gone awry, but with an overall record of 6 wins, 4 draws and 6 defeats, Alexander was shown the door amidst his first and only run of poor form with the club.

Step forward Gateshead manager Mike Williamson, a former Newcastle United player who was also (very briefly) linked with the Bradford City vacancy by the football media.

Saturday’s 1-0 defeat against Accrington Stanley saw Williamson’s tenure get off to an inauspicious start, in stark contrast to that of his opposite number on Tuesday night in Bradford City’s caretaker manager Kevin McDonald. Still, 1 game is nothing in football, and Williamson has been credited with not only taking Gateshead into the National League Premier but doing so on a shoestring budget with an ‘attractive’ style of play.

MK Dons fans can expect their side to try to play through central areas with plenty of short passes. Ask a Bradford City fan if that always amounts to ‘attractive play’, however, and you might find yourself with a disagreement on your hands…

Nonetheless, MK Dons are almost the quintessential ‘modern club’ with a young fanbase, a fancy stadium, and heaps of ambition. If Williamson can help them achieve some of that ambition by leading them back into League One, he will quickly become hot property. One would suspect his style of play would be welcomed, though ultimately results will dictate whether that is the case or not.

So who will City have to look out for?

In terms of goals, Mo Eisa (5) is somewhat off the boil having not scored since 1 2-1 defeat against Stockport County over a month ago, while 19-year-old Max Dean (2) has started to make his mark on the pro ranks with a brace in a recent 2-2 draw against Barrow to add to a couple scored in the EFL Trophy. Jonathan Leko (3) is another forward slightly off form, while Alex Gilbey (2) is an ever-present midfielder with ability.

Speaking of ever-presents, goalkeeper Craig McGillivray (14) is the only other player to start every league game this season, while Warren O’Hora (13) and Craig Norman (13) have started all but one. Daniel Harvie (12), Mo Eisa (11), and Tommy Smith (10) are some of the clubs other most-picked players, but the MK Dons haven’t really settled on a starting XI, and perhaps that is indicative of their fall away from the top end of the table in recent weeks.

While Williamson didn’t get the response he wanted with the fabled ‘new manager bounce’, his side remained competitive with ex-Bradford City attacking midfielder Jack Payne behind an Eisa-Dean partnership. That may well be the front 3 that City face this Tuesday night, in what should be near enough a 3-4-3 formation.

Expect a hungry MK Dons side looking to enact the strategies of their new manager to full effect (and end their miserable winless run).



Accrington Stanley 1 – 0 MK Dons



MK Dons 2 – 2 Barrow

BRADFORD CITY

Contrasting fortunes for sides in the midtable mix as Bradford City look a side rejuvenated by caretaker manager Kevin McDonald. Saturday’s huge clash with Wrexham saw an end to McDonald’s perfect start, but a point in a 1-1 draw against the current 4th place title favourites was still very creditable. Bradford City statistically had the lion’s share of the efforts on goal, but Wrexham carved out several good opportunities – but found it difficult to break down the Bradford City back line.

Adam Wilson was the hero of the hour when he came on for Bobby Pointon and bagged an 85th minute equaliser, sending former manager Phil Parkinson home with only a share of the spoils. A raucous atmosphere warranted at least a point for the home side, and though they would have liked more, if they can also manage a point in Wales later this season, it won’t be a bad outcome at all.

So on to the MK Dons on a Tuesday night. Bradford City will likely fancy this, though they continue to struggle to score more than 1 per game on average, and will need another solid display from the back line as well as goalkeeper Harry Lewis if they’re to replicate the feat of their 1-0 away win at AFC Wimbledon – the MK Dons’ birthright rivals.

Andy Cook has now not scored in 3 games, with Bobby Pointon, Emmanuel Osadebe, and Adam Wilson filling the breach in his stead, but a return to form sooner rather than later would be immensely welcome. Cook did, however, put in some sterling work in that lone furrow up front, engaging and occupying the Wrexham back line all afternoon. Goals are ultimately what he will be judged upon, though, so expect him to look to rack up goal number 6 of the season this Tuesday evening.

Adam Wilson, for his part, has looked a very attack-minded player since joining the Bantams from The New Saints in Wales, getting off shots in most of his appearances. His finish on Saturday came as a second bite of the cherry, but one that ultimately saw him rocket it into the roof of the net. He will hope for many more to come in claret and amber, particularly as he adapts to the new level and continues to gain fitness.

Now, the challenge for Bradford City is extending their four-game unbeaten run across all competitions, and trying to build on their 11th place position in the EFL League Two table. Bradford City find themselves just 3 points off the play offs, and 6 off the automatic promotion places, and any ground made up now will certainly benefit the next manager – even if it turns out to be Kevin McDonald himself!



Bradford City 1 – 1 Wrexham

THE BREAKDOWN

MK Dons: 13/10
Draw: 12/5
Bradford City: 2/1

It feels like Bradford City are back to competing week in, week out following a 3-game losing run that cost Mark Hughes his job, and that’s tremendous credit to everyone involved at the club – not least caretaker manager Kevin McDonald.

The question now is, how long does this last? Nobody has ever judged a season by a 4-game spell, so it’s important McDonald and his players continue their run of good form and climb the League Two table if he’s to remain in charge beyond the normal duration of a caretaker manager’s spell. The players seem to be backing McDonald, and that counts for a great deal – but results count for more.

MK Dons is probably a good next game, then, for a Bradford City eager to redeem themselves after a well below-par start. MK Dons are off form, have a new manager, and didn’t immediately show any signs of bouncing back. Mike Williamson is very inexperienced for the level, and while the same can be said for McDonald, at least McDonald was at the club and had a good understanding of his fellow players and what they might be best at. It might take a little time for Williamson’s side to click or adapt to his tactics, although if Graham Alexander is anything to go by, the clock might be already ticking…

Pressure, then, is probably more on Williamson than McDonald. He has some good players at his disposal, including a sharp striker in Mo Eisa, but a significantly more protracted period of ‘rot’ to turn round than McDonald did. Mark Hughes, in truth, was seen as a more of a hindrance to his side’s attacking prowess than an out-and-out terrible manager, but we haven’t really seen much improvement under McDonald in terms of goals scored.

Perhaps simply attacking more has taken the pressure of a jaded back line expected to carry both the burden of keeping clean sheets and looking after the ball, whereas now the focus is very much on the former and definitely not the latter. Attack, as they say, is the best form of defence, even if that ‘attack’ remains pretty average - and a high press might be the best strategy against an MK Dons side trying to adapt to Williamson's 'attractive' style of play.

A 1-0 City win or a 1-1 draw, then, are the most likely outcome here, though one would hope The Bantams could respond should the MK Dons net a couple. Given that the MK Dons have registered 3 blanks in their last 5 games, the pick will be a 1-0 win for City – though a draw, while disappointing, would not be out of the question.

PREDICTION:

MK Dons 0 – 1 Bradford City