Neal Ardley admits he may have to dip into the emergency loan market to bolster AFC Wimbledon’s ever decreasing midfield resources.
With Peter Sweeney on the long-term injured list and Sammy Moore doubtful for tomorrow’s visit to Newport with the eye injury and possible concussion which forced his early withdrawal in Saturday’s home defeat to Rochdale, Ardley knows his options are limited.
With Andy Frampton and Will Antwi also on the physio’s couch at the Cherry Red Records Stadium it has meant Aaron Morris, another option for the boiler room having to move back into defence.
And with Harry Pell and George Francomb having struggled to hold midfield against promotion chasing Dale, Ardley recognises the urgent need for re-enforcements in order to adopt a more solid formation.
He said: “Certainly, now more than ever, I need to think about where we go in terms of the central midfield area. We have not got any money, but we’ll have a chat and see if we can come up with something.
“It’s not just about being able to adopt a 3-5-2 formation. Whatever system you play you have to find a way of being more solid because we can all talk about what we do with the ball, but if you have not got it you can’t do anything.
“If you are not able to get onto the opposition and win those battles that are going to give you most of the ball then it is pointless anyway.
“The talk before the Rochdale game was it was about everything we do without the ball would make us a good team and for 20 minutes we did that well, but as the game wore on we had to change the shape the work we did off the ball was way off the mark.”
The trip to south Wales promises to pit the Dons against a number of former Wombles, who boast the likes of Lee Minshull, Christian Jolley, Ismail Yakubu and Max Porter in their ranks.
However, despite something of an old boys’ reunion, Dons winger Chris Arthur insists it will be just another game.
He said: “I don’t see the presence of the old boys adding spice.
“There may be a little talk about it on Monday at training, but there has been no banter in the dressing-room up until now. It will be just another game to go and get three points from.”
