This weekend marks the beginning of the League Two season, with AFC Wimbledon’s home opener against Colchester United.
The Dons had a mixed pre-season record, winning three friendlies (including a thrilling victory over Charlton Athletic) and losing the other three, two of which were against National League teams.
Wimbledon will need to be at their best while playing their strongest lineup since they have a difficult challenge ahead of them against a Colchester team captained by the Cowley brothers. The team features several former Dons who may be out for revenge while playing for their new team.
Predicted AFC Wimbledon XI
Here, we examine the possible starting lineup for the Dons on Saturday in what will be a crucial game as they attempt to allay preseason worries.
GK: Lewis Ward
The former Swindon Town man is the keeper that gets the nod from us at FLW to start off the season for Wimbledon. Despite not being given the No.1 jersey by manager Johnnie Jackson, he does seem to be the stronger choice of the two quality goalkeepers that the club have at their disposal.
The 6ft 5in keeper is a much more commanding and talkative presence in the backline, and although his strengths do not quite align with Jackson’s preference for a keeper to be superb with their feet, his goalkeeping abilities supercede Wimbledon’s other choice in net, Owen Goodman.
He will claim crosses, make good saves and overall has looked solid, if a little unremarkable in his games, and if the Dons want to start the campaign off right, they would be better off starting Ward and allowing Goodman to build himself into a better keeper for later on down the line.
LWB: James Furlong
Starting off the five-man defence is Hull City loanee, James Furlong. The former Brighton and Hove Albion youngster joined the Dons only last week, but has already looked to be a great replacement for the departed Jack Currie.
In his two run-outs for Jackson’s side, he has attacked well down the left-hand side, swinging in dangerous crosses as well as looking solid defensively.
He will still be faced with the mammoth task of replacing the form that Currie brought for the Dons over the course of the season, but he has so far looked good and should be the clear first choice for Jackson in this weekend’s opener.
LCB: Ryan Johnson
One half of last season’s impenetrable pairing for the Dons, Ryan Johnson, should be featuring in the first lineup of the season, with the hope that he can continue on his great form from last year.
The former Stockport County man formed part of an excellent partnership with Joe Lewis at the back for Wimbledon last season, and displayed his ‘bruiser’ play-style, winning nearly every header and tackle and normally leaving his opponent in a pile on the floor wondering what had hit them.
If he can pick up where he left off for the Dons, then he is a shoo-in to start on the left side of the three centre-backs.
CB: Joe Lewis
Joining Johnson in the ideal starting XI for that first match against Colchester next season will be Joe Lewis.
Another former Stockport man, the Welsh-born centre-back formed the other half of the pairing, and became a firm fan-favourite, gaining particular notoriety for his short shorts as well as his brilliant ball-playing abilities and calmness both on the ball, and while defending.
Lewis will likely be the defensive linchpin for Wimbledon this season, so starting him against Colchester will do no harm whatsoever.
RCB: Isaac Ogundere
Finishing off the back-three is Isaac Ogundere. A player that we have, in the past, stated should start at right-back for Jackson, Ogundere has been moved inside and has looked impressive in the position.
In a role that he played throughout his days in the academy, the 21-year-old has been brilliant in progressing the ball out from defence over pre-season, and Jackson will want to utilise that ball-playing ability in his preferred style of play.
Despite Wimbledon’s defensive blunders late on in pre-season, Ogundere did not play his way out of contention at all and should round off a solid back three for Wimbledon.
RWB: Josh Neufville
Rounding off the defensive five for Jackson’s lineup this Saturday is Josh Neufville, who, despite his preferred position being much more advanced, has looked a good option for the Dons at wing-back.
His pace and explosiveness make him a threat down the right flank for Wimbledon, and throughout pre-season he has been a constant outlet when the Dons have played out of defence and got the ball down the right-hand side.
While he will naturally forget his defensive duties from time to time due to his more attacking nature, he has a solid back-up in Ogundere behind and so should just be concerned about bombing forward for the Dons this Saturday to create havoc for the Colchester defence.
DM: Jake Reeves
Captain once again for this season, Jake Reeves should be starting in a slightly deeper role in the midfield three, and become the player responsible for bringing the ball out of the defensive third, into the middle of the park, and onwards to attack options further up the pitch.
He will likely score the odd wonder goal or two over the season, but should look to add more assists to his game if he wants to help Wimbledon become a powerhouse in the league this season.
He has already made Wimbledon much more cohesive since his arrival though, so goal contributions will just be a bonus to continued leadership from the middle of the park across this season, and starting this weekend.
LCM: Callum Maycock
Callum Maycock has had a brilliant pre-season, defying a lot of fans’ expectations and looking like a much more rounded player than the departed Armani Little.
With a knack for running into the box late on in an attack and occasionally scoring, Jackson will deploy Maycock as one of two box-to-box midfielders against Colchester, as well as utilise his link with a certain Josh Kelly to get some rhythm going between the midfield and frontline.
He will have to make sure that he impresses early on in his Dons career with others waiting in the wings to take his place, but a top performance this weekend will cement him in the team for the campaign.
RCM: Alistair Smith
Alistair Smith is the second box-to-box midfielder Jackson will likely deploy over the weekend, and if his pre-season is anything to go by, then his inclusion in the middle of the park will make the Dons’ midfield one of the strongest in the league.
He has shown off his silky play throughout the friendlies this summer, and demonstrated his true quality on the ball and his knack for grabbing a goal too.
If he continues that goalscoring form, and chips in with defensive work, then he will complete a midfield trifecta that will be undroppable beyond this weekend.
ST: Omar Bugiel
Similar to others in this list, all Omar Bugiel realistically needs to do from Saturday onwards is continue to be the striker he was for the Dons throughout 23/24.
He became the focal point in attack for Jackson’s team, and between January and the end of the season, he scored nine goals, and was arguably the reason why the Dons stayed in the play-off race for as long as they did.
He has seemingly worked on his partnership with Josh Kelly over pre-season and will just need to show he can still be the ever-reliable forward he was last season to keep his place in the team ahead of the Dons’ other target-forward, Joe Pigott.
ST: Josh Kelly
Rather contentiously, we have picked Josh Kelly from the great selection that Wimbledon have to partner Omar Bugiel, despite the forward having a less than ideal start to life in League Two last year.
He has shown over pre-season that he has shaken off any remaining nerves and now seems to be a determined force in Wimbledon’s attacking ranks, with his ability to time runs perfectly in behind shining through, particularly in the friendly against Charlton.
It will be interesting to see if he and Maycock can link up in-play against Colchester to help provide that attacking edge, but if he performs well and possibly grabs a opening day goal, he will not only gain a big confidence boost, but remain in the thoughts of Jackson for a starting berth in the team for most of the season.
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