It has not been the best of starts to the new season for MK Dons, as their 1-0 loss away to Blackpool today meant this is the first time in the club's short history that they have lost the opening two league fixtures. However, when comparing them to other teams in the division, including title favourites Blackburn who currently sit 22nd in League One, Dons Fans needn't get too complacent in believing this will be a repeat of last season.
MK Dons still in a transition period
If we go back to the end of October last year, Milton Keynes sat two places above the relegation zone after 15 games.
A 3-0 defeat at home to Southend United was the final nail in the coffin for then manager Karl Robinson, who left the club by mutual consent after six years in charge. During that time his most notable achievement was steering the Dons into the Championship after a strong 2014/15 campaign. However, with little investment and poor signings, MK Dons were quickly relegated back to a league they fought so hard to get out of. They were now managerless and facing the possibility of another relegation battle.
Just four weeks later though and the ever so passionate Dons chairman Pete Winkelman seemed to pull a rabbit out of his hat. He announced that his new manager was that of Robbie Neilson, the Heart's boss who was leaving a team sat second in the SPL.
Suddenly there was a real buzz around Stadium:MK again and the critics who questioned Winkelman's ambition were quickly silenced. During the next few months, MK Dons started picking up the points and finding the net with ease, most notably scoring 5 past local Rivals, Northampton Town. Eventually, Dons would finish in a comfortable 12th place.
Rome wasn't built in a day
During pre-season, it was obvious Robbie Neilson had a clear idea of the team he wanted. He was soon to relinquish the services of long serving players such as David Martin, Dean Bowditch and Ben Reeves along with Academy graduate Daniel Powell. This made way for the likes of Ousseynou Cisse, a towering midfielder who has represented Mali at International level, along with highly regarded youth prospects, Gboly Ariyibi and Aaron Tshibola to name a few.
Going into the first game there was a lot of excitement amongst Dons fans. With a lot of new faces, there was a real eagerness to see how the new look side would perform. However, It ultimately ended in a frustrating and bizarre opening fixture, which saw both sides have a man sent off and a dubious offside goal making the difference. In the games that have followed, MK Dons have had a tough test in the Caribou cup against Forest Green Rovers, in which they needed extra time to see off the League Two side and a narrow loss away to newly promoted Blackpool.
What seems odder though, is the sudden panic coming from small sections of the Dons faithful. After the loss at home to Wigan, a side that brought on a £1 million striker in the second half, some fans were quick to criticise captain Dean Lewington for his efforts, with some even arguing that he should walk.
What seems to be missing though is more of a sense of patience and realism. The Dons were always going to struggle against a side such as Wigan as well as facing a hard test against Gary Bowyer's Blackpool. It should also be remembered that Dons are still not at full strength with Chuks Aneke still injured and Neilson still waiting to bring in a striker. Dons fans only have to look as far as Blackburn to see that it can be common to struggle early on, with the Lancashire side also losing their opening two league fixtures.
MK Dons fans ultimately should stick with their young manager, Neilson led Hearts comfortably to the Scottish Championship title before guiding them into Europe with a third place finish the following year.
His last game against Rangers last November saw Hearts come out 2-0 victors as they showed the ruthlessness their boss implemented into them, during his time with the Scottish club.
If history shows us anything it's that great things come to those who wait. Last season Sheffield United took just a point from their opening four games before going on to win the league. Perhaps this is MK's year?
