
Mike Williamson was pleased with his MK Dons side in how they approached their pre-season friendly against Portsmouth.
The Dons’ Head Coach spoke after watching his side play a 1-1 draw with Championship newboys Portsmouth, with Tommy Leigh scoring a second half equaliser to cancel out Josh Murphy’s early opener.
Williamson, who played for Portsmouth in his playing days, mused that Pompey began with an intensity that troubled his side, but that over the course of the game, there was plenty that he felt MK Dons did right to show they’re adjusting to the methods expected of them ahead of the new season.
He said, “I thought they were very good. I thought you could see across the board the physicality in how they started the game. They started it with a lot of intensity and we took probably 20 minutes to get to grips with that, but after that, it was a perfect pre-season game for me to watch. There’s so many things that came out of it.
“There’s four or five boys that need a few more minutes and a few more tests like that and also on our play out, I thought there were still areas we’re looking to improve. We want a lot more forward passes, and the intensity to help to our ball carriers has got to be better, but on the whole, I was really pleased. We had chances and got the goal against a really good team.”
With this being one of the Dons’ last pre-season friendlies ahead of the season starting against Bradford on August 10th, Williamson said that he was happy the team were building up their understanding of what he expects from them ahead of the new campaign.
He said, “I think the way we wanted to structure it was to start pre-season with a lot of our in possession stuff and how we build into a creative phase then when we get to later on in pre-season, the out of possession and transition comes into it, but I still want it to look how we look in possession. That’s the main thing for us. Obviously, the tests we’ve had have been varied and really good.
“We’ve had some difficult pitches so this is the first time we’ve had a smooth surface to play with, which works in both team’s favour, but of course, we want to make sure when we arrive for Bradford at home, our out of possession is spot on and our in possession stuff is effortless.”
Williamson was happy that the Dons’ work against Portsmouth further discussed that the team were looking to work on their squad at both ends of the pitch.
He said, “We still want to create that mentality of winning and making sure we find a way. That’s solution based. That game today was really good. There were some outstanding performances.
“I said in there (at half-time) that we just make sure we can sense and smell when we’re on the front foot and just press the life out of times, and then when there’s times when they’ve got a foothold, we can be reserved and patient and be harder to beat in our defensive side of the game. It has to improve from last season. I think you can see elements of the work we have been doing and then when we get on the front foot, we’re relentless in our press and endeavour and we can do what they did to us for the first 20 minutes for 90 minutes.”
The Dons have signed 10 new players ahead of the upcoming season, with Williamson happy to got the bulk of his business done early, and Williamson said the team would now look to create a unit that could go forward in the upcoming campaign.
He said, “I think that was the plan that you want to try and form things as quick as you possibly can so you’ve got as long as you can. Things will shape up and it’ll take its natural form, and everyone’s just got to make sure they’ve got everything they’ve got, and that’ll land us in good stead.”