It's been a difficult start to the 2024-25 season for Milton Keynes Dons, who desperately need to get their season on track this weekend.
The Dons entered the new League Two season with high expectations after strong results since Mike Williamson's hiring saw the team come close to earning promotion back to the third tier - ultimately falling short in the playoffs.
Some strong recruitment on paper this summer had plenty of pundits and commentators online tipping the Dons for promotion, and even labelling them as title favourites. Yet things have not quite begun how anyone would have imagined.
Three matches into the new season, including one Carabao Cup First Round fixture, has seen the Dons lose all three and score just one solitary goal in the process.
Naturally, scoring will be a slightly harder task early on this season after the Dons lost talismanic striker Max Dean to Belgian side KAA Gent, with the 20-year-old having netted three times in four UEFA Conference League qualifiers already for his new club.
However, the Dons do have experienced forward Callum Hendry as well as Ellis Harrison, who impressed as a 'super sub' last season.
There is also the anticipation of what the club might do in the transfer market since the astonishing news that Pete Winkelman had sold the club to a Kuwaiti consortium led by new chairman Fahad Al Ghamin.
Williamson commented on his transfer plans changing slightly with the new ownership, mentioning previous limitations and the need to iron out decisions before the end of the window on 30th August.
The 2-1 loss to Bradford City, led by former Dons boss Graham Alexander, and the 2-0 loss to Colchester United, which saw former Dons midfielder Jack Payne put the final nail in the coffin, are bitterly disappointing opening results for the team.
This weekend sees the Dons return to Stadium MK to take on Carlisle United, who picked up their first win of the season against Barrow last weekend after suffering a 4-1 opening-day loss to Gillingham.
It's time for the team to get their first win, get their season on track, and start to build a promotion hunt early on to invigorate the fanbase and shake off the early doubts that have already started to creep in.
The team has plenty of quality, with the likes of Liam Kelly, Alex Gilbey, and Stephen Wearne all capable of contributing at the right end of the pitch.
It's now just about putting it all together and getting some vital points on the board. It all starts with Carlisle at Stadium MK this Saturday, at 3pm.
