Dons’ defence is putting “performances and results in jeopardy”

A leaking MK Dons defence is putting results at risk, according to head coach Graham Alexander.

With only one clean sheet in their opening five games, Dons have let slip nine goals in the other four – a statistic the head coach, a defender in his playing days, is not best pleased with.

Letting slip their early lead at Colchester, the back-line allowed the U’s to score twice in three minutes, with barely the dust on Mo Eisa’s opening goal settling.

While clean sheets have been something of a rarity in League Two as a whole so far this season, Alexander said his side’s defensive performances have put potential points at risk, and the issues need to be addressed quickly.

“We’re putting performances and results in jeopardy by conceding poor goals,” he said. “There are patterns we’re seeing in the types of goals we’re conceding, and the times of goals we concede.

“We have to work on it because I believe the teams we create will always score goals, the players we have have those attributes. But for long-term success, you have to be hard to score against. We have to improve that aspect.

“A clean sheet guarantees a point but we don’t set out our teams just to get a point, we go for wins. We have done that so far this season, but we are disappointed with what we’re done defensively as a team.

“We are speaking about it, it’s an ongoing process but it’s something we need to improve.”

Midfielder Alex Gilbey said defending is a team effort, not just the responsibility of the back line, adding: “Clean sheets will be really important, and it's not just up to the boys at the back to keep them, it starts from the front.

“Let's face it, we won't win 4-3, 3-2 every week. We want to keep clean sheets, but it's a team effort and it's something we have to work on.”