Goals need to be high on the agenda during Dons' January hunt

If the last few weeks have taught them anything, MK Dons' recruitment team must focus on brining goals to MK1 this month.

One of the biggest eyebrow-raisers of the summer came in the lack of a direct replacement for Gent-bound Max Dean. The striker departed for the continent, taking with him the 19 goals in 34 appearances he gave last season.

Rather than go after an out-an-out goal-scorer, Dons opted to try and replace his numbers in the aggregate – adding plenty of attacking players who they believed could contribute in front of goal.

But the reality has come up well short of that. Six goals in the last six games have helped contribute to Dons’ shortcomings, losing four of their last six, picking up only four from a possible 18 points to drop from third to 12th in League Two.

Aside from Alex Gilbey getting nine goals, the recognised strikers at the club – Ellis Harrison, Scott Hogan and Callum Hendry – have only 12 between them. Stephen Wearne has only hit the back of the net in the EFL Trophy, and could be on his way out of the club this month, while Tommy Leigh too only has one goal to his name, as does Liam Kelly, while Joe Tomlinson has not hit the net as much as he, nor Scott Lindsey, will have wanted compared to his numbers last season.

Newcastle United loanee Joe White has started to chip in with a bigger contribution, with his tally at five, but it is Dean’s missing goals which have left Dons massively short.

Like most others in the window though, Dons will not be alone in chasing goals, and it may prompt them to have to put their hands in their newly lined pockets in order to get the firepower they need to get them back up into the promotion mixer.

For Lindsey’s opening transfer window at the club, he is likely to put his own stamp on a squad which was definitively built for his predecessor Mike Williamson.

While also looking to move players on to trim some of the fat in the side, Lindsey may also look to strengthen areas where there are already bodies in abundance.

Though he has numbers in defence, his preferred back three looks set in stone for now, and though he has plenty of midfield choice, the rotation of the same faces could also prompt him to bring in additions.

The right-sided number 10 role too has had a revolving cast, and a goal-scoring contributor in that position to match Gilbey on the other side could and should be on the shopping list.