In-form Mendez-Laing showing his full potential at MK Dons
The Guatemalan winger is on hot form at the moment in front of goal
Top scorer Nathaniel Mendez-Laing is starting to show the type of player he is amidst his great run of form for MK Dons lately.
The 33-year-old was voted the PFA League Two Player of the Month for November by fans, and has netted six goals in five games having earlier this season said he is more a provider than a scorer.
Arriving at Stadium MK in the summer with a big reputation behind him, dropping two divisions to rejoin Paul Warne, Mendez-Laing took a few games to find his feet but is now showing what he was brought to the club to do, according to the head coach.
“He’s in good nick,” Warne said. “He could’ve had a hat-trick the other night, and he’s disappointed he didn’t.
“It’s why I brought him to the club - he’s got pace, he gets in behind, and he’s a real leader. He drags defenders and once he’s in full-stride, he’s hard to stop. He gets out wide, some teams double or triple team him, and if they can pick the right pass, you can get through teams. He’s been a massive part of us going forwards.
“It does take time to settle in, you’ve got new team-mates, a new home, and now as the season goes on, people understand when Nat wants the ball or makes those movements, give it him. We are playing forwards a lot more now, when at the start of the season we were a bit more methodical.”
Defender Jon Mellish, who has been playing wide in support of Mendez-Laing recently, added: “He’s the type of player you want in your team, especially if you’re going for promotion. I’ve played against him in the past, so you know what he’s all about. You’re seeing those bits in his game now, and he’s getting the goals too which will do him the world of good.
“Our game is starting to come together a lot more now, we’ve got some really good attacking play, so when he gets into those sorts of positions, no-one is catching him as you saw the other night. And more often than not he’ll put them away.”