Putting style over substance is a problem unique to MK Dons

None of Graham Alexander’s previous clubs have prioritised a need to play a particular way as they have much as at MK Dons.

Having secured promotions with Fleetwood Town and Salford City, and reached the League One play-offs with Scunthorpe United down the years, the man in charge at Stadium MK said the want and desire for his side to play in a certain style is greater than ever in his current role.

The head coach has come under fire in the last few weeks as Dons’ win-less run in League Two has extended to seven games, with some quarters critiquing his brand of football since taking over in the summer.

Alexander said though that Dons is the first club he has worked at to demand a style just as much as winning, but that finding a mix of the two is a tough balancing act.

“When I first started managing, there was no talk of ‘style of play’ or anything like that,” he said. “When I went to Fleetwood, their aim was win promotion, that was it. There was never mention of a style.

“In fact, no-one has said that until I came to this club. I was told we need to win, but we have a certain identity.

“I’ve tried to understand the club’s history and identity, and I respect that. I refer to data to keep me on track sometimes, or to find solutions to problems, I do it in games too. I think it has changed, the data and stats say yes too, but people want to see wins.

“It’s a balancing act at MK Dons where you want a bit of both.”

Known to play possession-based football under many previous managers, Alexander’s side won four of their five opening league fixtures with just 44 per cent of the ball.

In the last five - three defeats and two draws - they’ve had 14 per cent more possession. And he said these are not the only stats to have gone up recently.

He said: “Our possession stats, control of games, our ball retention, our pass accuracy has gone up, the number of shots and expected goals has gone up, expected goals against has dropped significantly. All those metrics have improved. The things that have gone down are shot accuracy and the results.

“Everyone wants a win, but at certain clubs, you have to win a certain way. And if you look at the stats from the last month, you'd think we were a certain type of team who plays a certain type of way.”