Recent AFC Wimbledon reshuffle shows Tyrone Barnett, Dom Poleon days are behind Dons: View | OneFootball

Wimbledon's strikeforce has certianly changed for the better since the days when expensive journeymen led the line

Highlights

Eight years ago, AFC Wimbledon were heading into their first season in League One having lost Adebayo Akinfenwa on a free, and needing quality up front in order to compete.

The Dons went ahead and signed Tyrone Barnett and Dom Poleon on free transfers, with the capture of the two strikers looking like excellent deals.

However, it soon emerged that they had perhaps been signed because of how they had done in the past, and not because of how they were performing in the season running up to their signing for the Dons.

Luckily, now eight years on, that reason behind signing seems to have changed, and a lot more research has seemingly gone into the recent reshuffle that the Dons have undertaken.

Tyrone Barnett and Dom Poleon at AFC Wimbledon

As just claimed, it appears that both strikers were signed mostly based on their history in the game. Barnett had once been a 'million-pound man' thanks to his move between Crawley Town and Peterborough United in 2012, and Poleon had been on the books at Chelsea in his youth, starting his career at Leeds United, where he made his debut.

However, both were also signed as like-for-like replacements for Adebayo Akinfenwa and Adebayo Azeez, who had departed the Dons following their promotion to League One via the League Two play-offs in 2016.

There was much hype building for the Dons with their strikeforce boasting a load of experience up and down the Football League, and in fairness, this hype was delivered upon overall, with the team finishing 15th, with a decent record and only a slightly negative goal difference.

If you take a look at individual performances though, it is clear that the team was dragged to that finish thanks, mostly, to Lyle Taylor and Tom Elliott, both of whom had come up with Wimbledon.

Poleon and Barnett were not nearly as impactful in the season, with Barnett being particularly disappointing, registering only five goals across 44 league games. Poleon did have his moments, with a solo goal against London rivals Charlton Athletic still being quite memorable, but in total, he flattered to deceive in a Dons shirt.

Add to this the fact that both were moved on after only one season with the Dons, and it is clear they were not well-thought-out signings. They were brought in simply to serve the route one style that former boss Neal Ardley favoured during his time in charge of the side, and not to help the Dons in the long-run.

Latest reshuffle shows Wimbledon have seriously moved on and developed

The signings of the two strikers, as just mentioned, was only to help give Neal Ardley further back up for his favoured style of play. Tyrone Barnett was signed to play backup to Tom Elliott in the target man department, and Dom Poleon was signed to help support Lyle Taylor as the quicker, wildcard-type striker.

It is clear from this that the club did not really do much research and hard work into finding out how the strikers could help the side out in other ways, and not simply serve only as backup.

However, eight years on, and it is more than evident that the club have come on leaps and bounds since the days of Poleon and Barnett.

The latest reshuffle is perhaps the widest ranging strikeforce the Dons have had, with each of the four frontmen that the club have on the books this season looking as though they can, not only, each contribute to the system that Johnnie Jackson is favouring ahead of the new season, but also provide a moment of magic themselves.

From last season, Wimbledon fans know that Omar Bugiel can out-strengthen any opposition defender in the box and win the ball with dogged determination, but as well as being a target man and focal point, he can show a quick turn of pace and muscle his way toward goal.

And from seasons prior, fans know that Joe Pigott has a natural goalscoring instinct that will come alive with balls into the box, whether they be lofted or low-drilled crosses. However, especially during pre-season, he shows off his strengths when having the ball played to his feet. Similar to Harry Kane for England, he is adding himself into the build up by dropping deep, receiving the ball and spraying passes out to the wing before heading toward the box and creating havoc with a late run.

Josh Kelly and Matty Stevens are in the wild-card category, like Poleon and Taylor from 2016, but the 2024 strikers have completely different wildcard techniques. Stevens, despite being smaller than Pigott and Bugiel, can equally win headers and hold up the ball excellently due to his strong frame, and as evident against Brentford, can feed off of any sort of ball into the box, whether it be quality or not.

And Kelly is growing more and more into a real thorn for defences. He has lightning quick pace, loves running and pressing opposition defenders into mistakes, and if given the right sort of service, will thrive in front of goal.

It is almost astounding that it has taken Wimbledon this long to realise that strikers do serve more of a purpose to the team than just winning headers and running at opposition defenders, but it does perhaps show that, with Johnnie Jackson at the helm, the days of not only Barnett and Poleon, but The Crazy Gang and route one football are firmly behind them. And that this current crop of Wimbledon players can carve their own legacies and make themselves into striking heroes for years to come.