Histon preview

The review of the SGM I didn't attend will have to wait, as time is running out for me to preview a match which I also won't be attending (an old uni mate is having a house party which kicks off at the same time as the match - Histon away seemed a less enticing prospect than trashing an old mate's house, thus offending the family-centric attendees, all after getting fuelled up on food and drink kindly provided by aforementioned old mate).
Fortunately, I have the advantage of actually having attended the Cambridge match, where for 80 minutes everything that could have gone right, went right (with the possible exception of some less than ruthless finishing by the Dons). The weather was warm, the playing surface was large and in very good condition, the opponents were obligingly reluctant to take any goalscoring chances they managed to fashion, Drewe Broughton had returned whence he came, and Kirk Hudson was only on the bench.
There was so much good stuff about our play that it's difficult to know where to start. So I'll start with a player that I rate very highly, despite the fact that many Dons' fans see him as a lightweight liability. Step forward Ricky Wellard, whose movement, touch, and passing off both feet was as good as ever. Not only that, but he showed himself willing to track back, even made a couple of tackles, and broke his previous record by heading the ball twice in the same game. If he can maintain this form, our chances of winning the play-offs will increase dramatically. Whilst Toks is a good player, I'd pick Wellard over him any day, leaving Toks to his most effective role - as an impact substitute.
It was my first view of Kaid Mohamed in a Wimbledon shirt, and I was very impressed. Always threatening, he linked well with Keds up front, and as soon as he brushes up on his finishing when in a one-on-one situation, he'll be another match-winner.
Cambridge was also the first time I'd seen Lee Minshull start a game in midfield, so for the first time I got to see what caused other fans to see him as the great white hope. Strong and powerful, with no little technical ability, he looked like a beefy Lewis Taylor.
The fact that we lost our way a little after the substitutions doesn't bother me too much. They were made in order to rest players - if this had been, say, a play-off game, then I don't think Terry would have made those substitutions. What bothers me is that Kirk Hudson is still sniffing around the first team.
As you'll have noticed, I'm assuming we'll make the play-offs. It's not mathematically certain yet, but I don't think I'm tempting fate too much by suggesting that either we'll get 3 points from our remaining games, or that neither Kiddy or York will win every one of their remaining games.
If the Histon game came at any other time in the season, team selection would be much easier. I'd simply pick the same team again - if it ain't broke, don't fix it, never change a winning team etc etc. But with a play-off place almost certain, there are other considerations. Keeping the same team in place for the rest of the season risks injuries (and makes play-off opponents' scouting missions easier), while players like Mulley, Jolley, Toks et al need minutes on the pitch to avoid getting rusty. It's achieving that, while maintaining our recently rediscovered winning habit in order to boost confidence going into the play-offs, that is TB's big test for the next 4 games.
If I was him, I'd play the same eleven again against Histon. Take the three points, ensure the top three finish, and then worry about resting players by rotating the squad during the last three games. Strangely, I'm happy the last 3 games are all within eight days, as it gives Terry the chance to give plenty of players minutes on the pitch within a relatively short period of time before the play-offs.