Manager Karl Robinson believes MK Dons’ 2-0 defeat to Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday night hinged on the players' eagerness to do too much.
The Dons failed to take advantage of their game in hand on the top six earlier tonight as they slipped to the frustrating loss; the side’s first in the League in 2014.The men from MK1 dominated large parts of the contest but goals from Chuks Aneke and Ajay Leitch-Smith condemned the side to defeat and saw them slip eight points adrift of the play-off places.
And after the game Robinson told BBC Three Counties Radio that it was his players’ eagerness to do too much which cost them the match. He said: “(The game) hinged on us being very good for 30 minutes and then losing discipline at times. We became too offensive, open and expansive.
“People did their own thing. They were too eager to do too much, not get shots off and take too many touches. It wasn't the penalty, the pitch or the chances we had, there were other elements that we have to be more honest about.
“When we went away to Wolves we started right, we did the right things and denied them opportunities but, tonight, it was like the parting of the Red Sea at times. We have conceded 15 goals in the last seven games and that's not good enough.
“The front players, too, weren't on their game tonight although I thought Dele was outstanding until his calf tightened up. Although he didn't want to come off, you could see he wasn't moving right and I can't take any risks with him at the moment.
“We weren't horrendous or really poor, we were just undisciplined at times. Sometimes we feel we have to score in the first two or three minutes. Even when we missed the penalty, there was still 30 minutes to go. We know how quickly games can change but we're too eager and not calculated about how we can get back into games.
“We only have ourselves to blame today.”
The Dons now have seven days to pick themselves up before they travel to Carlisle United next Tuesday after this weekend’s clash with Preston North End was postponed due to the Lilywhites’ involvement in The FA Cup with Budweiser.
And Robinson is hopeful the mini-break will give he and his coaching staff the time they need to put things right on the training pitch. He added: “(The break) gives me time to coach. When we have time on the training field, the performances are so much better but when we can't get out there, people forget what we're all about.
“That to me, today, looked like we forgot what we are. We became too long, took too many touches and were too expensive. It's disappointing for us all, but there's a lot in there that I know we can put right.”