Crewe Alex 0-1 MK Dons 24/25 Review - Almost Over

2 games left. We're almost there. We've sat through some horrendous Crewe Alex seasons. This isn't one of them. But I don't think we've had a more disappointing one, when looking at what the expectations were going into the season and how things have gone in 2025. It's been let down after let down. 4 wins in 20. 16 goals scored. That's relegation form. It's atrocious. I'll try and break down this game, even if it feels like deja vu in a lot of senses.

Oh Filip

When Filip Marschall arrived at the club, he came with scathing reviews from MK fans after his poor run with them at the end of last season. But for the Alex, he's been pretty decent. 16 clean sheets, tying the single keeper club record, he's been a consistent and steady performer this season. Why did he have to make the game deciding error? It was easily the worst goal he's let him and it was all on him. He's had a good season, but him costing the Alex the game against the team he struggled with was a sick joke.

Confused

Why has it taken them until game's 43 and 44 to change the system? The worry at the moment is, they've changed tac and they still look out of ideas going forward. 1 shot on target, against a woeful MK side who came for the 1-0 and only won thanks to a keeper error. They tried to play 4-3-3 and be more attacking. They tried to play football. And it still didn't work. It didn't come close to working.

Lee Bell is the Gareth Southgate of L2. A guy who can unite a dressing room, can create a team full of hard working individuals, but someone who has no idea about tactics and utilising players effectively in an attacking sense. It's looking fairly clueless right now.

Home Form

A lot of things have gone wrong, but their home form this season has been a disgrace. They are now confirmed to have a worse home record for the 2nd season in a row. In 22-23, they picked up 39 points. Last season it was 38 points. This season, with 1 to go the maximum they can finish on is 36 and thats assuming they can beat Walsall, who will likely have automatic promotion on the line when they visit in a couple of weeks.

5 of their 6 defeats at home have come to teams outside the top 7 currently. They are 2-2-6 in their last 10 at home and have scored 10 goals and 4 blanks in that time. This is supposed to be their bread and butter, but at the moment, it's way too easy for opposition teams to come and take points off the Alex.

Short

I won't forgive Bell for some of the horrendous decisions that have been made in the last 4 months. But today, they had 16 goals worth of player starting in this game. Their top 4 scorers were either absent or on the bench. As for creativity, their top 3 assisters were also missing. Bell talks about knowing what he needs going forward. Well, he should be looking for 2-3 creative players and 2-3 decent attackers.

Almost Done

Why couldn't Grimsby have held on to beat Port Vale? It would have ended this death by 1000 cuts the Alex are currently enduring. The fact that they go into the Tranmere game knowing that they still could be in with a shout at the play-offs is ridiculous and a damning indictment on their fellow chasers. They aren't making the play-offs, that much is clear. It's almost disappointing that it hasn't been mathematically confirmed sooner.

Ref Assessment

He was god awful in the 1st half, giving so many 50-50 shouts to the away side. He did settle down in the 2nd half, but its easy to see why he's spent 10 odd years in the EFL and still can't take charge of games higher than L1/L2.

Management Assessment

Lost. Confused. I keep saying I'll give them the summer, but I'm seriously on the fence right now. 1 thing is for sure, if the board do swing the axe, Bell can have no complaints.

Player Assessments

Filip Marschall

One howler. Such is the life of a keeper. Did he let the MK fans chants get into his head? It's a shame that this one moment decided the game.

Lewis Billington

More of the same for him. He's a solid pro and does look more suited to RB than RWB, but he offers little attacking threat. Cheap back up next season at best for me, although if they moved on, I wouldn't care.

Connor O'Riordan

The goal threat has disappeared, but he's still solid defensively. Again, I'm left to ask if bringing him in was the wisest use of the January transfer window.

Mickey Demetriou

Not great. Made some defensive mistakes and his distribution wasn't good. Not terrible, but clearly trying to adapt to this new system.

Zac Williams

They would rather push an actual LB in Conway to LW just to keep Williams in the team. Their season is sunk in part because they've built their entire team around him. Thankfully he came off early in the 2nd half. This should be his last start.

Tommy Lowery

Tries hard, but he's struggling with a poor supporting cast. I bet 2019-20 feels like a lifetime ago for him now.

Conor Thomas

I will never understand what some fans see in him. But we're not going over that again. The most surprising thing was that he managed to give them 74 minutes and didn't get injured.

Owen Lunt

Got stuck in and yes there were some issues, but he showed some nice moments as well. I'd have him back next season and make him a regular starter.

Joel Tabiner

Didn't create much and faded in the 2nd half. I do like him on the right wing, but I don't get the sense Bell has much idea how to get the best out of him.

Kane Hemmings

Works hard and has limited service, but he fluffed a good chance in the first half and the fact is, he has 2 open play goals this season. Move on and try to find better in the summer.

Max Conway MOTM

Easily their best player and easily their player of the season. I wish him the best of luck in League One next season. Because he should get a chance up there, be that with Bolton or another L1 side.

Subs:

Chris Long

Came on but he struggled to have any impact.

Callum Agius

Same for him.

Adrien Thibaut

Looked lively and was unfortunate to see a shot blocked. I want to see more of him next season to find out if they have a player who can be a viable L2 option or not.

Overall Verdict

The fat lady is warming up. She's almost ready to go. If the Alex can't end their 25 year long wait for a win against Tranmere and pray for several miracles elsewhere, their season will be over and done for sure. In reality, it is done and has been done for weeks. The board have a difficult decision to make. Because get it wrong and next season could be a disaster.