AFC Wimbledon will have to replace 29 goals from last season with the departure of Joe Piggott and Ryan Longman.
Looking to fill the void are a quartet of players eager for their chance in the form of Zach Robinson, Ollie Palmer, Aaron Pressley and David Fisher while Jack Rudoni continues to be a key man in the middle and the addition of Henry Lawrence adds strength to an established defensive unit.
Ollie Palmer
In his first season with the Dons, after spending the previous two with Crawley Town, veteran forward Ollie Palmer scored just five goals a season ago. He will look to replicate his form from Crawley Town, where he bagged 27 goals across two seasons. Meanwhile, Robinson played sparingly in 2020/21, seeing action in just five matches, before being loaned to Woking for the majority of the campaign.
Aaron Pressley
New signing Aaron Pressley from Brentford is expected to be an electrifying striker for the Dons, with the former Brentford B team player scoring 19 goals a season ago for the Bees and being the top summer target for Mark Robinson.
Jack Rudoni
In the midfield area, Jack Rudoni pulls the strings. Having signed his first contract in 2019, after being an Academy graduate for AFC Wimbledon, Rudoni missed the beginning of the 2020/21 season with injury (concussion). Last season, Rudoni scored four goals and assisted three more, while picking up 34 starts in all competitions.
Henry Lawrence
In defence, the addition of newcomer Henry Lawrence looks to bolster a back line that returns seven players with playing experience in front of first team goalkeeper Nik Tzanev. In all, the defence appears to be the most veteran area of the pitch, with a combined 131 starts between the group of Will Nightingale (30 starts), Nesta Guinness-Walker (27), Daniel Csóka (22), Ben Heneghan (21), Cheye Alexander (20) and Paul Kalambayi (11).
The Dons defence
Last season, Nightingale and Guinness-Walker combined for three goals and three assists, while Heneghan and Csóka combined for another three goals. Nightingale was able to collect a team-best 66 interceptions and won 36 tackles. Guinness-Walker added 39 tackles won, while contributing with 43 passes intercepted. Meanwhile, when in an attacking area, Alexander (92 crosses) looks to deliver into the box alongside Guinness-Walker (team second-highest 117 crosses).
