Niche Cache.
Looms as an interesting battle between Wilkins and Elliot to start the bigger AWs games in Japan. That's presuming Old will be starting LB.
It’s been a long time since we last saw that name (Wilkins) in a starting line-up. Not since Midtjylland 2-2 Sønderjyske on 25 August 2024, soon after Sonders were initially promoted. Many injuries later, Wilkins has been building up his fitness again with a series of consecutive and extended substitute runs over recent weeks and this weekend that took him into the walk-on side for a 1-1 draw away against Lyngby, where he played an hour as Sonders earned just their second point of the campaign. Lyngby took the lead in the sixth minute and Sønderjyske didn’t equalise until after Wilkins had been subbed.
Returning to the first eleven in a Superliga match after 25 months between drinks is significant enough but there was another twist here in that Wilkins was picked as a right-winger. Not a wing-back but wide right in a 4-2-3-1 shape. He’s a good attacking fullback and his coach suggested he wanted some extra defensive cover on that side. DW got through the match without worry, mostly staying wide and sending in some tasty crosses. The bloke who replaced him scored the equaliser with a burst of lighting dribbling pace taking him into a 1v1 where he beat the keeper near post.
Dalton Wilkins:
“It’s strange. Two months ago I was completely out, now suddenly I'm in the starting eleven. Having achieved that is fantastic and I’m really happy about it. The boys showed me a lot of respect for that. I can rely on my body again after being injured a lot last season and I'm just going to keep working hard now. I am versatile [said Wilkins, laughing]. I have always been a forward-thinking player but I play where I am needed. Whether it's left and right at the back or right at the front, the only position I steer clear of is goalkeeper!“
Coach Fatah Abdirahman: “I wanted more compactness in the team and better defensive organization, and 'Dolli' fulfilled that role well. We should have gotten all three points. We started badly, the quality was lacking, but we fought our way back into the game and had plenty of opportunities to score more than one goal. It pains me that we didn't increase the chances in the crucial situations, but I'm pleased with the mentality of the players who were able to strike back despite the difficult situation we're in, because this is not an easy place to score. Top teams have already struggled here.”
