One big AFC Wimbledon question has been answered v Luton Town - here is what comes next | OneFootball

AFC Wimbledon's performance against Luton Town showed everyone they can compete at League One level, and are not far from the finished product

AFC Wimbledon's resolute performance against Luton Town showed everyone who had predicted the Dons to go just how wrong they were.

The performance of the defence, barring the momentary lapse for the own goal, against arguably the best attack in the league, proved that Johnnie Jackson has put together a team, tactics and a culture that can combine to create success this season.

So now, with possibly the biggest test of the season out of the way and a big question answered about ability, it is all about finishing up the summer window in strong fashion, and setting the club in the right direction as we head into the often hectic first half of the season.

Big question answered - Dons answer critics' worries about ability to compete at League One level

Everybody, including many Wimbledon fans themselves, felt last Friday's season opener was going to be a bit of a thumping as the clash saw a side still fuelled by Premier League parachute payments play a side who, barring the play-offs last season, had ended things in League Two fairly poorly with mixed results.

However, when it was still 0-0 by the 84th minute with Wimbledon looking very good for a draw, it seemed that, once again, the club that are built on defying odds, had done it once again.

That wasn't to be though, as an unfortunate misjudgment by Ryan Johnson just one minute later meant his glancing header to try and clear the ball away from danger, accidentally took it over Nathan Bishop and into the back of the net.

But for those 85 minutes, Wimbledon looked like they could easily go toe-to-toe with any side this season. They nullified Nahki Wells, a renowned EFL striker, to barely any chances and dealt with a lot of the danger that more creative-type players like Jordan Clark and Millenic Alli typically possess.

Albeit not a lot of Dons chances were fashioned, but they did certainly have their own share of opportunities in the match. It was just a lack of that final bit of quality to change an opportunity into a fully-fledged chance or better, a goal, that the team lacked.

Which goes to prove that, despite what many online and in the wider footballing community have predicted Wimbledon to do this year, the Dons will more than likely beat the drop this season, especially if they show the same grit, determination and fighting spirit throughout their other 45 fixtures this season.

Adding quality for cheap must be prioritised for the rest of the window

The final piece to the puzzle of creating a team fit for surviving and thriving in League One for Johnnie Jackson is to add quality in depth now, but for as little money as possible.

Despite having been very astute so far this summer, the Dons have forked out fees on X players this summer, and for a club whose funds are mainly generated through high-profit sales, of which there have not been so far this summer, and fans reaching into their own pockets, it is certainly going to be a challenge for Jackson and his backroom team, headed up by Director of Football Craig Cope, to pick out the perfect signings to complete this Wimbledon team.

The positions that are going to be needing filling are at left wing-back, to cover Steve Seddon and give a more attacking option too, left centre-back to cover Ryan Johnson should he suffer from fitness or form troubles, and finally central midfield, where ideally a tough-tackling, all action midfielder can be brought in to help give the midfield more bite considering it's technical and creative prowess at the moment with Ali Smith and Miles Hippolyte.

The likely market for these additions for depth is the loan market, with the Dons already having great links to London clubs such as Crystal Palace and Charlton, and every ability too to take on board an up-and-coming youngster from one of the bigger guns in London like Arsenal, Chelsea or Tottenham Hotspur

However, plenty of options are also available further down the pyramid at clubs where players are needing to head away for more playing time as their contracts wind down.

Or equally, as free agents, with the PFA recently posting on X a list of players training this week to prepare themselves for a potential move or to keep match-fit and ready.

It is now just about making sure that enough due-diligence is done so that these signings are not rushed in the door as simply cover, but can add to the squad and hopefully contribute to success both on and off of the pitch.

But given how masterful the current squad has been put together, it should just be a formality at this point that Wimbledon will likely make the most of the remaining weeks of the window and add names to this squad that will help continue what has only just been started following the performance in this season's opener.