Wycombe Wanderers Monthly Review - December

Wycombe were looking to continue the form that saw them sitting pretty in 10th at the close of November. Barnsley were the first visitors to Adams Park, and will not have been looking forward to coming to a place that was becoming a bit of a fortress for the Blues. 5 wins on the spin at home meant the Chairboys could go into the game with a degree of confidence despite The Tykes sitting in the play-off spots.

Once again, Wycombe more than held their own against one of the League One ‘big boys’ and by no means looked out of place in what was a tightly fought affair. The Blues defence held strong through and a sublime volley from Randell Williams that flew into the roof of the net saw all three points stay at Adams Park, which meant the winning run at home was now at an outrageous six consecutive matches.

Next up was an away game against a struggling Gillingham side. The Blues started like the in form side that they were and saw themselves go 2-0 up within just 17 minutes thanks to an emphatic El-Abd volley (does he score other goals?) and a smart finish from Nathan Tyson, his first of the season. The typical and slightly bizarre football cliche of 2-0 being the most dangerous score in the game came true at Prestfield. Gillingham capitalised on two poor pieces of marking from set pieces to level it up and the Blues left with no more than a point.

The game that followed looked to be an easy one on paper. AFC Wimbledon were sat rock bottom of the league, struggling for points, whilst Wycombe were on a remarkable home run. However, League One is notoriously unpredictable and it always seems to be the sides out of form, that would do anything for a win, are those that halt great winning runs.

This was certainly the case here, as the Blues endured a frustrating afternoon where they just could not break the Wombles down. Wimbledon took the lead in the 29th minute after a corner fell to Kwesi Appiah to stab home, and despite registering 12 shots to the visitors four, Wycombe found themselves fall two behind in the 90th minute thanks to a well executed counter attack from The Dons. A late Onyedinma goal following good work down the left wing by Tyson gave us fans an ounce of hope, but it was ultimately not enough, and just like that, the winning streak was over.

Games in December come thick and fast, and Boxing day presented the Chairboys with an opportunity to bounce back from the disappointing defeat when they were faced with a visit to the Pirelli Stadium, home of Burton Albion. After coming out on top in the reverse fixture, Wycombe would have been hoping to do the double over The Brewers and took a large step towards doing so when a Jacobson cross flew into the back of the net, thanks to a hefty deflection on the way.

It took just six minutes for Burton to equalise however, and the scorer, Lucas Akins, went on to cause the Wycombe defence problems all afternoon. The home fans will have only just finished celebrating the equaliser when they scored just one minute later, to take the lead and really knock the wind out of Wycombe sails. It got even worse for the Chairboys just seconds before half time, when Akins scored again to put Burton 3-1 up. There was to be no famous comeback this time, and we fell to a second consecutive defeat.

Next up for the Blues was another away fixture, this time against Scunthorpe United. The reverse fixture saw Wycombe come back from 2-0 down to win 3-2, and travelling fans will have been hoping for more of the same when the home side took the lead just eight minutes in (not a moment to remember for Ryan Allsop).  We created more than enough opportunities throughout the rest of the game to not only equalise, but win the game. However, it was to be one of those days. Alex Samuel had a goal disallowed, Kashket hit the post and saw a late shot clawed off the line by the Scunthorpe goalkeeper in quite extraordinary fashion. Despite wave after wave of attack, the ball would just not go into the back of the net and Wycombe left the North East with nothing.

Summary/My Verdict

After an encouraging start to the month, form began to dip as we saw Wycombe get just one point from their following four games. This run has certainly brought some fans back down to earth, but it was always going to happen in such a competitive division and I still remain confident that we have enough to turn our form back around and start getting results again.

It is certainly disappointing that most of the teams we dropped points to this month are below us, and changing this will be crucial in the coming months. January will no doubt bring some uncertainty surrounding certain players. A number of loan players, including Fred and Morris, are set to return to their parent clubs, and we will have to wait and see what tricks Ainsworth has up his sleeve in terms of players coming in.

Finally, I would just like to mention what a truly unbelievable year 2018 has been. Promotion to League One in thrilling fashion, watching an entertaining team that ooze togetherness and desire, followed by a start to League One life that not many would have even dreamed of. Here’s to 2018, and a 2019 that I hope is filled with as much joy and excitement.

UP THE CHAIRBOYS!

Wycombe Wanderers Monthly Review - November

Following what was the best month of the season so far, the Blues were faced with a daunting month where they would face some of the top sides in League One. It began with a home game against second place Peterborough United, a team who were the league’s top scorers at the time and boasted an unbeaten away record.

In a game where many thought we would be outdone all over the park, Ainsworth’s men once again proved the doubters wrong and were more than a match for a previously rampant Peterborough. Some brilliant football was played at Adams Park by the Blues, with intricate passing all over the pitches causing Peterborough some real problems. Wycombe stunned the Posh following in the 65th minute when Fred Onyedinma went on a magical run, only to be fouled right as he was about to shoot. There were claims for a red card turned away, but all was forgotten when Bryn Morris stepped up to convert the free kick (courtesy of a small deflection). Wycombe held on and were great value for all three points.

This brilliant result was followed by the final group game in the Checkatrade trophy against local rivals Oxford United. The league meeting between these two ended in a 0-0 draw, but this game saw Ainsworth make numerous changes to his starting line up and Wycombe fell to a 3-0 defeat which saw them knocked out of the competition.

The weekend brought yet another cup game against League One opposition. This time it was Luton Town away in the 1st round of the FA Cup. A cagey first half was edged 1-0 by Luton, before a defensive lapse lead to the Hatters doubling their advantage in the second half which saw them progress into the next round of the cup. After being knocked out of two domestic cups in a week, it was important for us to bounce back and continue the recent upturn in league form. Injuries to both goalkeepers saw the return of former fan favourite and ‘one of our own’ Matty Ingram on an emergency 7 day loan deal for what was a huge away day at the Stadium of Light which brought with it a reunion with one of last year’s stars, Luke O’Nien.

Sunderland were flying high in League One and were the clear favourites going into the game. What followed was a performance to match the occasion. Once again, we went toe to toe with one of the title favourites and Onyedinma broke the deadlock when a free kick fell to him in the box and he smashed it into the roof of the net with just 20 minutes left. Wycombe were just 6 minutes from all three points, but Josh Maja of Sunderland was on hand to equalise late on. We could have come away from the game with nothing if it was not for a brilliant late save from Ingram that kept the score level. Despite the late disappointment, this was no doubt a brilliant result for the Blues and one the team can take great confidence from going forward.

Next up was a home game against Shrewsbury Town. Coming into the game just behind Shrewsbury in the league meant a win would see Wycombe jump The Shrews and into the top half of the table. This was a game that followed a bizarre and dramatic narrative. Aaron-Amadi Holloway, who Wycombe fans will remember (with mixed memories) from the play-off final season, opened the scoring in the fourth minute before an ex Shrewsbury player equalised. Adam El-Abd took the ball down brilliantly before swiveling on a tuppence to volley brilliantly into the back of the net.

Many would have had that down as a dead cert for goal of the day, but yet another ex Shrewsbury now Wycombe player, Joe Jacobson, had other ideas. A corner he took from the left hand side fell back to him, before he cut inside and hit a wonderstrike with his right foot (Yes, he does have one) into the top corner, clipping the bar as it went in. Alex Samuel added a third goal for the Blues when he lashed home from just inside the area finding the bottom corner and it seemed we were on our way to a comfortable victory. But no, that’s not the Wycombe way. Shrewsbury pulled one back within minutes which lead to a nervy finale, but thankfully the defence held strong and suddenly, Wycombe were in the top half of League One.

The month closed with a long Tuesday night away trip to Accrington Stanley, where we were looking for a first win there in six years. Fans will still have the memories of last years 4-0 thumping given to us by Accrington in their minds and no doubt will have hoped for some much needed revenge.

A frustrating first half where Wycombe struggled to find the decisive pass saw Accrington take the lead, when a double deflection saw the ball land to Sean McConville just yards from goal. The Blues had the latest emergency goalkeeper, David Stockdale to thank for keeping the score at 1-0 with a string of fine saves and a tactical tweek at half time changed the game. A high press prevented Accrington from playing the passing game they are so fond of and created some space in behind their defence. The introduction of Scott Kashket was key to Wycombe’s rejuvenation, and he was the player to grab the equaliser with just 13 minutes to go, controlling Dominic Gape’s ball over the top and neatly finding the bottom corner. The 190 fans who traveled all the way to Accrington were in for quite the finale. Alex Samuel broke down the right wing before having his cross blocked, only for him to see the ball bobble off of an Accrington defender and back into his path. He ran onto the ball and smashed it in from an impossible angle to send the travelling fans into raptures, and Wycombe into a remarkable 10th place.

Summary/My Verdict

What a month November has been! It seems i was right to state my optimism in last months review. Saying that, many Wycombe fans, myself included would have probably settled for half the league points we claimed in what were some very tough fixtures.

Putting aside the disappointment of being knocked out of two cups (which may well be a blessing in disguise), Wycombe played four league games and won three, only dropping points away to title favourites Sunderland. The tenacity and determination of this team continue to amaze me, and it is no surprise that we have scored the most goals after the 75th minute in League One (11). This team do not know when they are beaten.

Gareth has got this team fighting until the last second of every game, and it appears each and every player is willing to run through walls for him, and the club. Now sat 11 points off of the relegation zone and (whisper it) just six points off the play off spots, there is no doubt that it is a very exciting time to be a Wycombe fan. Bring on December!

Wycombe Wanderers Monthly Review - October

As the season began to get into full flow, Wycombe opened a crucial October month with an away tie against Fleetwood Town. Despite going a goal down and being under some serious first half pressure, the Blues equalised in the second half thanks to a brilliant Akinfenwa volley from the edge of the area and held on for a hard earned point.

This game was followed by a home fixture against fellow strugglers Burton, which brought the Blues first home league win of the season. A first half penalty was calmly struck into the corner by Joe Jacobson before Akinfenwa doubled the lead with a trademark bullet header. Burton did manage to pull a goal back, but it was not enough to rob the Blues of a much needed win.

The month had started well for the club and they would have been hoping to keep this good run of form going when they were faced with an away day at the Ricoh Arena, home to Coventry City. The deadlock was broken when Coventry's Connor Chaplin scored a late header but the game almost ended in a footballing fairy-tale. Ryan Allsop had come up for a last minute corner and saw the ball fall at his feet with the goal gaping. Unfortunately, he lacked the killer instinct of an outfield player and skewed his volley high and wide.

The following weekend’s home game against Scunthorpe brought memories reminiscent of last year's heroics. After going 2-0 down in the first seven minutes, it was looking grim for Wycombe. A change in shape to a more traditional 4-4-2 system looked to have been exposing some defensive frailties. However, in true Wycombe Wanderers style, that was far from the end of the story. A 27th minute screamer from Dom Gape gave the Blues some hope going into the break, before Fred Onyedinma produced a sublime curling effort into the top corner to level it up.

Many would have thought this would be our day after this comeback, but this was thrown into doubt when goalkeeper Ryan Allsop was sent off with 10 minutes to go. It was going to be a back to walls job to protect a point, or was it? A long ball wasn't dealt with by the Scunthorpe defence and Craig Mackail Smith nipped in and slotted home to send the fans into raptures and earn the Chairboys all three points.

Wycombe went into the midweek league fixture at home to Rochdale with some serious momentum and this was clear to see throughout. Bryn Morris opened the scoring with a goal of the season contender of a free kick, before Akinfenwa added a second from just inside the box. Onyedinma scored the third, heading home after great work on the wing by Samuel to earn the Blues a thoroughly convincing 3-0 win. This was Wycombe’s third home win running and left them seven points clear of relegation and sitting pretty in 14th place.

The month ended with an away day at Walsall. A goal either side of half time put The Saddlers 2-0 up before a late own goal gave Wycombe hope, but this was short lived as a Dom Gape own goal re-established the two goal deficit. A late penalty provided some short lived hope and although unusual penalty taker Scott Kashket missed from 12 yards, Samuel was on hand to tuck in the rebound for his first Wycombe goal. That's how the game ended and we again fell to a narrow defeat.

Summary/My Verdict

October was a great month for the Blues. Three wins from three home games helped propel them up the table and has provided a bit of a breathing space between themselves and the relegation zone. Two narrow away losses will not provide too much cause for concern and the goals are beginning to flow.

There may be a slight concern over the amount of goals being shipped and the constant five goal thrillers can’t be doing the fans or anyone’s heart rates any good. However, those kind of games are what made last season so special and if we can be on the right side of those score lines the majority of the time, it will all be worthwhile.

The return of captain Adam El-Abd is crucial to the defence and once Ainsworth finds his preferred back-line I think the amount we concede will begin to drop. The emergence of Alex Samuel as an option up front is providing some healthy competition, as is the return to form of Akinfenwa and Onyedinma. I also felt Curtis Thompson put in some brilliant performances throughout the month to give Ainsworth a real selection headache. The next month will be a tough one for the Blues with us facing three of the top six, but I for one am feeling optimistic going into November!

Wycombe Wanderers Monthly Review - September

After a tough start to life in League One, Wycombe went into September on the back of a fairly decent run at the end of August. The Chairboys won two of their last three games in all competitions and drew the other one, leaving them 17th in the league and into the hat for the League Cup third round.

The month kicked off with a home game against Luton which finished 1-1. In a hotly contested battle, both teams will have left the game feeling slightly disappointed with the result. Joe Jacobson saw his second penalty of the match saved with the game at 1-0 and could have killed off The Hatters. That moment was a changing point in the game and Luton may feel they were unlucky not to take all three points back to London after a flurry of late chances.

A Football League Trophy group stage win over Northampton would follow, thanks to a brilliant Scott Kashket goal. Next up in the league was an away trip to Charlton, who reached the League One play-offs last season. Despite taking an early lead through Randell Williams, Charlton’s quality shone through as they took a 3-1 lead. A late Paris Cowan-Hall goal was just a consolation and Wycombe’s suffered a third league defeat of the season.

Next up for the Blues was the ‘M40 Derby’, with local rivals Oxford coming to town. With both sides lingering at the wrong end of the table, this was a huge game. Both teams had chances, but neither were able to capitalise and the game ended in a 0-0 stalemate. Fulham U21’s posed a midweek test for Ainsworth’s men in the second round of the Football League Trophy games and goals from Alex Samuel and Kashket were enough to earn a 2-1 win for Wycombe.  

The next game was a big test for the Blues, going to Portsmouth who were unbeaten and sitting pretty at the top of the table. The two sides have engaged in some intense battles in recent years, and this game provided entertainment that lived up to the spectacle. Wycombe took a first half lead thanks to a well worked goal from Bryn Morris, before Pompey cranked up the pressure in the second half and managed to turn the game on it’s head and take a late 2-1 lead. Many teams would have knocked down by this killer blow, but not Wycombe. A late penalty was awarded to the Blues after Fred Onyedinma was bundled over and Jacobson slotted the spot kick home, despite the huge pressure to earn the Blues a deserved share of the points.

There was no time to rest for Wycombe, who had to instantly switch their focus to a big midweek game against Championship side Norwich in the League Cup third round. Despite going 4-1 down, the Blues battled back and were unlucky not to take the game to penalties. Goals from Sam Saunders and a first of the season for Adebayo Akinfenwa made it 4-3, but Norwich kept the Blues out and that was how the game ended.

The month closed with a trip to Roots Hall, home to Southend United. Many a Wycombe fan will have felt particular emotion about this one, with the last time these teams faced off being the playoff final in 2015 (best not to talk too much about that one). Unfortunately, the Blues were unable to wreak vengeance on The Shrimpers and despite a late fightback yet again after going 3-0 down, Wycombe could only muster two goals and went home with nothing.

Summary/My Verdict

A busy month saw the Blues show the character and resilience that we saw so often last season, with late showings becoming a trademark for the Chairboys. Unfortunately, many of these comebacks in September amounted to nearlies but it is definitely something to build on.

Despite injuries beginning to come into play, there is a greater strength in depth within the squad this season and Akinfenwa rediscovering his goalscoring touch is crucial. Two goals in two games at the end of the month could be the start of a good run of form for ‘The Beast’. Despite only two wins in eight games (none of those in the League), Wycombe have by no means looked out of their depth in League One. Although they end the month in 20th position, the Blues did not lose any games by more than a goal and could easily have come away with more in multiple games. The results will come.

Wycombe Wanderers Monthly Review - August

After a brilliant promotion from League Two last season, Gareth Ainsworth’s Wycombe Wanderers were in for a busy summer of comings and goings. Goalkeeper Scott Brown left the club and was replaced by former loanee Ryan Allsop, following his release from Bournemouth. Darius Charles was another early addition to the squad and will provide some experienced defensive cover throughout the season. The club then sold one of their prize assets, Luke O’Nien. After a brilliant season last time out, the midfielder earned himself a move to League One big boys, Sunderland.

Following this, Ainsworth reinforced the midfield by bringing in Curtis Thompson on a short term deal, as well as Bryn Morris, who joined on loan from Shrewsbury until January. Randell Williams also rejoined the Blues for his second loan deal until January. Former Stevenage striker Alex Samuel was the club’s sixth signing of the summer before the Blues signed Jason McCarthy, who had previously been a fan favourite in his loan spell with the club in 2015, on a three year deal from Barnsley, .

The League One season began with an opening day home game against Blackpool. The Blues would have gone into the game wanting to prove they aren’t just there to make up the numbers. A game which could have gone either way ended 0-0, with the Chairboys perhaps being the slightly more frustrated of the two sides not to take all three points.

This first game left Wycombe fans feeling positive about the season ahead, but they were brought crashing back down to earth on the second weekend of the season, where an impressive Doncaster side put on a great second half display to earn themselves a 3-0 victory. This left Wycombe with just one point from their opening two games, having not registered a single goal.

A penalty shootout victory over Northampton in the League Cup injected some much needed confidence into the side and the Blues would have been looking to use that to their advantage in the weekend's home game against Bristol Rovers. However, this was not the case and within 20 minutes, Wycombe found themselves 2-0 down and fearing the worst. A late Scott Kashket goal was not enough to salvage anything from the game and things were not looking good for the Blues.

However, a slight tweak in the line up saw a change in fortune towards the end of the month. An encouraging 1-1 draw with Plymouth that Wycombe were unlucky not to take more from was followed by a first league win of the season against Bradford City. Goals from Craig Mackail-Smith and Bryn Morris were enough to earn the Chairboys a 2-1 win, leaving them 17th in the table. A League Cup second round tie rounded the month off, with an enthralling 2-2 draw with Forest Green which was decided with yet another penalty shootout. Wycombe were victors again and will be going into October with a sense of optimism for the rest of the season.

Summary/My Verdict

After a tough start to August, Wycombe have looked to grow into League One football and appear more than capable of competing at this level. There is no doubt that there will be tough moments throughout the season, but with a League Cup third round to look forward to and sitting four places above safety, Ainsworth will be pretty happy with how the opening month went.

The new signings will take time to integrate effectively with the rest of the side but once they do, I am confident that Wycombe can pick up enough points this season to survive in League One.