Wycombe Wanderers: Scouting Report

Wycombe Wanderers will be hoping to mount a successful push towards the play-offs and after a disappointing outcome last year – The Chairboys will be hoping to do one better within the 2015/16 season, after losing to Southend United in last year’s play-off final. Gareth Ainsworth’s side hasn’t been doing that badly this season, however they have hit a dry patch as of lately.

They have won only two of their last six games, having drawn three and lost once.

The Buckinghamshire side are currently 10^th with 30 points, only 3 behind the play-offs and only 4 places above the Magpies who sit on 28 points.

Run-down of their last six games.

Saturday 24^th October – Wycombe Wanderers 1 Carlisle United 1
Saturday 31^st October – Mansfield Town 0 Wycombe Wanderers 2
Saturday 21^st November – AFC Wimbledon 1 Wycombe Wanders 1
Tuesday 24^th November – Yeovil Town 0 Wycombe Wanderers 1
Saturday 28^th November – Wycombe Wanderers 2 Portsmouth 2
Tuesday 1^st December – Bristol Rovers 3 Wycombe Wanderers 0

The Players – Fact Sheet

Highest Goal Scorers; Garry Thompson 5, Michael Harriman 5, Aaron Halloway 3 and Luke O’Nien 3.

Persistent Foulers; Marcus Bean 6 Yellow Cards, Aaron Pierre 6 Yellow Cards, Luke O’Nien 5 Yellow Cards and Michael Harriman 4 Yellow Cards.

The Key Players.

Ex Magpies winger Garry Thompson has continued from where he left off with Notts, having found form with Wycombe and knowing how ex-players tend to punish us – I would have him as their main threat.

However, they have several players able to attack and create play.

Paul Hayes is an experienced player who can be tricky.

With Michael Harriman and Sam Wood offering width, Michael holds the ability to score and create chances. Anthony Stewart would be the main defender I would single out, he combines the midfield well and leads at the back.

Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses.

Wycombe Wanderers are a decent League Two team, who know exactly what it takes to do well and achieve wins within this division. They are a possession-based team, who can make the most of chances, which present themselves and work hard as a unit.

Their main strengths come from build-up play, they like to put balls into the box and have multiple players who are able to deliver well-placed crosses. When organized well, they appear to be hard to break down.

When reverting to long balls, they seem to lose shape but can play nice football down the wing and the centre of the park. Set pieces, especially corners are things Ricardo’s men must be aware of.

Perhaps more noticeably is their lack of concentration and indecisive with how best to move the ball forward. Weaknesses at the back come from scrappy play, especially unnecessary fouls and this allows pressure to grow on themselves. Once asserted, their defending can go missing and prone to making mistakes.

Notts would gain advantage in my opinion by playing direct football, which focuses on pressuring the Wycombe left back and centre pairing.