MATCHWATCH : Wycombe Wanderers (a)

[Sutekh]

When : Saturday August 23, 3pm
Where : Adams Park, Hillbottom Road, High Wycombe, HP12 4HJ
Capacity : 10,000

Next up the dangerously spicy local derby at Wycombe, a team suffering from an equally as dreadful a start as Reading, a win is the only way Reading can climb above their opponents in the table being as both teams are currently equal with a solitary point.

The Chairboys point arrived by way of a late equaliser at Doncaster a couple of weeks ago, their other league games have seem them lose at a highly useful Bradford and lose at home to the Stockport steamroller and Jayden Wareham's new West Country outfit. So largely a similar range of opponents to those Reading have failed against, therefore this game should see two very equally matched sides doing battle.

The transfer window has so far seen Wycombe lose 10 players including Joe Low (Huddersfield), Richard Kone (QPR) and Beryly Lubala (Stevenage). While 11 players have arrived including Junior Quiterna (Crawley), George Abbott (Spurs), Jamie Mullin (Brighton) and former Reading youth product Stuart Moore (Morecambe). However Fred Oyedinma, Daniel Udoh and Luke Leahy remain at the club and will form the key threats that Reading need to stop.

Reading need to sort out the tactical disconnect that seems to be affecting everything no matter who plays. WiFi has joined the list of little tasks awaiting the physios attention for the next 3 weeks so he, Tuma, Yiadom and O'Connor are unavailable but there is a little hope that just maybe Lane might return to the fold. Not convinced in the remotest that the management currently have much of a clue what their best team is so your guess is going to be as good as anyone's as to what the Reading starting XI will be.

Referee

Alex Chilowicz

Previously

22 Feb 25 > Reading 0-0 Birmingham City
01 Oct 24 > Reading 3-1 Burton Albion
06 Apr 24 > Reading 1-1 Lincoln City

Historically

This will be the 8th league game at Wycombe between the two clubs. So far Reading have won thrice and lost twice. Oddly Reading's best performance at Adams Park was probably the second half of a 10 man 5-3 defeat last century. Hoping we could reproduce that second half performance again some time, though over a full 90 and without having someone sent off.

How to follow the game

1. Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
2. Ring/text a mate for updates
3. Use a RoyalsTV subscription
4. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[Snowflake Royal]

My radical team:

..................Pereira
Abrefa, Burns, Williams, Dorsett
...................Wing
...........Elliott.....Fraser
Kyerewaa........................Camara
................Savage

My more realistic side. Drop Fraser for MOM and put Savage back in midfield.

[Whore Jackie]

..................Pereira
Abrefa, Burns, Williams, Jacob
....................Wing
...........Elliott.....Doyle
Kyerewaa........................Garcia
..................MOM

Stevens, Stickland, Savage, Fraser, Camara, Tiv, Ryan

Dorsett has looked miles off it this season. Savage is the player from two seasons ago sadly.
Williams looked solid and helped Burns to have his best game of the season last night. Would love to see Ryan in place of Jacob, but suspect we're going to stick with the loanee in the league games. Elliott is an absolute must to start.

[Esteban]

My radical team:

..................Pereira
Abrefa, Burns, Williams, Dorsett
...................Wing
...........Elliott.....Fraser
Kyerewaa........................Camara
................Savage

My more realistic side. Drop Fraser for MOM and put Savage back in midfield.

Out of interest, why did you go for Savage up front and not a forward player like Doyle?

[Hound]

Id drop Kyeweraa. I like him but I think he’s one of those players who excites the crowd a bit without delivering a lot. Lane should be back?

Fraser could do a job as CF? He’s decent in the air? But think he’ll prob stick with MoM but he has to be play as a number 9 and stay there. Lane has to help him and him and Camara stay disciplined and not over press. Would consider Doyle over savage

JP
Abrefa Williams Burns Dorsett
Savage Wing Elliott
Lane MoM Camara

Doyle Fraser Stevens Kyeweraa Garcia Jacob Stickland

[morganb]

I guess Noel has a few decisions to make:

JP

Abrefa - Burns Williams - [Jacob or Dorsett]

Wing

[Savage or Fraser] - [Elliott or Doyle]

[Garcia or Lane (inj?)] - MOM - [Kyeweraa or Camara]

Bench of:
Stevens
Stickland
Jacob / Dorsett
Savage / Fraser
Elliott / Doyle
Garcia / Lane (inj?) / Rushesha
Kyeweraa / Camara

[Crowbar6753]

Maybe a change of formation to 5-2-3 which is Spurs favored formation in the past.

*****Perieira*****

Abrefa Burns Williams Dorsett Jacobs

Wing Elliot

Lane MOM Doyle

I guess the key to this formation is the two wing backs in Abrefa and Jacobs both of which are better wing backs than full backs. These guys when in attack are essentially wingers providing width, allowing Lane and Doyle to play as inverted strikers right behind MOM.
Once O'Connor returns he would take Dorsetts place in the back three.
Midfield is a bit light so maybe Savage or Fraser could play alongside Wing for a bit of extra muscle in there.

[Orion1871]

Pereira

Abrefa
Burns
Williams
Jacob

Fraser (DM)
Wing
Elliott


Lane
Garcia
Doyle (false 9)

[Snowflake Royal]

My radical team:

..................Pereira
Abrefa, Burns, Williams, Dorsett
...................Wing
...........Elliott.....Fraser
Kyerewaa........................Camara
................Savage

My more realistic side. Drop Fraser for MOM and put Savage back in midfield.

Out of interest, why did you go for Savage up front and not a forward player like Doyle?

Because Savage has unbelievable energy and physicality, so if you're not going to play a striker, play someone who will really work the defence and rough them up.

Doyle seems much like Elliott to me. A technician, best sitting in midfield and turning midfielders, then running at defenders. And to me, he showed a lot of signs of frustration with the game yesterday, and reacted less than brilliantly as a result. I don’t think he has the temperament to be asked to play out of position just to make a nuisance of himself, and I don't think it's fair to ask a new loanee to just play random positions.

[Snowflake Royal]

Maybe a change of formation to 5-2-3 which is Spurs favored formation in the past.

*****Perieira*****

Abrefa Burns Williams Dorsett Jacobs

Wing Elliot

Lane MOM Doyle

I guess the key to this formation is the two wing backs in Abrefa and Jacobs both of which are better wing backs than full backs. These guys when in attack are essentially wingers providing width, allowing Lane and Doyle to play as inverted strikers right behind MOM.
Once O'Connor returns he would take Dorsetts place in the back three.
Midfield is a bit light so maybe Savage or Fraser could play alongside Wing for a bit of extra muscle in there.

I don't think you can just randomly make a change in formation, especially quite a drastic one like that. It would take at least a few weeks of training to build up to it.

[traff]

Maybe a change of formation to 5-2-3 which is Spurs favored formation in the past.

*****Perieira*****

Abrefa Burns Williams Dorsett Jacobs

Wing Elliot

Lane MOM Doyle

I guess the key to this formation is the two wing backs in Abrefa and Jacobs both of which are better wing backs than full backs. These guys when in attack are essentially wingers providing width, allowing Lane and Doyle to play as inverted strikers right behind MOM.
Once O'Connor returns he would take Dorsetts place in the back three.
Midfield is a bit light so maybe Savage or Fraser could play alongside Wing for a bit of extra muscle in there.

I don't think you can just randomly make a change in formation, especially quite a drastic one like that. It would take at least a few weeks of training to build up to it.

I am not so sure about that.
Bobby Robson did it to great effect at Italia 90.
I don't think it is as radical as you say. After all we have supposedly been working on our current system all summer. I struggle to think of a more clueless looking bunch of player than the Bolton outing in many a year.
In essence, Hunt’s system lacks identity. Without a clear style whether possession-based, pressing-oriented, or long-ball and without adapting to the squad's strengths, the team is underperforming.

A broad positional confusion, with wide players and forwards not receiving the ball effectively.

Inappropriate tactical demands on players like O'Mahoney, whose abilities (which I admit at the moment appear well hidden) aren't being harnessed. However he is our ONLY fit "goal scorer"He may even put in a MOM performance, benefiting from more crosses into the box or balls slid through the middle rather than lumped up to him (clearly a role he cannot perform) rather than trying to run around like a headless Sam Smith.
We could even potentially play a 5 3 2 later when Wi-Fi is back and get a really creative midfield rather than this quarterback nonsense.
At the moment it is looking like a bad Eisenstein cliché (keep repeating .........) Rigid, predictable tactics, regardless of the opposition’s style.
In short the last two performance we have looked like a clueless Sunday league team.
What have we got to lose versus the current expectations of another 3 points dropped at Wycombe. ?

[rabidbee]

Rewatching the highlights video the club put together when MOM arrived, it was really notable how many of the goals were scored within the six-yard box. He did score a few from the edge of the box though. The last goal in particular (playing for Pompey) he was on the shoulder of the last defender, took a long ball and with his first touch knocked it a few yards in front of him, then out sprinted his marker and slotted home from the edge of the box. I can’t imagine you get more space in the Championship than League One, so there’s clearly a player there.

Maybe instead of a high press, we need to switch to absorbing pressure and then counterattacking with pace, see if we can present him with a few tap-ins?

[Hound]

Maybe a change of formation to 5-2-3 which is Spurs favored formation in the past.

*****Perieira*****

Abrefa Burns Williams Dorsett Jacobs

Wing Elliot

Lane MOM Doyle

I guess the key to this formation is the two wing backs in Abrefa and Jacobs both of which are better wing backs than full backs. These guys when in attack are essentially wingers providing width, allowing Lane and Doyle to play as inverted strikers right behind MOM.
Once O'Connor returns he would take Dorsetts place in the back three.
Midfield is a bit light so maybe Savage or Fraser could play alongside Wing for a bit of extra muscle in there.

I don't think you can just randomly make a change in formation, especially quite a drastic one like that. It would take at least a few weeks of training to build up to it.

Considering Wing has decided to play most of the game at CB, isn’t that basically the formation we are already using? Just slightly different personnel

[mikey_1871]

My radical team:

..................Pereira
Abrefa, Burns, Williams, Dorsett
...................Wing
...........Elliott.....Fraser
Kyerewaa........................Camara
................Savage

My more realistic side. Drop Fraser for MOM and put Savage back in midfield.

Out of interest, why did you go for Savage up front and not a forward player like Doyle?

Because Savage has unbelievable energy and physicality, so if you're not going to play a striker, play someone who will really work the defence and rough them up.

Doyle seems much like Elliott to me. A technician, best sitting in midfield and turning midfielders, then running at defenders. And to me, he showed a lot of signs of frustration with the game yesterday, and reacted less than brilliantly as a result. I don’t think he has the temperament to be asked to play out of position just to make a nuisance of himself, and I don't think it's fair to ask a new loanee to just play random positions.

Agree re Doyle - he is very much Knibbs's replacement in the sense that central midlfield is his best position but he doesn't get in the game when out wide, similar to Harvey. His best game som far is Pompey away where he started in that position.

[Extended-Phenotype]

I really don’t think playing Wing deep works without Bindon/Mbengue as CBs. He’s too deep and we have oxf*rd all receivers to play with a quarterback. We need him closer to the action to make through balls for MOM or take a shot himself, not sit around in our own third pinging hollywoods at pipsqueaks. Happily see Fraser or Elliot sit deep with Wing further up.

Then again, if Williams looks a bit more of a carrier, perhaps a central midfield of Wing, Doyle and Savage could work. I’d be comfortable seeing Elliot in for Savage/Doyle.

I’m glad Kelvin is out tbh. He really oxf*rd our shape up regardless of where we play him. If we can get the balance right in midfield, maybe that will get MOM into the game more and we can really see what he might be about. If he’s still shit, christ – throw in Doyle there or something.

Not sure what’s going on with Lane, but I’d start him if fit. We have to give Wing outlets. I kinda like Kyerewaa, so he’d be my other winger. Sort of a shame to leave Garcia out considering he’s the only oxf*rd to have scored this season but I’m not sure if he’s quite right as an AW. Shrug, probably the least important problem to solve – I’m not that bothered about the wings beyond we need actual width and not the gaping hole that Kelvin provides when he’s asked to play wide.

If Williams can push on;

……………..Pereira
Abrefa, Burns, Williams, Dorsett
...................Wing
...........Doyle.....Savage
Kyerewaa........................Lane*
................MOM

If he can’t;

……………..Pereira
Abrefa, Burns, Williams, Dorsett
...................Elliot
...........Wing.....Doyle
Kyerewaa........................Lane*
................MOM

If MOM sucks;

……………..Pereira
Abrefa, Burns, Williams, Dorsett
...................Elliot
...........Wing.....Savage
Kyerewaa........................Lane*
................Doyle

[West F]

I really don’t think playing Wing deep works without Bindon/Mbengue as CBs. He’s too deep and we have oxf*rd all receivers to play with a quarterback. We need him closer to the action to make through balls for MOM or take a shot himself, not sit around in our own third pinging hollywoods at pipsqueaks. Happily see Fraser or Elliot sit deep with Wing further up.

Then again, if Williams looks a bit more of a carrier, perhaps a central midfield of Wing, Doyle and Savage could work. I’d be comfortable seeing Elliot in for Savage/Doyle.

I’m glad Kelvin is out tbh. He really oxf*rd our shape up regardless of where we play him. If we can get the balance right in midfield, maybe that will get MOM into the game more and we can really see what he might be about. If he’s still shit, christ – throw in Doyle there or something.

Not sure what’s going on with Lane, but I’d start him if fit. We have to give Wing outlets. I kinda like Kyerewaa, so he’d be my other winger. Sort of a shame to leave Garcia out considering he’s the only oxf*rd to have scored this season but I’m not sure if he’s quite right as an AW. Shrug, probably the least important problem to solve – I’m not that bothered about the wings beyond we need actual width and not the gaping hole that Kelvin provides when he’s asked to play wide.

If Williams can push on;

……………..Pereira
Abrefa, Burns, Williams, Dorsett
...................Wing
...........Doyle.....Savage
Kyerewaa........................Lane*
................MOM

If he can’t;

……………..Pereira
Abrefa, Burns, Williams, Dorsett
...................Elliot
...........Wing.....Doyle
Kyerewaa........................Lane*
................MOM

If MOM sucks;

……………..Pereira
Abrefa, Burns, Williams, Dorsett
...................Elliot
...........Wing.....Savage
Kyerewaa........................Lane*
................Doyle

‘ not sit around in our own third pinging hollywoods at pipsqueaks.” Absolute gold

[tidus_mi2]

Feeling weirdly confident for this one, while the first 70-75mins against Bolton were pretty terrible, we defended well and might have found a good defensive 4. Then that late rush that got the equaliser hopefully opened Hunt's eyes in regards to who should be starting and how we should play.

So I look forward to coming back to this thread after we've lost 2-0.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Feeling weirdly confident for this one, while the first 70-75mins against Bolton were pretty terrible, we defended well and might have found a good defensive 4. Then that late rush that got the equaliser hopefully opened Hunt's eyes in regards to who should be starting and how we should play.

So I look forward to coming back to this thread after we've lost 2-0.

Well, that's just it - babysteps still get you to where you want to go. It might have been a bit shit so far, but you could argue we are a third of the way there. Now we just have to tweak that middle a bit and perhaps that will two-birds-one-stone the striker too.

[PieEater]

I really have little confidence Hunt will change anything. I expect the same starting team and subs as Tuesday, with the inevitable leaked goal and blunt attack.

He didn't change anything after 3 straight losses, so he wont after we grabbed a lucky point.

If it were me I'd play 451 and try to grind out another point. Then change things for Port Vale

[Snowflake Royal]

I really have little confidence Hunt will change anything. I expect the same starting team and subs as Tuesday, with the inevitable leaked goal and blunt attack.

He didn't change anything after 3 straight losses, so he wont after we grabbed a lucky point.

If it were me I'd play 451 and try to grind out another point. Then change things for Port Vale

He's changed something pretty much every match, so I'm certain he'll change something...

Pereira,",","
Abrefa,", Ahmed, Abrefa
Stickland,",", Williams
Burns,",", Burns
Dorsett, Jacob,", Dorsett
Wing,",","
Savage,",","
Elliott, Fraser, ","
Camara, Lane, Garcia,Doyle
KelvinE, Kyerewaa, ", Kyerewaa
MOM,", KelvinE, MOM