This season has now all boiled down to a very simple situation - we have 3 games left, and if we win all 3 then we stand a reasonable chance of keeping our League One status. We would finish on 52 points, but the likelihood of that happening would seem to be as remote as the chance of a good cuppa from a chocolate teapot. So the alternative, in the event that we don’t get those 9 precious points, is to get fewer points and rely on other relegation candidates losing their games … and this Easter weekend could actually do us a favour or two in that respect, because Scunthorpe United, AFC Wimbledon and Accrington Stanley all have uncomfortable trips to Charlton Athletic, Luton Town and Doncaster Rovers respectively. But we really do have to WIN at Wycombe Wanderers…
We did win the reverse fixture against the Chairboys back in October, but that was a strange game of a penalty and 2 own-goals - although it was perhaps a portent of things to come, a game where we were 2-0 up after 80 minutes and squeezed through 3-2 at the end.
Wycombe are by no means safe from relegation, currently occupying 18th place in the League One table on 47 points - and they’ve only won one game in the past couple of months. Current form looks like this:-
Mar 16 Shrewsbury Town (A) Lost 2-1
Mar 30 Oxford United (A) Lost 2-1
Apr 6 Portsmouth (H) Lost 2-3
Apr 9 Charlton Athletic (H) Lost 0-1
Apr 13 Southend United (A) Won 0-2
Apr 19 Rochdale (A) Lost 1-0
Martin O’Connor’s influence would seem to have produced a greater degree of effort on the pitch, but the draw against Southend United was (a) not enough in terms of points, and (b) only achieved with a combination of dubious referee whistle-timing and a fortuitous penalty at the death. (As it used to say on my school reports “Must try harder” or "Could dobetter").
This preview will now be cut short, as a steam railway beckons on this beautiful sunny day. For a prediction we have to be bold, so let’s go for a 1-2 away win.
UTS
PS. The first certain relegation place has now been settled - Bradford City will be in League 2 next season. Who will join them?
US guaranteed. Will lose all three remaining matches. Can anyone imagine this rabble of directionless muppets actually WINNING a match again? The answer is simple, refer to second sentence!
This is one of those occasions when you’re priviledged enough to watch a great sportsman live do their thing.
In last 3 years I’ve watched Messi at Camp Nou, Federer playing at the O2 and tomorrow I will witness Adebayo Akinfenwa…
Seriously guy’s had a good scoring season in league 1. I can picture now whoever’s in the inept back 4 leaving him unmarked at a corner and then them all turning and looking at each other wondering how no one picked up a 16 stone sumo player!
Will go for 2-2 and the team trying and desperately failing to draw their way to league 1 survival.
The wierd thing is Wimbledon don’t play until Tuesday (and is away to Luton), Scunthorpe are away to Charlton and Southend are at home to Burton so a win could very easily see the team move out of the bottom 4.
Someone lock the players in a dark room and put that on the loud speaker for an hour Guantanamo Bay style.
Great if we can get the win we all crave . But what could also be very important is Sunderland beating Peterborough. And Doncaster beating Accrington on tuesday to all but put an end to the posh’s play off ambitions for next Saturday. All ifs and buts I know.
It is more than likely going to drop into place in the unlikely event that we get a win. Definitely revert to 4-5-1 for me ala Barnsley game and try and hit them on the break. They are a very physical team, so I don’t see an out of sorts Cook getting much against them. Stick Gordon up front, not sure we can rely on Ismail or CBT, but then do we have any real alternative?
Personally I would drop Cooky, not mobile, our best performances were with a mobile Gordon. I’d try something different, Gordon and Oteh up front. My thinking, 2 mobile strikers to cause issues for the Wycombe defence. Cooky is to easy to mark.
Sadly I find myself in between WalsallOne and Chunks with a 3-0 loss I’m afraid.
I think this is similar to my thoughts before Accrington. Wycombe are clearly a poor side in this division but, like Accrington, I think they’ve still got that bit of togetherness that means in these big games their players are willing to do that bit more than ours will be.
Hope i am wrong but they have played well in there last 2 games winning 2-0 at Southend last Saturday .something we could not achieve at home.We’re also unlucky to lose against Rochdale . For they look much more up for the fight unfortunately . I have tickets for Shrewsbury but not sure i want to go if we lose as I think we will tomorrow
Like Geordie, I’d stick Gordon up front on his tod with Zeli and Corey wide. Three in the middle but I’d probably go Osbourne over Edwards. Same back five. Cook and Oteh on the bench. I don’t know much about him but Mussa should be on the bench too as we need attacking options that stretch beyond Norman and Laird.
Oh for Adam Chambers and Kieron Morris. If the latter were here, I’d play him in a number 10 role at the top of a midfield anchored by the former.
I fully expect us to lose tomorrow. But let’s hope the late goal on Friday gives us some kind of lift.
