Match Report: Wycombe Wanderers Vs Northampton Town

 The pre-match excitement was crazy, fans blaring out “Hey Jude,” a big game that with three points could help us take the summit of League One over Birmingham, teams warming up, players looking electric and, it was… awful, just awful.

This blog is just about the game yesterday on the 25^th of January. So, let’s get into it.

The game itself was a rollercoaster of multiple emotions excitement, boredom, frustration and edge of your seat action.

We started strong with a Luke Leahy chance from a beautiful pass through but on his weaker foot couldn’t guide it into the corner, the visitors responded with a tap-in from a corner, but it was ruled out for offside. The closest attempts in the first half were a G-Mac dinked cross in the far post and Joe lust had to tap it in but a world-class save from the Northampton Goalkeeper kept it tied. Then at the other end a header led Ravazoli to pull off a “Gordon Banks” save to keep us in the game. The first half was flat, but the sides traded blows.

The half-time entertainment was different from the usual, instead the club invited the four new signings onto the pitch in a warm Adams Park welcome, I’ll be looking forward to them wearing the light and dark blue squares of Wycombe soon.

The second half started like the first, quite slow and tedious but when we brought on the fresh legs of Fred Onyedima and Richard Kone left the last 20 minutes into a basketball match, end to end action. We had chances a beautiful dribble to get past 5 Northampton player from Richard Kone was class, the pass not so much, Fred had a chance to tap in at the near post  chance after chance was wasted and we left with a draw, two points of Birmingham but still in the automatic promotion places the Championship is still on, maybe.

Bloomfield leaves for Luton

 

Well, well, well this is interesting. After a successful but very cold victory in the FA Cup against Pompey Matt Bloomfield leaves HP12 for Championship side Luton Town who sit 20^th in the league after sacking Rob Edwards. In this blog I’m going to go through what I think about Bloomfield leaving, who could succeed him and what impacts this could have on the club itself in the weeks to come.

What I think about Bloomfield leaving

When all the rumours about Lutton started to appear, I wasn’t worried about him going. Like most Wycombe fans I thought he was happy at the club and seeing we are in the automatic promotion places and has a strong squad around him I thought he wouldn’t leave. But I was wrong. From watching interviews with Dan Rice talking about the club the impression I got from him was, he didn’t like Bloomfield because during the interview he didn’t call him Blooms or Matt or even Bloomfield it was just “the manager.” I thought it wasn’t much at the time but maybe it was. I think it was the boards intention to get rid of him at the start of the 25/25 season. With us trying to sign foreign talents aboard for big money and a Billionaire as our owner maybe he wants a foreign manager or a big name.

When the club released a statement about Bloomfield leaving this is what it said, “the club is naturally disappointed with Matt’s decision to leave in the middle of the season. However, we respect his decision to pursue a new chapter in his career. He leaves with gratitude and best wishes from everyone at Wycombe Wanderers, and we thank him for the services to the club” as a supporter I think this is disgusting from the club, that man served 22 years at this club took us to rivalling Birmingham City in a title race in league One and all he gets is a paragraph. He is our Mr Wycombe, he was our club captain for 10 years and helped us get promoted three times, I feel outraged of how treated him and how he could not say goodbye to his players who are his colleagues and some his friends, I hope the club treat the next gaffer with more respect.

The Heirs to the Throne

  Now here is the interesting part who will be the next Wycombe Wanderers boss, from different sources the are the possible candidates.

1.   Steven Schumacher: job status-none

This for me is the man I want as our new manager. Schumacher has success in getting teams promoted from this league into the championship- which is what he did with Plymouth. He could be trying to find a long-term project somewhere and we could be that place. The only problem is he is still a big name, do other clubs want him that are bigger than Wycombe and does he even want to come to us in the first place. For me it seems perfect but it’s a 50/50 at the moment.

2.    Claus Norgaard

This one is interesting and a big gamble. Claus Norgaard is assistant manager to Brentford boss Thomas Frank, the only reason I think we want him is because Wycombe’s recruitment model is a mimic of Brentford’s, so it would be a good idea to bring in someone who has worked in Brentford since 2022. The downsides are that we have to pay out his contract to get him and he hasn’t had a senior management job since 2018 and that was in the Danish Superliga with Sonderjyske. This would be his first management job in the EFL. It would be a risk but at the moment he is the favourite to take it.  

3.   Oscar Hiljemark

     Oscar is a manager I have never heard. Apparently, he has been impressive in his time in Sweeden with IK Elfborg. In the transfer window his striker Michael Baidoo made a move to Plymouth Argile. This could tempt Hijemark to come to the ELF. At the age of 32 The board could be thinking about Brighton’s successful 31 year old coach Fabian Hurzler, they could hope we could replicate it with Hijemark. At this moment in time its just names and rumours anything is possible when it comes to Wycombe Wanderers.

Impact on the club

Now to the big and oh so important question. What happens next? Well, the answer to that is time. If don’t get a manager soon it could impact are promotion hopes and depending on the manager, we get the lads need to learn their style which could take a while this could lead to a drop in form and in league one you could go from second to tenth in two weeks it is tight at the top. With this curveball I would be surprised if we aimed for a play-off spot instead of an automatic place. The future of this season is in the balance its going to get spicy in here.

Match report-Charlton Athletic Vs Wycombe Wanderers Sunday 29th December

 For my first Match report I hoped that I would have had not to write about a Blues defeat. The game yesterday was at best disappointing and seeing as the boys are leading a promotion push it was a poor performance. The Chairboys knew that challenges The Valley and Nathan Jones had in store for us, Charlton played their cards right we didn’t. Watching on from the stands I have to say The Valley is quite a outdated ground seeing they were in the Premier League in the early 2000’s with the metal pillar blocking some of the view in the way ground but for its defects the atmosphere in the ground was incredible, the game not so much.

 We were sliced apart it was quite depressing; Charlton’s press was high and quick we had no time to even breathe. The home side used pace on the wings to their advantage missing some good chances, but they were knocking on Ravizzoli door. The teams went in level at the break both trading blows but no goals.

 Charlton’s opener came one minute after the restart with a quick attack on the wing with a cross from Josh Edwards reaching Charlton number 11 Miles Leaburn to tap it pass Ravizzoli. The Blues didn’t know how to respond the second came six minutes later with a Charlton counterattack leading to a beautiful, lofted shot but Miles Leaburn to get his second of the day. The Chairboys had chances, but nothing was going in, until substitute Richard Kone Wycombe’s to scorer came on and in the 84^th minute did turn to tap it into the Charlton net to reduce the deficit.

 I thought the comeback was on, but it was too late, and Wycombe’s 19-match unbeaten run was ended. This game showed us we aren’t superhuman and constantly getting results we know this title race will be tough but if we take this as a learning curve and come back stronger in 2025 Birmingham’s title charge is going to a small surprise called the Chairboys.

The season so far from the 26th of December. Sorry its a bit late

 We’re nearing New Year and as an honest die-hard Chairboy I cannot state enough how good the 2024-2025 season has progressed. Going from 10^th last season to having a 20-match unbeaten run and battling the “Real Madrid of league 1” Birmingham City FC n a title race is exceptional. The lads should be so proud about how far they have come as a team. 

As I’m writing this the mighty Wycombe have just beaten Stevenage 3-0 at the Lamex Stadium, this was an improvement to last year’s result where we lost 1-0 at the Lamex due to a Carl Piergianni goal in the 23^rd minute. In this game this was one of the last times we saw former blues keeper Max Stryjek play due to him being sent off in the 48^th minute. This win against Stevenage put The Blues one step closer to having the title and automatic promotion to the Championship.

 For me as a fan the way the team has balance in all areas is fantastic, Franco has not put a foot wrong since we signed him from MK-Dons in the summer of 2023 he had a great end to the season last season and has started this one fantastically rescuing the team on numerous occasions.

 Matt Bloomfield’s idea to bring in Caleb Taylor near the back end of the transfer window was a surprising one, but what a centre-back partnership he and Joe Low have been so far this season. He and Joe have been solid and have brought their own different characteristics to the team, Joe with his Ronaldinho style turns and flicks to leave so very interesting moments and Caleb just being a presence in the box and having his no nonsense defending in the back line he has been a beast and it will such a miss when his loan expires in the summer.

 Moving into full backs now, what a signing Dan Harvie has been. Everyone knew he had some big shoes to fill when he took the number three shirt. He may not be JJ, but he is certainly making a name for himself in this new Wanderers backline. Captain fantastic Jack Grimmer has proved himself to the Wycombe faithful again as he is consistently performing and being a key leader on the pitch is helping massively.

 The midfield trio of Josh Scowen, Camron Humphrys and Aaron Morley is working so effectively, the talent that we have got in Humphreys is incredible, his composure, his skill and his eye for goal he is a talent, and his creative influence is huge. Scowen even in his thirties he is still a crucial piece in Matt Bloomfield’s midfield. The pivot in Morely was huge for the Blues he will be a miss in that midfield.

 And finally, to the attack, Fred Onyedima, Wycombe’s top scorer and in-form striker Richard Kone and the veteran Gareth McCleary. Fred on his Wycombe return from Luton has been a good signing to strengthen the wings he has been good so far; I hope there is more to come. Richard Kone, where has this form come its brilliant Wycombe have not had an inform striker in years and I’m happy we have on now. Sam Grace has found a talent in this boy and already looks like a top-end Championship striker. He is the player of the season for me already and is by far are best player. And to cap of the XI G-Mac. At the age of 37 he is still going strong, and this old man still has a few tricks up his sleeve that is for certain. Well, that is the 2024 round up and what a year it has been.