Wycombe Wanderers match thread

Hoping to build on on Tuesday's performance.

Came down from the Championship in 2021 and have been in the top half of League 1 since then, finishing 10th last season. Going very well this season, currently sitting in third. Have only lost twice; to Birmingham and Wrexham, and are currently ten games undefeated in the League. They have been managed since February 2023 by Matt Bloomfield who was a Wycombe legend as a player making 488 appearances for the club over nineteen years. He has them playing largely 4-1-4-1 and they are the most effective attacking team in the division, but they are running hot, scoring 23, with an Xg of 17.9.

Aaron Morley sits in front of the back four, while Josh Scowen, a self-confessed ratter, breaks up play, makes a nuisance of himself and passes the ball to the creative types. Although they have managed three assists apiece so far, so not without creativity. Playing alongside him in the centre is usually Cameron Humphreys. Of the creatives, Gareth McCleary is still playing on the wing at 37, having clocked up just over 500 league appearances. Kieran Sadlier, who played in the second half of the 22-3 season for Orient, plays on the left side and is going well this year. They have picked up Fred Onyedinma from Luton, so in his second spell with Wycombe, who is physically very gifted but less of a football brain.

Shot monster Richard Kone provides the goal threat, having hit six this season, with Daniel Udoh as the number two. Sam Vokes can still be wheeled out as needed. All the creative midfielders are expected to come up with some goals as well. They are averaging two goals a game.

Franco Ravizzoli , an Argentine who arrived via Spain, Eastbourne and MK Dons, now appears to be the first-choice goalkeeper. He is fronted by two big young centre backs in Joseph Low (196 cm) and Caleb Taylor (188 cm). The full backs are Dan Harvey and the experienced Jack Grimmer, both six footers.

Orient will be looking to build on the positive performance against Rotherham, but this is another tricky game. Paul Terry’s view on who is available is different from mine! Sean Clare and Theo Archibald are long-term absentees. Jordan Graham suffered a hamstring injury against Northampton and is unlikely to feature. Diallang Jaiyesimi had an unspecified injury on Tuesday. Tom James is on the naughty step, having picked up five yellow cards. My guess is that puts Dom Ball at right-back with “one more year” Darren Pratley in midfield, after a good performance against Rotherham, alongside Jordan Brown. As you were for the rest of the team, including Josh Keeley who had a confident performance against Rotherham, including a clearing header! With Tom James out, I think set piece duties largely go to Ollie O’Neill.

90% Owned since 2024 by Mikheil Lomtadze, a very wealthy Georgian businessman with extensive interests in Kazakhstan (oil and Borat). He is the CEO of Kaspi which is a fintech cum bank in Kazakhstan, listed on the London Stock Exchange, and has an MBA from Harvard. 10% owned by Wycombe Wanderers Supporters Group. I have no idea why this guy has an interest in Wycombe, but he appears to have a ton of money and so the football club won’t be a strain on his resources.

In: Fred Onyedinma AM (Luton, free), Tyreeq Bakinson Dm (seffield Wednesday, free), Daniel Udoh CF (Shrewsbury, free), Alex Hartridge CB (Exeter, free), Jaiden Bartolo CF (Wealdstone, free), Brody Peart RW (Brighton U21, free), Jack Matton DF (Woking u18, free), Daniel Harvie LB (MK Dons, undisclosed), Shamal George GK (Livingstone, undisclosed), Aaron Morley, CM (Bolton, loan), Caleb Taylor CB (West Brom, loan), Cameron Humphreys CM (Ipswich, loan), Nathan Bishop GK (Sunderland, loan), Gideon Kodua CF (West Ham U21, loan)

Out: Maksymilian Stryjek G (Jagellonia, free), Chris Forino CB (Bolton, free), D’Mani Mellor CF (Gateshead, free), Jack Young CM (Dorking, loan), Christie Ward AM (Braintree, loan), Laurence Shala GK (Potters Bar, loan), Luca Woodhouse CB (Dagenham and Redbridge, loan), Taylor Clark CM (Farnborough, loan), Kane Vincent-Young RB, Jack Wakely CB, Nathan Shepperd GK, Lee Jacobson LB (all released)

Last year:

Wycombe Wanderers 3 Leyton Orient 2 (15 August 2023)
Leyton Orient 0 Wycombe Wanderers 0 (29 December 2023)