Opposition Lowdown: Matt Bloomfield’s League-Leading Wycombe Wanderers
The Noel Hunt era begins this weekend when Reading make a short trip to take on local rivals Wycombe Wanderers. Join us as we take a closer look at the opposition.
Form
Wycombe Wanderers finished last season in 10th place in League One following 17 wins, 14 draws and 15 losses. This is their fourth straight season in the third tier, having been relegated from the Championship in the 2020/21 season after finishing 22nd in the league.
They are making a strong effort to secure promotion back to the second tier and are currently the league leaders, sitting two points above Wrexham, with a game in hand. They are the form team in the division and are currently on a 15-game unbeaten run, with their last loss coming back in August to Birmingham City.
Wycombe come into this weekend’s game off the back of a 2-2 draw with Exeter City in midweek, which ended an 11-game winning streak in the league.
Reading won their first away game in over a year when they beat Wycombe 1-2 at Adams Park last November, before Wanderers claimed a 1-2 win at the Select Car Leasing Stadium back in March of this year.
The boss
Matt Bloomfield: Bloomfield was appointed Wycombe manager in February 2023, taking over from Gareth Ainsworth, who left the club after 10 years in charge, to join Queens Park Rangers.
Bloomfield was a familiar face to Wanderers fans, having had a 19-year playing career for the club. He played two matches for Ipswich Town where he started his career but went on to make over 500 appearances for Wycombe, while also serving as captain for 12 consecutive seasons. Bloomfield took on a coaching role while in his final few years as a player at Wycombe and retired in February 2022.
His first managerial role came at Colchester United in September 2022, where he won 33% of his games in charge. The 40-year-old has guided Wycombe to ninth- and 10th-place finishes in his first two seasons and will be hoping to continue the strong start they have had this season with Wanderers sitting top of the league.
Bloomfield was a swashbuckling midfielder and a strong leader who wants his sides to remain organised and intelligent.
Squad
Wycombe made a huge 15 signings during the summer, with 10 joining on permanent deals and five coming in on loan.
Those arriving permanently included goalkeeper Shamal George and defensive recruits Daniel Harvie, Jack Matton and Alex Hartridge. They also completed the signings of midfielders Tyreeq Bakinson and Fred Onyedinma, winger Brody Peart and forwards Daniel Udoh, Jaiden Bartolo and Jahiem Dotse.
Their loan signings were goalkeeper Nathan Bishop (Sunderland), defender Caleb Taylor (West Bromwich Albion), midfielders Aaron Morley (Bolton Wanderers) and Cameron Humphreys (Ipswich Town) and forward Gideon Kodua (West Ham United).
Seven players left the club over the summer including defender Joe Jacobson, who retired, while goalkeeper Max Stryjek, defenders Chris Forino and Kane Vincent-Young and forward D’Mani Mellor all left on free transfers.
Predicted lineup
Ravizzoli, Pattenden, Low, Taylor, Harvie, Morlie, Humphreys, Leahy, Onyedinma, Udoh, Kone
Key player
Richard Kone: Forward Kone signed for Wycombe back in January this year, from non-league Athletic Newham, after a successful trial the previous summer.
His footballing story is not the typical route into football – Kone played in the Homeless World Cup in 2019 and stayed in the UK, joining non-league Athletic Newham, where he spent five years.
Kone was a prolific goalscorer in non-league, scoring 88 goals for the club. He scored on his Wycombe debut back in January in their EFL Trophy quarter-final game against West Ham under-21s. He went on to score a further three goals last season and is the club’s top scorer this season, with 12 goals to his name.
The 21-year-old Ivorian plays as a striker and is a strong finisher who also contributes defensively.
One to watch
Caleb Taylor: Defender Taylor joined Wycombe on a season-long loan deal from Championship side West Brom this summer. The 21-year-old is a product of the Baggies’ youth system, and made his debut for the club in August 2021.
He has gone on to make a further nine appearances for West Brom but has also gained first-team football in loan spells at Cheltenham Town and Bolton Wanderers, where he spent the second half of last season. Taylor is the son of former Birmingham City and Watford defender Martin Taylor.
Taylor has made 14 appearances for Wycombe so far this season and is a regular starter. He takes after his dad – a centre-back who is strong in the air.