Which Wycombe will turn up at Rochdale?

Wycombe Wanderers travel to Rochdale on Saturday for their 11th league game of the season.

The league table currently shows Wycombe in 20th place with 8 points and Rochdale in 21st spot with 8 points, both sides having played 10 games.

Rochdale’s Home Record….W 1 – D 2 – L 2 – Pts 5 – Ppg 1.00 (Rank-18)

Wycombe’s Away Record….W 1 – D 1 – L 3 – Pts 4 – Ppg 0.80 (Rank-16)


Last Five league Games

Rochdale……….LWWLL – 6 points (Rank-15)

Wycombe……….LLLWL – 3 points (Rank-21)


Only goal difference separates the two sides currently sitting astride the cusp of the relegation zone.

It’s a bit early to be talking about six-pointers, but with almost a quarter of the season gone, the table is beginning to tell the truth and it’s important not to lose to a relegation rival.

The question is… which Wycombe will turn up at Spotland on Saturday?

After five consecutive defeats, the Blues put in tremendous shifts against glamour sides Sheffield United and Preston North End earlier this week.

The fruits of their labour were an unexpected victory over the Blades and an entertaining but careless 4-3 defeat to the Lilywhites, together yielding three points more than most punters had predicted.

Having been roundly booed by the fans for their abject performances at Yeovil and Tranmere, the team discovered that when they’re seen to work hard, the crowd will always get behind them, and the atmosphere at Adams Park for both games was the best it’s been in a long time.

On Saturday we’ll see if their sterling effort was a flash in the pan reserved for the big games, or if the Blues have it in them to battle week in and week out at places like Spotland.

Manager Gary Waddock has acknowledged that poor defending ruined an otherwise excellent performance on Tuesday, and with six defeats in their last seven league games and only one clean sheet in thirteen outings, it will be interesting to see what action he takes to rectify the problem.

On the bright side, Rochdale have also conceded 24 goals in 13 games and the Blues look dangerous going forward at the moment with Beavon and Harris in the side.

If you like omens and patterns, here’s two… Rochdale have never beaten Wycombe at Spotland in six previous attempts, and the last four games between these two have finished 1-0 to the away side.


Here are some stats…..


Rochdale’s last five games (All Competitions)

Lg1: Bury (A)……………….Won 4-2

Lg1: Scunthorpe (H)……….Won 1-0

Lg1: Charlton (H)……………Lost 2-3

Ccp: Aldershot (A)………….Lost 1-2

Lg1: Notts County (A)………Lost 0-2



Wycombe’s last five games (All Competitions)

Lg1: Brentford (H)…………….Lost 0-1

Lg1: Yeovil (A)…………………Lost 0-1

Lg1: Tranmere (A)……………Lost 0-2

Lg1: Sheffield Utd (H)……….Won 1-0

Lg1: Preston (H)………………Lost 3-4




Rochdale Goal Stats (13 games in all Competitions)

Goals Scored (Total)………Lg: 12…Cups: 6…Total: 18

Goals Conceded (Total)…..Lg: 20…Cups: 4…Total: 24

Goals Scored (Home)……..Lg: 6…..Cups: 3…Total: 9

Goals Conceded (Home)….Lg: 8…..Cups: 2…Total: 10

Clean Sheets………………..Lg: 2…..Cups: 1…Total: 3



Wycombe Goal Stats (13 games in all Competitions)

Goals Scored (Total)……….Lg: 9…..Cups: 7…Total: 16

Goals Conceded (Total)……Lg: 16…Cups: 8…Total: 24

Goals Scored (Away)………Lg: 4…..Cups: 0…Total: 4

Goals Conceded (Away)…..Lg: 8…..Cups: 0…Total: 8

Clean Sheets…………………Lg: 1…..Cups: 0…Total: 1



Rochdale’s Top Goal Scorers – (All Competitions)

Ashley Grimes…………….6

Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro….3

David Ball………………….3

Gary Jones…………………2

Three other players have each scored 1 goal.



Wycombe’s Top Goal Scorers – (All Competitions)

Stuart Beavon………..6

Scott Donnelly………..3 (inc 2 pens)

Joel Grant……………..2

Five other players have each scored 1 goal.



Rochdale Shooting (Top-3) – All Competitions

JL Akpa Akpro……….12 on-target…15 off-target…2 against woodwork

Ashley Grimes……….15 on-target…..9 off-target…1 against woodwork

Gary Jones……………11 on-target…11 off-target…1 against woodwork



Wycombe Shooting (Top-3) – All Competitions

Scott Donnelly………..8 on-target…9 off-target…0 against woodwork

Joel Grant……………..7 on-target…9 off-target…0 against woodwork

Stuart Beavon……….12 on-target…1 off-target…0 against woodwork



Shooting (Club) – League Games Only

Rochdale………49 on target…45 off target…4 against w’work (Rank-18)

Wycombe……..37 on target…46 off target…3 against w’work (Rank-22)



Previous Meetings

In 12 previous meetings there have been 5 wins for Wycombe, 3 for Rochdale and 4 draws.

At Spotland there have been 4 wins for Wycombe, 0 for Rochdale and 2 draws.

1993/94: Lg2 Rochdale 2 Wycombe 2

1993/94: Lg2 Wycombe 1 Rochdale 1

2004/05: Lg2 Wycombe 0 Rochdale 3

2004/05: Lg2 Rochdale 1 Wycombe 1

2005/06: Lg2 Rochdale 1 Wycombe 2

2005/06: Lg2 Wycombe 3 Rochdale 0

2006/07: Lg2 Rochdale. 0 Wycombe 2

2006/07: Lg2 Wycombe 1 Rochdale 1

2007/08: Lg2 Wycombe 0 Rochdale 1

2007/08: Lg2 Rochdale 0 Wycombe 1

2008/09: Lg2 Rochdale 0 Wycombe 1

2008/09: Lg2 Wycombe 0 Rochdale 1



The Man In The Middle

Saturday’s referee is Mark Heywood from Cheshire who is in his first season as a National List Referee and has never taken charge of a Wycombe game before. So far this campaign he’s issued 0 red and 13 yellow cards in 4 games.



Prediction

Rochdale 1 Wycombe 1