Wycombe Wanderers: Gareth Ainsworth's fingerprints were on "old school" Wigan Athletic display | OneFootball

Wycombe Wanderers put in an 'old school Wycombe' performance to get the better of Wigan Athletic.

Matt Bloomfield's Wycombe Wanderers have a very different identity to the one that former manager, Gareth Ainsworth, implemented before his departure. However, the Chairboys rolled back the years to secure victory over Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

The talk of League One hasn't been the dominance of Birmingham City, as to everyone's surprise, Wycombe are leading the way ahead of the Midlands club. The Light and Dark Blues are unbeaten in 12 League One matches, which has seen them shoot to the summit of the table.

As every successful team has to do, Wycombe have found different ways of winning. Their 5-0 victory over Stockport County was certainly a far easier task than their narrow win at Wigan the following Saturday.

The Wanderers had to weather the storm and dig in to secure the points. Some heroic saves from Franco Ravizzoli and excellent work by the defensive unit got them over the line. The current manager, Bloomfield, even admitted that his side's performance echoed what would've been accustomed to by an Ainsworth side, proving the Chairboys still have that ability to grind out results.

Wycombe rolling back the years

The 40-year-old manager has a much different style of play to his predecessor, which has led to a major overhaul of the playing squad in the past two years. Bloomfield likes to play out from the back, installing a possession-based system into the Chairboys. The new Wycombe is a team that loves to throw men forward and create opportunities, dominating the possession and tempo of the match.

This is the opposite end of the spectrum from Ainsworth's style of football. 'Wild Thing' was known for his rigid system, which was focused on getting the ball forward to the target forward and winning the second ball to retain possession. However, a key part of an Ainsworth side was their defensive solidity and their ability to grind out results. This is what brought the Chairboys success under their former boss, as they were able to get the lead and sit on it.

Wycombe's victory over Wigan entailed just this, as the Chairboys grabbed the lead early thanks to Joe Low's towering header. The Welshman left Sam Tickle no chance after Daniel Harvie's pinpoint delivery from a corner. After the goal, the Wanderers had to keep the hosts at bay for the next 70 minutes. The Latics piled on the pressure, creating plenty of chances, but were ultimately unable to break down an excellent Chairboys defence.

Whilst the win wasn't smooth sailing, supporters will certainly be feeling an enormous confidence boost after such a great defensive performance. The roots of Wycombe's previous successes were finding different ways to win, and the fact the new-look squad can do just that is a real boost for the Blues.

Not just the fans picked up on the similarities between Saturday's win at Wigan and the previous victories under Ainsworth, Bloomfield himself admitted that his side's display echoed that of one his predecessor would be extremely proud of.

Speaking to the press after the victory, the Chairboys manager stated: “I got a message from Bayo [Adebayo Akinfenwa] as it did feel like old school Wycombe at times.

“We had to grind it out with our backs against the walls at times, so it was nice to see that grit and determination from the previous gaffer has been retained.

“It was nice to see that Wycombe spirit surviving and thriving, and it’s nice to see these boys running it.”

As mentioned above, this spirit that the old manager instated was the core of the previous success. The legendary boss was able to guide the club to the Championship for the first time in their history, thanks to their incredible ability to dig in and hold onto a lead. With the spirit evident among the new squad, it bodes well for Wycombe's promotion chances this season.

Wigan win could be a key moment in Wycombe's season

Benji Walker (@benjiwalkerphoto)

Bloomfield hasn't had it easy since he took over from Ainsworth in February 2023. The Wycombe legend has spent his time crafting his squad to take his club to new levels. Whilst 2023 was a turbulent year which saw the Chairboys towards the bottom of the table, the 40-year-old has revolutionized the club in 2024, turning them into a very well-oiled machine.

Whilst Bloomfield has his own beliefs and values as a manager, he understands the importance of the comradery in the dressing room. Having played under Ainsworth for many years and also coaching alongside him, the current Blues boss knows that keeping spirits high can be the difference when it comes to getting results over the line.

This time last year, Wanderers were conceding too many late goals, which cost them points. There was worry that this new-look Chairboys squad struggled to see games out, but any of those doubts have been firmly squashed after Saturday's excellence. Wycombe also failed to come from behind and win before this season but overcame this very early into the campaign. Having overcome these rather unwanted milestones, confidence in the camp will be sky-high.

The performance on Saturday certainly got supporters talking about the striking similarities between that and the 'old school' Wycombe. This has shown that the core roots that Ainsworth planted are still firmly intact, which Bloomfield seems to be growing in his own way. The 40-year-old has done a wonderful job so far, and will be delighted to see his side show their ability to grind out a result.