Preview | Wycombe Wanderers v Swansea City
Swansea City will look to continue their unbeaten start to the Championship season when they face newly-promoted Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park this afternoon (12.30pm).
Steve Cooper’s side have four points on the board courtesy of a win over Preston and last weekend’s draw with Birmingham, keeping two clean sheets in the process as the Swans showed their solidity out of possession.
They head to Buckinghamshire seeking to continue a fine recent away record that has seen them lose just one of their last 10 games on their travels during the regular Championship season.
That defeat came at Fulham back in February, and the Swans will want to make sure they can continue that strong sequence against a Chairboys side still seeking their first points of the season.
But Gareth Ainsworth’s side should not be underestimated, having shown how effective their aggressive pressing and attacking game can be in their run to play-off glory in League One last term.
And given the importance of home form to any side, they will be desperate to get up and running on the back of a heavy defeat at Blackburn last time out.
The game will mark the first meeting of the two sides since 2007, and the visitors will be hoping to come out on top again, having won that Football League Trophy contest 2-0.
Team news
Jordon Garrick is a doubt for Swansea City’s trip to Buckinghamshire as the winger has a groin problem.
The injury prevented Garrick from training on Thursday, with Cooper set to make a late decision on his availability.
Midfielder George Byers remains on the sidelines as he recovers from his own groin problem.
The hosts will be without ex-Swans striker Adebayo Akinfenwa as he continues to recover from knee surgery during the summer.
Pre-match views
Steve Cooper: “They have been highly successful over the last few years playing the way they play, and a lot of that comes from team spirit and togetherness.
“They had a bad day and will be up for putting it right, and we have to be ready for it.
“There is nothing straightforward about any game in the Championship. We will focus on ourselves, but we are aware of their strengths.
“We also know how we can win the game and we have to commit to that.”
Gareth Ainsworth: “We have to make sure that tactically and technically we’re on it.
“The league has come on so much. It’s a mini Premier League and there are some super players, so we’ve got to find a way of bridging the gap.
"We’ll do it, we just need a few games to work this league out."
Remember the last time?
The Swans last made the journey to Adams Park – then known as the Causeway Stadium – in November of 2004 for an LDV Vans Trophy fixture.
It would be the hosts who came out on top as Wales Under-21 international Adam Birchall scored the only goal of the game in just the fourth minute to sink Kenny Jackett’s side.
Danny Senda set up the goal, laying on an inviting ball for Birchall to finish from close range.
Zema Abbey could have doubled Wanderers’ lead, while Paul Connor failed to convert Swansea’s best chance as he fired wide before Ian Stonebridge smacked the bar late on for Wycombe.
Prime numbers
0 – This is Swansea City’s centenary year as a Football League club, a clean sheet at Adams Park would mark the first time they have started a league campaign with three shut-outs in a row.
7 – Swansea City have not lost any of their last seven away games during the Championship regular season (excluding play-offs).
