Wycombe Wanderers Press Conference

Interviewer: It was the same formation and personnel to start. With the two new players you have brought in, who are more offensive-minded, will there be a different philosophy and team at home games and a different team and philosophy at away games?
UR: I think you are reading a little too much into it. This formation and team was created out of the injury problems we had and I always said people coming into the team and doing well stay in the team and this team today deserved another go. That was exactly what they did. They gave me the same great performance they gave me at Walsall.

Obviously now with players coming back and new players coming in, we have three games in a week so obviously there will be fresh legs for Tuesday’s game.

Interviewer: Can you tell us about Miguel Llera and Blair Adams?
UR: Blair Adams is a left full back. We’ve had an agreement with Sunderland for sometime now, even before Blair with to the [under 20] World Cup and then when he came back he had an injury and that is why it has taken so long.

We feel we only had one left full back as I see Sam Wood as more of a winger. And he is also a different type of full back [more offensive].

Miguel can go in straightaway and be a rock in our defence. Our two centre halves played very well but we only had two after Leon’s injury.

Interviewer: Sam Saunders and Toumani Diagouraga – what is the prognosis for those two?
UR: Toumani has started to train with us but Sam hasn’t yet but isn’t far away. Toumani over the next ten days will play 90 minutes in the next two development squad games in the next ten days and after another ten days of training and the two games he should be ready for us then.

Interviewer: Anyone else coming in?
UR: Wait and see.

Interviewer: You must be pleased with a clean sheet?
UR: Yes. Overall I am very pleased. Especially in the first half. And like at Walsall. Playing very in control and not giving them anything and scoring a goal.

In the second half too early we came under pressure and we got too stretched in terms of the gap between our back four and midfield and couldn’t hold onto the ball or win enough second balls. But we restricted them only to long range shots.

Interviewer: When you pick up a lot of points away from home it really does help keep you near the top of the table, doesn’t it?
UR: Yes, of course. I think normally I want to win at home and away wins are a bonus. But with the ambitions we have and the targets we have we have to go away and win games. We’ve won two in a row now [away] and with Exeter as well, it shows the spirit in the camp and the organisation and shape we have.

Now, at home is a different game because people will sit back against us and we’ll have to dominate more of the game.

Interviewer: You have a very good set up to be a counter-attacking team, don’t you?
UR: I think we have offensively players like Sam Saunders or Harry Forrester who like to come inside into little pockets to receive the ball and we have quick players like Sam Wood and Myles Weston who threaten to get in behind the opponents’ defence and create space for other players. I’m very happy with the quality of players and different variations I have.

Interviewer: You now have the challenge of three games in a week, with two at home. It will be very different from playing away, won’t it?
UR: Yes, it is nice to be playing at home again, in our stadium in front of our support. Today we had a massive support and I’m very happy about that. Hopefully now we can fill the stadium a little bit more [at home] than in the first two games.

Interviewer: Seven games into the season Uwe, do you think you have a side that will be up there at the end?
UR: It is a marathon this league and we are now kilometre seven, I think and it is very early to say whether we’ll be in the top six after 42. We are the only outsider [there at the moment] as there are six or seven clubs who size-wise and budget-wise are in front of us and also experience-wise. We are in a transition but we want to play as long as we can in the top ten and close the gap from last year to the playoffs. Last year it was 11 points and we want to close the gap and see where we are in March.