Portsmouth vs Wycombe Preview

Last updated : 04 November 2016 By Jim Bonner

Pompey will be looking to defeat Wycombe Wanderers for the second time at Fratton Park tomorrow to advance into round two of the FA Cup.

Team News

Amine Linganzi serves the first of his three-match-ban following his red card at Cambridge whilst Michael Doyle is also suspended for picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in that game.

Ben Close will start alongside Danny Rose in defensive midfield whilst Adam Buxton has been confirmed to replace Gareth Evans at right back. Curtis Main will be absent after becoming a father.

Wycombe will be missing Dayle Southwell and Max Muller for this tie but Gareth Ainsworth will look to play a strong side.

The Match

In honesty, this isn't exactly a cup tie to whet the appetite but it's a very winnable match against a Chairboys team that have failed to win in four matches and are lingering close to the relegation zone in League Two.

Paul Cook has confirmed Adam Buxton will be starting but the goalkeeper and the rest of the back four should remain the same. Knowing the Pompey manager, you can expect Gary Roberts, Carl Baker and Conor Chaplin to be rested and so this should be a good opportunity for Kal Naismith, Milan Lalkovic and either Noel Hunt or Michael Smith to prove their worth.

Whilst Gareth Ainsworth has received much criticism for the way his team plays football, his men actually came and had a go at Pompey at Fratton Park and given that this is the FA Cup, he may well do the same again.

Let's hope so, because the last thing Pompey fans want to see for their entrance fee is a turgid game of football that their side lose because of gamesmanship and one instance of dodgy defending.

It's not the end of the world if Pompey lose this game but a draw and the prospect of a replay isn't convenient, either. However, even with a weaker team than usual, Paul Cook's men should have enough to beat the struggling Chairboys.

Predicted Starting Line-Ups

Pompey

GK: David FORDE

RB: Adam BUXTON

CB: Christian BURGESS

CB: Matt CLARKE

LB: Enda STEVENS

DM: Ben CLOSE

DM: Danny ROSE

RM: Milan LALKOVIC

AM: Kyle BENNETT

LM: Kal NAISMITH

CF: Michael SMITH

Wycombe

GK: Jamal BLACKMAN

RB: Michael HARRIMAN

CB: Aaron PIERRE

CB: Anthony STEWART

LB: Sido JOMBATI

RM: Nick FREEMAN

CM: Dominic GAPE

CM: Danny ROWE

LM: Sam WOOD

CF: Paul HAYES

CF: Paris COWAN-HALL

Last Time: Portsmouth 4 Wycombe Wanderers 2 (League Two - 10/09/2016)

Paul Hayes scored an early goal in this recent game but Pompey hit back as Christian Burgess bundled in an equaliser and then Gary Roberts scored a penalty only for Hayes to strike again before the break.

Conor Chaplin then scored an exquisite goal just before the break as he flicked the ball beyond a Wycombe defender before deftly heading the ball into the net. Carl Baker then rifled in a fourth goal in the second half to confirm the victory.

My Prediction

If Ainsworth plays his strongest side then I think Pompey could struggle, but he is bound to leave some key players out with Wycombe's league form stuttering and therefore a weakened Pompey team should be able to trump a weakened Wanderers.

Portsmouth 2 Wycombe Wanderers 1