Wycombe Wanderers manager Matt Bloomfield has expressed his bitter disappointment after watching his team crash out of the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night.
The League One leaders were the heavy favourites heading into their tie with Swindon Town. The Chairboys had only lost once in all competitions since August, with that defeat coming against Premier League outfit Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup in September.
Despite making nine changes from their 1-1 draw with Reading on Saturday, Wycombe were expected to make light work of a Swindon side that were battling for survival towards the bottom of League Two. However, the Robins caused an upset when they emerged from Adams Park with a 2-1 victory to progress to the EFL Trophy Round of 16.
Bloomfield Admits ‘Sadness and Disappointment’
Although the EFL Trophy was nowhere near the list of priorities for Matt Bloomfield, the 40-year-old couldn’t hide his disappointment after his side’s early exit from a competition which brought them a Wembley appearance last season. Speaking to Bucks Free Press, he said:
“My first emotion is of sadness and disappointment as I hate losing.
“I hate losing football matches and even though it hasn’t happened for a little while, it doesn’t make it easier.
“We weren’t at the levels we set ourselves as a group and we need to make sure we’re at it on Saturday.
“There were some good bits as I don’t want to be too negative, but we weren’t at the normal standards that we set ourselves as we didn’t have the same fluidity.”
The defeat now means that Wycombe are winless in three games in all competitions, having drawn their last two league games. They have a chance to return to winning ways on Saturday when they make the trip to Shrewsbury Town.
Writer’s View
Speaking in the immediate aftermath of the game, Bloomfield would have been genuine in his disappointment. However, there is no doubting that the EFL Trophy wasn’t a priority for the Chairboys. Promotion from League One is the ultimate aim and a return to the Championship for the first time since 2021. Although they are still top of the table, they have dropped points in their last two league games, allowing Wrexham to move level on points whilst Birmingham sit a point further back in third. The Blues have played a game less though, so three points on Saturday is much more important than a place in the EFL Trophy Round of 16.
