WATCHING Wanderers last season was a trying ordeal in a campaign of struggle. In a reversal of fortune this time around they sit third after winning five and losing just one of their first eight league matches - but it's no fluke that they're among the early season pace setters. Here we present five reasons why Wanderers are better this year.

Settling down

It was rare for Wanderers to name the same starting XI each week last season, particularly as the situation got ever more desperate towards the end of the campaign. A poor result would lead to a panicked change in personnel or formation, and it rarely met with a positive response. In contrast Wanderers have kept the same defence in each of their matches this season and tinkering has very much been kept to a minimum. An upturn in form is no coincidence.

Set pieces

A lack of physical presence and no specialist set piece taker meant goals from corners and free kicks featured infrequently last year. Tall players were deliberately targeted as summer recruits, which combined with Richard Dobson's clever set piece routines, mean goals - or at least panic in the opposing defence - at corners have been a regular feature of Wanderers' play this year. Five of their 11 league goals have been from set plays.

Gareth Ainsworth

From speaking to Wanderers' players it's clear their manager has always been held in high regard ever since he was appointed. But whereas last season his role seemed to be chief cheerleader, blindly optimistic his team could turn the corner despite plenty of evidence to the contrary, he's taken a different approach this time. Gone is Gaz the rockstar and in has come Ainsworth the gaffer - a pragmatic tactician capable of rallying the troops while showing a dash of Lancastrian grit.

The Great Escape

Last season's brush with relegation could curiously work to Wanderers' advantage this time. They will have learnt from what went wrong, understood how mistakes cost them and what they can do to make sure the same thing doesn't happen again. The last day escape at Torquay brought everyone together and that team spirit has been carried forward into this new season.

Goals

It's a simple equation - goals win games and last season there weren't enough of them. Blues failed to score in 16 league games and although they've fired blanks this year, they are at least putting opposing defences under pressure. Too many times last season an opposition goalkeeper was able to come off the pitch without needing a shower, having had nothing to do all afternoon. Peter Murphy's four strikes from midfield have been a particular bonus.