Wycombe Wanderers boss Gareth Ainsworth has spoken about how missing three central midfielders in his current squad has impacted his side’s performances so far this season.
The Chairboys have suffered an extensive injury list as they have had 12 first-team players out since July.
Currently, Josh Scowen, Curtis Thompson and Dom Gape are all missing from the frame and it has not been revealed when they will return.
The loss of Gape, Thompson and Scowen make us unrecognisable from the team we normally are. As well as Wing and Freeman have done, we've struggled against central midfields that look to dominate physically.
— John Granville's Long Throw (@JGsLongThrow) November 2, 2022
However, Thompson is not expected to come back until the start of next year after he suffered an ACL injury in Wanderers’ 5-5 draw against Cheltenham Town in February.
Following their absences, Lewis Wing and Nick Freeman have stepped up and have performed well when called upon, with the duo scoring four goals between them this campaign.
Currently we have no midfield players we are massively missing Scowen breaking up play. There are huge holes in midfield with Gape and Thompson also injured all at the same time. Hopefully a couple of them will be back soon
— Joanne Sturges (@josiejo656) November 1, 2022
Speaking on his missing players, Ainsworth said: “Scowen, Thompson, and Gape being out has cost us because I can’t say that anyone else in the team is that midfielder who does those jobs.
“The three do a very similar job.
“Lewis Wing is the only natural midfielder we have got playing at the moment.
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“Nick Freeman and David Wheeler can play in there as they are my Swiss Army Knives as they can fill in.
“It has been tough with the injuries but when we get all our players back, including Ryan Tafazolli, we will have a strong second half of the season without a doubt.
“My aim is to keep us in touching distance of the league, and this weekend is a rest from that but you don’t want to get beat.
#Chairboys hoped to kick on after that win at MK Dons, but just 1 point off Morecambe and Cambridge isn't what they had in mind. Missing 3 first team midfielders in Thompson (long-term), Gape and Scowen - they'll need to find that destructive edge in their absence this evening.
— Gabriel Sutton (@GabSutton) November 1, 2022
"They will be no rest bite as I want to win and get into the next round as it’s magic to see your number in there.
"It doesn’t matter who you are because if you’re in the draw, you love seeing your number come up.
“We also don’t want to lose going into the league game.”
Changes are expected to be made when Wycombe take on Walsall in the FA Cup first round this weekend.
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