Are Wycombe Fans Guilty of Believing Too Much of the Pre-Season Hype?

"There ain't nuthin' more powerful than the smell of mendacity!", so said Harvey 'Big Daddy' Pollitt during the 1958 film Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. It's an obscure reference but perhaps a pertinent one in relation to the disjointed start to Wycombe Wanderers' 2010/2011 Npower League Two campaign.

During the summer, the WWFC spin machine cultivated an image of high expectations unsurpassed by the build-up to previous seasons. A new team, a brave attacking new dawn and the near promise of promotion at any cost were the tenets fed to the light and dark blue masses.

Wycombe manager Gary Waddock was well aware of the pressure internally and externally being exerted upon his fledgling side.

Following the immediate aftermath of relegation, owner Steve Hayes was quick to assert himself and candid in revealing his aims for 2010/2011. He told the Bucks Free Press, "We have to go up next year. Gary knows it and everyone knows it. We don’t want to wait around another year in that division, the aim is to go up automatically and we want to do it in a blaze of glory."

Returning to the original quote, it would be a little unfair to say the club were guilty of a dishonest approach in their assessment of the newly assembled squad and their verdict on the chances of success this season.

After all, a team that contains players of the calibre of Kevin Betsy and Gareth Ainsworth, combined with the additions of proven lower league goalscorers Ben Strevens and Scott Rendell, was rightly tipped for glory.

What's clear from the opening weeks of the season, however, is a need to keep those high expectations in check. This has become especially apparent following last Saturday's disappointing 2-1 reverse at home to unfancied Macclesfield Town. Wanderers slumped to defeat in front of their lowest Football League home attendance for a Saturday afternoon game of just 3.789.

The manager himself, was honest in his criticism, both this past weekend and the preceding Saturday where Wycombe dropped two points when conceding a last-minute equaliser away at Accrington Stanley.

Following their first defeat of the season, Waddock told BBC Three Counties Radio: "On the evidence of how we performed, we didn't deserve anything.

"We didn't compete, we didn't get close to them. They have hit two fantastic strikes to go 2-0 up.

"In the second half they sat deep and it was very difficult to open them up. Credit to them, they have done their homework."

For an attacking purist such as Waddock, these are worrying early season sentiments. The last manager to opt for flair over efficiency, John Gorman, at least found his team half-way through a season before opponents had fathomed a way of stopping his side from steamrollering them.

In fairness to the Blues, despite only mustering only one meaningful effort on goal (their consolation from the penalty spot), they were undone by two wonder strikes early on in the match and then forced to chase the remainder of the game against obdurate opposition.

Losing talismanic striker Jon-Paul Pittman in the warm-up did not help preparations and it should be noted that this loss will not affect the outcome of the rest of the season.

As appears customary following a disappointing result, the reaction has been fierce with controversial owner Steve Hayes once again attracting the chagrin of a vocal contingent.

Add to that, a warring fanbase tearing itself apart over numerous issues at the club including recent bans handed out to a select few and the atmosphere, though largely non-existent during games, has become poisonous off the pitch.

Let's not forget that there are positives to be taken from the first half a dozen games. Scott Davies has returned on-loan from Reading following a relatively successful spell at Adams Park last season. Midfielder Lewis Montrose, so often on the periphery last season, has emerged from the shadows and looks set to further his career with the Blues. New goalkeeper Nikki Bull has also starred as the last line of defence.

Goals have been hard to come by with Scott Rendell coming in for the bulk of criticism however as the gentlemen pointed out during the inaugural 'Wanderer Podcast', it took a fair amount of time for former strikers Jermaine Easter and Alex Revell to truly find their goal scoring touch whilst wearing the quarters.

The Blues visit Aldershot Town next weekend in what will be a difficult and emotional encounter for their former manager Gary Waddock and a host of former Shots players including the aforementioned Davies and Andy Sandell.

A bear-pit atmosphere awaits with Wycombe fans hoping their team can take this perfect opportunity to put down a marker of their promotion credentials. The fans believed before the start of the campaign, it's time to keep that flame alive.