Matt Bloomfield signing is Michael Duff answer to Wycombe Wanderers conundrum | OneFootball

Wycombe Wanderers' Anders Hagelskjaer has been thriving under new head coach Michael Duff.

Matt Bloomfield's final signing as Wycombe Wanderers manager, Anders Hagelskjaer, has proven to be a very shrewd piece of business, and helped solve a conundrum that new boss Michael Duff has faced.

League One fans would be forgiven for not knowing much about the Dane. He signed in January from Molde for a fee reportedly in the region of £500k, but made just two substitute appearances for the Blues in his first half-season, having battled illness and fitness struggles.

Having spent all of his senior career in Scandinavia, Hagelskjaer made the move to England, becoming Wycombe's record signing at the time, and marking the start of a new 'data-driven' approach in the transfer market.

The 28-year-old used the summer to get up to speed with the rest of the squad, having overcome his illness, and has made the most of the chances he's been afforded this far, impressing with his key attributes that make him a perfect fit for Duff's system.

With questions over how Wycombe's strongest defensive setup looks, it's fair to say that Hagelskjaer has ensured his name features in that selection, as his recent performances have very quickly established him as a key player in the heart of Duff's defence.

Anders Hagelskjaer impressing for Wycombe Wanderers after overcoming a difficult first six months in the EFL

Wycombe's acquisition of Hagelskjaer went under the radar in January, given the impact of Sonny Bradley and the return of Caleb Taylor making the defensive unit a very hard place in the squad to break into.

The Dane made just two substitute appearances in his first six months at Adams Park. This was down to the time of his arrival, as he joined the Chairboys a month after the conclusion of the Eliteserien season, meaning he wasn't match fit upon his arrival.

Sadly, Hagelskjaer endured a tough first few months in England, as former head coach Mike Dodds confirmed late into the season that the new signing had been battling a 'serious illness', which saw him granted 'significant time off'.

Whilst the former Molde man was unable to help Wanderers win promotion, the summer provided the opportunity to get him back on a level playing field with the rest of the squad in pre-season, and get some much-needed minutes in his legs.

Having got a full pre-season under his belt, Hagelskjaer made his full Wycombe debut on the opening day of the season against Bradford City, and would start five of the club's opening six games in all competitions, catching the eye of his new supporters.

Whilst Dodds' side faced defensive issues early in the campaign as he tried to implement his possession-based system, the 28-year-old was the standout in the backline, showing his physical strength and tactical intelligence, as well as his ability to progress the ball.

Hagelskjaer missed the opening few games of Michael Duff's reign as he was nursing an injury, but recently came back into the side against Fulham, Plymouth Argyle, and Leyton Orient, where he once again showed his quality.

Wycombe have hit a rich vein of form under their new head coach, as his style of play isn't insistent on playing out from the back, which has seen Hagelskjaer emerge as the perfect fit for Duff's system, thanks to his excellent passing range.

Hagelskjaer's arrival from Molde in January marked the final signing made by former Chairboys boss Matt Bloomfield before his departure to Luton Town just days later, but it's fair to say that could've been a parting gift by the way things are going.

Wanderers have been blessed with a luxury of centre-backs in recent years, such as Joe Low, Bradley, and Taylor, but had to invest heavily in that area after those three departed the club, forming what is pretty much an entirely new central defensive unit.

Other than Declan Skura, Hagelskjaer is the longest-serving centre-back at the club, and has got tough competition on the left-hand side from Taylor Allen, who is currently sidelined through injury, but has been very consistent thus far.

After a shaky start to the season, there were plenty of questions raised about who was the strongest pairing that the Blues have, and the recent form of Hagelskjaer has proven that he's certainly one of the two names in that category.

The 28-year-old is a wonderful passer of the ball, and has the ability to play out short or go long, which he demonstrated on Saturday with a peach of a ball to set up Fred Onyedinma's second goal, and helping his side build from the back.

This is a hugely important attribute in Duff's system, as he likes his side to be adaptable, and not have just one way of playing, and with a passing accuracy of 82.0% and a long ball success rate of 41.8%, Hagelskjaer ranks among the very best in the division in his position for progressive passing stats.

The Dane is a great example of a more modern ball-playing centre-back, and compliments his partners such as Dan Casey and Connor Taylor nicely, as they're more of an old-school, no-nonsense defender who do the dirty work, and thrive in winning duels and aerial battles.

It's clear to see that Hagelskjaer has all the key attributes of a defender who thrives in Duff's system, and his reintroduction into the side has certainly helped solve part of the defensive selection conundrum the Wanderers head coach has faced.