Are a couple of first-team regulars in danger of the axe? A misleading unbeaten run, understatement of the season so far and other talking points from the draw against Wycombe Wanderers

It’s why a couple of first-team regulars might be coming under pressure for their place when Posh visit Port Vale in their next League One game on Tuesday (October 24).

A seven-game unbeaten run in the league sounds lovely, but four of those games have been drawn so Posh have far from established themselves as a top-six fixture.

Burton Albion have won four games in a row and are now just three points behind Posh. That poor Lincoln City side despatched so comfortably by Posh a fortnight ago are just four points behind and they have a game in hand.

TALKING POINTS FROM POSH 2, WYCOMBE 2…

1) Manager Darren Ferguson’s post-match suggestion that Posh goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic ‘didn’t have his best game with the ball at his feet’ might qualify for understatement of the season so far. Wycombe could have scored three times because of the Australian’s dreadful decision-making and casual-looking passing. He got lucky soon after Wycombe scored their first goal and again twice more in the second-half when he was rescued by a weak finish and Josh Knight’s goal-line clearance, and then by a kind ricochet in the very last minute after Sam Vokes, hardly the quickest-mover on the pitch, charged down his clearance kick. I’m still one of those who prefers my goalkeeper to save shots rather than to be able to ping 50-yard passes, but to play successfully in this team for this manager Bilokapic needs to improve rapidly. This sort of performance gives everyone the jitters, on and off the pitch.

2) For the sake of balance Bilokapic did make a couple of important interventions yesterday, one in each half, but an inexperienced goalkeeper didn’t work out well for Posh last season and it’s threatening to happen again.

3) It was noticeable how much attention was given by Wycombe to Hector Kyprianou. As soon he received the ball he was under intense pressure and as a result he had very little positive impact on the game. More than anyone else Kyprianou makes the Posh passing game tick and it clearly hasn’t gone unnoticed by opposition tacticians. Others need to step up and show themselves when Posh are starting attacks from the back.

4) Picking David Ajiboye ahead of Kwame Poku on the right side of the Posh forward line won’t be the long-term plan, but it was justified yesterday and in the first-half it worked as the former Sutton United winger enjoyed some good moments including a fine assist on Ephron Mason-Clark’s goal. Posh struggled to get out after the break and Poku’s superior technique and dribbling skills should probably have been deployed earlier than they were to move Posh up the pitch.

5) Ferguson says he was going to change shape before Wycombe’s second-half equaliser. It was a shame he didn’t as Posh looked more solid with three at the back. Posh are too vulnerable to high balls into and beyond their left-back position which is another thing opposition coaches have realised. It’s seemingly a tactic in every game and having a centre-back (substitute Romoney Crichlow) on patrol in that area definitely helped. Wycombe’s equaliser effectively came from a ball into that channel which led to a clumsily conceded free kick.

6) Wycombe’s style of play is not so obviously hoofball now that they are free of the limitations imposed by their previous manager, someone now swimming out of his depth in the Championship again. Certainly the club’s infamous obsession with time wasting wasn’t apparent until added time at the end of the game when substitutions made in the 93rd and 94th minutes were not an attempt to try and win the game. Wycombe are good at what they do, but there’s a reason why they have average gates under 5,000 for home games and take fewer than 500 to what they treated as a big game just up the road.

7) Referee Andrew Kitchen’s performance yesterday was proof officials shouldn’t be judged on one performance. The man who made the single most ludicrous decision at a Posh match last season was generally good yesterday. I’ve not had a good look at the late Posh penalty claim, but it would have been a shame if he did ruin a strong display by getting one crucial decision wrong.