Take Your Hand Off the Panic Button
A loss to QPR has the "Parky Out" crowd back in full voice, but you can keep them on mute. Ahead of Norwich, lets review some stats that show why some Wrexham fans just need to take a breath.
Are we one place above the relegation zone? Yes. But the points don’t tell the full story of Wrexham’s first five matches.
The Wrecap:
Wrexham AFC 1 - 3 Queens Park Rangers
After a two-week break, Wrexham returned to the SToK Cae Ras, hoping to pick up where they left off. The international break came at a time when Wrexham were finally gathering momentum, and their opponents, Queens Park Rangers, were in need of a reset. Based on Saturday, it seems QPR got their reset and Wrexham lost their momentum.
Our deadline day acquisitions of Ben Sheaf, Issa Kaboré, and Dominic Hyam all began the game on the bench, along with Nathan Broadhead, looking to ease back into the action after a two-game injury absence. James McClean was back in the starting XI as Cacace suffered a setback with his injury recovery.
Wrexham started the game with energy and looked dangerous right from the jump. They’d create several early opportunities before QPR grew into the match and began to pile pressure onto Okonkwo. A scramble in the box just after the half-hour mark saw Rumarn Burrell knock a ball off Conor Coady in an unfortunate own-goal, although Coady was hardly at fault. Richard Kone would extend the lead just before the break with a beauty of a kick that Okonkwo didn’t really have a chance to save.
The Reds began the second half holding much of the possession, but weren’t able to get past keeper Nardi. Phil made a triple change at 61’ that saw Ben Sheaf make his debut. Not long after that, O’Brien and Moore connected for a key goal that brought the home crowd back to full volume…but they were muted less than ten minutes later when Burrell got a goal of his own after finding himself one-on-one with Okonkwo. Wrexham continued to push, but that third goal clearly took a lot of the wind out of the players’ (and fans’) sails. Burrell is probably the overall Man of the Match, but for Wrexham, I’d say Moore would take the honors. He continues to be what Phil hoped for: a steady, reliable attacker who can find the back of the net in a variety of ways. But I want to make sure Ryan Hardie gets some praise as well. He had a few missed opportunities throughout the match, but he was also creating them left and right for most of the game, and was impressive despite not finding the net.
The loss sees Wrexham fall to 21st, one slot but two points clear of the relegation zone, as QPR jump ahead to twelfth.
Read the full report from Wrexham here.
And watch the highlights here or below:
Match Facts:
Starting Lineup:
Okonkwo, Cleworth, Coady (Broadhead 82’), Doyle, Longman, Dobson, M. James (Sheaf 61’), O’Brien, McClean (Barnett 61’), Hardie (Smith 61’), Moore.
Bench:
Burton, Brunt, Barnett, Hyam, Sheaf, Kaboré, Ashfield, Broadhead, Smith
Goals:
WRX — Moore (67’)
QPR— Coady (OG - 33’), Kone (44’), Burrell ( 75’)
Yellow Cards:
WRX — Dobson (82’)
QPR— None
Wrexham AFC Women 3 - 2 Barry Town United
The Wrexham Women returned to The Racecourse for their home opener, and they wasted no time in giving the fans something to cheer about. New signing Jodie Bartle scored her first goal for the club just two minutes into the contest, while Hannah Snape, who replaced the injured Keren Allen as Sugarman’s only change to the starting XI, scored her first goal twenty-two minutes later. With a two-goal lead, things were going very smoothly until the second half began with an own-goal from Phoebe Davies. Five minutes later, Keira Harris shot from distance to score the heartbreaking equalizer.
But Wrexham were given a lifeline from Snape, who delivered a corner into the goalmouth in the eighty-eighth minute…but officially the winner was scored as an own-goal off defender Angharad Beman. Wrexham held on to the win, sending them to first place in the Adran Premier after two matches. The only other team to walk away with six points from six this weekend was Aberystwyth Town, who are now in second by one goal.
Read the full report from Wrexham here.
Match Facts:
Starting Lineup:
Craven, Smith, Bartle, Davies (Allen 82’), C.Jones (Hughes 82’), L.Jones, Clark, Snape, Mahmood, Barker, Suckley (Iddenden 70’)
Bench:
Ankers, Lovett, Hughes, Adams, Allen, Burke
Goals:
WXM — Bartle (2’), Snape (24’), Beman (OG - 88’)
BTU — Davies (OG - 48’), Harris (53’)
Yellow Cards:
WXM — Davies 916’)
BTU — None
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Current Tables
Championship
Adran Premier
The Week Ahead
9/20 at Norwich City
US: Paramount+, iFollow. UK: Skysports+
10am EST / 3:00pm BST
Wrexham will face tenth-place Norwich City this weekend, who have started the season brightly with seven points from the first fifteen, but have also scored one fewer goal than the Reds. But contrary to what the table and some online trolls will tell you, Wrexham have not started the season poorly either. Our thirteen summer signings would always mean the squad would be radically different, but with three deadline day signings - two of which hadn’t trained with the club prior to the QPR game - and key components Windass, Broadhead, Ward, and Rathbone all injured, the squad has evolved and still needs time to gel.
While it does, Wrexham has the third-best scorer in the league (Keifer Moore with four goals), created the most Big Chances in the league (18), ranks second-best overall in Accurate Long Balls per Match and Accurate Crosses per Match, and ranks tenth in overall FotMob rating. My point is: the team is solid and is performing well…now they just all need to get on the same page, something Phil has been able to do time and time again - so have a little faith. Don’t be so eager to toss away one of the club’s most successful managers based on five league matches.
That being said, Wrexham have been guilty of numerous defensive mistakes, and that’s something that needs correcting quickly - ideally before this weekend, as Norwich will be tough to contain, typically playing in a 3-4-2-1 formation. The attack-forward formation won’t look too different from Wrexham’s 3-5-1-1, as both will rely heavily on the wingbacks and covering midfielders. But the real story on Saturday might be all about the strikers. Joshua Sargent has five and is right above Moore on the top-scorer chart. All that firepower should make for an entertaining duel this weekend.
Women:
9/21 vs The New Saints
US: iFollow.
9am EST / 2:00pm BST
TNS fell to Aberystwyth Town 1-0 on Sunday, but only by a goal. Of course, they’ve also only scored one goal in their first two matches. Last season, each squad won two matches, but three of them were also 1-0 contests. That likely won’t be the case this weekend, as Wrexham have been goal-happy with eight total goals - the most in the league. Let’s hope Sugarman’s squad can keep up their hot start and bring in another three points.