Wrexham's First Half Wrecap and Report Card 24/25
In this special bonus edition of the Wrexham Wreader, I take a closer look at how the club has performed over their first 23 games in League One.
Wrexham are now over halfway through the season and, since it was so popular last year, I’ve brought back this special edition of the Wreader to recap The Reds’ first half.
But take note: I’m not including any stats of this week’s 24th match against Barnsley, other than our current ranking.
Current Rankings
First things first, here’s where Wrexham stand in all their competitions:
League One: Third (after 24 games…we were Second after 23)
The FA Cup: Eliminated in the first round in a 1-0 loss to Harrogate Town
The Carabao Cup (EFL Cup): Eliminated in the first round in a 4-2 loss to Sheffield United
The Vertu Trophy (EFL Trophy): Won our group and are currently in the round of 16. Will face Port Vale on 1/7.
First Half Wrecap
Since leaving League Two, Wrexham underwent some major changes. Many familiar faces from Welcome to Wrexham departed over the summer: Lainton, Hayden, Tunnicliffe, Young, and Tozer (to name a few) all left the club after their contracts expired. Similarly, Phil loaned out Davies, Bickerstaff, Dalby, Waters, and keeper McNicholas. On the flip side, Parkinson also extended some key members of the squad: Cleworth, O’Connor, Evans, Howard, Fletcher, and McClean, who he also named Captain. The gaffer also brought in some big signings: midfielders George Dobson and Ollie Rathbone, defenders Lewis Brunt, Dan Scarr, and Seb Revan, keeper Callum Burton, and young striker Mo Faal (who also became our new record transfer). But no signing was bigger than the one all Wrexham fans wanted to see: Arthur Okonkwo, now a full-blown member of Wrexham for the next three seasons following his loan spell last year.
After an undefeated pre-season tour in the US, Wrexham began their League One campaign with the same energy, staying undefeated through their first five matchups, which included a 3-2 win over current league leaders Wycombe. With Paul Mullin recovering from summer back surgery, the door opened for Jack Marriott to claim the starting striker job…which he did in dramatic fashion. Marriott netted five goals early in the season, quickly becoming our top scorer. Unfortunately, his dominant run was brought to an unceremonious end when he broke his leg in training in early October. Mullin had the chance to recapture his spot by then…but he failed, looking like a shadow of his former self in most appearances.
As far as our cup runs go, The Reds had the misfortune of a tough first-round matchup against Sheffield United in the EFL Cup, which saw that campaign end before it even began. We were also eliminated in the first round of the FA Cup courtesy of League Two’s Harrogate Town, who also eliminated us from the Cup in 2021. After two consecutive fourth-round appearances, this was a significant disappointment. But hope continues for the Vertu Trophy (or EFL Trophy), which admittedly is of least concern to most squads (and fans). We have our round of 16 match against Port Vale on 1/7.
Despite a lackluster run at the cups, Wrexham continued to perform well in the league. Our first league loss came against promotion favorites Birmingham City with only two more before Thanksgiving against Stevenge and Stockport County (all of which were away matches.) Since Thanksgiving, however, The Reds have been on fire. An undefeated run of nine matches landed us in second, just one point from first by the end of the first half. Wrexham may yet be a contender for automatic promotion, but as we head into the second half it would seem that only a catastrophic drop-off in quality would see us fall out of playoff contention.
After all, Phil has already guided the Reds through some dicey injury scares. Not only did Marriott break his leg, but George Evans hasn’t been seen since sustaining “a serious ankle injury” in October. Will Boyle and Luke Bolton were both hurt against Port Vale in November and have unclear timelines. The same is true for James Jones, who returned briefly from an extended injury absence against Crewe Alexandra on 12/10 only to immediately leave with another injury. But the injury bug has hit us the hardest between the posts. In the 11/9 match against Mansfield, Okonkwo broke his wrist. This led to Callum Burton becoming our main keeper, which he did admirably…until he tore his thigh during his fourth match between the sticks. With Luke McNicholas injured on his loan spell in the National League and Liam Hall deemed not ready for League One action, Phil signed free-agent Brad Foster to a “short-term contract,'“ as the new backup keeper to Howard. He’s only appeared once (against Crewe Alexandra in the FA Trophy) but he delivered a MotM-level performance. Howard, meanwhile, has filled the gap well but is certainly not a long-term solution.
Luckily, hope is on the horizon. Okonkwo returned to training last week and appeared on the bench this against Wigan (and Barnsley), so it appears he is nearing a return. This likely means Phil won’t pursue another keeper during the January transfer window. In fact, I’d wager his main target should be a new starting striker, one who can cause even more competition between Palmer, Mullin, and (eventually) Marriott. I’d say a proven Championship-level striker who can work well with Phil’s two preferred systems (3-5-2 and 3-4-1-1), would be the shot in the arm Wrexham need to pull away on the table…but only time will tell if the boss agrees with my assessment.
Any questions about Wrexham being ready for League One have been dismissed. Halfway through the year, The Reds are not only contenders to earn a historic third-straight promotion but can also win the league. After 23 games, they sat in second — one point (but two games) behind Birmingham City, who were always the favorites. The top two squads were also tied for the fewest goals conceded in the league with a mere 16 over 23 matches, while Wrexham edges Birmingham to have the league’s best FotMob rating.
In short, Wrexham’s first half has been nothing short of excellent. If they were to repeat this performance in the second half of the year, they’d finish with a record of 28-12-6, or 96 points. If they were in League One last year, that would have landed them in second place with an automatic promotion to the Championship, just one point from winning the league. Thus, if they can improve upon their first-half performance, then promotion shouldn’t just be possible, but expected.
Top 11 of the Half
Who has been responsible for Wrexham’s thunderous return to the EFL? Here’s my take on our 11 best players of the season thus far:
11.) Lewis Brunt
A splash signing from Leicester City after spending last year on loan at Mansfield Town, Lewis Brunt has ascended to Phil’s everyday league XI. He has started the last eight matches of the half, with multiple MotM-level performances from the back. Brunt seems poised to play an even larger role in the second half of the season.
10.) Ollie Palmer
Palmer’s best quality this season might be his able to stay in the lineup for almost every match thus far. He was even given the nod as the lone striker in Phil’s newly-preferred 3-4-1-1 system…but in all honesty, he hasn’t done too much with it. He’s logged only three goals and two assists thus far, which are not exactly the numbers you want to see from a solo striker. His dependability has landed him this high in my rankings, but his finishing (or lack thereof) has kept him from rising any higher.
9.) Andy Cannon
By contrast, Cannon’s role has been fading as of late. An everyday starter at the beginning of the season, he’s chipped in with two goals…but overall he’s not the same player he was last year. This has led to him mostly appearing off the bench, a trend that’s likely to continue in the second half. That said, he continues to play through minor injuries and remains a trusted man on the Reds’ roster, posing a real threat when he comes on fresh late in a game.
8.) Ollie Rathbone
Wrexham’s record transfer until the signing of Mo Faal, Rathbone was a mixed bag in the beginning of the year, mostly appearing off the bench. But he turned a corner in November, scoring twice and assisting once, and has been an everyday starter since the beginning of December. More importantly for a midfielder, he’s emerged as one of Wrexham’s most creative players with ten chances created.
7.) George Dobson
Unlike Rathbone, however, Dobson has been a starter all season long, and an important one at that. With two assists and 14 chances created, Dobson has become a fulcrum in the midfield, both providing a boost to the defensive line when necessary and proving a successful bridge to the forwards. A gifted intercepter as well as a passer, Dobson has become integral to Wrexham’s success.
6.) Arthur Okonkwo
Let’s be clear: his lengthy injury absence is the only thing keeping Okonkwo from the top of the list. Despite not starting since November 9th, he remains in FotMob’s ten best players in the league, still leads the league in goals prevented and save percentage, and has kept the sixth-most clean sheets with eight. So long as he can regain his form upon his return to full-time action, he will easily claim the title of best keeper in League One.
5.) James McClean
There’s a reason Parkinson named McClean Captain heading into this season. His leadership both on and off the pitch has been instrumental to the club…but his performance hasn’t hurt either. A crucial part of the squad, he has three goals and four assists to go along with 25 chances created and 8 big chances. He may be one of the oldest players on the pitch, but he’s also one of the most dangerous.
4.) Eoghan O’Connell
Ranked as the third-best player in the league based on FotMob rating, and the best defender, O’Connell has led the Wrexham defense to the top of the League One charts. But not only does he triumph defensively, he’s been something of a playmaker from the back. He leads the squad in accurate passes and long balls per 90 minutes, showing he not only is adept at keeping the ball away from the goal but also at knowing where to send it.
3.) Max Cleworth
In most defensive categories, Cleworth is right behind O’Connell, nearly matching him in several. The reason I’ve bumped him higher is his excellent offensive work. With four goals to his name, the center-back has managed to clock in as our third-best goalscorer. Most of those have come from setpiece headers, which the young defender seems particularly skilled at and has become something of a target man for most Wrexham corners. Cleworth has successfully made the leap from promising academy player to mainstay of the first team — a role he shouldn’t be in danger of losing any time soon.
2.) Elliot Lee
With six goals, Elliot Lee is Wrexham’s top goalscorer and his two assists place him second in Goals+Assists. Lee remains Wrexham’s best offensive player, an attribute that led to Phil adopting the 3-4-1-1 formation, slotting Lee in as an attacking midfielder ahead of the rest of the line and behind Palmer in attack. When he’s on the pitch, he’s always dangerous, landing in the top three on the squad in almost all offensive categories. He’s creative, he’s physical, and, at the moment, he’s the best goalscorer on the squad.
1.) Ryan Barnett
If you’ve watched Wrexham this year, even for one game, you’ve noticed how well Ryan Barnett has been playing. Well, I’m here to confirm for you that he is, in fact, the best player on Wrexham’s squad over the past five months. He leads the league in assists with seven and is sixth on the league’s Chances Created chart with 42 — nearly double McClean’s total of 25. He’s also created the most Big Chances in the league with nine. In Expected Assists, he’s second in the league. But for Wrexham, he also tops the charts in another important category: minutes played, with 2,061. He’s been the most dependable, creative, and effective player on the squad and, to be blunt, we wouldn’t be where we are without him.
Honorable Mentions:
I can’t rank everyone in the top 11, but there are some names deserving of recognition, even if they don’t crack the list. These players have made some great contributions so far this year, and I wouldn’t want to leave them out.
They are:
Jack Marriott, who might have been number one on the list had he not broken his leg.
Tom O’Connor, who once again has been a key part of our defense, but didn’t quite do enough to overtake Brunt on my list.
Steven Fletcher, who has come back from injury with a vengeance, delivering a late winner in our last two matches to bring his total up to four.
Callum Burton, who stepped up to the plate in ideal fashion when Okonkwo went out. Had it not been for his season-ending injury, he might have cracked my top eleven with his heroics in goal.
Mark Howard, who, as the third-choice goalkeeper and the oldest man on the squad, probably didn’t expect to start a single league game let alone the last six. Had he not been as effective as he has been, we might be looking at a much lower position on the table right now.
Matty James, one of the newest additions to the Reds, has seemingly claimed the third starting midfield role and has played well above average in each of his appearances. He only has one assist thus far, but at the way he’s been playing it is only the beginning of what projects to be a very exciting second half.
Report Card
Attack: B+
I have to be harsh on the attacking line. Our best forward this season has been Jack Marriott, who scored five times before he broke his leg in the first week of October. Palmer and Mullin only combined to equal that total in the 23rd match of the season. The strikers have been so unreliable that Phil changed his beloved 3-5-2 system to a 3-5-1-1 to give Elliot Lee more of an attacking role. In general, I try to keep my recaps even keel, but here in the safety of this special edition I think it’s appropriate to dish out some tough love:
If our strikers were finishing their chances, Wrexham would be in first place by a country mile. The Paul Mullin we know and love never returned from back surgery and, realistically, shouldn’t be included in the matchday squad against tougher competition. Mo Faal shows a lot of promise, but a lack of discipline and patience. He may be our star striker of the future, but at the moment he’s still finding himself. And Palmer? He hasn’t taken the lone striker role and ran with it, has he? Fletcher has been excellent…but he no longer has a full 90 minutes in him. These may be the stars of Welcome to Wrexham, but if the Reds are going to be promoted to the Championship - and stay there - then we need a new long-term striker to lead the line.
Midfield: A
Wrexham’s midfield not only bore the brunt of the creating chances in the first half…but also became more reliable in finishing them. Elliot Lee clocked in as our top scorer just before the first half was put in the books. McClean and Barnett have combined for five goals between them…also known as the same amount as Marriott. Anchored by McClean and Barnett when attacking, the midfield trio has become Lee, Dobson, and a combination of Matty James and Ollie Rathbone. This leaves Andy Cannon as the bench option…talk about being spoiled for choice. This isn’t even factoring in the injured George Evans and James Jones, or the budding Harry Ashfield. If there’s one area where Phil has squad depth covered, it’s midfield.
Defense: A+
Without question, the weakest aspect of Wrexham’s first half last season has been their strongest this season: the defense. Through the first 23 matches, the Reds conceded the fewest amount of goals in League One with 17, with Birmingham only recently tying that number…but they still have two games in hand on the Dragons. O’Connell, Cleworth, O’Connor, and Brunt have created a formidable defensive line, boosted by wingbacks McClean and Barnett when The Reds are without the ball. And Okonkwo? The man hasn’t played in weeks and still remains the best keeper in the league statistically.
Overall: A
All in all though, Wrexham are clearly one of the best sides in the League. I do believe we need a new man up front, but on the whole, if the squad we have can stay healthy and those injured can return before the end of the year, I think automatic promotion is well within our grasp yet again, if not the league title. That’s not to say I think this current squad would dominate the Championship in its current form…but we’re certainly a formidable opponent in League One.
