I suggested a couple of weeks ago that the FA Cup tie at Harrogate was a turning point, and everything I’ve seen since has merely confirmed that notion. That was the game which saw us switch back to a three-man defence, and since then we’ve been unbeaten in the league, dropping points once in five games and scoring 15 goals. We’ve scaled the table … Continue reading Subtle Shifts of Emphasis
To say I’m deflated would be quite an understatement. I felt invested in last season’s squad, but the process of dismantling it has begun. There’s no room for sentiment in football, and if the budget for next season is well spent, we’ll be tilting at the title. Still, I’m sad to see the back of this side, which attacked with increasing brio as the season … Continue reading The Bitter End
It feels odd to be preaching patience at the end of January, but this bizarre season, twisted out of shape by forces beyond anyone’s control, throws convention out of the window. Dean Keates is still fine-tuning his side, and Tuesday’s game was an interesting indicator of his progress, up against a side which plays in a very similar manner, and looks to have clicked. Our … Continue reading Promotion Requires Patience
The press room at The Racecourse used to be under the Yale Stand and, in Football League days, was a convivial spot where reporters would chat about the game they’d just witnessed and fact-check with their colleagues to make sure the player who crossed for the second goa had been correctly identified. It would always be filled with chatter until one of the managers arrived. … Continue reading Football According to Denis
Two awkward away games back-to-back against sides who are within a win of the play-offs? Just what the doctor ordered. Perhaps. Obviously, there’s a danger that things won’t turn out well against two sides in better form than us. However, if you ask Dean Keates, he might suggest this is just the challenge we need. Our midweek clean sheet relied on a mixture of good … Continue reading Keeping It Clean
In his first spell in charge, Dean Keates showed he’s very good at getting the best out of the people around him. He was secure enough to listen carefully to a range of opinions, while being definitively the boss. Just a couple of weeks after being appointed, this aspect of the club is already coming together. In giving youth a chance last Saturday, Keates also … Continue reading The Delegation Game
Okay, so we’ve tried three at the back. Can we put it back in its box now? I’m not convinced the Orient game was the right point to experiment, and I don’t particularly feel that we need to search for a Plan B. In general, when fans and the media in Britain talk about a Plan B, it tends to be shorthand for something drastic: … Continue reading Back Three Plan B’s Not For Me
My Dad reckons that whenever Wrexham get a decent crowd in, we always underperform. This has an unfortunate knock-on effect as floating voters see us lose and decide they’re not going to come back any time soon. Last Saturday followed his predicted pattern, as we attracted our biggest home crowd of the season, but lost our top of the table match with Leyton Orient. However, … Continue reading Time For Wrexham To Play To The Crowd
I’m surprised to be thinking this, but three at the back might be the answer Gary Mills is looking for. The second half fightback against Eastleigh with such a formation encouraged many to see it as an option, but that was an aberration which didn’t convince me we should pursue that shape further. It was kitchen sink tactics: two down after a poor first half, … Continue reading Is Three at the Back the Answer?
Here’s my column from last week’s Leader. It forms part of the paper’s comprehensive pre-match coverage every Friday, featuring interviews, an in-depth look at the opposition and lots of statistical analysis. All content in the column (c) http://www.leaderlive.co.uk. For a side which prides itself on its passing football, it’s perhaps surprising to see how much of our creativity stems from our back four. Gary Mills … Continue reading Back to the Front
So, what do we have to do to convince Carl Darlington to take the job? Because frankly, I left Blundell Park wanting to see a lot more of the same! There was an uncomfortable feeling all season that Wrexham’s squad could be doing a lot better if better decisions had been made from the bench, not to mention a notion that there was no coincidence … Continue reading Where did it all go wrong?
Here’s my column from last week’s Leader. It forms part of the paper’s comprehensive pre-match coverage every Friday, featuring interviews, an in-depth look at the opposition and lots of statistical analysis. All content in the column (c) http://www.leaderlive.co.uk. So Kyle Storer is our second transfer window arrival. It was a relief to hear he’d signed as up until then Kevin Wilkin had had a particularly … Continue reading Storer Ends Kevin Wilkin’s Frustrating Month
Each manager needs his defining moment. On the anniversary of Wrexham’s victory over Arsenal, could Kevin Wilkin be on the verge of his? Wrexham Football Club has, over its one hundred and fifty years of existence, earned a terrific reputation as a giant-killing club. If a manager wants to be commemorated in the clubs proud hall of fame, some exploits in a cup would go … Continue reading Kevin’s Big Day
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