Wrexham fans went home very unhappy tonight after seeing their side fall to yet another home defeat, and they know who they think is to blame for the loss.
Despite taking the lead on the 15-minute mark through another Ollie Rathbone goal, Wrexham were unable to hold on to their advantage and the scores were level after half an hour.
Phil Parkinson’s men came out on the back foot immediately in the second half, and were punished by a Jamie Donley goal as Leyton Orient took the lead.
It was a poor showing from many in the Red Dragons’ team — as you can see from our Wrexham player ratings — and the fans have voiced their dissatisfaction in one very clear direction after the game.
Wrexham fans blame Phil Parkinson and ‘long ball’ for Leyton Orient defeat
The big talking point after Wrexham’s defeat, it seems, is that Parkinson’s approach to the game was all wrong, particularly in the second half.
Fans took to Twitter/X to point the finger of blame at the Wrexham manager, with a common theme being the fact that the Red Dragons leaned too heavily on their old-school, long ball tactics.
One angry fan wrote: “Abysmal. Another tactical disasterclass at home. If long ball doesn’t work… then what? Shocking.”
Another said Wrexham were “punting aimless hit and hope balls forward with no real plan.” He added: “We’ve got some quality footballers , but the ball spends half the time on the air.”
It was a similar sentiment across the board, really. One supporter posted, “Only ever huff an puff under Parky. Tactically so poor,” while another said, “That’s the second home game on the bounce where Parkinson’s team selection has cost us. We don’t seem to have any clue how to attack unless it’s hoofed forward. Another turgid performance”
More tempered opinions still had an edge of frustration at the gameplan, with one fan writing: “A very timid second half display against a very good side. We didn’t test their keeper anywhere near enough.”
Meanwhile, reporter Richard Williams said: “Poor defending, coupled with becoming far too one-dimensional meant the visitors were worthy winners.”
- READ MORE: League One boss praises Wrexham’s ‘ambitious’ approach under Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds
Where do Wrexham go from here?
It’s certainly true that Wrexham were simply not good enough against Leyton Orient. They may have been playing at the revered Racecourse Ground, but you couldn’t tell. Indeed, based on the performance and the tentative, submissive approach from Wrexham, you’d think they were away from home.
For months we’ve talked about Wrexham’s poor away form and how it could end up costing them promotion, but at the moment, it seems Wrexham are struggling more in front of their own supporters than on the road.
Still, it’s important to look at the bigger picture. This is Wrexham’s first season back in the third tier, and they are still third in the table with plenty of games to go.
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | Pts | GD |
| 1 | Birmingham | 29 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 69 | 32 |
| 2 | Wycombe | 31 | 18 | 9 | 4 | 63 | 27 |
| 3 | Wrexham | 31 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 58 | 19 |
| 4 | Stockport | 32 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 57 | 19 |
| 5 | Huddersfield | 31 | 16 | 7 | 8 | 55 | 17 |
| 6 | Leyton Orient | 31 | 16 | 5 | 10 | 53 | 20 |
They can turn things around, and they can still steal that second automatic promotion spot. But, the Red Dragons will surely be looking over their shoulders now as plenty of teams, including Leyton Orient, are queueing up to usurp them.
Sunday’s game against Mansfield Town will be huge now, with Wrexham desperately needing to bounce back with a win. Luckily, they’re away from home this time, so they’ll probably get a good result!