Wrexham suffered defeat in their pre-season clash of the summer before their Championship opener at Southampton.
A Wrexham XI were beaten 1-0 by Groningen at the club’s training ground before Phil Parkinson took another set of players to play at the stadium in front of fans.
Josh Windass impressed fans with a fine volley for his side but could not prevent the Red Dragons from losing the match 3-1.
It was an excellent run out for the squad and they can now have a week on the training ground to iron out any issues. One new signing in particular caught the eye of Wrexham supporters.
READ MORE: Technical error leaves Wrexham fans searching for answers during Groningen friendly meeting
Wrexham fans react to Lewis O’Brien performance vs Groningen
Groningen provided strong opposition ahead of the test against Southampton and Wrexham had to work hard to stay in the game.
Lewis O’Brien made his debut for the club in midfield and Wrexham fans have quickly taken to X to deliver their verdict on the club-record signing.
One Wrexham fan wrote: “Equipped ourselves OK in that half. Windass and O’Brien have stood out. Couple of sloppy mistakes at the back have gifted our hosts their goals.”
Another fan wrote: “O’Brien looks a cut above anything we have on this pitch, what a signing.”
Another fan also singled out O’Brien for praise alongside his midfield partner Matty James, they wrote: “Lewis O’Brien looks a player and Matty James seemed one of the few today who had a solid idea of what he wanted to do with the ball.”
Phil Parkinson has a week to decide his Wrexham XI for season opener
The two games were a great opportunity for Parkinson to assess the form and fitness of his squad ahead of next week’s opener at St Mary’s Stadium.
He now has a huge decision to make as to how many new signings he bloods into the starting XI with many of them having never played together before.
A week on the training ground will be beneficial, however, that is no substitute for a competitive match situation.
There are a host of positions that are up for grabs and with the current size of the Wrexham squad, even being named in the twenty matchday players is a challenge for some members.
Parkinson needs a clear plan in place for the game and then has a week to work with the team on their shape and getting to know their new partners and defensive distances.