Phil Parkinson added not one but two strikers to his Wrexham squad in the winter window, but only one of them can actually have a significant impact.
After struggling to sign new players all month, Wrexham pulled the trigger late in the window with three new signings before deadline day.
Ryan Longman arrived to add depth on the wings, while both Sam Smith and Jay Rodriguez are looking to solve Wrexham’s issues in attack.
Some have praised the signing of Rodriguez and played up the impact he can have. But, we spoke to TBR Football’s Strategic & Operational Head of Football, Graeme Bailey, and he suggested the veteran forward was an odd signing.
Jay Rodriguez is not a player that will impact Wrexham’s future
We asked Bailey about the transfer and what it means for Wrexham both short and long-term, and the expert questioned the ambition of the move from the club’s perspective.
Bailey said: “I think he fills a slot, but to give a 35-year-old an 18-month deal, I don’t see it as anything more than a big-name signing. I don’t think Rodriguez plays a major role in Wrexham’s future — I don’t see Rodriguez as a statement signing in the slightest.”
Rodriguez insists his experience can be beneficial to Wrexham, having been through highs and lows of football in his career.
However, looking at both Rodriguez and Sam Smith, it’s clear that only the latter will actually have a meaningful impact in the grand scheme of things.
Wrexham have an excess of strikers, something has to give in the summer
Phil Parkinson now has seven first-team strikers to choose from, with Smith and Rodriguez joining Paul Mullin, Ollie Palmer, Steven Fletcher, Jack Marriott, and Mo Faal in the Wrexham squad.
That’s without mentioning Wrexham’s new teenage star, Harry Ashfield, who grabbed a goal on his debut in the win over Port Vale on Tuesday night.
Come the summer, we will surely see the Red Dragons clear decks a little in the forward areas, especially if they do get promotion this season.
| Player | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Smith | 27 | 11 | 2 |
| Jay Rodriguez | 23 | 2 | 0 |
| Ollie Palmer | 31 | 3 | 2 |
| Paul Mullin | 31 | 5 | 1 |
| Steven Fletcher | 25 | 6 | 0 |
| Jack Marriott | 15 | 5 | 0 |
| Mo Faal | 14 | 3 | 1 |
Both Mullin and Palmer were mooted for exits in January, and could be at risk in the summer, with Palmer the more likely to move on. Meanwhile, Faal will need to push on and fulfill his potential or face a similar fate.
Plus, 37-year-old Steven Fletcher is surely coming to the end of his career now. Despite producing the goods for Wrexham this season with a decent goals return, the experienced striker would have to be let go in the summer if the Red Dragons seriously want to compete in the Championship.
Realistically, the only two strikers who can be sure they have a significant role to play at Wrexham in the long-term are Sam Smith and Jack Marriott.