Jay Rodriguez has struggled to find the back of the net since his winter transfer to Wrexham and has been slammed by fans.
Amid a lack of goals from Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer in the first half of 2024/25, the Red Dragons set about improving their striker ranks in the 2025 January transfer window.
Sam Smith scored his third Wrexham goal against Wycombe Wanderers over the weekend, seeing them climb above the Chairboys and into the automatic promotion places.
Fans are worried about Smith and how isolated he has become in Phil Parkinson’s system but he’s still been semi-prolific in front of goal.
On the same day the ex-Reading man arrived in Wales, Jay Rodriguez completed his move to Wrexham but so far, he’s yet to reach the heights of his counterpart.
Phil Parkinson makes feelings on Jay Rodriguez clear
The former Burnley man has started every league game since his arrival and made one appearance off the bench in the EFL Trophy.
However, Rodriguez has come under fire from Wrexham fans, including in the clash with Huddersfield Town earlier this month.
The Welsh outfit won that tie 1-0 but the forward still drew the ire of supporters, and it was a similar story this past weekend.
Despite argubally picking up their biggest win of the season so far, Wrexham fans hit out at Rodriguez for his display, calling for him to be dropped.
However, it doesn’t look as though the 35-year-old’s place is under threat as Parkinson has praised him this week and spoke about how his, as well as James McClean and Matty James’ experience is invaluable during periods like this, as per Leader Live.
He said: “Jay Rodriguez worked hard, Matty James was great in midfield and we have got players like James McClean who have got nous and that’s so important.
“I’ve said it many times in games that experience can count and experienced players play the right ball at the right time with taking the conditions and the type of the game into mind.”
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Jay Rodriguez comments on lack of goals for Wrexham
After once again failing to find the back of the net on Saturday, the striker has now blanked in his first 10 games for the club.
Rodriguez commented on his lack of goals for Wrexham last week, suggesting it does get to him a little bit.
He said: “I hope I’m helping the team, that’s my main focus. I haven’t scored yet and as a striker, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bother me. But I don’t think it affects my game. Or the mental side.
“I’ve had patches like this when I haven’t scored for a while, but it soon ends and you go on a run. The key is to keep doing consistently well the things that you know are right.
“I’m happy just to help the team. For me, the bottom line after a game is whether we have the three points.”