Following the draw against Sheffield Wednesday, Wrexham’s ‘mentality’ has been plunged into doubt as one expert thinks that the new signings are struggling.
Wrexham drew with Sheffield Wednesday at the Racecourse Ground, a result that can be regarded as a disappointment for the Red Dragons after Phil Parkinson’s side went into half-time with a 2-0 comfortable lead.
The Red Dragons led, courtesy of a brace from Kieffer Moore, but that was not enough to diminish a second-half onslaught from Sheffield Wednesday.
Such a poor performance against a troubled Sheffield Wednesday side has sparked concern about Wrexham this season and whether Parkinson is the right person for the job.
One EFL expert in particular is far from happy with what he has seen from Parkinson’s side up to this point, having noted that Wrexham ‘capitulated’ in rather spectacular fashion against Sheffield Wednesday.
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EFL expert berates Wrexham performance vs Sheffield Wednesday
Wrexham fans were left fuming after their side gave up a two-goal cushion against a previously pointless Sheffield Wednesday, and the Red Dragons still await their first Championship win.
Pressure is starting to mount on Phil Parkinson’s shoulders, and a reaction is expected in the upcoming EFL Cup clash with Preston North End before Wrexham travel to Millwall in the Championship.
Despite showing vast quality in the opening stanza against Sheffield Wednesday, Wrexham’s second-half display was the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.
Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan managed to control and dictate play in the centre of the park, leading to Wrexham being pinned against a wall.
As well as struggling to win the midfield battles, EFL expert Justin Peach has noted the difficulty Wrexham have faced in front of goal this season.
Via The Second Tier Podcast, Peach said: “Wrexham really capitulated in that second half, didn’t they? This is their first point, but it really should be three points that they’re celebrating here.
“It’s overall been a pretty rough welcome to the championship, hasn’t it for Wrexham? They’ve created the third-highest xG in the championship so far. They’ve missed 11 big chances. That’s the second-highest behind Stoke.”
Peach also looked at the wheeling-and-dealing done by Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac this summer, with the Wrexham owners significantly backing Parkinson with signings.
“This is despite being one of the biggest net spenders in Europe. Recruitment is everything at this level and it is showing that you need the right character over just throwing money at other clubs for their squad players.
“Ultimately, what is happening here is that Wrexham are being punished for not taking opportunities for lapses in concentration.
“They’re very much a League One club coming into the Championship. No matter how much money you’re spending, if you don’t shift that mentality quickly, it’s going to be a very difficult season.”
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Phil Parkinson may have mindset issues to fix in the Wrexham squad
Wrexham’s opening two Championship games saw Phil Parkinson’s side go in as the underdogs, and in the Southampton game, they gave a brilliant account of themselves before suffering a late defeat against a recently-relegated Premier League side.
However, the pressure was on to finally deliver against Sheffield Wednesday, a side whose difficulties have been well-documented.
It felt that Wrexham thought they had won the contest by half-time, thinking that a two-goal advantage would be unassailable for Sheffield Wednesday.
To let any lead slip is far from good enough, but to do so at the Racecourse Ground against a team that is arguably below Championship level raises serious concerns on the mentality of the squad and whether they may have underestimated the Owls on the afternoon.