Phil Parkinson has some big decisions to make after that dismal defeat against Stoke City at the weekend, so we took a shot at predicting his next Wrexham XI for the game against Oxford United.
Wrexham lost 1-0 to Stoke on Saturday afternoon, in a game where even Mark Robins admitted his side were let off the hook due to the Red Dragons’ struggles in front of goal.
The defeat leaves Phil Parkinson’s men in 18th place in the Championship table, and supercomputer predictions suggest Wrexham have increased chances of being in a relegation battle this season.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 15 |  SouthamptonSouthampton | 10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 12 | -1 | 12 |
| 16 |  WatfordWatford | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 12 | -1 | 12 |
| 17 |  BirminghamBirmingham | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 14 | -4 | 12 |
| 18 |  WrexhamWrexham | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 16 | -2 | 10 |
| 19 |  Oxford UnitedOxford United | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 13 | -2 | 9 |
| 20 |  NorwichNorwich | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 15 | -4 | 8 |
| 21 |  DerbyDerby | 10 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 16 | -5 | 8 |
They’re just one point and one place above upcoming opponents Oxford, making it something of an early-season six-pointer in many ways.
Because of this, and with the home crowd to appease, we reckon Parkinson will abandon his 3-4-2-1 formation and revert to his trusted, more attacking 3-5-2 system for the next game. Here’s our predicted Wrexham starting XI.
- READ MORE: Phil Parkinson says what he privately told Wrexham players immediately after Stoke City loss
Two personnel changes in predicted Wrexham XI vs Oxford United
Arthur Okonkwo
Could Arthur Okonkwo have dealt with the ball into the box for Stoke City’s winning goal on Saturday? Probably, yes. Will he be dropped this week? No, he will not. The young shot stopper is still the best option Parkinson has between the sticks.
Max Cleworth
Despite losing at the weekend, the problems didn’t really lie with the Wrexham defence as much as the stuttering attack. For this reason, we believe Parkinson will stick with his back three, especially Max Cleworth, who is by far the best defender Wrexham have.
Dom Hyam
Dom Hyam’s post-match interview left a lot to be desired after the Stoke game, with the centre-half essentially brushing off the defeat and putting it all down to luck. He may find himself lucky to be starting again this week, but he’s in better form than Conor Coady, at least.
Callum Doyle
Some Wrexham fans were disappointed with Callum Doyle on Saturday, and if any of the back three are getting dropped it’ll be him. But, we think he will just pip Lewis Brunt to a starting spot for the visit of Oxford United as Parkinson looks to establish some consistency.
Issa Kabore
One of Wrexham’s many new signings this summer, Issa Kabore looked pretty lively at the weekend, and it was he who took the shot that led to Ryan Longman’s infamous missed chance. Parkinson may well be tempted to bring in Ryan Barnett instead, but Kabore should have done enough to start again.
Ben Sheaf
With a tweak to formation, one midfielder will have to miss out. George Dobson will be the unfortunate man to be dropped, with Ben Sheaf’s quality and experience at this level helping him retain his place. Sheaf made two key passes on Saturday, one accurate cross, and had better passing accuracy than Dobson.
Lewis O’Brien
Lewis O’Brien has been playing slightly further forward recently, but he’s more than capable of dropping a little deeper. That midfield pairing with Sheaf is, on paper, one of the best in the division, and O’Brien will be eager to find his goalscoring form once more. He was Wrexham’s best player vs Stoke City, and is almost undroppable.
Liberato Cacace
Let’s not sugarcoat it, Wrexham fans were rightly frustrated with Ryan Longman on Saturday. He missed that incredible opportunity to open the scoring with a wide open goal in front of him, and his overall stats were poor, too, in terms of possession and passing. Liberato Cacace simply has to come in on the left side.
Josh Windass
Josh Windass got a bit of criticism at the weekend for looking a little lost. Admittedly, it wasn’t a good showing from Wrexham’s new talisman, but with the formation change, he will become the Red Dragons’ sole playmaker, and that will help him focus his attention.
Sam Smith
With Kieffer Moore struggling against Stoke City, it’s time he was given a strike partner rather than doing it all himself. Sam Smith has not lived up to expectations yet, especially at this level, but his lively play could be the perfect foil for Moore’s target man approach.
Kieffer Moore
Yes, Kieffer Moore had a tough time of it at the weekend. He managed just two shots and only one of them was on target. But, his goalscoring record since joining Wrexham is solid, and the Red Dragons do usually look a better team when he’s playing. He could really flourish against Oxford United, especially with more players around him.