After two defeats in two games in the Championship, alarm bells may be ringing for Wrexham, and one statistic in particular backs up that notion completely.
Let’s be honest, we all knew that stepping up to the Championship would be tough for Wrexham. Even with all the signings the Red Dragons have made this summer, there’s still a long way to go before they can match the teams in this division.
Still, a 2-1 defeat away at Southampton and a narrow loss to West Brom are not results to be sniffed at. Indeed, with a few more tweaks, Phil Parkinson could turn those defeats into points gained.
But, looking deeper at the facts and figures behind the results, there is one concerning pattern.
Wrexham have conceded a higher xG than any Championship team so far
Turns out, according to statistics from OPTA, Wrexham have conceded more xG against than any other team in the second tier so far this season, and it’s not even close.
Wrexham may be outside the bottom three right now thanks to their goal difference, but they’ve actually racked up a very worrying 6.5 xG against after two games.
| Team | xG against | Goals conceded |
| Wrexham | 6.5 | 5 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 4.6 | 5 |
| Derby County | 4.3 | 8 |
| Norwich City | 3.9 | 3 |
| Southampton | 3.4 | 2 |
Sheffield Wednesday are next on the list with 4.6, and given their nightmare of a summer, it says a lot that the Red Dragons are allowing almost 2 xG more than the Owls.
Perhaps even more alarming is the fact that Derby County, who have conceded eight goals in their two matches, have less xG against (4.3) than Wrexham, too.
We know Wrexham have created more big chances than any team other than league leaders Stoke so far this season. Clearly, then, being more clinical is important, but preventing as many big chances for their opponents is absolutely crucial.
Everyone knows Wrexham need new defenders
Something is obviously wrong with Wrexham at the back, and everyone knows it. Even Jeff Stelling has told Wrexham to sign new defenders rather than adding more strikers to the squad, and he has a point.
New signing Conor Coady is a start, and we all know Max Cleworth is capable of going to the very top, but beyond that, Parkinson has very few options at the back that he can trust.
We expect Wrexham to bring in at least two new defenders before the end of the window, and don’t be surprised to see someone like Dan Scarr moved on before deadline day, too.