George Evans faces a fight on his hands to break back into the Wrexham starting XI once he returns from injury, with one key statistic highlighting exactly why.
George Evans was signed on a free transfer following his release from Championship side Millwall in the summer of 2023.
The 29-year-old quickly became a fan favourite at Wrexham, with his all-action displays at the base of midfield emerging as a key ingredient in Phil Parkinson’s men achieving promotion.
He made 32 appearances in all competitions last term, including 29 in the league, as the Englishman formed an unbreakable partnership with Andy Cannon and Elliot Lee.
Evans was rewarded with a new three year contract at Wrexham in July and he would have expected to play a regular part in League One but that hasn’t happened for him so far.
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George Dobson is one of Wrexham’s best summer signings
Evans has only played 14 minutes of action in the league and has been missing from the last four matchday squads through injury.
Although he is close to a return, the tough-tackling midfielder could find it difficult to break back into the starting XI following the emergence of George Dobson.
Dobson was signed on a free transfer this summer, presumably to provide competition for Evans, but his performances in the first six games suggest he’s an upgrade on his teammate.
Along with goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, the former Charlton Athletic captain has been one of Wrexham’s best summer signings due to his leadership, ferocious tackling and excellent passing attributes.
Dobson is a machine at the base of midfield and in League One this term, only Shrewsbury midfielder Carl Winchester has averaged more than Dobson’s 3.8 tackles per game.
The ‘sublime’ Wrexham ace is tied with Wigan Athletic’s Will Aimson and Leyton Orient’s Sean Clare for that particular metric, which showcases his importance to Parkinson.
How Phil Parkinson should utilise George Evans
Parkinson is a huge admirer of Evans. He wouldn’t have given him a new contract if he didn’t think he was a valuable weapon in League One.
When fully fit, his chances of playing ahead of Dobson are slim but when coming up against a top side in the league such as Birmingham, having Evans available does give the manager an extra tactical option.
Particularly away from home where Wrexham look to play on the counter, he could utilise Evans and Dobson as a double pivot, which would perhaps give them added defensive solidity.
Indeed, the former Derby County star still has a big part to play this term as Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds target a third successive promotion.