Wrexham are looking to bounce back from their disappointing home defeat to Stevenage as they travel to Crawley Town in League One.
Spirits among supporters would have been lifted as Wrexham are set to sign Reading striker Sam Smith in a club-record deal worth ‘multi-million pounds.’
Phil Parkinson has been desperate for a new striker and it looks as though he has his man to give some much-needed impetus to his attack. Smith is a better all round striker than Ollie Palmer.
How Parkinson now moulds his side around Smith will be something that the manager needs to get right and he has lots of options at his disposal in terms of personnel and formations.
How Phil Parkinson could line up with Sam Smith as a Wrexham player
Should Wrexham complete the signing of Smith from Reading, it would open up a wealth of options for how Parkinson could set his team up.
From changes in personnel to a tweak in formation, here are three ways that Wrexham could line up with their new striker in the side.
Smith replaces Palmer in a direct swap up front
Parkinson has persevered with his favoured 3-5-2 formation in recent seasons and with Ollie Palmer struggling for goals, perhaps the most obvious change would be a direct swap between him and Smith.
It does leave the question as to who partners Palmer up top, Parkinson has been urged to stop playing Elliot Lee up front so it leaves a space for Paul Mullin or Jack Marriott to play alongside Smith.
Marriott has just returned from injury and the style in which Smith plays in terms of holding the ball up but also stretching defences, could open up spaces for Mullin – we know how deadly he can be when given the opportunity.
A change in formation as Smith plays the lone striker role
The signing of Sam Smith could indicate that Parkinson is considering a change in plan completely. Parkinson has recently said he is reviewing the structure of his team and the new signing could be the start of that implementation.
Wrexham have struggled for goals and creativity this season, therefore getting their most creative ball players such as Lee and Marriott on the pitch could be key to improving that facet of their game.
Parkinson could line up with two number tens behind Smith and then keep the width with Ryan Barnett and James McClean providing quality into the box.
Wrexham could release the shackles and attack in numbers
Whilst Parkinson prefers to have defensive solidity and play three centre backs in defence, the personnel at his disposal could force the manager to change his system and release the handbrake on this Wrexham side.
He could revert to a back four and play a more dynamic 4-3-3 formation that would include Wrexham’s new signing Ryan Longman in the side.
It would mean playing McClean at left back however, the captain has played there in the past and has more than enough experience to deal with the position change at League One level.
Whatever Parkinson decides moving forward, what is clear is that Smith is being brought in to provide a focal point for this Wrexham team.
How the manager shuffles his squad around that spearhead remains to be seen but this signing could make the difference in the remainder of the season.