Wrexham suffered a blow in the League One promotion race, losing 2-1 at the hands of Leyton Orient on Tuesday night.
Phil Parkinson had got Wrexham back on track after losing the unbeaten home record against Stevenage.
Four wins in a row in all competitions had seen Wrexham recover from that defeat ahead of facing Leyton Orient.
Tuesday night was always going to be tough with Orient racking up 11 wins in 14 games before heading to the STōK Cae Ras.
Ollie Rathbone fired Wrexham in front but Orient found goals from Charlie Kelman and Jamie Donley, securing a 2-1 victory.
After going so long without a home victory in League One, it’s now defeats in a row – and one major problem remains unsolved.
Wrexham have made a transfer mistake
Wrexham fans have pointed the finger at Parkinson, believing that there was just too much long ball on display.
Parkinson himself has highlighted Ollie Rathbone’s lack of impact in the second half, believing that Wrexham players weren’t finding him enough.
Midfield partners Matty James and George Dobson are hard-working battlers in midfield but not especially creative in the final third.
Rathbone offers a goal threat but he can’t do it all on his own – and Wrexham may pay the price for not adding another creative midfield player.
Elliot Lee is a brilliant player and has been so crucial for Wrexham ever since arriving at the club in 2022.
Lee looked tired towards the end of last season but Wrexham still didn’t bring in another creative player in midfield.
One player cannot carry the creative load in the middle of the pitch and January should have been the time to add another playmaker.
Wrexham chose not to but Lee has now suffered injuries in a road traffic accident and finds himself on the sidelines.
It’s unclear just when Lee will play again but the lack of creativity in the final third is obvious when he is unavailable.
Competition for Lee should have been a priority at the end of last season but here we are; a promotion run-in is on the horizon and it’s still a problem for Wrexham.
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have given brilliant support to Wrexham but right now, the logic behind signing two strikers and ignoring the attacking midfield area looks strange.
We could see more nights like Tuesday without that extra playmaking option who can unlock stubborn defences and that could ultimately cost Wrexham an automatic promotion spot in League One.
Elliot Lee update
The hope is that Lee won’t be out for too long.
Lee missed games against Northampton Town and Leyton Orient as he recovers from his accident.
Lee has offered an update, admitting that he ‘found out just how fragile life is’ after his crash.
The Wrexham star added that he hopes to be back on the pitch as soon as possible, though Parkinson will be wary of pushing him too soon.
Wrexham need Lee’s guile around the box but caution over his health and fitness has to be the focus right now.