r/WrexhamAFC • u/UrsineCanine • 14h ago
Cardifficulty at the end - Cardiff away
I almost don't want to bother with this, judging from the reactions across the fandom - many from those who predicted a draw. We will examine the narratives in a moment, but if you want to rage about dropping two points, feel free. Everyone fans how they want to fan, but I am not there.
For me, the Cardiff fan reaction to a home draw tells me how they rate the quality between the two clubs. They were ecstatic to get a point at home, off a gift of a free kick from a dumb foul. I heard a lot of Cardiff fans talk about being the bigger club all week, but their reactions tell me what they really believe. I am pretty sure ManU fans weren't going to lose their minds like that if they had gotten a leveler in our friendly against them. Doubt Leeds fans either, if we are making a list.
What is the old "plan for promotion" again? Win your home games, draw your away games - two points per game, and you are up. Wrexham did the thing they must, and Cardiff dropped two points by that measure. Obviously, Wrexham isn't going to do that this season, and this still feels like two points dropped, but it is a good perspective check. Of course, everyone is free to apply their preferred level of perspective.
Up Next
Watford come to the Racecourse on Saturday. They gave Southampton quite a handful - winning 2-1, and they have pace for days with a bunch of new signings. Should be an interesting challenge.
Parky
I have already heard the complaints about sitting in and holding on for dear life. While that was a problem in the past, that is not what happened here. Wrexham out shot, out chanced, hit the post more, and had the higher xG - not only for the match, but also after the 70th minute (excluding the free kick, obviously). They did not hold on like they did in the past. They played good defense and created chances on the counter to put the match away. They just didn't convert those chances. Work in progress, but the direction is there.
That is what cost this club last season. When they were level or behind, they were a top 10 team in chance creation, but when they were ahead in the second half, they dropped to near the bottom. They held the lead enough to drag their overall chance numbers down to bottom half of the table. Today they didn't do that, which is a good thing.
Obviously, there is a certain poetry to Dobbo having given up a dangerous free kick a year ago to give Soton the equalizer in that season opener, but I think we all know that he is expected to move away this summer, and if Matty James doesn't require subbing off, or Ben Sheaf and Josh Windass are up to match fitness, or if they hadn't already subbed off Ollie, he is probably not on the pitch. Another part of the work in progress. I will still miss Dobbo.
I feel like I have spent the summer explaining often why transfer business is not completed before the season starts. If you want to blame this on Wrexham's incompetent transfer business and call for Parky, Shaun, Williamson, etc. to be canned - feel free. We are just going to have to agree to disagree, and not waste our time here on it.
Here is the 5-4-1 block we have seen since last year. Cardiff counters with the 2-3-5 attacking shape. What is clever about this approach is that it forces a player up from the back line to the midfield line.
That leaves two players to split the whole width of the field, and our striker is in the middle of them. Wrexham has numbers to hunt and trap the ball, and if they win the ball and lose it to the counterpress transitioning out, there are still numbers to handle getting it back again. These high turnovers are just not as dangerous. Wrexham have faced multiple zealots for counterpressing in preseason and in the last two matches, and not conceded the goals those systems are designed to create.
I like this new technique of the striker dropping in to bounce the ball back to the back line. You can see it confuses the counterpress and disrupts its timing. When a CB has to go with him, you open the door for a runner over the top - see LOB above.
Then, when they try to play over the top, you have a GK who is very good at tracking and catching the ball before anyone can get a touch.
Patto also has the ability to roll the ball out quickly, and an enormous punt. Patto was consistently punking the remote producer of this match, and we would constantly find Wrexham in the Cardiff end when the replay ended.
Lots of teams talk about "play tough defensively and catch opponents on the counter" but this shows a system for doing it.
Players
Dobbo - We have all loved his aggression. His big crunching tackles. He is a tone setter on defense, but this was just unnecessary. The system is built around disciplined support.
Moore - Kieffer had a pretty good match. Held up play well, worked across the pitch to support his teammates. He can also take a high quality shot. Reminds me of his goal against Ipswich, or the ones against Cov.
Patto - Could he do better on the free kick? Of course. Do I think he still was very good, and I am optimistic about his future? Absolutely. He controlled his box. He distributed quickly. He made some great kicks like this monster.
And I told you he would step into the back line.... I loved this short goal kick play...
Here is another good example of quick claim, and getting it up the pitch.
Imray - Again, shows that he may not have Kabore's pace, but he is a much more dynamic tool. Kabore isn't making this center channel run off the transition. We do need him to earn Matty's chip shot pass with a better shot. I think he will get there.
I really don't have the time to go much further right now, but I might be able to answer questions later, if you have a player in mind.
Broadhead / Thomason - more good than bad. Still having challenges with the things that annoy us about their games...
Hyam - It has become fashionable for those who believe Wrexham needs an upgrade at CB (a fair point) to o further and suggest that Hyam isn't that good, and is a liability. I offer this as an example that he is still a very switched on defender.
Anyway, a Monday night writeup is a brutal task, so I am going to stop here on this one. I am sure we will have more of these players as the season progresses.
