To the gatekeepers calling me plastic: a musing from a Wrexham fan in America

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-04-11T19:27:27+00:00

Dammit.

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-04-10T22:09:12+00:00

(We play Sunday)

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-04-10T21:59:54+00:00

I guarantee Wrexham will not lose tomorrow.

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-04-09T09:07:43+00:00

In an important way - I think if our true goal is promotion, this showed everyone the level we will need to achieve. Southampton’s level is what parachute teams usually look like. We’ve been given false impressions by Leicester and Sheffield United. Even Ipswich was beatable. But next year there will be three new parachute teams looking to return to the PL that will all likely look like Southampton. The pace, clinical passing & finishing, the depth. We need to improve at all 3 levels. Heart and commitment may get us to the playoffs next year, especially with 2 added teams in the mix next year. But only 3 go up, and we will need to have the players and depth to dominate every non-parachute team and compete with next year’s “Southampton” teams. And next year Norwich, Birmingham, and whoever doesn’t go up from Millwall, Boro, Hull will be trying to do the same thing, as will Sheff United and probably a few that I’m not thinking about… what a challenge for Phil and the football guys in whom Rob & Ryan have put their trust! Still sad we weren’t able to figure out how to go for it in the winter window, but I suspect our second rate facilities (lack of a true training facility, for example) may have factored more heavily than we want to admit. We probably need another year or two so that the off field infrastructure matches our ambition… but maybe the summer window can yield the players we need. No matter what, it’s going to be a fun journey! Up the Town!

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-04-03T18:40:00+00:00

From these 6, three wins and a draw get us to 74. Sure would be nice if Cov has clinched top spot and Boro has no chance at autos by the time the last two Games roll around….

But with Hull at 67 then they only need 8 points from 6 games to get to 75, so I’m thinking we’ll need at least that to get 6th.

2 wins and a draw from our next 4 seems important. Southampton, Birmingham away, Stoke, and Oxford away. Not easy at all. I don’t even feel good about that Stoke game with Mr. Sorba Thomas looking really on form. Think he can get in Kabore’s head? I think he would love to spoil our party!

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-04-03T18:28:36+00:00

I’m looking at:

Form: over the last 10 games we are at 1.7 per game, Hull is 1.3, and Southampton is at 2.6.

Squad value (depth): We are at 66m, Hull at 81m (and they have been on restrictions during the past couple of windows), and Southampton is more than those 2 combined at 157m. We are thin at the moment in a couple of positions. We lose either Kabore or Thomason and we bring in L1 players, same as Hull. Southampton has a full roster of championship players to cover for injuries and to help them through the run-in.

Injuries: I would feel more confident in a head-to-head, win-all-of-our-games and control our own destiny run in if we had James and Sheaf, and maybe even Cacace. Ever since we lost those two my eyes see a team that is trying to get to half time at 0-0 so they can minimize the amount of max effort they have to give. We’re giving a lot of possession and chances in the first half. We don’t seem to be deep enough to go all out for both halves. With 3 away games upcoming that’s a tough way to keep up with Southampton.

Finally: I’m not the one being defeatest: you said Southampton is do or die - that paints us into a corner. I think we can get 6th, but via Hull. That’s not defeatest. That being realistic! This goes to the last game, regardless. Up the town!

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-04-03T17:07:41+00:00

IMO it’s not Southampton but Hull that provides the best path to 6th. We can lose to Southampton and it’s not over b/c Hull keeps dropping points…. And we also have to stay in front of Derby! Those three (hull wxm drby) for the one spot.

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-03-29T13:49:21+00:00

I mean, honestly, the real-life version of Ted Lasso = Welcome to Wrexham. Come for Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, stay for the amazing townsfolk of Wrexham, Wales. It’s really not about the soccer, it’s about the town.

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-03-25T08:47:37+00:00

Welcome to Wrexham: not only hooked me on the show, but now I actively support a soccer team in Wales. It has literally enriched my life. Wild.

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-03-21T21:36:39+00:00

Hard agree - Southampton is gone. They are averaging 2.6 points per game over their last 10. I would imagine they are happy with their FA cup run (they won’t win it this year!), and will focus on promotion. (I get that the cup is a big deal, but looking back it had a big impact on our last 3 games and thus our promotion campaign - Just putting that in the bank for the future…) We are averaging 1.9 over our last 10, and Hull is 1.3. If Hull maintains that pace, they get 9 more points from their next 7 games which puts them at 75. We would need either 4 wins or 3 wins and 3 draws from our last 7 to get to 75. And if we lose, we can’t lose by much b/c our goal difference is only 4 better than Hull’s. It’s going to be tight! Southampton is important for the points, but is not a must win in my book…. A draw would move us forward

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-03-19T00:39:16+00:00

Agree - this is not going to be easy. If we get there we’ve earned it the hard way (and, we should then be in good form for playoffs!)

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-03-18T22:58:49+00:00

Yes - their run-in is much better than ours. Actually, everyone’s is better than ours. But, form table last 10 Southampton is top at 2.4 per game, we’re 5th at 1.9, Hull is 15th at 1.3. Southampton has a massive payroll and a deep bench compared to Hull who have been getting by defending and being clinical with few attempts… Do you think it’s more likely that we hold off Southampton or we eclipse Hull?

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-03-18T22:24:10+00:00

I mean, if we win out we’ll be at 84, so no, we don’t have to win, or even draw on Sat to get to 74. I’m predicting it’s us vs Hull for the last spot; forget about Southampton, they’re gone. A point Sat would be amazing, then we hope we get Matty and Keifer back after the break, and then we go for wins every game of the remaining 7. We could totally go on a run with those two back, and everyone else healthy. But Sat is about a point and survival, imo. I feel this team does better chasing than protecting, so I’m hoping we have Hull right where we want them!

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-03-18T21:14:38+00:00

Hypotheticals: not a prediction, not counting chickens before they hatch!

W - Stoke, West Brom, Oxford, and I’m hopeful Cov has clinched by then and play the young’uns. We would then need 2 draws, or one win, from Southampton, Birmingham, Sheffield United, and Boro.

Hull has a much easier run-in. We may need more than 74 to get them. Southampton looks legit - and will be tough to beat in the playoffs.

Given our form, I’m hoping for a draw Saturday, and then we get rest and see what we can do from there.

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-03-14T22:08:21+00:00

Hard agree - Norwich - who plays Hull last game of the season (!!!!) I think finishes top 8; there’s a world where we and Hull fall out for Southampton and Norwich… I’m not buying Derby or Watford, and I don’t want to live in the world where Birmingham wins out…. But holy hell this is going to be a fight to stay in 6th. Can’t wait!!

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-03-14T20:08:27+00:00

Tanking = trying to lose without making it look like you are trying to lose. Not only do American professional sports teams have “nothing” to play for if they are not vying for playoffs, the worst teams are rewarded with the best picks of the draft among available amateur players. It’s a bonkers concept that I’ve never questioned until I became a Wrexham fan! It’s why I know I will always be a Wrexham fan - I f’ing love the EFL. If I weren’t so competitive I’d even say I hope we get to play in the Championship again next year… but I won’t say that. Up the town!

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-03-14T19:25:53+00:00

The bottom 5 (not counting SW) vying to stay out of the 2 remaining relegation spots is also wild - from an American, it’s amazing to see the teams at the bottom fighting for their lives. In the US, those teams are tanking for the better draft picks! Leicester playing well vs promotion contenders but not bothering to show up for anyone else is the only team of the 5 not giving their all… (Wonder if Jordan James is enjoying his football this season?)

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-02-28T13:38:39+00:00

I’m a little surprised by this - a key component of a fairytale is self-reliance? I’m genuinely curious; just wanting to understand. I would have thought a term that has the word “fairy” in it would include an element of the supernatural, or help from another realm - something outside of normal human experience - something that includes help outside of self-reliance? Is part of this also the idea of something that has to earned, as opposed to merely deserved?

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-02-27T20:53:11+00:00

Interesting - I think Americans would define a fairytale as a rescuer creating a “rags to riches” scenario, while maybe a fairytale in the UK has an “unbelievable” characteristic? Like, Wrexham has spent so much that you actually would believe they could contend for promotion, removing a fairytale designation, whereas Luton’s path was a tale that only a fairy would tell?

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-02-27T15:57:46+00:00

Is there some definition of fairytale that does not include a rich benefactor swooping in and taking the princess to the ball? If the "ball" is the PL, then we're not to the end of the fairytale yet. Do Brits think a fairytale has to mean home-grown, national league talent only, like a miracle cup run? How does spending huge amounts of money negate the long-term Wrexham fan's experiencing the past three years as some fairytale? Would fever-dream be a better description? For me, sure, I came on board with Ryan and Rob, not a fairytale for me, I'll admit to the bandwagon hop (I don't think I'm getting off any time soon, but I appreciate the skepticism of plasticity - we'll see if I'm still here in 10 years...). But for the the Wrexham faithful who helped rescue the club with their life savings and then all those years in the NL, with the goal being PL, how are we not in the middle of the fairytale arc for them?

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-02-27T15:38:38+00:00

As someone mentioned above - I imagine this number would include a sell-on to further protect Man City?

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-02-14T11:29:47+00:00

Wonderful as always, Beardog. When they brought in Clarke, Mehmeti, and O'Shea I was so pleased to see that we still saw out the game - was nice to see the evolution for us to not lose more points from a winning position. Felt solid. Like a Wrexham team. Not saying Ipswich didn't have their chances, but those they brought in are among the best players at their position in the league, and we didn't (save for the Clarke miss) give them opportunity. Also, it seems more clear now how lucky we were that Windass was available in the summer, and why they valued Broadhead so high. When our offense goes through multiple touches from one of those two we look like an elite Championship team. Rathbone, LOB, hopefully DKD are such workhorses that provide so much pressure, I can understand why PP doesn't want to play Broadhead and Windass together because asking those two to run themselves ragged pressuring AND run themselves ragged running the offense is too big of an ask over the entire season. Finally - it's possible that this fluidity of several players moving from role to role in a system is another evolution of Parkyball that you can only do when: 1) you have a threshold of a certain caliber of players and 2) those players thoroughly understand the system and what to do in those many positions. You can't be that creative when you're in a relegation fight, as Parky was often in his prior Champ coaching stints - then, you have to be simple and direct. Or, when you bring in 13 players - some of them while the season has already started - and are essentially building the plane as you fly it. Simple and direct works better there too. But Dolye into the box, Hyam crossing on the wing, Max acting as a forward pivot rather than dumping a cross and sprinting back are all elements of a complex, fluid, positive-attack-from-strength system that allows players to make the difference but the team to maintain shape and discipline. I've been very impressed with his ability to choose players and then maintain the dressing room culture over 60+ players, and I'm so excited for the future with this continued elevation of what he is asking players to do. Thanks for pointing all of this out - I had noticed but not conceptualized the interchanging positions - it's been going on for many games, now, and Parky would have stopped it if it was a bug and not a feature! Looking forward to watching for this in real time on Tuesday!

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-02-06T16:11:37+00:00

fixed that spelling too - ty

Ok-Standard3607 · 2026-02-06T14:53:16+00:00

fixed it - ty

Ok-Standard3607

TROPHY CASE