The fact that newly promoted Wrexham currently hold one of the three League Two promotion spots, but a significant portion of the fan base feels that the team has not yet found their footing, is one of the most peculiar aspects of this season thus far. It might be accurate. There are undoubtedly a few home performances that haven’t quite reached the level of previous season, but everyone can agree that Saturday’s victory at Meadow Lane was incredibly impressive.
Parky’s boys gave an incredible away performance, and they deservedly won. Two midfielders were chosen as part of the back three, which raised a few questions about the team selection prior to the game.
But aside from a few nervous moments, Tom O’Connor and George Evans were dominant the entire time, and I don’t think the hosts ever really looked like they were going to make a score. So, in keeping with that wonderful day spent outside in the Nottingham sunshine, here are five things we discovered from the game on Saturday.
Evans and O’Connor can perform anywhere.
Well, that might be going a bit too far, but you get the idea. I wouldn’t want them to take the place of Mullin and Palmer. These two players epitomise utility men, and on Saturday, their quality was evident from the first to the last minute.
George Evans appears to be a player who embodies elegance and sophistication, making him a crucial component in Parky’s smoothly operating red machine (more puns are available).
Tozer has more work ahead of him.
The club captain has recently struggled with his form and found himself out of contention. Despite a few shaky moments, the 33-year-old generally played well on Saturday. Most notably, he gave the ball away in the second half, but fortunately David McGoldrick was unable to capitalise.
Tozer, though, will still be a vital member of the Reds this season. His leadership abilities are, in my opinion, greatly underestimated, and he is a terrific option with so many defenders dealing with injuries. His 200-mile ball-throwing ability is just a bonus.
The strongest away support outside of the Championship is that of Wrexham.
I acknowledge my bias, but Saturday’s game saw nearly 3,000 Reds take over the Jimmy Sirrel, making it another bouncing away end. Once again, the ardent fans who travel throughout Wales and England to cheer on the team did their country proud, and some of the scenes that followed the second goal’s score were incredible.
One of the most spectacular falls since Del Boy told Trigger to play it cool involved the guy sitting next to me, who somehow ended up five rows below his seat. It was a fantastic away day, with Nottingham turning into a sea of red throughout the afternoon on the train ride home.
Mullin would be better off partnered with Ollie Palmer.
Sam Dalby performed admirably at the beginning of the game; it was unfortunate that he did not score early in the second half. However, I felt that after Palmer was introduced, the entire game changed.
The big man opened up the Notts defence, and he solidified his spot as my first choice at number nine when he blasted his size 12 Winklepicker into the net after Mullin had knocked him down. Palmer and Mullin up top when fit, but Dalby and Fletcher are also great options off the bench.
In football, we all have our opinions about team selection and tactics, but no one is more qualified than the main man himself to determine the right decisions to make game by game. Parkinson once again had it perfect at Notts, and although some supporters bemoan his seeming inability to alter formation at the beginning of games, it is evident that his strategy is effective.
The team appears to be improving right now. Although some supporters would rather see a back four from the outset of games, the 3-5-2 system that switches to a 4-3-1-2 when trailing is effective, as seen by the number of goals scored in the closing minutes of games.
Parky and Parkin have thus undoubtedly discovered a winning recipe, and despite a few disappointing outings this season, it appears that the Reds are heading in the right direction. At Mansfield, see you soon!
