Part 47: Chapter the Third: One step forward, two steps back.
Chapter the Third: One step forward, two steps back.September 1, 2016-October 10, 2016
Let's keep our positive start going, nothing on our schedule looks too daunting, and we'll get another crack at the Johnstone's Paint Trophy in October.
I didn't see anything that struck my fancy, so no reason to add players we might not need.
Salaries are down across the board this year in League Two, we're spending less than we were last season and are still the third highest payroll team.
Only two teams were net buyers during the window, combined with the decreases in salary the whole league seems like it should be worse than it was last season.
Tackleford were big sellers, but nowhere near twice relegated Sunderland. Man. The Black Cats got blowed up.
Tackleford is still spending a lot of money on salary, though. Their payroll is a solid million above the next highest. They'd have a medium sized payroll in the Championship. You can see the difference between League One and League Two, however. We're the third highest payroll team in League Two, and we'd be at the bottom of the list if we were a level higher.
Muahahahaha. Someone as fast as Harrison with the skill of busting the offside trap? Yeah, he's going to be a menace to opposing defenses.
At this rate the US won't even qualify for the hex. Yikes.
Preston will be a challenge, but not an impossible one.
vs. Bradford City, September 3, 2016
League Two
Bradford are pegged for the midtable again, which means we'll have to watch our step. This match is taking place while several of our players are away, it's a good chance to rotate in others and give them a chance to start. I, err, forgot that there was an U18 game today, though, and a good number of our youth team is also away on international duty, so I'm very much hoping that Adrian Read is the only youth player we have to use today. The other two on the bench are not good at all. Also, somehow all three goalkeepers on the youth team were picked today by the U18 head coach, so we'll be running without a backup keeper.
Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Counter
Starting 11: Higgs, Tench, Reid, Poole, Ashton, Kadhim, Simpson (c), Bailey, Franks, Read, Spilsbury.
Subs: Smissen, Thomas, Lewis, Jenkins, Price, Nash, Nash.
Spilsbury gets his first goal for Wrexham a sixth of the way into the game. It's a header, which is kind of funny as he's not at all an aerial threat. We hold serve until Bradford strike lucky in the 65th minute on a long range shot, and we can't find another goal. It's a tie, and we looked competent but uninspired in earning it.
Wrexham 1-1 Bradford
Oh for- the US isn't even going to make the second round of CONCACAF qualifiers. Come on, this is as unrealistic as England winning the World Cup. What is this, 1976?
Reid has been decidedly mediocre since the start of the season. He needs to pick himself back up, but I'm starting to think he's just prone to long streaks of good and bad form. Hughes is a coach these days, and actually a pretty decent one.
vs. Cheltenham, September 10, 2016
League Two
(I forgot to take the screenshot)
Cheltenham is not good. They're in last place and have a single point. We should win this handily.
Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Al-Beloushi, Tench, Reid, Poole, Smisson, Kadhim, Simpson (c), Bailey, X, Mujcik, Harrison.
Subs: Higgs, Ashton, Todd, Jenkins, Cobb, Price, Spilsbury.
Cheltenham parks the bus, and it's late in the game when we finally unlock their defense via a goal from a corner. We continue to control the match, but a lapse of concentration while defending a corner allows Cheltenham to draw even in the 87th minute. It's a draw, an outrageous one. I am most displeased.
Man of the Match: Justin Bailey
Wrexham 1-1 Cheltenham
100 games at Wrexham. When they write my hagiography, I want it noted that I demurred when it came to having a celebration for this match.
At Exeter, September 17, 2016
League Two
Exeter's had a rough start to the season, but can jump up as high as 11th on the table if they win this match. We've had a poor stretch recently, only two points in our last three games, so I would like to see us get back on track. Also, Exeter's backup goalkeeper is named T'nique Bowles. That's one heck of a name.
Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Counter
Starting 11: Al-Beloushi, Tench, Todd, Poole, Smisson, Simpson (c), Cobb, Bailey, Coulson, Mujcik, Harrison.
Subs: Higgs, Thomas, Lewis, Kadhim, Jenkins, Netala, Spilsbury.
Exeter has the best of the first, but we should have the lead after Harrison put in a miserable effort on a clear cut chance. Al-Beloushi has been quite good, but we're going to need more than just a strong performance from him if we want to take the three points today. But Exeter scores twice when play resumes, and we need a miracle just to avoid defeat. There's no miracle to be had, Exeter's striker celebrates his hat trick after another corner kick leads to a goal. Harrison scores on a breakaway to give us a modicum of hope in the 76th minute, but Exeter's striker slams the door shut with his third goal off a corner.
We've got a serious problem. Last year we gave up a slightly above average number of goals off corner kicks. This season a full third of our goals allowed have come from set pieces, and that is a significant undercount as it only includes goals directly from free kicks and corners. We're not clearing the ball quickly enough, and it's biting us in the ass. If anyone has suggestions, I'm all ears.
Exeter 4-1 Wrexham
vs. Gillingham, September 24
League Two
Come home with your shields or on them, damnit.
Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Counter
Starting 11: Al-Beloushi, Tench, Reid, Smisson, Kadhim, Simpson (c), Cobb, Coulson, Netala, Harrison.
Subs: Higgs, Ashton, Poole, Jenkins, Bailey, Mujkic, Franks.
Richard Cobb blasts a free kick on the very edge of the penalty area over Gillingham's wall to open the scoring in the 12th minute. Fifteen minutes later Tench blows his marking assignment and allows Gillingham to equalize, and near the end of the half they score on a mirror image of Cobb's goal. It's the final goal of the game, despite equal possession and just as many chances we're now winless in our last six games.
Man of the Match: Richard Cobb
Wrexham 1-2 Gillingham
Bad runs of form make this game hell to play. You spend the time in between games glaring at the tactics screen and find yourself second guessing your lineup selections, and the time during games expecting to lose even when you're ahead.
Morale is in the pits, as you'd expect, but I'm able to lift spirits some. We're a long way from OK though, and we're wasting great opportunities to put the club in position to earn promotion.
We're underachieving? Ya think?
Oh ye of little faith.
We'd have played three games in a week, so a postponement serves our purposes.
At Southend, October 1, 2016
League Two
Southend is middle of the table, but we've been atrocious recently. We really, really need to pick things up.
Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Counter
Starting 11: Al-Beloushi, Tench, Reid, Poole, Smisson, Simpson (c), Cobb, Bailey, Coulson, Mujkic, Harrison.
Subs: Higgs, Ashton, Todd, Jenkins, Kadhim, Netala, Spilsbury.
Southend controls the first half, but we're scoreless after the first half as they miss a point blank chance. I'm frustrated, we're playing scared and nothing I've done has been able to drag the players out of their slump. Southend scores after we fail to clear the ball from the area in the 70th minute, and we're facing another loss. The result is sealed in the 87th minute when Al-Beloushi fails to make a simple save off of a free kick from thirty yards out.
Southend 2-0 Wrexham
Sky Shadowing is not a very patient president.
Dispatching mfcrocker to do your dirty work for you? Shame on you. It's not even like the schedule is going to get easier, we're up against the first and fourth placed teams on the table.
: Hey broseph, you should hold a team meeting!
: I just held one.: Yeah, but do it again, I'm sure the players will respond well.
Oh fuck you, Simpson. I'm not the one who's been playing like shit. I need to never, ever listen to Sugar Ray when it comes to man management. Thanks for reminding me of McGrath's namesake, guys, now I can't get Sugar Ray out of my head. Ugh.
He's been in a slump. He seems prone to them. He's also prone to runs of scoring, so I need to figure out how to recognize when he's going cold.
That's not the response I wanted to hear. I don't have time for him to find his rhythm. If he doesn't score in the next two games, someone else is getting his spot.
Ingrates. I'll show you. I'll show all of you!
I thought you were opposed to more meetings?
It'd help if you started playing better.
At Preston North End, October 5, 2016
Johnstone's Paint Trophy, Second Round
We somehow got a bye into the second round of the tournament, I'm not sure how. It's not going to matter, given how terrible we've been I wouldn't favor us to win against a Skrill North side right now. This isn't counted in our ultimatum to earn ten points from the next five games, so at least I have that much going for me.
Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Defense
Starting 11: Al-Beloushi, Tench, Reid, Poole, Smisson, Simpson (c), Cobb, Bailey, Coulson, Mujkic, Harrison.
Subs: Higgs, Ashton, Todd, Jenkins, Kadhim, Netala, Spilsbury.
I fire up the boys with as rip roaring speech as I can manage before the game, and they go play their hearts out. We concede slightly more chances in the first half, but our defense remains impregnable. Harrison gives us the lead when he latches onto a goal kick from Al-Beloushi and fires an accurate shot past the Preston keeper in the 44th minute. I tell the players that they're making me proud during the half-time pep talk, and they continue to do so in the second half, neutering Preston so completely that we actually end up having more possession. We keep our lead, and break our winless streak against a League One side.
Man of the Match: Gary Tench
Preston 0-1 Wrexham
If we can beat Preston on their home turf, we can beat any team. I want to start adding some trophies.
Players who pick up five yellow cards before January first will earn a one game suspension. I had always thought they counted cards earned in each competition separately, but apparently cup game yellows count towards a league game suspension.
Al-Beloushi is usually fantastic for his national team, I'm wondering why he's only been decent for us. I should look into whether he'd be better off playing fewer long balls. Or it could just be that most Asian nations have horrible, horrible teams with players that make League Two clubs look laden with superstars.
Oldham will be a challenge, but if we can beat teams like Wigan and Preston we can beat Oldham.
It seems like half the team is at my door asking about what I'm going to do to get us back on track. Step one was topping Preston. Step two is beating the snot out of our upcoming competition.
Our fast start means that we haven't been buried yet, but while I think the board is way too hasty in giving me an ultimatum, we do need to turn the ship around. I want to get promoted, and we can't afford another run like we just had. The win against Preston was well deserved, and I'm hoping it represents the light at the end of the tunnel. I have no desire to get fired again, that would be an ignominious end to this LP. It's time to gird my loins with my Superman underoos, and motivate the shit out of this underachieving bunch of kids.
