Part 50: Chapter the Sixth: We will Bury you.

Chapter the Sixth: We will Bury you.
November 26, 2016-December 25, 2016

Holy fixture congestion, Batman. From November 26th through December 17th we played 7 games. We've also got a number of players away on international duty in late and Kadhim and Al-Beloushi were away for another extended stretch with their national teams for a Middle Eastern international tournament. We've got matches scheduled back to back with both Bury and Scunthorpe, the former we play in the FA Cup and the latter we face in the Johnstones Paint Trophy North Semifinals.



I told you I was an expert at this game!



Ashton has been the worst player on the team so far, and has seen a lot of his playing time stolen by Smissen. My scouts also don't know that he's going to get that much better, even though he's only 20. All of that should make him very concerned about his place on the team.



I will slam my shoe on the desk while shouting in Russian if we don't win this match.

At Bury, November 26, 2016
FA Cup, Second Round


Bury's doing about as well as we are in League Two, but they're considered the least of the four demoted teams from League One. We're playing on their turf, so it's going to be a little harder. Al-Beloushi and Kadhim are both out on international duty, and Reid seems to be entering another one of his slumps, so our lineup is slightly less than what I'd prefer. We've still got our best attacking set-up out there, so I'm going to try to put us ahead early.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Higgs, Tench, Todd, Poole, Smissen, Simpson (c), Cobb, Bailey, Coulson, Mujkic, Harrison.
Subs: Thomas, Reid, Jenkins, Price, Netala, Franks, Spilsbury

The strategy of attacking off the bat works like a charm. Harrison is able to beat Bury's defense in the 4th minute with his A+ speed and put us ahead, and then gets himself into position in the 8th minute to volley in a perfect cross from Mujkic. Bury puts their offense into overdrive, and I switch us over to a counter-attack formation in order to take advantage of any gaps created in their defense. We're the ones who get undone, with Bury pulling one back in the 22nd minute. We trade blows for the next hour, but the biggest news is Harrison having to come off injured in the 62nd minute. With that loss we are rendered punchless on offense. In the 88th minute Bury ties it up, completing the comeback. Not only did we blow a 2-0 lead, but Harrison could be seriously injured. We'll be playing Bury in our house for the FA Cup replay, which will come right in the midst of an already packed schedule.

Man of the Match: William Harrison.




Bury 2-2 Wrexham



Disaster! Harrison's been excellent this season, especially in Cup matches where he's scored six goals in six matches. He hasn't been as amazing in league games, but he's still our best striker. Spilsbury is really going to have to step up, and I'll be trying out our plethora of youth squad forwards to see if any of them want to seize the opportunity. Between Anthony Hay, Adrian Read, Michael Upson, Anthony Morgan, and James Fulton we should be able to get at least one decent backup striker.



Yeah, trying to organize 30 images that all look alike and aren't labeled on a public gif maker is too much work. If someone knows of a good, easy to use gif maker, let me know and I'll use it in the future.

If we can handle Bury at home we'll face Derby, a Championship side. This is a poor draw for us, Derby is a very good Championship level squad but it's unlikely we get much of a payday by playing them at the Racecourse Ground.

vs. Bury, November 29, 2016
League Two


Hey, look who we're playing again. This is a league two match, so the stakes aren't as high. I'm playing a very rotated squad given how many matches we have coming up. That means bringing in some youth side players. 18 year old Neil Sinclair gets a start in the second central midfield spot and 16 year old Adrian Read is on the bench as a backup striker/winger.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack.
Starting 11: Higgs, Thomas (c), Reid, Poole, Ashton, Jenkins, Sinclair, Price, Franks, Netala, Spilsbury.
Subs: McFadden, Tench, Todd, Simpson, Holt, Read, Coulson.

It's a back and forth game throughout, with Bury taking an absolute ton of shots with more than 2/3rds of them coming from range. We only get six shots off compared to their twenty-two, but we equal their chances and shots on target.

When Yohan Netala takes a knock and can't go on in the 27th minute Adrian Read comes in for his debut. Our defense is excellent, and we take the lead a half hour in when Bury earns a penalty for going in on Liam Franks from behind. Spilsbury converts with ease. Read makes his debut a memorable one in the second half when he scores off a one-timer from a brilliant Thomas cross after a throw in. Yet another set piece goal I won't get any credit for. We win comfortably, and one of our rookies has an excellent debut. If this is Read's real quality he's going to see a lot of time with the first season even when Harrison comes back.

Man of the Match: Daniel Thomas




Wrexham 2-0 Bury



Go Shaun Davies! My hope is that by the time this LP is over we'll have signed him as an aging player for our Champion's League team. That would put the greatest Welsh player of his generation on the greatest Welsh team of any generation.

At Dartford, December 3, 2016
League Two


I am going to be furious with the team if we don't get the win here.



Yes, we're playing in Dartford, but look at them. They're nowhere near our quality. They're likely to get relegated out of the Football League, while at this points I'd call us a better than 50-50 shot to earn promotion.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Higgs, Peters, Todd, Lewis, Smissen, Jenkins, Cobb (c), Bailey, Netala, Mujkic, Coulson.
Subs: McFadden, Ashton, Poole, Simpson, McCarthy, Read, Spilsbury.

We attack the entire first half, but it's no use. Dartford has parked the bus in front of their goal, and we can't break through, thanks in part to their goalie standing on his head. Add a couple squandered chances on our part, and it's level at the half. Spilsbury finally puts us on top with his second goal since Harrison went down, and Dartford is unable to muster an equalizer. We win a narrow victory, and all credit should go to Dartford's keeper for playing the game of his life.




Dartford 0-1 Wrexham



WE WILL BURY YOU.



vs. Bury, December 7, 2016
FA Cup, Second Round Replay


Third match with Bury in two weeks. We're getting familiar with each other. I expect nothing but a win, it's time to put this baby to bed. Our players are pretty well rested given that this is our fourth game in 10 days, so we're able to play a team that would be at full strength but for our international absences and Harrison. We're also now quite comfortable with offensive-minded football, which means that we're more effective when playing that way.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Higgs, Tench, Reid, Poole, Smissen, Simpson (c), Cobb, Bailey, Coulson, Mujkic, Spilsbury.
Subs: McFadden, Thomas, Todd, Jenkins, Price, Netala, Franks.

The game starts well, as we spend the majority of time in Bury's area. Bailey has the ball as we advance up the field and spots Mujkic in prime position for a breakthrough, and passes into space. Mujkic blows past his marker and latches onto the pass, scoring with elan. Mujkic continues to terrorize Bury when he makes a perfect cross from near the touchline to Coulson's head on the far post, and we're back to being up 2-0. Bury is able to make it 2-1 in the 60th minute, and I am briefly concerned that we might be looking at a repeat of the first match. That anxiety dissolves into elation five minutes after Bury's goal when Matthew Poole seals the game with a goal off of a corner. We're through to the third round for the third year in a row, and this time we're going to be looking to advance.

Man of the Match: Justin Bailey




Wrexham 3-1 Bury



We're pretty low on cash right now, this is very welcome. I might have to sell a player or two to make ends meet if we don't get past Derby in the FA Cup.



Simpson's passing skills are pretty good, his speed and dribbling skills not so much. It behooves us to have him learn to pass first.



I assume at this point that Tierney has a blog called Dragon Captain's Corner on livejournal. He's not that far behind the times, he crossposts to the Wrexham Facebook group!

vs. Scunthorpe, December 10, 2016
League Two


Scunthorpe has noticeably improved since last year, and have some bonafide League Two stars on their team. We're on a high after our three game victory streak, so my pre-match press conference is all about trying to plant the lad's feet firmly on the ground. We've got some seriously tired players as well, and virtually the entire set of subs I use for the game are made up of Under-18 players.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Higgs, Thomas, Todd, Lewis, Ashton, Simpson (c), Jenkins, Price, Franks, Netala, Spilsbury.
Subs: McFadden, Peters, Curran, McCarthy, Sinclair, Morgan, Read.

The match goes well for most of the first half. We're not creating many chances, but Scunthorpe is reduced largely to shots from range and can't seem to get any on target. Scunthorpe is able to go ahead on a goal against the run of play in the 40th minute, though, and I have just brief moments to get my vocal cords prepped for a screaming match. Despite my whipping the team like a recalcitrant mule the team still can't make anything happen when play resumes. I send on three youth players, Peters, Sinclair, and Read, with 20 minutes remaining in an effort to spark something. I'm ready to concede that it didn't when we catch a lucky break. Jenkins tosses it deep from the sidelines into space, and a just offsides Adrian Read picks it up and scores the equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time. Scunthorpe berates the refs, but the flag stayed down and we salvage a late point.




Wrexham 1-1 Scunthorpe



This is good to see. Mujkic has been improving over time and my biggest concern was that he'd stagnate from playing against people below his level of talent. Given that he's improving I expect him to be a minor deity on the field once he's fully rested and settled with the team. I don't expect that many goals, though, his finishing is just 7.

vs. Scunthorpe December 13, 2016
Johnstone's Paint Trophy North Semifinals.


We play seven games in the stretch starting November 26th through December 17th. Five of those games have been against two teams. Al-Beloushi is finally back from his international duty, and the first team is largely ready and rested from sitting out the last match. If we win here we play the North Final at Wembley, and potentially the Johnstone's Paint Trophy itself if we can make it three more wins in a row.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Al-Beloushi, Tench, Reid, Poole, Smissen, Jenkins, Cobb (c), Bailey, Coulson, Mujkic, Spilsbury.
Subs: Thomas, Todd, Simpson, Price, Read.

The game is very evenly matched. Spilsbury has a chance to put us ahead in the first half, but is left hanging his head after his shot goes just wide and blasts off the woodwork. He makes amends for it in the second half, scoring after a failed clearance on a Mujkic cross delivers the ball right to him. Coulson is left looking the fool when he can't salt the game away in the 75th minute when he's one on one with the keeper, allowing Scunthorpe to fight back and tie the match moments later. As we head into the final minute of stoppage time I'm left to wonder what the tiebreaking procedures of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy are, but as I'm mulling what comes next Sam Smissen makes the question moot with an excellent goal just before the final whistle. We're through to Wembley.

Man of the Match: Sam Smissen




Wrexham 2-1 Scunthorpe



The Johnstone's Paint Trophy is not exactly a prestigious competition, and since season ticket holders don't have tickets to the game we're looking at our worst attendance since I took over.



The WAFF is a Middle Eastern international tournament. Kadhim, who unbeknownst to me was the captain of the Iraqi national team, played an integral part in leading Iraq to the title.

At Yeovil Town, December 17, 2016
League Two


A win here could see us really move up the table, and should at least put us in the promotion playoffs. With over a week until our next match I'm sending out the first team even though some of them are a bit more tired than I'd prefer.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Counter
Starting 11: Al-Beloushi, Tench, Reid, Poole, Smissen, Simpson (c), Cobb, Bailey, Coulson, Mujkic, Spilsbury.
Subs: Higgs, Thomas, Todd, Jenkins, Price, Netala, Franks.

Man of the Match: Justin Bailey.




With goals from Coulson and Spilsbury, both aided by the vision and creativity of Bailey, we're in good shape heading into the second half. Yeovil is able to get one back early in the second half when Smissen loses his mark on a corner, but we keep the lead and see out the rest of the match without incident. Unfortunately matches amongst the rest of the league don't go our way, so while we're now tied for the final playoff spot on points we're just outside of them due to goal differential. Still, the top eight spots are separated by a mere five spots, so everything from disappointment to glory could be in the cards at the half way point of the season.

Yeovil 1-2 Wrexham



Netala has been very good and Mujkic is still struggling with his fitness, so there's every reason to continue this loan. I'm looking forward to this summer when I can give Mujkic a month and a half off.



Big time teams are sniffing around Hay as well as Todd. I'm much more likely to sell Hay, but it's going to take a pretty good offer.



Atrocious timing. He's going to miss at least two games, possibly three. Why didn't you get your flu shot? Stop relying on herd immunity!



Someone asked how Wales was doing so well on the international level. They're currently on course to qualify for the World Cup for the first time ever, are ranked 22nd in the world, and as you can see they have a bunch of players who play club football for megabastards like Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Real Madrid. Given that they have four players who currently rate among the best in their respective leagues, and one of those is shortlisted for the most prestigious award in soccer, it's not a huge shock that they're experiencing a “golden generation.”



This is Shaun Davies. He's a monster, essentially a novo Ronaldo. He's possibly the best player on Real Madrid right now, and easily one of the very very best players in the world.



Huw Morris is the linchpin to Chelsea's midfield. He's played in every game for Chelsea this season, and earned a 7.35 rating. That's good for 12th in the Premier League, same as Welsh right back Dewi Morris.

Wales is for real right now, they've got a golden generation going on. I feel bad for AU Ryan Giggs, he was born 10 years too early.




Bailey has been pulling the strings all year for us. He's already at 10 assists on the season, and has the fourth most in League Two. He's completing even more of his passes than he was previously, at a very healthy 83%, and he's tied for 10th in average rating for all League Two players. Right behind him is Matthew Poole, who's made me not miss Stuart Martin by being one of the best centerbacks in the league.

Losing Harrison for two months hurts, as he remains our top goalscorer even after having been out for weeks, but Spilsbury has been an adequate substitute. Coulson has been effective on the wing, leading to a reduction in Liam Frank's playing time.16 year old phenom Adrian Read has also made a strong case to get more playing time with two goals and an assist in his four appearances.

Our newcomers have performed reasonably well. Mujkic has six assists so far and his average rating has been climbing since becoming more acclimated to our club. He's got a 6.92 rating over the last twenty team matches, and has put on just four slightly subpar performances in that stretch. Netala has paired well with Mujkic, and has also seen his performances improve over the course of the season. I might seek to extend his loan through next season if he keeps up his recent form. Cobb's quality has allowed me to play Simpson as a defensive midfielder, which has moved Kadhim out of the starting 11.

Tench and Smissen have both been upgrades over Thomas and Ashton, as well as over last year's fullbacks Don-Duncan, Evans, and Underwood. Combined with the development of Ioan Peters on the youth squad and Ashton's days on the team are likely numbered. Lastly, Jenkins and Lewis have both been cromulent backups, though they certainly haven't looked like they'll be pushing anyone out of their starting job anytime soon.



The top of the table is jam packed. We're tied on points for a playoff spot, and only five off the league leader. We're getting better every day, and we're going to be playing at least one match at Wembley. We shall beat League Two beneath our leathern wings and burn them with the strength of our fire.