A look at 3 major talking points from Wrexham’s 1-2 defeat to Hull City in the Championship matchday 37.
Wrexham’s latest performance against Hull was a shadow of the display they put up against Chelsea last week. While both matchdays ended in disappointment for the Wrexham faithful, the recent defeat raises bigger concerns ahead of the final stretch of the season.
That’s because the Reds lacked their characteristic intensity against Hull City. A listless performance against a promotion-contending side saw Wrexham register their 5th home defeat at the Racecourse this campaign.
In the bigger picture, Wrexham couldn’t capitalise on yet another opportunity to leapfrog the 5th-ranked side and strengthen their playoff hopes. Instead, the 1-2 defeat to Hull City has playoff contenders below them quickly closing the gap.
Wrexham need to turn the tide on the back of consecutive defeats to bolster their promotion charge. On that note, here’s a quick look at 3 major talking points from the Hull defeat that could help Wrexham in the season ahead.
Arthur Okonkwo’s mixed run continues
After pulling off a match-winning save against Charlton last week, Okonkwo followed it with an unlucky own goal in the next game against Chelsea. The latest evening at the Racecourse witnessed the keeper’s mixed run continue as he surprised fans with each involvement.
Early in the game, Okonkwo was involved in a blunder with Zak Vyner. The keeper’s pass was cleared erratically by Vyner, and the ball fell straight to Hull forward Oli McBurnie. While the Hull forward failed to make the most of the clear chance, his teammate Joe Gelhardt made amends.
That’s because Gelhardt scored a direct free kick past the tall Arthur Okonkwo to give Hull a 1-0 lead. Gelhardt’s left-foot curler left Okonkwo with no response, as the keeper failed to keep it out despite diving fully.
But Okonkwo made amends against Gelhardt soon. Moments after the forward’s free-kick goal, Wrexham fans feared Gelhardt would make it 2-0 after he was fouled inside the box and awarded a penalty.
Here, Arthur Okonkwo pulled off a magnificent save by correctly predicting Gelhardt’s spot-kick direction. Overall, this was another mixed night for the Wrexham keeper, consistent with his recent form.
Though such performances don’t force Wrexham to question his ability, they don’t help the Reds either. Okonkwo needs to buckle up before the crucial phase of the promotion charge begins.
Was this Wrexham’s worst 1st half display since QPR visit?
Wrexham’s January trip to QPR remains a memorable one for multiple reasons. While the Reds’ 3-2 fightback has been a season highlight, fans can’t forget how the game witnessed one of Wrexham’s worst first-half performances ever.
However, the latest contest against Hull City rivals QPR’s first half for poor performance. Though the scoreline read 0-1 at the break, Wrexham were lucky not to be trailing by three goals to the Tigers in the first half.
That’s because the unusual evening saw a consistent performer like Callum Doyle off his colours. Last week’s FA Cup MOTM conceded both the free kick and penalty to Joe Gerhaldt within the first 45 minutes.
The situation was similar on an off day for Wrexham’s midfield. However, nobody had a worse nightmare first half than Zak Vyner, who had to be taken off at the break for his poor display.
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Firstly, Vyner played a sloppy pass that fell back to McBurnie, and Wrexham came close to conceding the first goal minutes into the fixture. Next, he played the ball straight to Hull full-back Cody Drameh. Again, a deflection from Doyle saved Vyner from being the villain of the loss.
Apart from these individual errors, Wrexham’s team intensity stood at an all-time low against Hull City. The side gave away possession in crucial situations and found themselves chasing back after Hull forwards for most of the game.
Wrexham’s goalpost woodwork needs an upgrade
While work at the Kop Stand continues with Wrexham’s promotion push, the club may have another repair to add to the list. The feature in question is Wrexham’s irksome woodwork on the goalposts.
In the FA Cup exit to Chelsea, there came a moment when Chelsea forward Garnacho scored the 3-2 goal in the 96th minute. But the way his volley bounced off the bottom woodwork had fans confused for an instant as to whether the goal had counted.
Something similar happened in the recent Wrexham vs Hull City clash. As the Reds attempted to curtail Hull’s two-goal lead, a brilliant cross from Issa Kabore found Nathan Broadhead unmarked right in front of goal.
Though Broadhead put the ball in the net, it bounced off awkwardly from the bottom crossbar once again. While the previous incident against Chelsea had left fans confused, this time, the reactions were much better as fans knew the drill by now.
Nevertheless, this awkward bounce off the woodwork demands a permanent fix. Though a Premier League promotion remains the priority, Wrexham can no longer ignore the need to repair its troublesome goal posts.
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