Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson’s mid-week trip to watch Chelsea attracts fans’ reactions ahead of the highly anticipated FA Cup clash against the Blues.
When Chelsea drew PSG in the UCL Round of 16 last week, Wrexham emerged as the biggest winners from the tie. With their FA Cup opponent scheduled to take three road trips within a week, the Reds enter the Cup clash against Chelsea fresher and more well-rested.
Recently, Chelsea began their much-anticipated week with a tour to Villa Park. Though up against a higher-ranked Premier League side, the Blues’ battering of Aston Villa would scare Wrexham fans.
That’s because Chelsea came back from being 1-0 down in the 2nd minute to finish the clash with a 4-1 victory. While such a fightback would have affected Wrexham supporters’ morale, the fans would have loved it the instant the camera captured Phil Parkinson in the stands.
The Wrexham boss was in attendance to watch Chelsea’s game against Aston Villa, before the Blues face the Reds. Parky was caught carefully observing the game as he followed Wrexham’s FA Cup opponent from the stands.
Phil Parkinson watches Chelsea’s 4-1 win from the stands
It has been well documented that Phil Parkinson prioritises his live assessment over scouting reports or match films. While preparing for high-stakes encounters, Parky has often stepped up to do the first-hand assessment himself.
The only thing that’s probably changed over the years is the quality of his opponents. From previously touring League One and League Two clubs, Parkinson went on to watch Chelsea this time.
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While Wrexham prepared for the electrifying FA Cup contest against Chelsea all week, Parky supplemented the preparations with a trip to Villa Park. The tour was intended to note down the minute tactical details of Liam Rosenior’s side, which would otherwise have gone under the radar.
Parky’s Villa Park attendance offered a close look at Rosenior’s tactical nuances, his player selection, sideline involvement, and reliance on substitutes. The manager returned to Wrexham with crucial intel for the FA Cup knockout against Chelsea.
Wrexham fans react to Parky’s Villa Park visit
With most Wrexham fans being hardcore PL viewers, they didn’t miss when Phil Parkinson was seen at Villa Park. Naturally, a flood of reactions has flowed in from the fans, ranging from tactical suggestions to high praise of the manager’s old-school detailing.
One fan reacted, saying: “No high line Sat”. While the suggestion likely comes from a non-tactician, that’s some solid observation about what Wrexham shouldn’t attempt against Chelsea.
In the Aston Villa Vs Chelsea game, the Blues ruthlessly exploited and exposed Villa’s high line. On multiple occasions, Malo Gusto & Alejandro Garnacho ran right past Villa’s backline to feed hat-trick hero Joao Pedro.
Even though Wrexham’s vertical playstyle in a high backline has been the club’s success formula, the Reds need to push back their back line if they wish not to be punished by Chelsea on Saturday.
Among other notable reactions, a fan praised Parky’s dedication, saying: “Who needs film when you can see them live”. This is dedicated to Phil Parkinson’s perfectionist nature in how the manager puts extensive work into every matchday planning.
While he could’ve resorted to watching a few Chelsea clips, he took a scouting trip to watch the Blues mid-week. In the process, Parky must have taken notice of Liam Rosenior’s micro movements that influenced their win against Aston Villa.
Another fan wrote a light-hearted tweet, reading: “He’s just checking out the competition for next season.” While Wrexham’s promotion charge is only getting trickier, there’s a chance Parky took the Villa Park trip to feel first-hand the intensity of the division the club could be in next season.
Phil Parkinson may have attended the game out of curiosity, to gauge how Wrexham would measure up in this division next season and plan accordingly. But as of now, this seems unlikely, with all signs pointing to him being solely focused on the Chelsea FA Cup tie.
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