Wrexham face another midfield blow after Ben Sheaf’s injury as George Dobson undergoes an operation for his broken wrist just days ahead of the FA Cup clash against Chelsea.
Wrexham’s relationship with FA Cup matchdays has been a complicated one lately. While the Cup progress has brought joy to the fans, it has pushed Wrexham to their limits in pursuit of a deep run.
Notably, a rescheduled league clash due to the Cup schedule results in a congested run of fixtures ahead. While this factor remains well known, the Cup games have now coincided with an injury outbreak at Wrexham for the second time running.
Ahead of the 4th round FA Cup clash against Ipswich, Wrexham missed multiple key players in Liberato Cacace, Matty James and Zak Vyner. For the Cup game against Chelsea, the Reds’ medical list has grown even worse.
Wrexham had already been hit with Ben Sheaf’s season-ending injury while awaiting Cacace and Matty James’ return. If that wasn’t concerning, George Dobson’s latest update adds another woe for the Reds.
The club’s recent update on George Dobson read: “Phil Parkinson has confirmed George Dobson has undergone a small operation after suffering a broken wrist against Charlton Athletic.”
George Dobson is doubtful for Chelsea clash
Since Ben Sheaf’s unfortunate injury, George Dobson had been the one putting his body on the line with every challenge. In the absence of veteran Matty James, the role had been demanding too much from Dobson.
Wrexham’s last week’s Championship contest against Charlton proved to be one such incident. Having put in a highly physical shift against his former club, Dobson stood the hero for Wrexham in a scrappy 1-0 win.
However, fans wouldn’t have loved what they noticed about George Dobson at full-time. As a result of putting himself on the line multiple times, Dobson ended the game with an injury wrap around his left ankle.
Moments after the full-time whistle, George Dobson was pictured with a big wrap around his swollen left ankle. While the player might’ve recovered from his ankle woes in the week-long gap for the Chelsea game, his broken wrist has turned fans’ fears true.
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With Dobson putting in such gruelling displays, fans had sensed an incoming injury for the star midfielder. Though it was bound to happen, the player’s absence has come at the worst possible time.
That’s because less than two days remain until Wrexham kick off the FA Cup clash against Chelsea. With Dobson going in for an operation, his recovery and timely return remain doubtful for the clash.
While the club may consider letting Dobson play with a protective cast, it all depends on the condition of his wrist. Unless his well-being is absolutely secure, Phil Parkinson will opt against risking Dobson for the season ahead.
How can Wrexham replace George Dobson?
Currently, no possibility is ruled out regarding George Dobson’s matchday involvement against Chelsea. While the best-case scenario could see the midfielder present on the bench for Wrexham, he could be sidelined for the FA Cup clash completely.
In either case, what’s nearly given is that George Dobson is unlikely to start in the much-anticipated matchday. Needless to say, Wrexham needs to be prepared beforehand and make replacement plans for Dobson.
Here, Matty James’ return could be the best Wrexham can hope for. If the veteran superstar can start the Chelsea contest, nothing could be better for the Reds’ hopes.
Otherwise, Parky may need to work out a creative plan to deal with Dobson’s injury.
That involves moving George Thomason back to his natural central midfield role to fill the void left by Dobson. The in-form midfielder could be paired with Lewis O’Brien in a two-man central midfield, as per Parky’s 3-4-3 system.
Given that Thomason has been pulled out of his makeshift LWB role, Phil Parkinson might need to put Callum Doyle in the role. Having operated on the left side of a 3-man centre-back line, Doyle can excel in a wing-back shift with his crossing ability.
Finally, Wrexham would need to put Zak Vyner in the backline to care for Doyle’s makeshift role. While the new signing has seen limited game time so far, his leadership skills remain unquestionable. Handing a debut start for Vyner in a high-stakes clash alongside Hyam and Cleworth can be Wrexham’s X-factor for their Cupset hopes.
Overall, the second plan is unconventional, as it involves multiple changes to Wrexham’s usual setup. But it’s worth remembering that a FA Cup clash against a top side requires teams to step out of their comfort zone, and that’s exactly what Wrexham may need to do this time around.
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