Wrexham: December 2012

Hello my friends and greetings from a freezing Toronto, Canada. How does a windchill of -27C grab you? Anyway it’s my pleasure to bring you another update of my Football Manager Story featuring Welsh side Wrexham.

The first game of the month was a trip to Merseyside to face League 2 team Tranmere in the second round of The FA Cup. The home side set their stall out early keeping Chris Maxwell busy between the posts but we responded in kind except our young Swedish striker Marko Mitrovic found the back of the net to give us an early lead. Tranmerethough didn’t capitulate and kept up the pressure but our solid defending ensured our lead was intact at half time. The second half final saw more use of our left flank tactic and within ten minutes of the re-start Alex Smith had whipped the ball into the box for an unmarked Nzuzi to tap into the net. Mitrovicgot his second of the game with a lovely lob over the Tranmerefrom some 20 plus yards out and Alex Smithwas finally rewarded for his second half efforts with a goal six minutes from time to complete the rout.

The draw for the third round was made soon after and we face almost an impossible task as we travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal. If only we had been drawn at home against Arsenal as the gate receipts would have been amazing. Our chances of progressing now look very slim indeed.

After much anticipation in the town it was time for our JPT clash against bitter rivals Shrewsbury. The only survivor from Saturday’s game was Marko Mitroivc and was partnered by Wesley Ngo Bahengup front. Well this game wouldn’t win any Oscar nominations in any category with the only goal coming from Baheng after 28 minutes. We’re through to the Northern final but I felt a little disappointed for the fans in terms of entertainment.

We travelled up to London for our next game which was a league encounter against 18^th placed Charlton. In the snow and rain Oliver Nicholas managed to put the ball into his own net to give the home side the early lead after just 10 minutes and as well we were finding conditions difficult to play our style of football. The weather began to settle so did we and what started off as a very inconsequential free kick in our own half resulted in a killer pass to a who powered a shot into the roof of the net to make it 1-1 after 38 minutes. Two minutes later Gilmourbroke down a Charlton attack and his long pass found Nathaniel Jarvis who muscled off the defender and his shot beat the keeper to give us the lead. We won the ball on the next Charlton attack, Smithran with it down the left flank, crossed to Jarvis and suddenly we were 3-1 up going into the interval. Oliver Nicholas headed in a fourthfrom a corner early in the second half but then got himself sent off for a professional foul that resulted in a converted penalty. The last 20 minutes or so we played with10 men and nearly scored another but our 4-2 win was very satisfying and I had to wonder if we had sent Charlton a former Premier League team into football obscurity with this defeat?

We were back at the Racecourse Ground for the meeting of 18^thplace Rochdale. With an away game coming up against promotion rivals Barnsley it was a reserve side I sent out on this Saturday afternoon. The visitors lived up to their league position providing very little trouble for GK Martin Hansen with Nathan Rooney and Dean Hammond controlling the midfield. Baheng was in fine form bagging a very nice hat-trick, taking full advantage of what was a less than adequate Rochdale defence.

It was time for our crucial match up with Barnsley and Baheng was rewarded for his previous hat-trick by being preferred over Fofana. After a deluge of attacks from Barnsleyin the opening 20 minutes that all led to nothing we got out first real chance with a move down the left flank that Smith crossed over to Bahengwho held the ball turned and hit it…1-0. Soon after the snow started to come down and the weather then dominated the rest of the game. There was no further scoring though I was delighted with this away victory.

The following game was away to Gillingaham and we got off to a flying start with a well worked move down the left flank which found Jarvis in space whose pull back found Shane Williams to slot home to make it 1-0. Gillingham though soon equalized as RB Billy Clifford got caught out of position leaving a hug gap for our opponents to create the goal. Clifford though soon made up for his mistake with a lovely floating free kick into the box that found the head of Baheng and we were back in the lead. No sooner had Gillingham kicked off the ball was in the back of our net and it was all square again. The score remained the same until the interval and the second half was a mere comparison to the first for excitement with Gillingham unable to convert the better chances. When a draw seemed inevitable Oliver Nicholas headed in the winning goal from a corner to give us the win I wanted in the dying minutes of the game.

The final game of 2012 saw us travel to Wiltshire to face Swindon Town at the County Ground the team who had beaten us soundly in the opening game of the season. We had improved greatly since that loss but nonetheless I told the lads that I expected them to exact revenge and they duly obliged. Inevitably it was skipper Brian Gilmour whose pass to Nzuzi created the opening goal for the right winger after 21 minutes on the clock. We had a great chance to double the lead almost straight away but Alex Smiths penalty kick looked more suited to the NFL than to League One. Although we controlled the game and created opportunities it wasn’t until 12 minutes from time when a driving free kick into the box was met by a powerful header from defender Scott Wotton to make it 2-0 and so revenge was complete as well as concluding an unbeaten run in December

League Table

I have to say I’m quite astonished to find us six points clear at the top of he table as the year draws to an end. At the beginning of the season I was hoping for a place in the top 10 perhaps by now and with luck push for a play of  spot in 2013. Now it’s all about keeping top spot and creating some distance between ourselves and the chasing pack.

Here’s a look at the best players so far which Fofana and Baheng lead the Average Ratings table. I was surprised to see Gilmour as credited with only four assists as I certainly have the perception of him creating more goals than anyone else?

At the other end of the table it’s the wingers on both sides of the field who prop up the standings. The right side has always been a problem and even though my left flank tactic works well doesn’t produce a quality performance from the left wingers of Smith and Kakcaniklic.

Fixtures

We start 2013 at home to Norwich and then face the mountainous task of trying to get some kind of result against Arsenal in The FA Cup. I’m concerned that the result of this game could have a profound effect on how the rest of January will play out.

Thanks for reading, stay safe and enjoy the weekend!