Wrexham AFC vs Nottingham Forest Team. Credit: Wrexhamafc.co.uk
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has named his starting eleven for tonight’s FA Cup third round clash with Nottingham Forest, and there are some big absences in the side.
The confirmed line-up is: Okonkwo; Scarr, Hyam, Doyle; Sheaf; Longman, Dobson, Broadhead, Rathbone, Smith, Cacace.
There is no place for key men Josh Windass or James McClean, with both missing from the squad entirely. It is a significant blow for the Red Dragons as they prepare to face Premier League opposition under the lights at the Racecourse Ground. Their energy and experience have been vital in recent weeks, meaning others will need to step up on the big stage.
Phil Parkinson has made no secret of how much this fixture means, describing it as both a challenge and a chance to measure his squad against elite-level opposition.
Parkinson forced to shuffle the pack
Parkinson has been full of praise for his players’ attitude during Wrexham’s impressive run of form, but tonight he has been forced into reshuffling his side. With Windass out and McClean unavailable, there is added pressure on Broadhead and Longman to provide creativity in the final third.
“Momentum is important and you go into every game looking to play at your best,” said Parkinson ahead of kick-off. “This is another great test for us and we will see how we acquit ourselves.”
Midfielder George Dobson comes back into the eleven after impressing off the bench in the league, while Sheaf anchors the midfield in what looks like a flexible 3-5-2 system.
Embed from Getty ImagesSummer signing Cacace starts on the left, adding energy and balance to the shape as Wrexham aim to take the game to their Premier League visitors.
“It is one of those ties that everybody is looking forward to,” Parkinson said earlier in the week. “We have been waiting for a Premier League team to come to the Racecourse, and we have got a really good side here in Nottingham Forest, with a great manager in Sean Dyche.”
Wrexham’s moment under the lights
Wrexham come into the tie on the back of four straight league wins and sit just one point outside the Championship play-offs. The form has created belief among supporters that an upset could be on the cards, even with key names missing.
Parkinson has spoken repeatedly about the importance of momentum and using cup nights as benchmarks for progress. His squad have already shown they can compete with sides higher up the pyramid, and tonight offers another chance to prove it in front of a packed Racecourse crowd.
“Cup competitions are very special,” said Parkinson. “They can breed confidence and they are good benchmark games as well. We have used them in the past to test ourselves against teams from higher divisions, and now we are going up to that next level.”
Forest manager Sean Dyche has praised Wrexham’s rise, describing Parkinson’s work as “outstanding” and acknowledging the growing quality within the squad. His side may be struggling for consistency in the Premier League, but they know this will not be a straightforward night.
Regardless of the result, this is another opportunity for Wrexham to show just how far they have come under Parkinson’s leadership. Missing a few key names or not, the message remains the same: this side never backs down from a challenge.
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A number of players stepped up, and their potential became obvious, even to the casual observer. Doyle finally showed up with his A-Game. I have come up alongside players like Doyle who excel when the competition is stiff. Okonkwo had a great game as well, and the last few games showed him relying less on the current style of keepers who look like ice hockey goalies rather than football keepers. I strongly dislike that style of going down on one knee and extending a leg to the strong side, which looks like an ice hockey goalie catching a puck. He came out strong and challenged, using the full length of his body and recovered balls at the feet of the opposing player. Parkinson selected a strong side for the starting eleven, and that team played well together, using short, quick passing to move the ball out of their half and trying to retain possession rather than lofting the ball downfield and forcing opposing defenders to misjudge and make mistakes. Overall, the team played as a unit, and everyone seemed to be on the same page. McLean looked out of place, and his standard move, feigning right then going left, was easily handled by NF defenders. McLean is a great sub when hard-nosing the opposition is required, but in a finesse game, he is not up to task. Cleworth may have a niggling injury, and they had plenty of options on the bench to replace him. In summary, Parkinson showed he is not out of his element coaching against higher opposition. Not one of those starting eleven looked out of place, and the system worked. It also illustrated the depth of the team’s skill and showed they can win in the absence of players like Moore, Cleworth, and Kabore. It was a great performance, especially in extra time when they gut checked and did not come up lacking.
Great shout on Doyle and McLean. Doyle thrives when he’s pushed, and this was definitely his ‘statement’ game. I agree on McLean, too—he’s our ‘enforcer,’ but when the game turned into a chess match of quick passing and finesse, he looked a step behind. It’s a luxury to have that kind of depth, though, knowing we can win high-stakes games even with key guys like Moore and Cleworth sidelined.