I’m just hoping we show a very different mentality with or without the quality we may have missing the weekend. I feel quite positive about Still though not sure why. Perhaps he has the pragmatism we need when we need it.
Think people need to realise we are playing vastly different teams this year.. Wrexhams squad is better than last year but nothing special for the championship by any means. They have a few aging former top level players mixed with some lower level championship signings. But by in large is mostly a league one squad. Three straight promotions is an incredible feat and they will have confidence that we don't, but there isn't anyone in that squad we should be particularly intimidated by?
Repost of a repost of a C&P from another team's forum which sums up my optimistic approach to footy and life in general. Hope for the best, prepare for the wurst. "It's better looking on the bright side of life than being constantly mired in doom and gloom. I may be a 'happy clapper' but please don't worry, I'm pretty certain my ailment is not contagious and if you are not a happy clapper, it's unlikely you will ever catch the disease. In case you are still worried about catching happy clappy syndrome, here are some of the symptoms and signs you may want to watch out for. A happy clapper is someone that Is more likely to cheer the team than boo them. Stay away from them and look out for people who don't smile much. You will be safe around them. A happy clapper might refrain from making nasty and cutting comments about the management and the players both on this forum and at the match. Idiots that they are! A happy clapper may sometimes be guilty over being 'over optimistic' and has an expectation that things will work out for us. Simply naïve eh? A happy clapper might be constructively critical when the team has not played well. Sod the diplomacy, let em have both barrels. A happy clapper has a tendency to be more patient with the team - the players and the management. Tut tut and shame on them. My second confession is that, whilst I think I am a happy clapper, I sometimes come into short periods of remission - times when I feel annoyed and frustrated and I feel like calling the centre forward a blinking idiot when he misses from two yards and I feel frustrated with a certain midfielder (the crab) because of his negative sideway passes. When i am suffering from happy clapper syndrome, its funny but i regard these sideways passes as positive because they keep possession." " sums up my optimistic approach to footy and life in general. "It's better looking on the bright side of life than being constantly mired in doom and gloom. I may be a 'happy clapper' but please don't worry, I'm pretty certain my ailment is not contagious and if you are not a happy clapper, it's unlikely you will ever catch the disease. In case you are still worried about catching happy clappy syndrome, here are some of the symptoms and signs you may want to watch out for. A happy clapper is someone that Is more likely to cheer the team than boo them. Stay away from them and look out for people who don't smile much. You will be safe around them. A happy clapper might refrain from making nasty and cutting comments about the management and the players both on this forum and at the match. Idiots that they are! A happy clapper may sometimes be guilty over being 'over optimistic' and has an expectation that things will work out for us. Simply naïve eh? A happy clapper might be constructively critical when the team has not played well. Sod the diplomacy, let em have both barrels. A happy clapper has a tendency to be more patient with the team - the players and the management. Tut tut and shame on them. My second confession is that, whilst I think I am a happy clapper, I sometimes come into short periods of remission - times when I feel annoyed and frustrated and I feel like calling the centre forward a blinking idiot when he misses from two yards and I feel frustrated with a certain midfielder (the crab) because of his negative sideway passes. When i am suffering from happy clapper syndrome, its funny but i regard these sideways passes as positive because they keep possession."
My main concern about playing a promoted team, early in the season, is that they sometimes have the same momentum as they had when gaining promotion. I am hoping, with Wrexham bringing in a number of new players, that their “togetherness” will be affected by the players not knowing each other’s strengths and way of playing. Having said that, our players, despite having had a pre-season with the new manager haven’t been overly impressive, although I enjoyed the end of the Brighton game.
Thought I'd take a look at Wrexham's starting line-up for their friendly on Saturday. No idea of formation: Arthur Okonkwo, Max Clewoth, Dan Scarr, Tom O'Connor, Ryan Barnett, George Dobson, Matty James (C), Lewis O'Brien, Liberato Cacace, Josh Windass, Ryan Hardie. Windass, Hardie, Cacace and O'Brien are new signings. They've also now signed Conor Coady and are about to sign Kieffer Moore, so both of those could be in contention this weekend.
That's the same Tom O'Connor that was in our academy and we let go to Gillingham, I've named that player in one!
Took the plunge down from League 1 Burton to join Wrexham in the conference, so he's been on their journey for a few years now.
Referee: Bell, James Assistant Referee: Smith, Matthew Assistant Referee: James, Alex Fourth Official: Nield, Tom
Nervous already, my main fear is us starting with Armstrong, Fraser and Archer as our attacking creativity , of which they have none as proven on the numerous times WS has picked them together in pre season Robinson is an absolute must and if Dibling is still with us and not sulking somewhere, i would like him in at No 10 behind Downs. Not holding my breath though
Dibling: As long as ‘with us’ means involved and committed! If not then please don’t waste a bench place. Hopefully he’ll realise the value of putting the shirt on and being the player he really can be!!!
I'd prefer not to have both Downs and Robinson starting on Sat. Two relative newbies is a risk. Great that they both scored in preseason, but so did BBD on his debut against Lazio last year. I'd like to see Archer - Stewart - Adarma, with Dibling as number 10. Bring Robinson and Downs on second half.
REFEREE:- (Could he be a bit of a ringer?) Name: James Bell Birthplace: South Yorkshire Background: James Bell is a self-confessed Sheffield Wednesday fan and started his refereeing career aged just 14. He was promoted by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to the Select 2 Group of officials in August 2022, having made his football league debut during the 2020/2021 season. He made his Championship debut on 20 August 2022, when he officiated West Bromwich Albion’s 5-2 win over Hull City at the Hawthorns. After completing the referee course aged 14, James initially balanced officiating with playing commitments before choosing the former and steadily progressing through the ranks, earning promotion to the EFL at age 23 as an assistant referee. Bell assisted on both the 2016 FA Youth Cup final and the 2017 League Two Play-Off final at Wembley Stadium before deciding to progress down the refereeing pathway. He went on to take charge of the National League Play-Off final between in 2020 before receiving promotion back to the EFL as a referee. Bell has since taken charge of semi-finals in the EFL Trophy, FA Trophy, FA Sunday Cup, FA Youth Cup and FA County Youth Cup. In the 2024/25 season, Bell progressed through PGMO’s Enhanced VAR Training
Bollocks to that. A couple of good performances in friendlies doesn't make me trust him when we've seen what he's like in actual competitive games for several seasons. Reckon it's more just classic Saints being hamstrung by their own decision to loan out Ramsdale and having the delusional idea that he'll come back and play for us again so not wanting to buy a new no.1. I obviously hope he proves me wrong because we clearly aren't getting a no.1 in, and are doing the classic Saints thing of bringing in players for the squad rather than to improve the first team and bump everyone else down which is where we went wrong for years on our decline in the PL.
Now there’s some proper realism. Always amazes me the amount of players injured or out of condition at season start, especially with today’s health & fitness regimes, analytics, etc.
If the “usual” political drivel is applied, Diblings head won’t be right & therefore doubt he’ll even be on bench.
My expectations are pretty low as I'd just like to come out of the ground at least as happy as I went in.... First league game in ages, first season ticket in about 20 years, no idea where to get my obligatory mystery meat burger now they've changed a lot of the outside area and haven't seen any of preseason outside of what's been described on here.
