Wrexham will hope Okonkwo’s clear sheet towards Mansfield is begin of defensive defiance

Arthur Okonkwo being the final to depart the Mansfield City pitch after Wrexham had floor out a hard-earned level felt completely becoming.

The 22-year-old, on mortgage from Arsenal, had been an immovable object within the previous 90 minutes, particularly in a one-sided first half that was performed virtually completely within the guests’ territory.

His save to tip Ollie Clarke’s wickedly swerving shot on to the publish simply earlier than the break was of the best high quality. Likewise, how he denied Aaron Lewis on an evening when the house group’s high-energy urgent sport meant there was merely no respite for Wrexham’s defence in these opening 45 minutes.

Okonkwo wasn’t alone in conserving Mansfield at bay. Aaron Hayden was amongst these to additionally put his physique on the road greater than as soon as, most notably when throwing himself in entrance of one other goal-bound shot from Clarke.

Wrexham did have one enormous slice of luck in a primary half that noticed their hosts carve out 11 openings to only one off-target effort by Phil Parkinson’s males, when Davis Keillor-Dunn’s fiercely drilled shot struck the within of the publish earlier than bouncing to security.

Unbelievable help on the highway 👏

🔴⚪️ #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/02U7goUycc

— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) October 3, 2023

However Okonkwo and co in all probability deserved that luck for the gutsy efforts that ensured Nigel Clough’s aspect failed to seek out the online for less than the second time this season.

Contemplating this was solely the loanee’s second league outing, the hope must be that this may herald a change of fortune for a Wrexham aspect who had not proven anyplace close to sufficient of that preventing spirit when conceding 23 targets within the ten video games that preceded the journey to Mansfield.

Solely League Two’s backside membership Sutton United have let in additional. That’s damning sufficient however turns into even worse when factoring within the enormous differential between the metric anticipated targets towards (xGA) — what number of targets they’re prone to concede — for the Welsh membership.

Earlier than the gutsy rearguard effort at Mansfield, Wrexham’s xGA stood at 12.4 from 164 efforts on their aim (75 on track), in line with revered scouting device Wyscout.

Solely 5 sides might boast a decrease determine — Gillingham (xGA 9), AFC Wimbledon (9.5), Mansfield City (10.1), Bradford Metropolis (12) and Accrington Stanley (12.3).

This means Parkinson’s aspect had been fairly efficient in limiting the opposition to largely tough goalscoring alternatives. Put this xGA along with these 23 targets conceded, nonetheless, and a damning image emerges with harder probabilities additionally turning into targets.

Wrexham’s disparity between xGA and targets conceded was comfortably the biggest within the division at 10.6 earlier than the Mansfield sport, suggesting they have been conceding virtually twice as many targets as the probabilities merited.

Distinction this with Gillingham (xGA 9, targets conceded 9), Mansfield (xGA 10.1, 9 targets conceded) and Wimbledon (xGA 9.5, ten targets conceded) after the season had reached the 10-game landmark.

What’s the reason for such a disparity? Are the goalkeepers incapable of conserving out essentially the most innocuous of pictures? Is the defence not providing sufficient safety, notably when a failure to shut down the shooter fast sufficient is popping these tough probabilities right into a ‘decide your spot’ capturing alternative?

A glance by the targets conceded by Wrexham suggests a little bit of each. Within the 5-0 thrashing at Stockport County, for example, there was a farcical mix-up defensive mix-up between Ben Tozer and Will Boyle, whereas MK Dons and Swindon City each have been afforded adequate time on the sting of the house penalty space to attain with ease.

Equally, although, Wrexham have been conceding lots of targets per pictures on track with Stockport netting all 5 in final month’s romp at Edgeley Park when Mark Howard was in aim.

Ben Foster had an identical file within the 5-5 draw towards Swindon along with his solely save being a shot straight at him from Jake Younger. He additionally saved acrobatically from MK Dons ahead Jonathan Leko simply earlier than the break on the opening day however, in any other case, was unable to do something in regards to the 5 pictures that flew previous him.

Okonkwo’s job is to develop into the goalkeeper Wrexham so badly want, a goalkeeper who doesn’t simply make the saves he’s anticipated to make however huge, essential efforts at key occasions, too. The form of save that sticks within the reminiscence — comparable to Rob Lainton’s exceptional one-handed effort towards Chesterfield final season — and wins valuable factors.

The streets will always remember this Rob Lainton save. Better of the season. pic.twitter.com/NnL1ruSc3B

— Fearless In Devotion #WxmAFC podcast & fanzine (@fearlessidzine) July 15, 2023

Saturday’s league debut towards Crewe Alexandra did supply some hope on that rating, particularly how Okonkwo clawed a seemingly goal-bound shot from Joel Tabiner to security at full stretch.

It was simply the form of place the place MK Dons and Swindon had punished Wrexham earlier within the season, although on this occasion Elliot Lee did at the least deserve credit score for placing stress on the ball.

However, the shot was hit so cleanly and with such tempo that Okonkwo deserves credit score for a save that left Tabiner holding his head in frustration.

The flipside to this save within the 3-3 draw got here through the mess that was Crewe’s remaining aim. A dinked ball excessive for Courtney Baker-Richardson appeared to hold little menace, because of Boyle marking the striker carefully.

A breakdown in communications, nonetheless, noticed Boyle depart the ball to focus on Baker-Richardson, presumably within the expectation Okonkwo would come to assert. It was a mistake Rio Adebisi seized upon, leaving his marker, Will McClean, trailing.

Okonkwo belatedly rushed from his six-yard field however by now it was too late.

Adebisi duly reached the byline earlier than slicing the ball again for Shilow Tracey to faucet in from shut vary. The most important error was undoubtedly Boyle’s. However neither Okonkwo nor McClean have been innocent for a aim that was as eminently preventable as so many others this season.

Okonkwo responded in simply the precise approach at Mansfield. Possibly he actually might be the right antidote to these early season defensive horror reveals, as seemingly tough probabilities have been made to look far too straightforward by the opposition.

(Photograph: Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Pictures)