VANCOUVER, BC - JULY 27: Wrexham AFC forward Jack Marriott (11) pauses during a break in play during the exhibition match between the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and the Wrexham AFC on July 27, 2024 at BC Place in Vancouver, B.C. (Photo by Jamie Douglas/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Wrexham Manager Explains Striker Decision
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has said strikers Jack Marriott and Paul Mullin are both key players for his side after Marriott was dropped for Mullin in their win against Crawley Town, according to the Wrexham Leader.
Former Derby County striker Marriott was dropped from the starting eleven for the first time this season for Saturday’s game, though he did come on as a substitute in the second half. The 30-year-old has scored four goals in the opening seven games of the season, which sees him joint-second in the league’s scoring standings behind Mansfield Town’s Lee Gregory.
Liverpool-born Mullin started over Marriott for his first start of the season, having undergone surgery to correct injury issues in the off-season. Despite failing to score, the 29-year-old lead the line in the 2-1 win, and boss Phil Parkinson says both Mullin and Marriott will have their part to play this season.
He said, “I just felt that for us going forward, those two are so important players for us.
“We haven’t got a ‘this is our starting XI’ situation going on and I just felt that a bit of freshness at the top of the pitch would be important. We went with Paul but Jack has been brilliant and he knows that.
“It’s not like we are saying Paul is ahead of Jack or vice-versa, as a manager you have got to make decisions sometimes and Paul was tiring as we thought he would do in that period, Jack came on and gave us a lift when we needed it the most and nearly scored an outstanding goal.”
The North Wales side currently sit top of the table for their first League One season since 2005 as they go for a third successive promotion. Rivals Birmingham City do, however, have a game in hand, and would leapfrog Wrexham if they won that game, having beaten the Reds already this season.
Rotation is par for the course for any team wanting promotion from League One, and Wrexham are lucky to have two top-class strikers at their disposal. With Mullin having started the season injured, Marriott has staked his claim for a starting berth and will probably hold that role for most games, with Mullin coming off the bench like he did against Birmingham.
If Mullin does start, Wrexham will still be strong, with the player having scored wherever he’s played. Whatever Phil Parkinson decides to do tactically, Wrexham will have a front line to rival anyone in the league, with selections having worked so far, and they will hope that form continues throughout the campaign.
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