Wrexham have endured a mixed start to the 2026–27 EFL Championship season, leaving themselves in an interesting position during the campaign’s second international break.

Phil Parkinson’s side sit 15th in the second tier with 18 points. They are six points back from the last playoff berth and eight above the relegation places. That leaves them firmly in midtable, although it might take just one week for them to surge up the standings or be dragged closer to the bottom.

Wrexham’s credentials will once again be tested during a packed winter schedule, with four of their next six matches against teams below them. The Red Dragons are three points worse off than they were at this stage last season, although they can take plenty of encouragement from last week, when they defeated Middlesbrough and tied Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Racecourse Ground.

With almost a third of the league season played already, here are five things we have learned about Wrexham so far.

Defense Has Improved Massively

The old saying goes that offense wins you matches, but defense wins you championships. An improved defensive record was certainly essential if Wrexham were to enjoy any success in the Championship this season.

It might seem odd to praise Wrexham defensively when they have a worse goal difference than at this stage of 2025–26, although that three-goal swing is largely down to their 6-0 hammering by West Ham United. Only five teams conceded more than Wrexham’s 65 goals last season, their worst defensive record in a league campaign since they were relegated to the National League in 2008. This time around, however, they have the best defensive record of any side in the bottom half, have conceded fewer goals than West Ham and only one more than second-place Middlesbrough.

With an expected goals against (xGA) figure of 18.17, they rank fourth in the division, while they have made just one error leading to a goal this season. If they can add more goals to their own game at the other end of the field, they might have a formula for success.

Striker Shortage Could be Costly

Wrexham always ran the risk of a striker shortage this season and have been hit hard early in the campaign. Kieffer Moore has withdrawn from the Wales squad because of a minor back injury, while Sam Smith has been ruled out for the season after undergoing knee surgery for an ACL injury.

That leaves Bailey Cadamarteri as the only available striker, and he has played only around an hour of league soccer all season. When asked about signing another striker in the summer, former CEO Michael Williamson insisted he was “comfortable” with the options. With Smith and Moore injured and Williamson now out of a job, it is safe to say the situation looks rather less comfortable.

Moore has enjoyed a bright start to the season with five goals and two assists, but beyond him, Wrexham have recorded just 16.80 xG. Only three sides have managed fewer than the Red Dragons’ 50 shots on target, while Parkinson’s side rank 18th for average goals per match, at 1.2.

Return of Injured Players Is Crucial

The lack of reinforcement at striker is clearly an issue, but it might not actually be the biggest problem with Wrexham’s attack. In his defense, former CEO Williamson argued that adding creativity was the biggest issue to address this season.

Wrexham have been severely hampered by injuries to attacking talisman Josh Windass, who finished third in the division for direct goal contributions last season, while fellow attacking midfielders Nathan Broadhead and Callum O’Hare are also sidelined.

Parkinson’s side have created the fewest big chances (21) of any Championship team this season. Eight clubs have created at least twice that number, while West Ham are close to trebling it with a staggering 59 big chances already. In fact, 13 teams have missed more big chances than Wrexham have even managed to create. They might not score enough, but they are not creating enough either.

Community Remains the Key

Williamson’s shock departure has led to plenty of speculation. With the club statement mentioning the community twice, it is clear that this has been an important consideration, despite the progress made on the Kop Stand and the club’s improved financial position.

In their statement announcing his departure, Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds reiterated that their most important task was to make the Wrexham community proud. It was a timely reminder of their commitment to the club at a time when some have questioned their perceived lack of presence in recent months.

They both thanked Shaun Harvey for his integral role in the journey so far, and it is no surprise that he is already expected to be offered the CEO position permanently if he wants it. If community really is the key, then Wrexham need to appoint someone who already fully understands it and is embraced by it. Harvey’s standing ovation last weekend suggests that he fits the bill.

Parkinson Is Still the Boss

Only a couple of weeks ago, it felt as though we were approaching the endgame for Parkinson, particularly after he questioned the fighting spirit of some players following the defeat to Sheffield United. The response has been emphatic.

Not only have Wrexham produced two of their best results of the season, but Mac and Reynolds also reiterated that the acting CEO would “give every support to Phil Parkinson.” Perhaps that is an indication that the previous CEO was not as supportive of the Wrexham manager.

If the Red Dragons were going to make a managerial change, an international break would make the most sense, giving any new appointment dedicated time to settle in, meet the players and implement their style of play. The fact that Parkinson remains in charge is further evidence that he is still the boss around the Racecourse Ground.