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Phil Parkinson believes attacking reinforcements will be crucial as his Wrexham side look to climb the Championship table after the November international break.
The Red Dragons sit 15th in the league table but are just six points from the final playoff position and eight points above the relegation zone. That puts Wrexham in a similar position to last season, when they were 12th at the same stage before going on to finish seventh after a strong festive fixture schedule.
Wrexham showed resilience to secure a shock victory over Middlesbrough last week before holding Wolverhampton Wanderers to a draw at the weekend. Those performances were made even more impressive by the serious injury suffered by Sam Smith, which has left Parkinson without four of his attacking options.
Smith will be sidelined for the rest of the season following his knee injury, although Wrexham could receive a significant boost with the return of an attacking trio in the coming weeks.
Wrexham are also without last season’s top goalscorer, Josh Windass, who suffered an ankle injury against Derby County last month. Nathan Broadhead is sidelined with a thigh issue, while Callum O'Hare is also struggling with an ankle problem.
Parkinson found internal solutions last week but admits it would be a huge boost to have more attacking options available to make changes during matches.
“I think for us, Windass, Broady and O’Hare, we need to get those three available now. That is the key,” he told Sports Illustrated.
“While we have been waiting for some key players to come back, other players have stepped up brilliantly. [Lewis] O’Brien today [against Wolves], [George Thomason] Tommo and [Ollie] Rathbone the other day [against Middlesbrough]. But obviously, in this division, when we have a lot of midweek games, having options to bring three attacking players on and take three attacking players off can make a huge difference in a game. We did it a lot last season, and it won us games.
“The medical department will have their own plan this week, while other players will need some time and deserve it after these performances, so there will be a few days off.
“As I stressed to the lads on Monday, we have always had a culture here where you’ve got to earn your time off. This is a serious business, and when the lads have a couple of days off next week, I feel they have earned it with the last two performances. That’s what it is all about; it is a hard, competitive industry, and we have got to make sure we have a real hunger and determination in the group.”
Broadhead suffered a thigh strain in training before the October international break. He has not been selected in the Wales squad for the current international fixtures and is not expected to return to action this month. It is hoped he could be available again at the start of December.
Cacace has not featured since preseason because of an ongoing injury issue. The New Zealand international has made just 13 appearances since joining Wrexham a year ago and recently visited a specialist in London in an attempt to determine the cause of his persistent fitness problems.
O’Hare suffered an ankle injury in the recent defeat to Blackburn Rovers, which flared up again the following week. He has missed the subsequent three matches, with some speculation that the issue might be more serious than initially feared. It is hoped he will return before the end of the year.
Revan has been sidelined since suffering a serious hamstring injury while on loan at Burton Albion in February. He is close to returning to fitness and will be allowed to leave on loan during the January transfer window. His contract expires at the end of the season.
Smith will undergo knee surgery this week after suffering an ACL injury against Sheffield United. The striker has been ruled out for an initial nine months and is not expected to play again this season. He will hope to be available for preseason next summer.
Windass suffered a setback in his recovery from an ankle injury and has yet to return to full team training. It is hoped he will be available after the international break, although he might not be ready for action until early December.
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