Wrexham AFC: Phil Parkinson urged to make changes in order for £2m Reading FC deal to pay off | OneFootball

Sam Smith's mixed start for Wrexham has been put down to the poor service he has received.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Sam Smith has been backed to come good for Wrexham AFC, with his indifferent start put down to the lack of service he is receiving.

The Red Dragons currently sit third in League One, with an historic third consecutive promotion a real possibility.

Therefore, boss Phil Parkinson was backed in the recent January window, with Wrexham signing Smith from Reading in a club-record deal that was believed to be in the region of £2 million.

Sam Smith's start to life at Wrexham analysed after £2m move from Reading

Given the outlay, there is plenty of expectation on Smith, particularly as Wrexham aren’t exactly lacking in options up top, as Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer have failed to even make the squad recently.

And, it’s fair to say that fans of the Welsh club have only seen flashes of Smith’s undoubted quality, with the 25-year-old finding the net twice in his first eight games.

That’s a decent return, but Parkinson will be demanding more during the run-in, with Smith signed to be a player that can make a difference when it really matters.

Yet, when asked about the start the new striker has made at the Racecourse Ground, fan pundit Liam Grice insists that a lack of creativity means whoever is up front is going to struggle, and Parkinson needs to change his ways in order to get the best out of Smith.

“Given the fact we have shown a real lack of urgency in the final third, I think our strikers, Smith, Rodriguez, Fletcher and Marriott just haven’t been fed at all," Liam told FLW.

“Considering Smith has been feeding off scraps since he joined, he has done pretty well. He is getting in dangerous areas, and you can see his confidence building game by game.

“He took his chance well the other day (in the 1-0 win vs Rotherham), and he looks like a real presence, and looks like he is worth the money we paid for him.

“We just need to be more creative, and to give him more opportunities, because I’m confident that if we do, rather than just long balls and have him hopelessly chasing something, if we actually give him good scoring opportunities, he will take them and his goal tally will rise.”

Sam Smith will be a long-term investment for Wrexham AFC

You can understand why Wrexham committed a big sum to signing Smith in January as he is a quality player at this level. Plus, given his age, he is still not at his peak.

So, it would be harsh to judge him straight away, and even if Wrexham don’t go up this season, he will have been brought in with the long-term in mind.

Of course, he would love to make an instant impact, but we know it’s difficult to change clubs mid-season, and there have been signs of Smith’s ability already.

Over time, as he develops more of an understanding with his teammates, you would expect Smith to replicate the form he showed with the Royals.

In the short-term, most would agree that Wrexham need to do more as a team to help the strikers, and you can be sure that Parkinson will be working on solutions as they try to secure a top two spot.