Evel K-leavel

Wrexham have released a player with more match-winning ability than any other at their disposal; so why am I so glad? Lee McEvilly was our most destructive, disruptive player; feel free to interpret that however you want. There can be no doubt that, when he felt like it, he was an awesome attacking force, capable of destroying opposing defences on his own. However, Brian Carey is wisely culling players who perform when in the mood in favour of good men to have in the changing room like Michael Proctor and Anthony Williams. I cut McEvilly slack for longer than most but Carey's right: we've been waiting for two years for McEvilly to find fitness and consisent form. He has the ability to take us up, but it just wasn't going to happen.

Promising Signs!

As the signings have come rolling in I've been wondering why we didn't seem to be pursuing a full back.

After all, the release of Lee Roche left us with just three full backs in the whole squad-two youngsters who, though promising, have yet to play a full season as a first team regular (Simon Spender and Mike Williams) and a versatile two-sided player in Ryan Valentine who was a bit up and down last season.

Now I've seen last week's friendlies I think I get it.

Neil Taylor looks tasty. Yet to make his debut, we shouldn't get carried away, but he looks feisty and keen to get forward. He wasn't scared of David Bentley on Tuesday-quite the reverse-and had the confidence to join in play, no sure thing in a kid. Keep it up lad!

Trial and Error

So what of the triallists? I don't like to judge players after forty-five minutes of a meaningless game, but they didn't look too bad.

It's interesting hearing everyone else's opinions as no one seems to agree about them. For what it's worth, Mohammed was the pick for me. He was quick and took his goal beautifully-anyone who can dump Brad Friedel on his backside and walk round him must have something going for him! Mind you, he faded badly; hardly what you want to see when he only came on at half time!

The press were very keen on Simms, but I reserve judgement. He reminded me of Steve Bull in the way he approached the game: a big, awkward trier and very direct of not particularly strong technically. He did well to set up Mohammed's goal though; the way he surged through the middle owed a little to luck, but the way he slid Mohammed in when the experienced Henchoz seemed to be guiding him harmlessly into the channel suggested he has something about him.

As for Kanaclic, I didn't think he looked bad, although he cetainly didn't seem to grab many people's attention. He's only eighteen and looks quick and technical. Whether he'd hurt teams is a different matter, of course, but if we can get him on an eighteen-year-old's wages he might be worth consideration.

A word of warning though: this time last year we were slavering for Denis Smith to find the funds to bring in a layer who had impressed in the pre-season games. We signed him, but has Josh Johnson been value for money yet?

Psycho!

The Liverpool game was a friendly and therefore virtually meaningless-let's not forget that. However, it did contain many reasons to feel optimistic about next season.

The goal poaching of Eifion Williams is prime among them. He took his supremely well: the first was dispatched cooly when plenty of Wrexham players past and present would have snatched at it; the second was a sublime piece of opportunistic finishing which you just can't teach. Let's hope Brian Carey has found his Gary Bennett!