He is the top assist-maker in League One, playing the best football of his career and in no doubt about Wrexham’s ultimate aim in their first season at this level in 19 years.
“Definitely promotion,” says Ryan Barnett, the club’s industrious wing-back. “That’s got to be the target.”
If Wrexham complete an unprecedented leap from non-League to the Championship in three seasons, the 25-year-old will likely have played an integral role. He has made an impressive return to a level where he played briefly with Shrewsbury Town.
He managed eight League One appearances for the club he joined as an eight-year-old, five of which came from the bench, before being released in 2021 on a free transfer. It was disappointing, but the drop into the National League with Solihull Moors proved the making of Barnett, who just 18 months later signed for Wrexham.
Back-to-back promotions followed, with the wing-back flying. Five assists this season — including a ‘hat-trick’ against Northampton Town in Wrexham’s last outing — put him top of the providers’ list, one ahead of Blackpool midfielder Lee Evans.
“From being released by Shrewsbury to now,” Barnett tells The Athletic, “I’d say I am unrecognisable from what I was. I have the qualities I had back then but I’ve matured and have a much more experienced head on my shoulders.”
Before this weekend’s return to action after the international break, we — with the help of Barnett and scouting tool Wyscout — assess how he became such an integral cog in Phil Parkinson’s well-oiled machine.
Up and down the line
In a 3-5-2 setup, Wrexham’s tactics demand more from their wing-backs physically than any of their other positions. It’s why Parkinson regularly substitutes one or even both of his wide men midway through the second half.
“It is definitely the most physically demanding position on the pitch,” says Barnett. “Especially in this team as you have to be up and down all the time. The gaffer wants me defending the back stick at one end and also attacking the back stick up the other end.”
A prime example came via Jack Marriott’s goal in the 4-1 win over Northampton. Ironically, it was the only goal of four for which Barnett wasn’t credited with an assist, yet he expanded the most energy to make it happen.
The move began midway inside the home side’s half when Andy Cannon won a 50-50 tackle…
This was the cue for Barnett and his team-mates to pour forward. As per Parkinson’s instructions for either wing-back to aim for the back post when their counterpart on the opposite flank has the ball, James McClean races across halfway as Barnett does the same.
As Barnett reaches the Northampton penalty area more or less unopposed, he looks up to spot McClean keeping pace.
The delivery is good, allowing McClean to cushion a pass inside on the volley for Marriott to peel off his marker and fire into the net.
Wing-backs union
The lightning-quick break that led to Marriott’s goal took just a few seconds and was made possible by the fitness levels of the two wing-backs, 35-year-old McClean having long established himself as one of the fittest in the squad.
As for Barnett, a close season that included joining pal Luke McCormick, the Bristol Rovers midfielder, on holiday has paid off.
“The best advice I got in the summer was from the physios and that was basically to do nothing for two weeks,” he says. “To get my legs back, basically, after a busy season. And then we had an individual (fitness) programme sent out.
“I was running with Luke (on holiday). He’s a naturally fit player so we just pushed each other when running down the beach. As footballers, there was also that competitive edge when we did those runs. He’d get a few yards ahead and I was determined to haul him back. He was the same if I moved a few yards ahead of him.”
August’s 3-0 win over Reading highlighted not only the value of this beach work but also how Parkinson wants his wing-backs to work together. With McClean on the ball to the left of the penalty area, Barnett is parallel with his team-mate.
Barnett knows what to do next. Sure enough, McClean delivers to the back post where his team-mate is ideally placed to try to steer the ball to the unmarked Marriott. In this instance, defender Jeriel Dorsett gets across to block but at the cost of a corner.
Spread the play
Another of Parkinson’s demands is to move the ball quickly enough to leave an opposition full-back isolated one-on-one. A prime example came in September’s goalless draw at Leyton Orient.
With Wrexham attacking down the left as Elliot Lee and Ollie Palmer exchange passes, the home defence have been drawn across the field. Barnett, though, has held his position out wide.
When Lee switches play to the right, Barnett is one-on-one with Orient centre-half Jack Simpson. This is just what Parkinson wants, as his right wing-back can now either run at the defender or whip in a quick cross.
Barnett opts to run at Simpson, covering 20 yards at pace before drilling a low cross that deserved a lot better than flashing across the face of goal without any team-mate applying the finishing touch.
Delivery that, at times, is almost Beckham-esque
Back when David Beckham was patrolling the right wing for England and Manchester United, his ability to cross the ball even when seemingly contained by the opposition full-back was legendary. All he needed was a nudge of the ball to gain that vital yard and in came the cross.
Barnett is similar. Take McClean’s first goal against Northampton, when Liam McCarron looks to have the situation under control despite being left one-on-one after play had been spread suddenly to his flank.
Barnett’s response was to wait a couple of seconds before taking a quick touch to create sufficient space to whip the ball in for McClean to finish with a bullet header at the back post.
Northampton failed to learn from their mistake. This time, the visitors were just too slow to react after Andy Cannon had rolled a short pass to Barnett. Akin Odimayo got no closer than five yards and that was all the invitation he needed as Lee was picked out for a header that made it 3-1.
Asked what goes through his mind when faced with an opposition full-back, Barnett replies: “Team-mates really help me here. When we switch the play at speed, it means I can be in a position where if the defender is a couple of yards off me then I have the one-on-one I want.
“I’ve been in that position so many times in my career that I almost have a blueprint in my mind, as to what I am going to do. Then, it is all about the delivery into the box and the strikers making the runs to be on the end of it.”
Get well soon, Max
Paul Mullin’s goals — nine in the final seven games — may have been the standout feature of last season’s promotion run-in. But there was also a blossoming understanding down the right involving Barnett, Cannon and Max Cleworth.
This near-telepathic understanding between the trio continued into this season until Cleworth injured his ankle ligaments late on at Orient. A prime example came in that goalless draw, when a pass was rolled to Cleworth on the right. Barnett knows exactly what is coming next, so sets off running even before his team-mate delivers a raking pass down the flank.
So perfectly judged is the pass that Barnett doesn’t have to take a touch until the ball reaches the byline, where his cross is put behind for a corner by the scrambling defence.
“We have such a good relationship off the pitch,” says Barnett about his team-mates. “That helps. We look after each other down that right-hand side. I have built a great connection with Max, I know what he will do every time he gets the ball.”
Defensive duties
As someone who operated mainly as an orthodox winger before joining Wrexham, Barnett unsurprisingly spends much of his time in attack. That much is clear via the below touchmap for this season in League One, with 35 per cent of his touches coming in the final third.
He still takes defensive duties seriously, mind. With Wrexham on the attack at Stevenage, a move breaks down. A long ball is aimed towards the flank for attacker Jamie Reid to chase. Barnett, alive to the danger and using his pace to good effect, races across to cover from the opposite wing.
As Reid’s team-mates charge forward to capitalise on Wrexham being caught upfield, Barnett keeps pace with the forward before intercepting his attempted cross. Danger averted.
And the credit for this improvement goes to…
“The manager is probably a big part of feeling more mature,” says Barnett. “With the tactics he plays and this position being unfamiliar to me when I first came in, he has really brought on my game.
“I’d played wing-back a handful of times but the run of games the gaffer gave me and the confidence he has in me has been brilliant.”
(Top photo: Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images)
