Phil Parkinson has been handed a public vote of confidence by Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney as the Championship newcomers look to regroup ahead of Saturday's home fixture against Southampton at the Racecourse Ground (15:00 BST).

The defeat to West Ham last weekend was as heavy as it gets: six goals without reply, a result that halted what had been a decent enough opening run for a side adjusting to second-tier football. Prior to that result, Wrexham had taken five points from matches against Millwall, Swansea City and Burnley, keeping clean sheets in two of those three games. The loss brought things sharply back to earth.

Where the numbers point

Seven points from eight matches across all competitions is not the start Parkinson would have drawn up on a whiteboard, but context matters. According to the BBC's report, Wrexham's current tally is only one point fewer than they had at the equivalent stage last season, before they went on to establish themselves in the second tier. That is a useful reference point, though the underlying figures demand attention.

  • Only four Championship sides have scored fewer than Wrexham's seven league goals so far.
  • Wrexham are underperforming their expected goals figure by minus 1.03. Last season they overperformed by 12.21, the highest figure in the division.
  • Their total of 78 shots is the fourth-lowest in the Championship.
  • Defensively, they have conceded 11 goals from an expected goals against of just 8.41, a gap of 2.59, which only four teams in the division have exceeded.

On a more encouraging note, Wrexham's 377 ball recoveries is the highest in the division, suggesting the application Parkinson has always demanded from his players remains present even when results have not followed.

Personnel instability at the back

Captain Dom Hyam has pointed to a lack of consistency in selection as a factor, particularly across the back three. "As defenders, you want familiarity, you want to play with similar guys next to you every week," Hyam said. "We haven't really had that 100% at the minute."

Against West Ham, Joe Worrall made his first start since joining from Burnley, while Zak Vyner returned to the defensive unit in place of the injured Max Cleworth. In midfield, George Dobson made his first league start of the campaign, and Sam Smith led the line from the beginning for only the second time this term. That is a lot of moving parts for a squad still finding its shape at this level.

The injury to Nathan Broadhead, who has picked up a thigh problem, adds another complication. Last season's top scorer Josh Windass is being carefully reintroduced after his own fitness difficulties, while Ben Sheaf is expected back from a knee injury before long, which will at least give Parkinson greater options in the middle of the park. Wing-backs Danny Imray, Issa Kabore and Jacques Ekomie are among the players who have settled quickly, which offers something to build on.

Backing from above and below

Former Wales international Danny Gabbidon, speaking on BBC Radio Wales, argued Parkinson has earned the right to work through this difficult patch. "I think we should allow the manager a little bit of time after what he's done through previous seasons, how good he's been," Gabbidon said, adding that Parkinson had clearly been frustrated by the mentality and work-rate he saw against West Ham and would address it.

Rob McElhenney's public statement offering what has been described as "wriggle room" is the kind of press-release reassurance managers usually receive just before the pressure becomes untenable. To be fair to the Wrexham ownership, they have a longer track record of patience than most in the second tier, and Parkinson's three promotions with the club give him genuine credit in the bank.

Whether that credit stretches far enough depends heavily on Saturday. Southampton at home is not an easy fixture to pick for a response, but Wrexham's history under this management team suggests writing them off on the basis of one very bad afternoon would be premature.

Frequently asked

Has Phil Parkinson been sacked by Wrexham after the 6-0 defeat to West Ham?
No. Co-owner Rob McElhenney has publicly backed Parkinson and given him what has been described as 'wriggle room' to turn results around.
When is Wrexham's next Championship match?
Wrexham host Southampton at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday at 15:00 BST.
Why are Wrexham struggling in the Championship this season?
A combination of injuries, squad unsettlement and difficulty in finding consistent defensive and midfield combinations has contributed to a slow start, though their points tally is only one behind where they were at the same stage last season.