Scott Parker

[ArcspacE]

Funny how whenever Parker's die-hard disciples are confronted with rational arguments, factual evidence and well structured thoughts daring to question his game and merely offering some constructive criticism - they always resort to name-calling, fact twisting, and massive assumptions more akin to a playground argument over crisp packet toys than a football message board

 

[punk_is_back`]

Brown was a big reason we didint get relegated and done a fantastic job for us. Parker is much more of a footballer, but both will never get the credit they deserve from some people. Those people are usually the ones who see football as some kind of theoretical equation, where you can work out victory on chalkboard chart, and never, ever consider the fact that there is always an opposition, trying to f#ck things up.

Its the same when a good shot is saved. "He should have buried that..." Ignoring the fact that there is a keeper, doing HIS job too.

I usually find that these idealists have never kicked a ball in their life, in the playground or park, or for their school or pub, let alone Sunday League, at any age or level.

If you can do it with a joystick, it should work in real life to them.

Brown did add steel to the midfield, as does Parker. I don't see much difference between the way both have played for us, they both tackle a lot, run around a lot, keep a short passing game and cover for players at times. Both also seem to have knack for getting into more advanced positions. We have modric and VDV for that. If our DM anchored rather than pressed, and distributed the ball forward quicker, rather than exchanging one two's with the centrebacks our play would be much more fluid. We would break quicker and it would allow us to counterattack before the other team get into the position to park the bus. When we had Huddlestone or Carrick we could play on the break as their distribution allowed us to play the ball quicker to the attackers. Parker has that pass in his locker, but he takes a slight while longer to spot it than the others. If he sat and anchored he would bring much more to the team as he would link the defence with the midfield.

 

[totman]

If he sat and anchored, you would revert to your "Sandro does alot more, and does it better" argument.

 

[papaspur]

I agree to be honest... a bit more restraint would be good but there are a few important points

Firstly we play a very high line so naturally those heatmaps are going to make Parker and Modric seem as if they play in some sort of attacking position, when in reality they are deep a lot of the time relative to the other players on the pitch.

Also, the whole point of our game is pass and move. For one of Parker or Modric to pass and break from midfield is what should be happening, especially as everyone always moans VDV is too deep. We need people 25 yards out to give passing options and play through balls, and often this is Parker or Modric. This was especially true against Wolves where we were trying to break down a determined defence and pushing more players forward.

Finally, you compare Parker's heatmap with Modric. I think this is a pretty poor comparison because as we all know Modric runs our game from back to front and thus his passing percentages in the final third are likely to be lower, despite the fact he is still probably making a lot more passes than Parker in this area. Not to mention the type of passes they're playing, the runs they make, etc. Some sort of representation of average positions on the pitch would be more helpful but I'm a firm believer that any statistical analysis is very limited, football cannot be translated into numbers.

Football Manager 12 disagrees with you.

 

[thfcsteff]

Christ...if this is 'lack of form' LONG may it continue, in fact, I'll take an exact replica of the first half of this season's 'lack of form' please!

 

[thfcsteff]

Funny how whenever Parker's die-hard disciples are confronted with rational arguments, factual evidence and well structured thoughts daring to question his game and merely offering some constructive criticism - they always resort to name-calling, fact twisting, and massive assumptions more akin to a playground argument over crisp packet toys than a football message board

Because it's largely a ridiculous discussion Arc...I was not a specific Parker fan (similar to Friedel) but only Helen Keller and her method-acolytes could fail to see (or even sense) the major difference they've made. Sticking with Parker, one of the key problems against Wolves was that he was simply rushed back to soon. I personally would've given Livermore another start; at the very least, I would've given him the last 30-35 minutes as Parker got tired. In fact, I'll go one further and say for me, Parker should've been given a week off in Dubai or somewhere nice and warm, resting up, light training and getting his energy back. My ONLY criticism of Parker is that sometimes he holds onto the ball a bit too long, but this is cancelled out by the tremendous amount of second balls he picks up in the middle/scrappy dig-in challenges which create a change of possession.

While I'm here, I'll say that Friedel (despite being responsible @ Swansea and not exactly dominant at corners) has brought about an air of calm that is impossible to ignore. I love Gomes and think he is quality, but Friedel has done a great job for us, much to my surprise in all honesty...

Anyway...

 

[GLENROYID]

I dedicate my avatar to parker, legend

 

[thfcsteff]

Let me ask this...against City, what would people have Parker do? Sit back and feed, or detail Silva and press him deep, relying on the fact that Lescott is no Kompany when it comes to playing out of defense, and that without Toure they have no natural midfield conductor either? In that case do you play Defoe alone and Sandro sitting in front of the back 4? BIG ask for a man just back from injury...but I DO think we need to press Silva early and give him no time on the ball whatsoever...

 

[GLENROYID]

Have to stick him on silva

 

[thfcsteff]

I agree. 100%. In fact my plan would absolutely see Parker higher up the pitch than Luka simply to facilitate this situation, I'd be asking Luka to sit slightly deeper and dictate the play from there, bringing Bale and Lennon in at the earliest opportunities and also relying on VdV to find the pockets of space in the channels...I think detailing Silva properly, especially given City's lack of first-choice spine) will be the key to winning, and this requires Parker to be high up the pitch. Our wide players will not jut keep City's wide men honest, they'll give them questions to answer. I don't think they've played a team like us at home yet this season, and I think they're there for the taking...

 

[punk_is_back`]

Let me ask this...against City, what would people have Parker do? Sit back and feed, or detail Silva and press him deep, relying on the fact that Lescott is no Kompany when it comes to playing out of defense, and that without Toure they have no natural midfield conductor either? In that case do you play Defoe alone and Sandro sitting in front of the back 4? BIG ask for a man just back from injury...but I DO think we need to press Silva early and give him no time on the ball whatsoever...

We probably need to match city man for man in midfield. Going 4-2-3-1 is the only way as we would get overrun. 2 Dms, one holder on presser and three attacking mids with modric the centre of the three.

 

[thfcsteff]

We probably need to match city man for man in midfield. Going 4-2-3-1 is the only way as we would get overrun. 2 Dms, one holder on presser and three attacking mids with modric the centre of the three.

If we do this with Defoe up top, it will end in tears IMHO...with Ade it would be a possibility...he holding players in this system become Livermore and Parker as Sandro is not fit enough for a full game IMHO...I think that pressing Parker on Silva high up the pitch and asking Luka to play deeper will actually confuse City as they will already be thinking of pressing Luka deeper anyway; my way relies a lot on Bale, Lennon and Vdv pulling markers all over the shop of course...

 

[metalgear]

i'd keep it simple like packing the midfield deep and getting lennon and bale do what they do best - run like hell.
fingers cross that Emirates Marketing Project pick up a few cards and one or two of the speedy forays connects with someone in the penalty box.

 

[spasm]

one man's defensive midfielder is another man's clogger....

 

[africanspurs]

LOL

 

[spasm]

i'd keep it simple like packing the midfield deep and getting lennon and bale do what they do best - run like hell.
fingers cross that Emirates Marketing Project pick up a few cards and one or two of the speedy forays connects with someone in the penalty box.

run at them. do or die. the glory-glory way. i am with you on this.

 

[mick cooper]

Why are people trying to hold out for a draw before the game kicks off?
We don't need to play some uber defensive formation, particularly by rushing Sandro back before he's ready, or panicking about the quality of their team.

We lost Ade - they lost Kompany
We have pretty much lost Sandro - they are without yadayada

for the rest of the teams, we can more than match them, including Aguero and Silva, particularly if Ledley is fit and lasts the 90

We stand our best chance if we play our A game, commitment to attack and open up the opposition, based on a solid defence

If Modric and Parker play up to their best and Bale doesn't get crocked (guarantee Mancini issues orders to rough him up) - and Lennon doesn't give up against Clichy, as he has done in the past - we can do them.

This isn't going to be a Wolves, 10 men behind the ball game - but if you remember from last year, they spent most of the game pegged back by relentless pressure until one of our strikers finally managed a breakthrough goal. Sadly it was an own goal.

I just want to see the team go balls out, sticking to their principles, playing with confidence and trusting in their teamwork and personal skills. If we do them, then it will be a real marker in the ground - and a clear and unambiguous statement of intent.

But lets be clear - we are playing a team with the financial resources to buy and pay 2 players ?ú225K + a week, and then let them rot in the reserves, they have invested heavily in talent, and losing to them will not be a disgrace, nor will it indicate that we are on some massive slide into oblivion.

Football done the right way v Footballing prostitutes

We have to win this for the sake of the game.

 

[spasm]

Why are people trying to hold out for a draw before the game kicks off?
We don't need to play some uber defensive formation, particularly by rushing Sandro back before he's ready, or panicking about the quality of their team.

We lost Ade - they lost Kompany
We have pretty much lost Sandro - they are without yadayada

for the rest of the teams, we can more than match them, including Aguero and Silva, particularly if Ledley is fit and lasts the 90

We stand our best chance if we play our A game, commitment to attack and open up the opposition, based on a solid defence

If Modric and Parker play up to their best and Bale doesn't get crocked (guarantee Mancini issues orders to rough him up) - and Lennon doesn't give up against Clichy, as he has done in the past - we can do them.

This isn't going to be a Wolves, 10 men behind the ball game - but if you remember from last year, they spent most of the game pegged back by relentless pressure until one of our strikers finally managed a breakthrough goal. Sadly it was an own goal.

I just want to see the team go balls out, sticking to their principles, playing with confidence and trusting in their teamwork and personal skills. If we do them, then it will be a real marker in the ground - and a clear and unambiguous statement of intent.

But lets be clear - we are playing a team with the financial resources to buy and pay 2 players ?ú225K + a week, and then let them rot in the reserves, they have invested heavily in talent, and losing to them will not be a disgrace, nor will it indicate that we are on some massive slide into oblivion.

Football done the right way v Footballing prostitutes

We have to win this for the sake of the game.

i hope we tear them a new one; Bale & Lennon have a stormer. King back would be a tremendous boost. i do worry that much of our fluency in going forward has been a result of Adebayor's hold-up/link-up play and without it, we will struggle. like i said, hopefully this doesn't happen. football prossies, my next adventure..

 

[KingTuT]

I dedicate my avatar to parker, legend

Me too lol
Great player,just what Spurs need..lack of form my arse Bwwaahahaha..funniest thing anyone has ever said EVER

 

[billyiddo]

Because it's largely a ridiculous discussion Arc...I was not a specific Parker fan (similar to Friedel) but only Helen Keller and her method-acolytes could fail to see (or even sense) the major difference they've made.

but some are making arguments as to why his game has dropped (however slight you may think, if at all) as his role seems to have changed the past few games - no one seems interested in debating the thought out arguments made from this angle and instead focus on pointing the finger and calling people haters. there may be some posters who refuse to acknowledge his contribution this season - but there are others who do see how important he is to us, yet can still see that parts of his game aren't perfect and that is what we are trying to discuss (discuss, not hate) as i (for example) feel that him playing further up the field stifles our attacking creativity due to his poor (ish) range of passing and his tendency to hold on to the ball for too long therefore wasting the good off the ball movements of others