Before I get into the topic of this article, I’m just going to do a small recap on my previous one. I may have put the question out there that bale playing in the middle might not work due to his lack of vision and killer pass, but his assist for Jan’s goal against the swans was brilliantly seen and executed. This is great news if he incorporates this play permanently into his game.
Back to the current topic in question, Scotty Parker; I love Mr P, I think he is an excellent professional and a great role model on for young players; however, he is almost the last of his kind. Parker is a no-nonsense, heart on his sleeve, technically limited type player; who defends with everything he has and more, but doesn’t really offer much quality going forward. He is loved by fans across football in the UK, and I personally think this affection stems from fans believing we would play like him if we played for our respected teams. Scott Parker last season was fantastic, awesome and supreme, but that form hasn’t transferred into this season.
An injured start to the season did not help this cause, but, as a defensive, dominating midfielder, he is starting to show he lacks particular qualities for the modern game. Football is demanding certain characteristics from all players, these characteristics include technically adapt, tactically assured, with physical size being taken in consideration with the skills and intelligence of the player. Parker is the odd one out; he doesn’t have the physical presence of a modern tackler, nor the technical ability for someone of his size.
Let me put this another way; if I were to describe the perfect defensive midfielder, I would say items such as tall, strong and high physical presence as a minimal requirement. This type of player also requires a decent amount of technical ability, with a small amount of ability going forward. We could call it the Yaya Toure mould, and good examples of this include Sandro, Fellaini and even Barcelona’s Busquets. This is the modern defensive midfielder, and many of the top teams have or desperately need this type of player. Parker doesn’t have many of these qualities, and we lost a significant player in Sandro.
Parker is a Roy Keane type player, and has a great career, and I still love him playing for Tottenham, but he is no longer what is needed in the constantly changing football, and the type of a player that will soon be extinct.
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Sadly I find myself more and more frustrated with Parker as he tries to do more and more in possession. As you've mentioned, attacking is not and has never been his strong point but this season he seems to be trying to do so much more of it. Repeatedly he will run past Lennon, Bale and Dembele, all of whom are better in possession than him, and ignore them while running into a dead end. Sadly we have outgrown him. Sandro being one of the top defensive midfielders in Europe for the first half of the season hasn't helped his cause.
ReplyDeleteLove Scotty but he can sometimes hold us back with negative passing
ReplyDeleteAre you lot of your cap. There arent many teams in the prem that have a back up(YES BACK UP)defensive midfielder the quality of Scotty Parker Man City with all there money lost yaya to he africans cup and there season went completly tits up.We were luck to have him, otherwise we would have Livermore or Huddlestone playing that position and believe me if that was the case we woul;d be no where near 3rd
ReplyDeleteMaybe Dembele needs to stick closer to him like Modric did last year to mop up loose balls from his tackles and spread them, problem is he doesn't have the same long passing ability as the Croatian. While his partnership with Dembele isn't as effective as when Sandro was playing I have to agree with the above, we're damn lucky to have a back-up like Scotty
ReplyDeleteA back-up player is one who comes in once in while when a regular is off form. A back-up player normally comes off the bench for a number of reasons. Scotty cannot be considered a back-up cos Sandro was injured ages ago...a long term injury. Thus Scotty is a first choice player at the moment..and that is scary !
DeletePlease remember his wonderful assist in the Arsenal game. True he's taken time to find his form this season but he had a good game at Swansea and seems to be getting full fitness back.
ReplyDeleteScotty is what he is and he shields the back four very well. I agree, with Sandro injured we were lucky to have Parker to come in. His shortcomings going forward have only been exposed due to the general lack of creative passing from deep we had with Modric and the complete lack of movement up front with our strikers. These are the very reasons Bale was moved infield in the first place! Bale has been brilliant in behind a 'striker' but it has covered over the cracks upfront as we all know. Parker is trying to over compensate at times and its's more to the detriment of the players around him than his own failings. But when doing what's asked of him as a defensive midfielder he's still an important player.
ReplyDelete