I don't have stats to hand for miles covered but headless chickens run around a lot and if Parker's primary role is to hold, which is the main defence for his low assists and goals scored, then he shouldn't cover that much ground anyway. He was superb for England against Wales because he dropped anchor and held. I bet he covered less ground in that match than he has in any West Ham game this season, because he played with discipline and according to strict instructions from Capello.
On the tackling front, Parker does have a good record, figuring in the top five in the Prem with 116 tackles and has a high success rate of 77%. But look at the players around him! In that particular table are Lucas (147 tackles) Vaughan of Blackpool (121 with the same completion rate as Parker), Holden of Bolton (117) and Alcaraz of Wigan (110). I include the clubs of some of those in case you don't know who they are! None of those would be in the frame for Player of the Year would they?
Who doesn't figure in that list? Essien, Terry, Vidic, Kompany, Yaya Toure...Why? Well they always said of the great Bobby Moore that he never tackled because he read the game so well. Arguably, the need to tackle is evidence of failure: the best players read the game and avoid having to tackle because of positional discipline. How else do you explain that top 5? Outside of Parker they are all yard dogs! And this is the only top 5 list that Parker appears in!
Here's another stat! Parker has committed 40 fouls apparently; that's 4 more than Joey Barton! How many of those fouls have resulted in goals against us? How many of those fouls were because Parker tackles to retrieve a situation rather than using skill and judgement to head off the need to tackle in the first place? There's a thought! Who would you rather have Essien or Vaughan? Essien or Holden? Essien or Lucas? Essien or Alcaraz? That sort of suggests that the top tacklers category is not the most instructive doesn't it?
Arguably, the pass completion stat is pointless because so many passes are short, sideways and backwards. For example, Wigan have clocked up 9950 "successful" passes and Blackpool 10202 but Everton only 9597 and Bolton just 7226 - and look at their relative positions in the table! Assists is far more relevant! However, for the record, the top five for passing are Murphy 2050 (80% completion rate), Essien 1938 (87%), Ferguson 1855 (81%), Adam 1681 (72%) and Clichy 1624 (80%). So Parker aint in the top 5 there is he? Look at Essien's completion rate! That is class!
I am not suggesting here that Parker is not a good player, simply saying that he is NOT the Player of the Year. Adam has scored more, assisted more and made more passes, playing for a pub team! Nolan's goals and assists have kept Newcastle up. Essien and Nani stand out as the class players of the season. Parker has shown drive and passion but is that enough? He only figures in one top 5 list, for tackles, and the others in that list indicate that it isn't the best company to be found in.
The decision was daft. Never mind Parker, the football writers have proved themselves a bunch of anchors!
7 comments:
People will defend Parker and I am one of them. But the good thing about you and this blog is....That you take it on chin and stand by your views and write in a very unique style. I see people constantly abusing you, but I bet many of them come back to read all of your posts so it is a win win situation for you.
Keep it up mate.
todsy: HAMMERS ATTACK OVER STAMFORD BRIDGE
Lies lies and stats and u only have half of them. Just one example of false interpretation is why the likes of Terry and Essien are not in the tqckling charts. Could it just be that they play in a far better team that retains possesion and thus has far less tackles to administer as a team?
There is just one fact that u should conceed. People and lots of them that know a lot more about the game than u consider him like many WHU fans the best player this yr. You sir should just admit when u have a soap box that has been swept away. U even try and defend yourself by saying things like "read my posts, I have not been slating Parker that much just that he is playing the wrong role.......etc"! The truth is your tone, style and content is nowhere near what it should be for a player that without whom we would already be 10 pts adrift and relegated in my , most WHU fans and the football writers views! U sir stand corrected and should for just once shut up on this issue!
And if we are relegated anyway and parker triggers a release clause in his contract? We would have paid him £4m for what exactly? We are in a relegation place regardless! Can't you see how stupid your case is? So what if we go down by 10 points or 1 point? Nolan has kept Newcastle up, Parker looks like leading us down. How many of our players would get into the Newcastle team? Green, Upson, Bridge, Hitzlsperger, Parker, Ba & Keane for sure. That means Parker is playing in a stronger team than Nolan, yet Nolan's superior personal contribution will keep Newcastle up!
A bit rude and presumptuous; Blackpool aren't a pub side and why would the players you state get in the Newcastle team? I mean R Keane!! Be serious. Also Barton has been equally as impressive as Nolan, which makes a big difference.
Interpret the stats how you want, but Parkers performances have been, very evidently and consistently, of a high enough calibre to put him in with a shout at winning the award.
It's so obvious we are a one man team, and if we go down it won't be Parkers fault. The fact it's still uncertain whether we will go down or not is in a large part thanks to......yes you guessed it.
Anon is right, your arguments about SP are crap and your logic is always one sided. To be honest calling it logic is too positive. Without SP we are already down and would have no chance. U answer this by comparing him to Nolan (???? Qua??) and then follow it up by pointing out there are at least 6 others that would get in the toon side. Maybe it is the fault of those 6 and the rest of the squad and manager that we are in trouble and not SP? Seeing what is under your nose is tough for you though! You seem hellbent on laying the blame or at least a decent portion of it at SP's feet whilst ignoring the rest of the squad and manager. You are a blind nob, spraying in the dark aimlessly!
Yeah and we looked solid, secure and full of midfield drive without him today as well - not!!!! Without Scotty in C.M. We are slow, imobile and very poor! Going down despite his outstanding efforts, not because of it you plumb HF!
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