Monday 4 July 2011

Barton Better Than Parker!

Well we all knew that Nolan deserved the Player of the Year award ahead of Parker because of his 11 goals and 7 assists - and now our Kev is at Upton Park more of us are willing to admit it - but the news that Bad Boy Barton had a better season than Scotty too may come as more of a surprise.

Never slow to come forward with fists raised, Joey twattered that he is a better player than Mr West Ham Until I Join Spurs Parker. And the guy has a point. He argues, quite rightly, that he helped Newcastle to two victories over the Parker "inspired" West Ham and highlights that we were relegated comfortably with Scotty in the team.

Stats also make very interesting reading. Where Parker managed a paltry three assists all season, Joey played a killer ball no less than 9 times. Where Parker excelled himself with 4 Premiership goals, Joey chipped in with 5.

Over his Premiership career, Joey has set up a goal once in every 8 games, whilst Parker only creates a goal once in every 14.5 games. Parker has scored once in every 13 games, whilst Barton has made the net bulge once in every nine games.

How much is Barton paid a week? Probably less than a third of what we are paying Parker. Who is getting value exactly?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I knew it was you when I saw "Barton Better Than Parker!" What is it with you and Parker?

Anonymous said...

You're right, of course!

Poor Scotty can't hold a candle to Joey - - - when it comes to battering people. Team mates, members of the public, well anyone really. A real credit to any prison football club.

(Given Barton's choice of subject matter for his "tweet" you're not ghosting for the thug are you?)

Sav said...

Don't analyze it 18:10? As the Psychiatrist said in Fawlty Towers "... we will need an entire conference".

Anonymous said...

One plays for England, one doesn't,t. One is valued at £10m, one is valued at £1m. One will be sought after by a top four club, one is not wanted by his current club. One is a true professional.....I know who I'd have in my team any day

Anonymous said...

Ofcourse Barton is twice as good as Parker, does anyone dispute that. Compare them at:
http://www.castrolfootball.com/rankings/debatesettler/

Zito said...

If goals and assists were the only measure of a midfielder's value to his team then the comparison, as illustrated here, would be valid. But it isn't, so it's not. 'Nuff said.

Hammersfan said...

Is that right Zito? Then what other comparative measure would you like to see employed exactly? Who turns the most circles in a game? Who gives away the most free kicks due to a poor tackling technique? Who delivers the worst corners? Maybe pass completion rate would be relevant? Parker's aint great!

Bogota Gaz said...

Now then Hammersfan would one being a Winger/ Attacking Midfielder & the other being a Holding Midfielder have anything to do with the assists & goals ratio? Come on man this dross aint worth the web space

Zito said...

You are comparing apples with oranges, HF. Different types of players playing in different roles make direct statistical analysis difficult.

I would think comparing stats over a full season of Hitz and Nolan more relevant.

Hammersfan said...

But if Hitz is the Nolan equivalent then Parker and Barton must be a fair comparison. I have repeatedly said that Parker is a holding midfielder but does not hold his position when playing for West Ham. You don't want to look at his contribution in the attacking third, therefore his importance must be in the defensive third. How many goals did we ship last season? 70. Seventy goals shipped! What does that say about the quality of our holding midfielder?

Zito said...

Yes, if they are holding midfielders then you shouldn't have been looking at their goals created and scored stats, we agree on that.

I mean, their function on the team would be to win the ball, act as a link with the midfield and protect the defence. The attacking qualities they would bring to the side would be secondary.

I don't want to get into a debate about who is better, Barton or Parker, because both players have intangible qualities which you can't quantify. And I know who I would prefer to have in my dressing room if I was gaffer.

However, to say shipping 70 goals last season was down to Parker being a poor holding midfielder is simplistic. It ignores Avram's poor team selections, an unmotivated central defender who should have been a leader, a goalkeeper who did not inspire confidence in his defenders, and a manager whose tactics were questionable.

I am not saying that Parker is a good holding midfielder either. I am saying that to put it all down to him ignores the obvious.

Hammersfan said...

You seem to be agreeing that Parker isn't very good full stop.