This is the part that I get confused about. If Mitro manages 23 goals, how on earth can he be said to be constantly isolated? Is this another slight on Parker because his striker is scoring goals? Do we just ignore the players around him who passed and set him up for his goals? Bryan and Cav have 14 assists alone. Cairney underachieving how exactly? He's got 8 goals and 3 assists, where he finished in our promo season with 5 goals and 5 assists.
Have you seen the heatmap vs QPR? He was all over the pitch. Each attack is orchestrated through him. The 90 minutes are up on the site, and it's clear as day if you are focused on him. To contrast, I also rewatched the match and chose to focus on BDR. While he did well as a false-9, his runs off the ball hurt us a bit as he's found himself offsides are just not aggressive enough (far post, near post runs) to drag their defenders. He stands still a lot in the box expecting for a square ball.
I can't say we advanced the ball slowly that much at all. It was a higher pace than I've seen. We pressed very high and aggressively, Cav and BDR pressuring the ball carrier, while Arter cuts off the passing lane centrally and Reed man-marks Eze. Cairney free-roams ball-side so he can be there to get the possession moving.
I have to keep making this point for some reason, but there is this perception that we play the game so slowly. Earlier in the season yes we did. Remember Cardiff City? Mawson and Ream, back and forth. Completely agree there. However, Parker has changed tactics to a higher pace. Look at the last 5 matches for example. The only part I agree with is this "Parkerball" concept of passing from the back, but Parker's not the only manager in the world who does that, so...
I completley agree regarding playing StefJo and Kmac. However, I loved that trio and 100% believe if Slav had played them more often in the Prem, we'd have been safe. You can't dismiss that kind of chemistry - which is what he did. Parker has had chances to bring them back, but hasn't done so either. I wish he would, but I don't see it as likely because Reed is playing great, Arter as well and scored his first league goal, so can't stop that momentum.
Much like we want Parker to change some things, we as supporters should be open to understand when he does actually change things. That's the point of my post. Not to say you aren't, but to stay on these rigid mindsets suggests we're paying attention to the past versus what is actually happening on the pitch. The resources are there for each to see if their statements are valid or not. I've been wrong in my initial assessments and have had to go back and watch matches to validate my findings. Just the other day I wrote the focus QPR reaction article and had to redo some parts several times because I was wrong about a player and a certain tactic.
I really enjoyed this post and agree that Parker has modified his style somewhat over the course of the season. It's questionable whether it has been any more successful but that wasn't your point. Overall a really balanced and thoughtful read.
On a slightly unrelated point there seems to be a debate on here as to whether Parker is "one of our own". Not for me, as that epithet usually relates to someone who came from our academy.
Thanks, Twig. I think my goal was more so awareness, rather than combatting facts. I am working on my own coaching badges (licenses in the US here I guess?), so I'm quite picky with Parker and his modifications.
I don't think Parker is one of our own at all. Hard not to think of him as a Spurs player more than anything. However, if Denis Odoi retires tomorrow and takes over coaching next season, would he be considered one of our own? I think the topic, in general, is quite interesting on what qualifies.
This is the part that I get confused about. If Mitro manages 23 goals, how on earth can he be said to be constantly isolated? Is this another slight on Parker because his striker is scoring goals? Do we just ignore the players around him who passed and set him up for his goals? Bryan and Cav have 14 assists alone. Cairney underachieving how exactly? He's got 8 goals and 3 assists, where he finished in our promo season with 5 goals and 5 assists.
Have you seen the heatmap vs QPR? He was all over the pitch. Each attack is orchestrated through him. The 90 minutes are up on the site, and it's clear as day if you are focused on him. To contrast, I also rewatched the match and chose to focus on BDR. While he did well as a false-9, his runs off the ball hurt us a bit as he's found himself offsides are just not aggressive enough (far post, near post runs) to drag their defenders. He stands still a lot in the box expecting for a square ball.
I can't say we advanced the ball slowly that much at all. It was a higher pace than I've seen. We pressed very high and aggressively, Cav and BDR pressuring the ball carrier, while Arter cuts off the passing lane centrally and Reed man-marks Eze. Cairney free-roams ball-side so he can be there to get the possession moving.
I have to keep making this point for some reason, but there is this perception that we play the game so slowly. Earlier in the season yes we did. Remember Cardiff City? Mawson and Ream, back and forth. Completely agree there. However, Parker has changed tactics to a higher pace. Look at the last 5 matches for example. The only part I agree with is this "Parkerball" concept of passing from the back, but Parker's not the only manager in the world who does that, so...
I completley agree regarding playing StefJo and Kmac. However, I loved that trio and 100% believe if Slav had played them more often in the Prem, we'd have been safe. You can't dismiss that kind of chemistry - which is what he did. Parker has had chances to bring them back, but hasn't done so either. I wish he would, but I don't see it as likely because Reed is playing great, Arter as well and scored his first league goal, so can't stop that momentum.
Much like we want Parker to change some things, we as supporters should be open to understand when he does actually change things. That's the point of my post. Not to say you aren't, but to stay on these rigid mindsets suggests we're paying attention to the past versus what is actually happening on the pitch. The resources are there for each to see if their statements are valid or not. I've been wrong in my initial assessments and have had to go back and watch matches to validate my findings. Just the other day I wrote the focus QPR reaction article and had to redo some parts several times because I was wrong about a player and a certain tactic.
Wow! a proper and thoughtful response of a kind I hope for every time I post and I thank you for that.
Regarding Mitro. It is strange isn't it, he gets loads of goals but IMO he is isolated and we do not get enough bodies in the box. f we set up a little differently he may score a few less, but the team would get more, and that is the issue for me, how to set up the team for best effect, not how to play so that one player looks good.
The same is true of TC. He gets his share of goals and assists but does not dominate the game like he used to so the team does not play as well because he is in the wrong position to make the best use of his talents. Cav, IMO has been one of the biggest disapointments. Whatever his stats are, with his ability he should be terrorising defences and thrilling us, but that just isn't the case. he is one dimensional and most teams seem to contain him very easilly.
I didn't really say we play to slowly but I did say we do not advance quickly enough. A subtle but profound difference. When kleeds hit us on the break, they didn't stop on the half way line they kept driving forward, we do not do that. That just has to be SP influencing decision making.
What I can see is that most (all?) the goals we conceded since the break have been from inside the box and that is where most goals are scored from by getting dodies in the box. We have scored from two long range efforts and when we havegot the ball in the box there is rarely more than one player...so that is the case with Mitro he gets on something and when the scramble occurs, there is nobody in there... this is poor tactics. and that is down to SP because it is week in week out.
SP shows his inexperience far too often. He does modify things but not as radically as I would like. He clearly ahs favourites and a favoured way of playing. Cav and Knock have massively underperormed in terms of end product, we can all see that with our eyes and I think that is down to tactics. We shall see what we shall see but I hate it when SP does say before the break we were the form team. In the last 7 we hadn't played all that well, won 3, drawn 3 and lost one. It's OK but not brilliant if promotion is the goal.
Thanks for the very good post, let's see what we make of tomorrows game.
Cheers, ALG! I can see where you're coming from. It's a bit ironic that the last couple matches with a higher pace, we have gotten even less players into the box. Our counter attacks become advanced possession (usually because the initial ball has been misplayed). When we played a more measured, and let's just say slower, attack - we were able to get players more into the box. I think our link up play at the top of the box, which is where we find ourselves a lot of the time, is often one pass too many. There was a moment in the QPR match in which BDR, Arter and Cav linked up brilliantly - but the final pass was just off the mark and we missed out on a shot taken instead. Or, if we looked backpost, like a lot of our opponents do, we may have been in even better spot.
Example here:
https://streamable.com/ib06owGood point about Mitro not having the support during the scramble. That's definitely different and is down to tactics. Some teams choose to back off to avoid counters, some will go in aggressively, like Bielsa does with Leeds. It's a bit strange because we defend from the front quite aggressively with our 4-4-2, but the centre midfielder (Arter v QPR) press extremely high. Maybe a swarming tactic could work, and could prevent less of those precision long balls over the top (away to Leeds, home to Barnsley, home to Swansea where we countered and scored though).
Regarding Parker, I'm just not sure what else he can do without modifying his entire system. This 4-3-3, even if it starts as a 4-2-3-1, is supposed to be dynamic and allows players to switch wings easily, midfielders to stick-and-twist (Cairney > Arter; Reed > Arter), but the end product is lacking. If it were up to me, I'd play Cav directly behind Mitro, or for the next two games as our main striker. I think he works much better centrally than he does waiting on the wings and expecting through balls as he cuts in. It would also help him be less prone to hold onto the ball for long periods of times and run into the ground.
Parker may be in a position that he needs to give up control to regain it. We should be a stronger counter-attacking team than we are. I can count maybe 2x that we've actually pulled off a proper counter attack, oddly enough the one we scored a goal on involved Cav passing to Kamara vs Preston at home. Yes, many have said how we possess for the sake of it, versus actually using what is functional. On some levels I do agree, but the players that get their chances really need to be finishing. It's such a tough spot to analyze because match form has been hit or miss for our wingers, those key 3 in BDR, Cav and Knockaert.
I have to keep making this point for some reason, but there is this perception that we play the game so slowly. Earlier in the season yes we did. Remember Cardiff City? Mawson and Ream, back and forth. Completely agree there. However, Parker has changed tactics to a higher pace.
Can you elaborate on this point.
I acknowledge we've started playing more directly out from the back. In particular, Hector and Rodak often play long balls, which I assume Parker instructed or at least doesn't object to.
However, other things such as the speed and fluidity of our passing, the speed with which we counter-attack, the players' movement when we're in possession, and of course our results, do not seem to me to have improved at all through the course of the season.
I wonder what all Parker chooses not to object to. Feel that he sighs everytime we send a long ball instead. However, the BDR goal vs Hudds is a great example of why we need those long balls.
https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/march/10/goal-of-the-month-resultThe counter-attacks are lacking. I think that's one of the bigger sore areas of our team play. We've had countless opportunities to counter-attack properly, but either someone isn't paying attention, or someone else hasn't the quality of pass.
Tactically, maybe it's seriously time to kill off the inverted winger system. I liked the idea of Knoackaert on the left v QPR, but that didn't last long as it went back to the inverted wingers again.
Overall, our quality of attacks are lacking because of simple things like runs off the ball, making good passing decisions, etc. The key passes just aren't there, and when they are, they aren't capitalized as regularly as they should.
Look at these examples:
https://streamable.com/7uqlgj> Inverted wingers ruins a good attack. Left footed early ball, and we're in. Defenders regroup, attack over.
https://streamable.com/24a6wh> Swift attack down the right side via Knock and Christie. Example of RB tucking in more when Cyrus is in. Issue I have is why Cav is all the way on the backpost even though he can see space is tightening up on Knockaert. BDR makes the near post run, and Cav should be shadowing him.
https://streamable.com/wk3f67> Nice combinations, this time Knockaert first time pass is lacking, but look at BDR's lazy run. If he doesn't want to be offsides, he can go at an angle near post and play off the LCB who is marking Knockaert, but he makes his attempt too late. There's not enough aggression here at all.
https://streamable.com/c6swpr> Another good run by Christie, obvious play should be to Cav on the right. BDR is making a nothing type of run to an offside level, just so he can squeeze around the defenders. Again, awareness to how space is being closed down isn't understood. If the space is covering up that quickly, why would a run offsides help?
https://streamable.com/87l7rw> Such a great chance here. Onomah gets a nice chipped pass from Hector. Instead of passing into space for BDR, he's taken it down and gone the other way. BDR then tries his best to force something out of nothing. *in the end, we recovered the ball back and it lead to the eventual Christie goal*.
So is this a Parker thing? Again, I have no idea. Is he drilling into the players that so-and-so needs to make those runs? Or make those passes. Who knows. These should be fairly obvious clues into how we're coming up short in the goal scoring department. We have all this ability to dominate from the back, midfield, attacking third ; but then at the top of the box, we fall flat. We don't expose teams with key passes enough, and when we do, after everything, we don't find the back of the net.
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