Parker is the problem for me

[grandad]

SP should have been appointed instead of Ranieri. That was the problem.

[Twig]

For what it's worth I take a slightly more balanced view.  Firstly I don't think this squad is as good as some seem to think, it desperately needed a couple of quality defensive signings which it didn't get, not SP's fault. But Secondly the Bristol game was an example of confused team selection and over conservative playing style, certainly down to SP. but he's still a rookie so I would cut him a bit of slack.

[MJG]

When does a rookie stop being a rookie?  Not saying Parker should not be called one, just wondered where the line is crossed?

[HV71]

Obviously it is very subjective- but I think after a season in the Championship the rookie tag should be dropped . Clearly you wouldn't be a 'seasoned experienced coach  ' - but not a 'rookie "
Personally I think Parker deserves some slack - hopefully he will have learned a few more lessons from Saturday

[jeremyfulham]

I think we sacked the rookie Bobby Robson too early , that turned out to be a mistake . Malcolm Macdonald and Mickey Adams were rookies , didn't do too badly !!! COW  049:gif 049:gif 049:gif

[toshes mate]

Parker is a problem. His coaching mates are a problem.  The team is a problem.  Playing matches is a problem.  Results are a problem.

Recently, the week after a poor result, Parker said 'training had been terrific', and yet the next match was not 'terrific' as a performance.  Perhaps training should be 'terrifying' (for him?) until he gets the sessions absolutely right because he will begin to see the very small and fine margins of improvement that a true professional coach is paid to see.  In a nutshell everybody concerned needs to put in the extra effort required to put problems right and not stumble upon 'fixes here and there' that don't deal with the overall need to have a cohesive structure which shows, every week, the product of true hard work.  The problem is the solution and as Jokanovic constantly reminded players that is their problem.   Perhaps that is where and when experience of having coached for year has gains that Parker, and the main men in his regime, just cannot, in their relative positions, see or do anything about.

How do you get players to create meaningful and long lasting partner performances on the pitch leading to cohesion and togetherness?  Coaches surely feed them the methods and then it is up to players to solve them in match play via the skill sets provided by the coach.  I see an over reliance on spot fixes that may work in lower level football but something much stronger is required at Championship level.  Perhaps it is our expectations of Parker that are disproportionate. 

 

[Londonfranky]

I think Parker doing ok so far, we should be doing a bit better maybe, but were 3rd not 3rd bottom, everybody talks about our squad, our 2 biggest signing have been a bit hit and miss, our captain seems to go missing on occasions, the defensive midfielders have been injured, so Cairney and Johansen have to play in there positions, which are not there natural positions, what I liked about the 4 games winning run was we that we won ugly in 3 of those games,  every game in this league is competitive, for me it's seems trying to get a good balance in the team, which for including kamara and BDR and JO he's been a bit hit and miss as well, but it was only his 2nd or 3rd full game, I got a suspection  no matter what happens in the next 3 or 4 games Parker's here for the season

[joef]

Now, despite the fact that I started this thread, one thing that I didn't mention is that I don't want Parker out (there be the irony). He has this entire season for me.

This wasn't a cry to hit the sack button.

I simply feel he has the team, the backing and the goodwill to deliver but suspect due to his inexperience will fail this year.

The team do not look united and galvanised behind their collective mission. That is something that comes behind the scenes from leadership.  The problem is his to fix and I question whether he has the wherewithal to draw from. Would love him to prove me wrong.

[colinwhite]

Actually think its a bit of a cop out just to blame parker for saturdays defeat. Not sure that he would have been my choice ,but he is here and hopefully going to be sucecssful. Time will tell ,we are in third and have made progress. That our squad is so much better than the rest of the division etc is something i dont buy. Its decent but you are only as good as your last game.
My criticism at present would be directed towards Joe Bryan for ball watching and being out of position for BC s first goal. Not to mention Knockhart and Cavelero for standing watching (the ball ) for their second. Other players for me that need to look themselves in the mirror after that performance are Cairney and Mitro . Both poor and passive on the day,yet remain free of any criticism from complainers. Is this down to the manager?  maybe but only if you also acknowledge that its  down to Parker that Mitro is the league top scorer and that Cairney si such a coveted player. You cant have it both ways and maintain a rational argument.
The players are  top professionals and of course shouldnt be ball -watching according to the coaching staff, and of course when they perform well its partly down to their own abillity and attitude.
Parker has the overall responsibillity for the team and overall he is doing ok and has shown that his team is well capable of going on another winning run . Hopfully that will start tomorrow.

Ps Dont rate Onomah and think Kamara should have started just like everybody else , but surely those team selections were forced upon Parker due to Injuries to the 3 players out and  that Kamara is clearly still recovering from his ankle problem. He looked nailed on for a player who had a pain -killing injection prior to the Swansea game. 

[Bill2]

Our performance has dipped over the last few games, I am being a bit on the generous side in that we have lost 3 players to injury, Arter, Reed and Reid. All of these are pushing for starts and to lose the lot it highlights that the replacing player is not good enough. SP has to reshuffle the midfield and lose the ability of more accurate passing out of the back or strength of player in the middle.
I am hopeful that when these 3 come back we will be a stronger side.

[Statto]

Problem for me is he is not "learning"

Knockaert has been poor lately, and AK47 much better. So why put Knockaert back in the starting XI this weekend?
Onomah was poor despite being given 90 mins in the last match. McDonald and Johansen can play DM. So why keep Onomah in?
Why are we persisting with inverted wingers?
How has Joe Bryan not been taken aside by Parker/Gray and told where to position himself when we don't have possession?

Just really simple, avoidable mistakes that he is not learning from.   

[General]

And how did Leeds and West Broms managers get the experience? By not getting sacked after less than half a season. 

Are you suggesting we just wait 10-20 years for Parker to work out Onomah ain't good enough? 

Onomah may be a late developer .....like Vardy

Or Dempsey, or Baird... or a lot of players. Onomah is 22... We're his first proper club past Tottenham where he was a squad player at best due to age and quality in depth they have. I think Bobby Reid is better and a more finished article, but ridiculous to write someone off that early.

[SuffolkWhite]

My expectation at the beginning of the season was top 6 with an outside chance of top 2, the reason for that is a young manager in debut season and recovering from relegation whilst integrating new players. So at the moment we are doing ok.
But it's true we have got away with some wins from gritty performances and maybe not playing as fluid as we would all like. We have also been unlucky in a few games and so maybe this has evened its self out and we sit 3rd!
I do think with Johansen as the holding mid and AK and Reid in the same team we have more tempo which h frightens other teams, and that for me is the key thus season along with hopefully  Hector shoring things up.

[colinwhite]

Problem for me is he is not "learning"

Knockaert has been poor lately, and AK47 much better. So why put Knockaert back in the starting XI this weekend?
Onomah was poor despite being given 90 mins in the last match. McDonald and Johansen can play DM. So why keep Onomah in?
Why are we persisting with inverted wingers?
How has Joe Bryan not been taken aside by Parker/Gray and told where to position himself when we don't have possession?

Just really simple, avoidable mistakes that he is not learning from.   

Statto,Fairly sure Parker will have done that time and again. This isnt the first time it has happened . Player responsibillity in equal measure . That Onomah plays shows that we have been pretty devastated by injuries . Kamara could probably only manage 20 minutes with his ankle if he is going to feature against preston and in particular Leeds .Thats my take on it. If onomah starts when the others fit I will be very surprised.

[Woolly Mammoth]

I am confused, we win four matches in a row against teams who are more that capable of snatching a result from us. We lose one match by the odd goal in three, arguably hard done by, hit the bar, good penalty shout turned down, and on the end of some rotten referee decisions, and Scott Parker is a failure. Well let's think again before further knee jerk reactions. May I remind ourselves we are in third place. So if SP Job is at stake at this stage, then what about the 21 managers of teams below him.
Of course there is improvements to be made, but you can say that about most teams. Some of these teams in this Division are big clubs with huge support, sleeping giants. Every team with its own systems of play and strengths and weaknesses. It an unforgiving Division with no prisoners taken, and it's all on the day with plenty of banana skins to negotiate.
We are Fulham not Liverpool or eveni Leeds United, and we cannot keep sacking managers because the sun stops shinning over Craven Cottage.
We have 90 minutes and added time to win a game, if we do not succeed, we move on to the next fixture which is away to Preston North End in 7th place, and how have they been doing recently, I don't hear them screaming out wanting to sack their manager.

[Luka]

Look at the much vaunted squad for yesterday. The underperforming Knockaert starts, there is no Reid, Reed or Arter who between them offer bite and attacking options, on the bench we had "needs more time", " previous scapegoat"', two youngsters, the untried Kebano and AK.
Competitive Championship squad on a level with about ten other teams but runaway top two. Nope.

So you would have swapped that Bristol City XI for ours?

Maybe not the entire eleven but would take the manager, both the centre backs and their number 42 all day long.

[Statto]

Problem for me is he is not "learning"

Knockaert has been poor lately, and AK47 much better. So why put Knockaert back in the starting XI this weekend?
Onomah was poor despite being given 90 mins in the last match. McDonald and Johansen can play DM. So why keep Onomah in?
Why are we persisting with inverted wingers?
How has Joe Bryan not been taken aside by Parker/Gray and told where to position himself when we don't have possession?

Just really simple, avoidable mistakes that he is not learning from.   

Statto,Fairly sure Parker will have done that time and again. This isnt the first time it has happened . Player responsibillity in equal measure . That Onomah plays shows that we have been pretty devastated by injuries . Kamara could probably only manage 20 minutes with his ankle if he is going to feature against preston and in particular Leeds .Thats my take on it. If onomah starts when the others fit I will be very surprised.

Well it's Parker's job to get the best out of the player, and he's either not coaching Bryan on this at all or not coaching him effectively. Of course it's all conjecture on our part but I get the distinct feeling that if Hodgson was in charge, Bryan would have spent the last few weeks getting shouted at, forced to watch videos of the goals we've conceded, and doing repetitive drills until he learns how to stop/defend crosses.

Not going to speculate about how many minutes AK47, McDonald et al can play each match. Ultimately it's only in a very specific and unlikely fact pattern that Knockaert and Onomah were the only options.

[ByTheRiver]

I am far from Parker's biggest fan (still yet to be convinced) but people are overlooking the Onomah move. It was to be keep TC in the deeper role where he has really flourished in recent weeks (and we won 4 on the spin). So, in that sense, I think it was the correct and only move.

And before anyone suggests, I'm not sure DLT or Riley, or any youth team player, is ready for that role yet (no dropped straight in like that without having played all season). There is potentially an argument for Knockaert or Kebano to move central and play in that 10 role. Keep Cairney deep and allow AK47 back on the right. That's a whole other argument though, I guess...

[ALG01]

And how did Leeds and West Broms managers get the experience? By not getting sacked after less than half a season. 

Are you suggesting we just wait 10-20 years for Parker to work out Onomah ain't good enough? 

Onomah may be a late developer .....like Vardy

don't think so

[BigbadBillyMcKinley]

I am confused, we win four matches in a row against teams who are more that capable of snatching a result from us. We lose one match by the odd goal in three, arguably hard done by, hit the bar, good penalty shout turned down, and on the end of some rotten referee decisions, and Scott Parker is a failure. Well let's think again before further knee jerk reactions. May I remind ourselves we are in third place. So if SP Job is at stake at this stage, then what about the 21 managers of teams below him.
Of course there is improvements to be made, but you can say that about most teams. Some of these teams in this Division are big clubs with huge support, sleeping giants. Every team with its own systems of play and strengths and weaknesses. It an unforgiving Division with no prisoners taken, and it's all on the day with plenty of banana skins to negotiate.
We are Fulham not Liverpool or eveni Leeds United, and we cannot keep sacking managers because the sun stops shinning over Craven Cottage.
We have 90 minutes and added time to win a game, if we do not succeed, we move on to the next fixture which is away to Preston North End in 7th place, and how have they been doing recently, I don't hear them screaming out wanting to sack their manager.

Exactly this.

We're third. Are people saying that if you were guaranteed that fulhan would be in third by xmas, you wouldnt have snatched their hand off? I would have.
West Brom and Leeds will have a poor run, every team does. It's just about it not coinciding with one of ours. 8 points isnt a lot to make up.
People need to chill out.