Parkers done half a very good job

[bill taylors apprentice]

Unfortunately tactics and teamwork wise he's simply very basic and lacks vision.

He is a man manager to be respected, shown great determination, presented himself well to the wider football world and created a very strong bond in the squad.

He steadied the ship after starting the season with a woefully inadequate squad but he never moved up a gear and blew our chances with his negative tactics.

He failed to see that in setting up his teams to stifle the opposition to avoid defeat he also stifled our own chances of a win now and again.

From mid December, going for the win more often would surely have meant more defeats but 3 or 4 more wins could have made all the difference and there were plenty of games looking back where a more positive approach would have seen us win.

I'm not convinced he has the ability to be a modern, forward thinking coach.

[rebel]

Good post.

If you looked at the expression on the faces of the players who were subbed today. They were thinking why? They could see what was coming. They were doing well.

[mancwhite]

I think our players are over rated they are not being loaned out for no reason. The question is whether Parker has got the best out of them I think generally he has, however I think his game management in using substitutes has been very poor generally. We become too defensive after going ahead inviting teams on to us worked in the championship (just) but we are just good enough to do that for long periods of time. We have really suffered from a lack of creativity and goal threat in the midfield, TC despite all his shortcomings would have helped

[bobby01]

I am beginning to wonder if we are giving Parker to much credit for sorting the defence out. Basically he has just replaced last years with new better defenders, and put dm,s in front of them.

[rebel]

I am beginning to wonder if we are giving Parker to much credit for sorting the defence out. Basically he has just replaced last years with new better defenders, and put dm,s in front of them.

Team is defending from the front, but we've lost the 'Everton performance' where we attacked with some potency.   

[filham]

The last three matches we have surrendered a one goal lead in the last 20 minutes by concentrating solely on defense. When will Parker learn not to sit on a single goal lead and that the best way to play out a match is with the ball in your opponents half.

[Whitestone]

The last three matches we have surrendered a one goal lead in the last 20 minutes by concentrating solely on defense. When will Parker learn not to sit on a single goal lead and that the best way to play out a match is with the ball in your opponents half.

And when we did get the ball in the Arsenal half in the last 20 minutes we struggled to retain possession with RLC the worst culprit.

[Whitestone]

I am beginning to wonder if we are giving Parker to much credit for sorting the defence out. Basically he has just replaced last years with new better defenders, and put dm,s in front of them.

I think that does actually deserve credit but that alone isn't enough which is why we are under siege most games. If we had attackers that were as good as our defenders the story might be different. I understand the manager is going to come under attack with these performances but with the best will in the world we took on Arsenal with Maja, Cavaleiro, Lookman and Reid. It's no wonder we aren't scoring goals.

[Milo]

This is a great thread with some really considered replies.

I think my current analysis is that Parker's first team is around 8 out of 11 players who weren't here the season before. That's a huge influx of new faces and that factor alone arguably sunk us last time out.

So, to then devise tactics that steadied the ship and made us into quite a strong Premiership outfit at one stage when we played eg Chelsea etc a few months ago, deserves credit.

However, he fell short when it came to solving our goal scoring issues. For that, he needed to get our international striker firing and make one last tactical change to integrate Mitrovic. That involves tactical awareness, but also being able to man manage Mitrovic who we know needs a fair amount of work at times.

So for me..

Positives:

Able to integrate a large number of new faces
Made tactical changes mid-season to make us very solid defensively

Negatives:

Unable to integrate Mitrovic

Then there were a few issues out of his control i.e. overall quality of players, Mitrovic losing form, etc.

Overall I think in the context of a manager only a few years in to his career, he's shown a lot of promise. I suppose the main question is whether we think this is now Parker's style of play and whether we like the football. Whether, with different faces, it would be successful in the future. Or, whether we think he could adapt once more and get things right?

[colinwhite]

A lot of good posts on a sensible thread. We played fantastic football under Jokanovic but were a shambles in the season in the premier league after he left.
Parker has adapted to the job quickly ,getting us back to the premiership and as Bill says made us at least respectable and competetive in this league. We havnt got enough wins because  we havent had enough fire power. We are two or three players short of being a really decent side.

[rebel]

The last three matches we have surrendered a one goal lead in the last 20 minutes by concentrating solely on defense. When will Parker learn not to sit on a single goal lead and that the best way to play out a match is with the ball in your opponents half.

And when we did get the ball in the Arsenal half in the last 20 minutes we struggled to retain possession with RLC the worst culprit.

He should have introduced Mitro, we had 3 / 4 situations that could have resulted in another goal. RLC has to think about stuff, Mitro instinctive knows what to do most of the time.

[rebel]

A lot of good posts on a sensible thread. We played fantastic football under Jokanovic but were a shambles in the season in the premier league after he left.
Parker has adapted to the job quickly ,getting us back to the premiership and as Bill says made us at least respectable and competetive in this league. We havnt got enough wins because  we havent had enough fire power. We are two or three players short of being a really decent side.

The Everton match demonstrated that we can score goals, Maja could have had a couple of more goals on the day.

[FFC In Oz]

The last three matches we have surrendered a one goal lead in the last 20 minutes by concentrating solely on defense. When will Parker learn not to sit on a single goal lead and that the best way to play out a match is with the ball in your opponents half.

Put simply, he won't learn.

Just as his team selection and subs continue to be almost random.

[rebel]

The last three matches we have surrendered a one goal lead in the last 20 minutes by concentrating solely on defense. When will Parker learn not to sit on a single goal lead and that the best way to play out a match is with the ball in your opponents half.

Put simply, he won't learn.

Just as his team selection and subs continue to be almost random.

Best post of the day, although very early. The fans can see this, why can't he?
Is he on the touchline dreaming of his next jumper?

[FFC In Oz]

The last three matches we have surrendered a one goal lead in the last 20 minutes by concentrating solely on defense. When will Parker learn not to sit on a single goal lead and that the best way to play out a match is with the ball in your opponents half.

Put simply, he won't learn.

Just as his team selection and subs continue to be almost random.

Best post of the day, although very early. The fans can see this, why can't he?
Is he on the touchline dreaming of his next jumper?

Hahaha I laughed at that.

Imagine Matt Wells with GQ & ASOS websites up on the iPads on the bench trying to get Scott's attention to show him the new catalogues !

[rebel]

The last three matches we have surrendered a one goal lead in the last 20 minutes by concentrating solely on defense. When will Parker learn not to sit on a single goal lead and that the best way to play out a match is with the ball in your opponents half.

Put simply, he won't learn.

Just as his team selection and subs continue to be almost random.

Best post of the day, although very early. The fans can see this, why can't he?
Is he on the touchline dreaming of his next jumper?

Hahaha I laughed at that.

Imagine Matt Wells with GQ & ASOS websites up on the iPads on the bench trying to get Scott's attention to show him the new catalogues !

It's true, it's like he gets so much right, then is 'zoned out' when trying to make logical decisions.

[clarkey]

His selection policy has been irrational.

His tactics have been extremely negative. He plays five at the back with two/three screening midfielders and two forwards playing deep.

He only selects one forward per game.

His subbing is awful, late and misdirected.He lost/drew the game yesterday by bringing on RLC and selecting Cav. You can't play with 9 on the pitch, you end up losing any threat and midfield control. (we never had it)

Last season he was even worse, we played such negative dull football and even when against vastly inferior teams we failed to put games to bed. I can not believe people give him credit for the simple expedient of playing Andersen as a centre back, who has held that defence together, shaped it and captains the team and sorted the defence aided by three new fullbacks, two new centre backs and discarding all the players Parker brought in before like Hector, Josh, etc etc.

Any of us could have done that masterstroke if given a player like Andersen.Plus Tosin.Plus Kongolo, Tete, Aina,Lemina, etc etc It was not a tactical bit of wizardry.Where is his ingenuity, new strategies, Clough like adaptation of players, use of available resources.Dead ball routines, corner experiments, even penalties are beyong his control or skill set.

No he has fallen well short of any decent manager.

[We Are Premier League]

The last three matches we have surrendered a one goal lead in the last 20 minutes by concentrating solely on defense. When will Parker learn not to sit on a single goal lead and that the best way to play out a match is with the ball in your opponents half.

Put simply, he won't learn.

Just as his team selection and subs continue to be almost random.

I don't think its random, he had great success with it (replacing all attacking player with defenders to hold on to a lead/point) last year and is obviously hoping that it would work in the PL as well. However, that has not been the case lately.

Has it been working lately? Obviously not
Was it the right thing to try? Possibly not
Were the subs almost random? Absolutely not

[JimOG]

I think our players are over rated they are not being loaned out for no reason. The question is whether Parker has got the best out of them I think generally he has, however I think his game management in using substitutes has been very poor generally. We become too defensive after going ahead inviting teams on to us worked in the championship (just) but we are just good enough to do that for long periods of time. We have really suffered from a lack of creativity and goal threat in the midfield, TC despite all his shortcomings would have helped

I think you're the first contributor to point this out. Not even Areola nor Andersen were first pics, Tosin getting nowhere et City Aina wasn't cutting it at Torino, Tete had fallen down the pecking order, Lemina not wanted by Southampton who are hardly world beaters. It's just that they are so much better than our Championship defenders. But in fairness to Parker the ease with which Villa and Arsenal cut us open in the early games must have made him think we must start at the back. Moreover Sheff Utd showed last year that a stubborn defence could get you somewhere and we've got 12 draws. But, as you all say, it's imbalanced. Again is that Parker's fault? I don't feel I can judge that definitively until he has attackers who are as good as that defence. If he had a Zaha or Watkins on the half way line yesterday it would make such a difference but as said below Maja (no real pace) Reid (not a Prem player) Cav (ditto - why did Woves get rid?) RLC (Chesea don't want him & maybe that injury will end his career at the top) hardly constitutes a dangerous pack. I have my suspicions that his tendency to try to retreat into his shell means he will never be an adequate attacking coach - but for me he has certainly earned the right to prove us wrong next season

[toshes mate]

Parker seems unable to escape from his panic ridden lack of game management nous.   Even the gift of VAR fortune is not enough for him to take his chances with players who, unlike RLC for example, can take opportunities when they arise.   Parker's message to substitute RLC appeared to be along the lines 'Be a nuisance for the next fifteen minutes or so'.  Having removed any remaining attacking options our 'gaffer' nervously responded to being told by the fourth official that there would be seven minutes added time when he had already cleared out our strike force such as it was.   Clearly he was not concentrating on managing the game by effectively letting every one of our opponents play eight minutes of it in our half of the pitch.

It is, IMO, time for Parker to start considering his next job away from FFC I now believe, because he would be clearly stretching himself beyond his capability even in the Championship next season.    He has not got what it takes IMO and he is not going to find it trying to ride his luck which he seems to have been doing since his initial appointment.    Sorry Scott but my faith in you has evaporated completely after yesterday.