England international does not fit into current Spurs side
After the comeback win over Manchester City reignited
Tottenham’s Top Four challenge, there was the inevitable stumble as Spurs were
held 2-2 at the DW stadium against Wigan. Despite taking an early, fortuitous
lead, Andre Villas-Boas and his men needed a late own goal to seal a share of
the points. Fluidity is still lacking in Tottenham’s play, and the lilywhites
continue to concede goals.
While the spotlight searches across the side for the cause
of Tottenham’s problems, one thing has become clear – this Tottenham side look
better when Scott Parker is not on the field. That’s not to pour blame onto the
former Player of the Year’s shoulders, for he has done little wrong, but he
simply is not suited to how Spurs want to set up at the moment.
Dropping yet more points against teams well down the table
could cost Spurs once more, and with games at Stoke and at home to Southampton
and Sunderland to come, there is a worry that Tottenham will lose out to London
rivals Chelsea and Arsenal for the Champions League places. Spurs had a lot of
shots on Saturday, but they still lacked enough goals and it is now nine games
since they kept a clean sheet. Stretching back further, Spurs have just two
clean sheets in the Premier League in 2013.
It is no surprise this lack of clean sheets coincides with
the injury to Brazilian Sandro in early January. Scott Parker has started
twenty games this season in all competitions this season in Sandro’s absence,
yet has been subbed nine times (45%), and in seven of those nine Tottenham were on
the verge of defeat (including on away goals to Lyon in the Europa League).
Still to score for Spurs, and hardly high up the assist table, if Parker is not
offering defensive solidity then his worth to the team begins to be questioned.
Parker was integral to Spurs under Harry Redknapp, becoming
an England starter as well, so what has changed? The loss of Luka Modric and
to a lesser extent Rafa van der Vaart has put a greater emphasis on Parker’s
playmaking ability, which is not his strong point. Moussa Dembele has impressed
since his move from Fulham but is not a classic passer like Modric, and it is
to Tottenham fans’ frustrations that Parker is often found bursting forward while
his more talented midfield partner covers.
This brings us to Parker’s diminishing defensive value to
Spurs. Villas-Boas likes his teams to press high up the pitch, which should
play to Parker’s strengths, but the Achilles injury that put him out for the
first six months of the season has taken a little energy from his play, while
the ex-West Ham and Chelsea player will turn 33 in October and his age is
starting to show.
Also, with Gareth Bale’s deployment in the centre and Aaron
Lennon’s recent absence, Spurs have continued the evolution away from the
4-4-1-1 system that Redknapp preferred to a 4-3-3 shape. That allows AVB to
play a designated holding midfielder but Parker’s positional discipline is
terrible and he often vacates his central berth at the drop of a hat, leaving
the defence woefully exposed.
Villas-Boas looked to address that on Saturday by playing
Tom Huddlestone as the deep playmaker, but given Parker's lack of attacking skill
one wonders why Lewis Holtby, who is equally energetic but a far more effective
attacking threat, did not start as well.
Tottenham have evolved, and Scott Parker is getting left
behind. Sandro has usurped him as Tottenham’s leading defensive midfielder, and
the Brazilian’s style and tactical play is far more suited to playing alongside
Dembele, who needs to pick up his position off his midfield partner when Spurs
defend.
Parker is not offering one thing nor another, and although
there are no direct rivals currently available there are better alternatives
available. Tottenham are struggling to keep clean sheets, so they might as well
focus on trying to outscore the opposition.
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