John Terry stripped of England captaincy

[hari504504]

Makele was ridiculously overated as well. Thats why I rate midfielders who can do the destructive bits but also have dynmic passing range and offer something of quality on the ball. Parker runs around biting but when has ball offers very basic stuff, generally just passes backward very very safely. Comapre him to a dunga/alonso or even a keane. When they got the ball they also offered class, dunga/alonso with superb passing range and Keane with dynamic bursts forward.

Comparing apples and oranges really ( Keane is considered a douche too btw except by the manUtd fans) Makelele and Parker in his current role are purely players who tackle and break up play period. It would pbly be fair to say that Mourinho and Redknapp expected nothing more from them but to run around and snap at everyone's heels..not attractive football, and not everyone can do it , but effective nonetheless for the team as both of them have proved. There is probably a reason why Mourinho thinks Makelele was his lynchpin during the 04-05 season

[Sooda]

Aye they are different players though, or players of different kind. Parker is a defensive player, yes he is not magic (though tidy enough) on the ball but he is not supposed to be. His job is to ensure Modric can go forth and create. Just ask Chelsea how useful Makelele was shielding the defence and allowing Lampard and Essien to burst forward..the fact that he is so highly rated shows it is not just an English fascination- Gattuso for instance was absolutely vital for the great Milan team of the mid noughties and WC winning Italy. Box to Box type players like Keane was better on the ball yeah and if England had anyone like him Parker would never feature, but they dont. Hargreaves at his fittest offers more on the ball too. Alonso is a deep lying playmaker much better passer yeah but not a player in the Parker mould...does not really have Parkers stamina I would say, and at his best for Liverpool had Mascherano alongside. Even now at Madrid plays in the middle with another defensive player like Diarra and starts for Spain with Busquets

[daryl1985]

doubt it, song is ten times the player he is. we just can't defend as a team overall because wenger doesn't make them practice it enough. we could have baresi and lothar matthues at their peak and would still be fragile.

Song is not a proper DM. He likes to advance further forward and can be caught out of position. He does not track runners from midfield nor does he press players as effectively as Parker. Our problem with the defence is that we do not even have a defensive coach. If we had a fully fit backline of Sagna, Vermaelen, Koscielny and Santos (Santos being the massive weak link) we would be a bit better though.

[daryl1985]

Makele was ridiculously overated as well. Thats why I rate midfielders who can do the destructive bits but also have dynmic passing range and offer something of quality on the ball. Parker runs around biting but when has ball offers very basic stuff, generally just passes backward very very safely. Comapre him to a dunga/alonso or even a keane. When they got the ball they also offered class, dunga/alonso with superb passing range and Keane with dynamic bursts forward.

Alonso has generally always played alongside a defensive midfielder. He played with Sissoko and then Mascherano at Liverpool. He plays with Diarra or Khedira at Milan.

[daryl1985]

Aye they are different players though, or players of different kind. Parker is a defensive player, yes he is not magic (though tidy enough) on the ball but he is not supposed to be. His job is to ensure Modric can go forth and create. Just ask Chelsea how useful Makelele was shielding the defence and allowing Lampard and Essien to burst forward..the fact that he is so highly rated shows it is not just an English fascination- Gattuso for instance was absolutely vital for the great Milan team of the mid noughties and WC winning Italy. Box to Box type players like Keane was better on the ball yeah and if England had anyone like him Parker would never feature, but they dont. Hargreaves at his fittest offers more on the ball too. Alonso is a deep lying playmaker much better passer yeah but not a player in the Parker mould...does not really have Parkers stamina I would say, and at his best for Liverpool had Mascherano alongside. Even now at Madrid plays in the middle with another defensive player like Diarra and starts for Spain with Busquets

Excellent post.