Live the Thrill of the game

By Eduard Bănulescu

There was a time, not long ago, when Scott Parker was genuinely seen as a candidate for the England managerial job. And Parker’s difficult Premier League season with Burnley will, I think, change very little of that.

Is Parker really a great manager who has not yet been afforded a team that matches his talents? Will Scott Parker’s tactics ultimately save Burnley from relegation? That’s what I’m hoping to answer here.

 

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Pre-managerial career

Polite and low-key, Scott Parker is something of a hero in England. That’s despite the fact that he has not yet won top-tier awards and prizes.

But I can understand the appeal. Up to one point, he’s living the story of every major football fan.

Parker was a highly respected midfielder. What he lacked in skill or physique, he made up for in hard work. He amassed an impressive 18 caps for England and played for the likes of Tottenham and Fulham. Not too shabby!

Parker began football management in 2019. He’s never managed an unimportant team. He’s worked for Fulham, Bournemouth, Club Brugge, and Burnley.

Parker guided his teams to promotion three times. He also, technically, was at the helm for two relegations, and Burnley currently sits in 19th place.

First and foremost, Scott Parker is a man-manager first, and a tactician second. He’s been lauded at every job he’s had for instilling discipline and setting standards. Frankly, that’s something that every football board wants to hear. But what about the tactics?

Scott Parker prefers his teams to sit in a low block. He’s always favored a 4-2-3-1 formation, or something similar. And he’s talked in interviews about thinking, first and foremost, about creating a defensive foundation on which everything else rests. No wonder he could be England manager. He’s a younger, London-born Gareth Southgate.

Burnley in Defence

Look, in the Championship, Burnley showed a fantastic capacity both to defend and score goals. Both targets were unrealistic in the Premier League.

This is why the team’s style of play is defensive, focuses on sitting in a low block, and on getting the players to know their role and make as few mistakes as possible.

And, while Parker still favors a 4-2-3-1 formation, a string of bad results has meant that a five-man defense or a deep-lying 4-3-3 has also been implemented.

There is very little width created by Burnley’s full-backs. Instead, the team typically tries to overcrowd midfield areas, use pressing triggers, and wait for opponents ‘ mistakes.

Build-up Style

It’s a consequence of not having much of the ball, but Burnley relies, mostly, on short passes played by the defenders (Hartman and Esteve), followed by long balls forward.

The players responsible for finding those pockets of space are the more experienced players like Kyle Walker and Josh Cullen. Success rate, however, has been disappointing in this regard.

Burnley in Attack

How does Burnley score goals? How, indeed? The team has the third-lowest scoring record in the EPL. However, Burnley was a goal machine back in the Championship. It’s simply a matter of not being yet able to adapt to a more difficult league.

While the team is getting some decent returns out of Dutch striker Zian Flemming, the team attempts to find him with long through balls or crosses from dead-ball situations, it might simply not be enough to guarantee enough points to stay in the EPL for another season.

What’s Next for Parker and Burnley?

Championship, probably. But while, perhaps, this might be a better choice for all involved, if recent history’s shown us anything is that a Premier League club will want to hire Parker.

 

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