United too reliant on Giggs
Mon Sep 28 02:26PM
Ryan Giggs showed his enduring quality at the weekend with a match-winning substitute appearance for Manchester United against Stoke, but United's reliance on him is a little worrying.
Giggsy came off the bench to set up both goals in a 2-0 win, and he - along with Wayne Rooney - is one of the few truly creative players they have left after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.
The ball he squared for Dimitar Berbatov was simple but exactly the sort of incisive play United had been lacking; you could see how much Berbatov appreciated it because he went straight over to Giggsy after scoring.
He is such an intelligent player he has been able to adapt his play over the years to account for his loss of pace. When I played with him early in his career, he was the kind of player who you could knock balls over the top for and he would chase anything.
But while everyone marvelled at his pace and dribbling ability, he was always very clever. He is extremely sharp both on and off the pitch; you need to be careful when you are talking to him, because he will pick up on every little detail in a conversation.
He has been a great professional, and he knows how to get the best out of his body. He also learned early in his career how to keep a low profile. It is not that he never goes out and socialises, but he knows how to do it without thousands of flashbulbs going off in his face.
It is great for United that they can still call on a player of his ability, but also worrying because he is nearly 36 and does not have too many miles left in the tank. Sir Alex has rationed his performances in recent years, and on Saturday he managed to make a decisive contribution in a little over half an hour.
For United fans, it is a concern that they do not have another wide player even 50 per cent as effective as Giggsy has been for nearly 20 years.
Nani was very poor against Stoke. When you come up against a side like Stoke who get bodies behind the ball, you want somebody with a cutting edge but Nani proved completely ineffective. He is very hit and miss, and when he is not performing, he can be pretty awful.
Likewise Antonio Valencia didn't really do it. He will be given time to prove himself following his summer move from Wigan, and at least he has the weapon of extreme pace, but he doesn't really have a trick to beat a player.
As a defender, if you stand him up you know you can keep him quiet because he is unlikely to beat you with skill - you don't always need to take the ball off him. When you compare the wingers of today with those I played with, like Lee Sharpe and Andrei Kanchelskis, the modern generation have maybe sacrificed some skill in favour of pace and it doesn't always pay off.
- - -
John Terry has had a go at his team-mates for not pulling their weight in Chelsea's defeat against Wigan,
but he should have a look at himself.
For the third Wigan goal, he was playing Casper the Ghost as Maynor Figueroa went past him. All he could do was stand there and look for somebody to blame.
It was a real head-in-hands moment.
LOL Man utd again.Talking about his playing career again.Can't he ever stop?
From willfer_boy on Mon Sep 28 02:57PMdont always agree with parker, but everything he says today is absolutly right!
From jakobmiller on Mon Sep 28 03:19PMParker should stick to driving Lady Penelope!!
From simon.68 on Mon Sep 28 03:19PMPAUL PARKER TOO RELIANT ON MAN UTD
From t31frete1 on Mon Sep 28 03:21PMCritisism is futile! Parker has the thickest skin in the world.
From rstopford on Mon Sep 28 03:28PMAny manager will stick with a player that hits form, that's all SAF is doing. I'm a United fan but it'd be nice to read about other teams! The spanish waiter relying on Torres, Don Ancellotti & the Drog for example?
From twomjc on Mon Sep 28 03:30PMI dont really understand the problem, for the last few years they have been reliant on Ronaldo and now he is off showing up spanish defences they are reliant on Giggs, they have been and always will be a one trick pony
From danswaste on Mon Sep 28 03:36PMPaul Parker what are you smoking...Tevez and creative!!!!...come onnnnn....Even Ronaldo...skillful and pacy yes...creative....???..the jury is still out on that one.
A Zidane ..a Xavi ...a Messi ...is creative but Tevez!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...cmon Paul you can do better than that.
From peresclyde on Mon Sep 28 03:37PMShould have been a bit braver and led with the comments about Terry. A bit like Jamie Carragher, Terry seems to think that criticism of his team mates will redirect attention from the fact that he's @#$%e. And talking of the brown stuff, when did Lee Sharpe ever possess skill? Not a word that too many people would associate with him...
From lawrence43 on Mon Sep 28 03:38PMWe need to prise Torres out of the grips of the Scousers
He's the the new George Best without booze
From d.j.redfern on Mon Sep 28 03:41PM_
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parker u penis!From robbiedavies_07 on Mon Sep 28 03:45PMI wont say we are too dependant on Ryan comon parker you were saying we were too dependant on Chris last year its a team game and players cant be at the top of the game all the time there are a lot of players that will play there part over the whole season.
Write some decent stuff will you ffs
From keithjoneskj on Mon Sep 28 03:45PMI disagree, I don't think Utd are too reliant on Giggs but he definately made the difference against Stoke. But you have to believe Utd would eventually have broken down Stoke with or without the welsh wizard. I think they would have got a goal either way as Stoke were bashed about the entire match and it eventually would've caught up with them.
From jamesbroadfoot on Mon Sep 28 03:47PMi beg your F*****G pardon parker(who?)
From wilcon277 on Mon Sep 28 03:48PMunited to reliant on giggs mmm what about rooney vidic evra gigss only came on as a sub... from manutd fan
From mw1900 on Mon Sep 28 03:51PMNormally I can't stand the comments section but I read and laugh out loud on Parker's blog
LOL
From fahadm150 on Mon Sep 28 03:53PMParker get a pair of glasses and learn to dance!!! I hear the Halifax are looking for a Howard replacement!!!!
From toeknee29uk on Mon Sep 28 03:55PMAnd nothing about Berba's creativity? I know it was not his best game but still - he might not be the best goalscorer but is one of the most creative players in EPL. Him topping the assist table last season proves that !!!
From staffer84 on Mon Sep 28 03:56PMAnd nothing about Berba's creativity? I know it was not his best game but still - he might not be the best goalscorer but is one of the most creative players in EPL. Him topping the assist table last season proves that !!!
From staffer84 on Mon Sep 28 03:56PMAnd nothing about Berba's creativity? I know it was not his best game but still - he might not be the best goalscorer but is one of the most creative players in EPL. Him topping the assist table last season proves that !!!
From staffer84 on Mon Sep 28 03:57PMAnd nothing about Berba's creativity? I know it was not his best game but still - he might not be the best goalscorer but is one of the most creative players in EPL. Him topping the assist table last season proves that !!!
From staffer84 on Mon Sep 28 03:58PMWhat's with this? Eurosport should put this as a "Man Utd Exclusive Article by PP". Who cares about Giggs? In fact other clubs still also rely on their old players, like Raul in Madrid. This is Man Utd vs. Stoke game, a giant club vs. small one. Of course they're gonna win. why don't write more interesting article like Chelsea finally loses, or even Robbie keane's quad.
How could you pick this game for your article?
And moreover, why did you complain JT in the end of the article? What's the association between JT, MU and Stoke? answer me please...From lucasp1589 on Mon Sep 28 03:58PMAttention No.10 & 11
Maggie--Get off this football blog and go suck on your wrinklies d i ck you ar se ole of a woman
From neiljulie21 on Mon Sep 28 04:00PMSo far last couple of season we have been a one man team with Ronaldo. When he left everyone said we were a one man team with Rooney.
Suddenly Giggs proves decisive in a couple of games (Spurs and Stoke) and suddenly we are a one team with giggs.Most of the top teams do have 1/2 players that are the main spark of the team (Pool has Gerrard and Torres, Chelsea Drog and Lamp, Arsenal Fab and Arsh).
Most teams are reliant on there best players! Surely that is the point!
United may of played poor but they won. Look back at last season if Liverpool could of done the same against Stoke they would be Champions by now.
From ima_fat_tw on Mon Sep 28 04:01PMId agree the best thing about parker is the comments after as there all the same week in week out, and fully justified, as parker mutters and twitters on all the time about the munich bas**rds.
From srichardson1963 on Mon Sep 28 04:02PMjakobmiller
Was all correct mate, but just stating the obvious.From postmanpatcan on Mon Sep 28 04:07PMI'm a Utd fan and never comented on Parker before, but this really is drivel, contradictions all over the place and no real point. Every team is reliant on there best players aren't they? Liverpool on Gerrard and Torres, Arsenal on Van Persie and Fabregas, that's the point isn't it? if we didn't have those players we'd be too reliant on the next best in the side.
As for Utd having only Giggs and Rooney as "creative players" what a load of sh ite....From rugmeister68 on Mon Sep 28 04:09PMWell Mr Parker you sure know how to wind them up don't you! Just light the touchpaper and stand back.
I am a Utd fan and take your comments with a large pinch of salt!
I believe that Nani has great potential but just suffers with the same problem the Richardson did, just tries to hard.
Valencia will come good also.
From julestys on Mon Sep 28 04:10PMIt may sound daft but I don't think giggs has lost his pace.
From simon-roberts.t21 on Mon Sep 28 04:11PMFor once I actually agree with Maggie.q comments
From conalmartin on Mon Sep 28 04:22PM
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