Paul Parker Article

Records can be broken

Tue Oct 06 02:13PM

Liverpool's defeat to Chelsea at the weekend has prompted talk that their title bid has ended already.

But it is far too early to dismiss their hopes as easily as that. Things can change quickly in football, and all it will take is a couple of results to go their way and they will be right back in contention.

We've all heard that the last team to win the title after having lost three of their first eight games was Manchester United over 40 years ago. But records, even ones that stretch back that far, are there to be broken.

A home win against Chelsea coupled with a double over United - both feats that were achieved by Benitez and his team last season - and the picture begins to look much different.

The problem at the moment is that their form is a far cry from that which made them undeniably the best team in the country during the final third of last season.

They don't seem to be playing with any spirit at the moment. Certainly they didn't against Chelsea.

Benitez puts so much into the Champions League that when it goes wrong for them - as it did in Florence - heads understandably go down on their return to the Premier League.

And of course, Stamford Bridge is far from the ideal place to go when you're coming off the back of a thumping in Europe.

Liverpool seem to have reverted to their negative old ways. They played that way in Europe and got what they deserved. The last thing they needed after that was a trip to Stamford Bridge.

Benitez has never enjoyed going to the Bridge and yet again their performance was under par. Fernando Torres's head dropped after being dominated by commanding performances from John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho and when he isn't firing, Liverpool suffer badly.

Steven Gerrard was the only one who looked to have something about him but he will need some support from his team-mates if they are to salvage something from the remainder of the season.

- - -

Alex Ferguson can blame the referee all he likes but the plain fact of the matter is that his United side have not been performing so far this season.

Much like Liverpool, United are a shadow of the team we saw last season.

Sunderland fully deserved their point at Old Trafford and should maybe even have had more.

Compared to their visit to Manchester last season, which was one of the most negative away performances ever seen in the Premier League, Sunderland warranted something out of the game.

Kenwyne Jones caused problems all day long and served to highlight the defensive weaknesses that have blighted United's campaign so far.

Enforced changes in personnel at the back due to injuries have not helped while uncertainty in the goalkeeping position has only added to the problem.

Further forward, United's lack of pace was also exposed against Sunderland. Ferguson's sides always have pace - that's what he builds his teams around - but since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, it has been sorely missed.

Before Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs used to provide it but that attribute has long left the Welshman. Nani or Antonio Valencia are quick but far from blistering. And Wayne Rooney and Park Ji-sung are quick off the mark, but nothing more.

United simply seem to be lacking a cutting edge. And with Chelsea looking so impressive at the moment, the champions, like Liverpool, must raise their game if they are to sustain a title challenge this season.

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just concentrate on your own clubs failings at home to Sunderland and the ref helping you lot out as the FA guide book dictates.
From bigheadbill33 on Tue Oct 06 02:34PM
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Good article Paul. Bring back Kanchelskis! And a young Giggs...
From jcverm on Tue Oct 06 02:59PM
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Well done for not slagging Liverpool off for a change Parker. Perhaps you do read all the negative comments that are written about you. Still had to mention Utd though didn't you! Can't have everything I suppose but we can dream!
From brooksie6870 on Tue Oct 06 03:10PM
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this is actually a good article
From levz86 on Tue Oct 06 03:33PM
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stupid article..just as always! "United simply seem to be lacking a cutting edge"....Well, if there's someone lacking a cutting edge here on Eurosport, it is YOU PARKER! I wonder what you'll be wrting when at the end of the season, Chelsea looses. You are a JOKE
From gudy2shoeskol on Tue Oct 06 03:52PM
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nothing to say about Arsenal and Chelsea?
From jamesgwild on Tue Oct 06 03:54PM
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not so much bias to man u this time for the first time. fair and good article. from one of those always upset whenevr you write emotionally in support of man u, criticizing others
From papaogos on Tue Oct 06 03:55PM
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paul did you enjoy arsenal s game or they are not an english club
From khalidallaoui on Tue Oct 06 04:09PM
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Well done Parker, good job
From captainsexy71 on Tue Oct 06 04:17PM
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No 5 Get a life and come back when you have something constructive to say.
Or you do the blog and we will slag you off. Give it a go gobs**te
From keyjor on Tue Oct 06 04:34PM
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Article well written with fair points made about LFC and MUFC.
From pac65 on Tue Oct 06 04:47PM
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Great article PP! I am still amazed at your calls for last weekend! All spot on!
And agree on the Man U, and Liverpool article. I expect Liverpool to pick it up, while Man U, can easily invest heavily in the winter transfer window!
From fernandomurillo84 on Tue Oct 06 04:51PM
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i hate paul parker
From oreganpaul119 on Tue Oct 06 05:09PM
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Never comments on the arsenal or chelski....in fact who cares what parker thinks...i could write a better article for a third of what he's being paid
From ashley.payne99 on Tue Oct 06 05:17PM
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Probably the best article written by Paul so far.. Great job.
From gmcleung2004 on Tue Oct 06 05:21PM
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i dont see why a lot of people come on here just to give him stick. if you dont like his articles, how comes you read them still. and to be fair his last article was pretty accurate and this one is pretty fair so although what you say may have been true for a few of his older articles, his new stuff doesnt really deserve the stick he gets.
From nobodyhasthisaddress on Tue Oct 06 05:29PM
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Illiterates still abound in 21st century England. No 5 is definitely a stark illiterate who cannot be helped because whoever does not know that s/he does not know is in a very pathetic situation and is absolutely beyond redemption.
Paul this is a good article but don't let people turn you against MU. Balance article, though!
From kkwilson830 on Tue Oct 06 05:44PM
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ashley-pain99 go on then, write an article on football. Post it on these comment sites.
From nofclub on Tue Oct 06 05:47PM
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FAIR and UNBIASED article, Paul... For the first time, i guess...!! Nice...
From lucky3_ash on Tue Oct 06 05:59PM
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parker go and give ferguson a good suckjob
From andykeegan45 on Tue Oct 06 06:08PM
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You are absolutely talking nonsense here...sleep early PAULIE!!!!
From johncyc2132 on Tue Oct 06 06:18PM
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eh parker I think you will find Chelsea were the best team in the country in the final 3rd of last season. 1 loss under hiddink if you remember right! idiot.
From sav46e on Tue Oct 06 06:33PM
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oh and what are you talking about gerrard. he was terrible, I never seen him kick the ball in the 1st half. why stick up for him just cause he's gerrard. the guy is a thug!
and while Im here. you said clearly liverpool couldnt have played well you said chelsea would win anyway. And also you are now saying with Chelsea looking so good even though last week you were talking about it all going wrong.
I usually stick up for you when I can be bothered reading these stupid pages because its just full of people coming on to abuse every other team but you clearly are the same as all pundits and presentors and just say anything at spur of the moment. oh they are great, oh wait they are rubbish, oh no in fact they are great. so stupid
From sav46e on Tue Oct 06 06:38PM
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spot on this one, parker. all stats are bull@ true ... mourinho owen forlan anelka henry cantona ... all defied stats
From whocaresfuk on Tue Oct 06 06:42PM
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parker you are right,we only into early season and a lot of top teams still can faulter.look at man us games.luck and ref with wrong watch was on their side against city and sunderland.on the sideline besides this i think raffa had his time and should go back to viva espania
From h.tramischus on Tue Oct 06 07:00PM
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good article, liverpool are surely main title contenders.
From marioskassapis on Tue Oct 06 07:00PM
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i am a great chelsea fan. i hope that man utd and losserpool can both die in @#$%.in my opinion, chelsea will win the FA CUP, CARLING CUP, PREMIER LEAGUE and the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.
From r_barakat95 on Tue Oct 06 07:18PM
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parker wrote first article,cuz its garbage,liverpool have no chance of winning league,somebody else sneaked in while parker was in loo and posted second bit cuz its slagging off utd,can this newcomer do parkers writing every week.
From joannamorris619 on Tue Oct 06 07:20PM
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11th line before we get a mention - simply not good enough
SAF
From dave.hartley on Tue Oct 06 07:36PM
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11th line before we get a mention - simply not good enough
SAF
From dave.hartley on Tue Oct 06 07:36PM
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