Parker & Search for Silver Linings

@timmyg suggested in the Leeds thread that Scott Parker should be gone w/immediate effect in order to right the ship come playoff time. I still remember the study Timmy posted years ago about the ‘new gaffer bounce’ and I agree with him on Parker. The one guy that immediately comes to mind is Chris Houghton, but I can’t see Kahn making such a move from a business standpoint (w/all the lost revenue would he buyout Parker and hire a new manager?).

Least surprising stat also on Leeds thread provided by @MicahMan, in which we have least number of scorers in the division. Knockaert and Reid have scored 15 & 21 goals in a season in this division, but only 4 & 5 (shocking to believe Reid has scored even that many) this campaign.

If Mitro gets suspended maybe it’ll be the impetus the squad needs to collectively step up (especially those 2) and put the ball in the back of the net and not wait for Mitro to bail them out.

There is the old sports expression ‘make the playoffs and everyone is back to 0-0’. I do remember Huddersfield scuffling badly, barely finishing 6th and going on to get promoted, so there is still hope.

 

It's difficult to talk about sacking Parker, but the situation due to the pandemic is immediate. We could ill afford to return in this form, yet it's happened. He's still 2 games over .500 in his managerial career, but there's not a lot of time left to right the ship. 22-10-20, in and of itself, is not reason enough for the boot, but the current performances are. We've been very inconsistent since he took over, and now, we literally can't afford to be. If we don't make the playoffs, it could be a very long time before we are back in contention for promotion again. Something's just not right, and I don't see it getting better. We're not in a free fall yet, but, like I said, we don't have enough games left to piss away our position this quickly. And even if we make the playoffs, how far do we go playing like this? Hughton would be good, but Joka's wasting away in Qatar. Get him back, while we still have a chance to salvage this thing.

 

While I came to the forum on Saturday with the intention of referencing that fact, the good gentleman from South Texas, @HatterDon , beat me to the punch and deserves the credit for calling out that sad, but illustrative, stat.