Let me start by saying over the last seven years I believe Park has been a great servant for the club and a very helpful and effective player for us when called upon.
However has anyone else noticed the trend of Park starting a game this season and United putting on a poor performance and drawing/ losing? In no way am I shifting all the blame onto him and its always a collective effort and in many games, particularly europe, the whole side has had an air of arrogance and complanceny about it.
Parks never really been blessed with a great 1st touch, passing/crossing ability, pace, skill to get by a player or a clinical finisher (imo), his game has always been about work rate, hassling opponents and putting them under pressure to force a mistake so United can win the ball, he has and ill give him credit scored some good goals and against some top teams but has never been a consistent goalscorer.
Hes 31 years old now and midfielders such as Giggs and Scholes have prolonged their careers and effectiveness by adapting their game. Has Park reached a point where hes starting not to be able to maintain his work rate or hassling? and if so what does he offer? Take away his work rate and do we have a player that will in anyway improve a United performance?
These are the games he has started:
Champions League: Benfica 1 - 1 Man Utd
Carling Cup: Leeds Utd 0 - 3 Man Utd
Premier League: Man Utd 3 - Norwich
Premier League: Liverpool 1 - 1 Man Utd
Carling Cup: Aldershot 0 - 3 Man Utd
Premier League: Everton 0 - 1 Man Utd
Premier League: Man Utd 1 - 0 Sunderland
Premier League: Swansea 0 - 1 Man Utd
Carling Cup: Man Utd 1 - 2 Crystal Palace
Champions League: Basel 2 - 1 Man Utd
Premier League: Man Utd 5 - 0 Wigan
Premier Legaue: Man Utd 2 - 3 Blackburn
Premier League: Newcastle 3 - 0 Man Utd
FA Cup: Liverpool 2 - 1 Man Utd
Premier League: Man Utd 2 - 0 Stoke
Europa League: Man Utd 1 - 2 Ajax
Europa League: Man Utd 2 - 3 Athletic Bilbao
Started: 17 : Won 8 Drawn: 2 Lost 7
He has 3 goals in all (From starting + Sub appearances) & Im unsure about assists
Even in those wins: 2 were CC ( Leeds & Aldershot), and the Premier League wins we were fortunate to get the win (Norwich and Swansea) Stoke at Old Trafford wasnt a great performance and took Penalties. Apart from the 6 - 1 to City, Park has started all of the games that stand out in our minds as the worst this season: Basel away, Blackburn, Newcastle, Crystal Palace, and the 2 home Europa games. Ill give him credit rather than just criticsing he did score a good goal and our only goal in the defeat at Anfield to Liverpool.
Again I do like Park and he has been a great servant to United over the years, Im not suggesting its only his fault because its not but its getting to a point where I see hes starting and think United may not have a good performance in either keeping possesion or creating chances and without you tend to lose.
It may also be interesting to note that SAF up until this season would always start Park in the big games, this season though and just by glancing at the games hes started you can see hes started games mainly in the cup competitions and against teams in the bottom half of the table or teams you may expect to to see bottom half
What does everyone think? Is he still a useful player for us that can still make the difference in the big games? or has become a player that offers very little when on the pitch?
Park Ji Sung
posted on 9/3/12
comment by duncanedwards_legend (U11713)
i dont think a run of games will help to be honest Elvis, i think his best years are behind him, and unlike scholes i dont think park has it in his locker to change the way he plays to prolong his career.
i think playing him on a more regular basis will wipe out any chance we have of retaining the PL this year.
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Wooooaaahhhh Nelly. I dont want to see him playing regularly for us! Just thought a move could do him some good.
posted on 9/3/12
comment by There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
Tomasson I believe.
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Wasnt that the first leg? Him and Sheva?
posted on 9/3/12
phew, for a minute there i thought you'd gone crazy!
posted on 9/3/12
I mixed up to which was the first and which was the second.
posted on 9/3/12
I think suggested positions and roles he played well for PSV in 2004 is irrelevant he was 24/25 then, its 2012 and hes 31...theres no question of times hes played well for us in the past its whether he can still do it now...even looking at last season or 2 seasons ago he seems to have declined quickly
posted on 9/3/12
comment by There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
I mixed up to which was the first and which was the second.
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And you did it twice!
Ah well, it is a Friday afternoon. I was very impressed with your crossword answers the other day mate. I'm usually pretty good with cyptic clues, but I don't think im as fast as you.
posted on 9/3/12
comment by acwift (U12142)
I think suggested positions and roles he played well for PSV in 2004 is irrelevant he was 24/25 then, its 2012 and hes 31
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Not really. That position would minimise the amount of running he would have to do. Which considering he is 31 is entirely relevant.
posted on 9/3/12
comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
I mixed up to which was the first and which was the second.
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And you did it twice!
Ah well, it is a Friday afternoon. I was very impressed with your crossword answers the other day mate. I'm usually pretty good with cyptic clues, but I don't think im as fast as you.
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A lot of practise.
posted on 9/3/12
comment by There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
A lot of practise.
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I suppose they do require a certain way of thinking. I havent really done any for years so I must be out of practice.
posted on 9/3/12
comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
A lot of practise.
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I suppose they do require a certain way of thinking. I havent really done any for years so I must be out of practice.
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Also some will have the same answers as previous questions and some might have the same way of solving. I always have my head in a dictionary, so I'm very good with synonyms which is a must.