Owen Parker-Price (Orgryte IS | Sweden)

Niche Cache.

Owen Parker-Price - Örgryte IS (Swedish Allsvenskan)

The thing that Viking did last year in Norway, that’s the same thing that Mjällby did in Sweden. They were the underdog darlings who outlasted everyone to claim a famous an unexpected league championship. Lifted the trophy. Qualified for Champions League. They’re also the team that knocked Kees Sims and GAIS out of the Svenska Cupen semi-finals a few weeks ago... but they’ve had a shocker start to the league season. A 3-0 loss away to Hammarby was bad enough but then they got blanked at home by promoted club Örgryte and yeah you’d better believe that Owen Parker-Price had a blinder in the midfield.

The goals were scored by Anton Andreasson (21’) and Jerome Tibbling Ugbo (26’) as ÖIS claimed a 2-0 victory. Established a sturdy lead in the first half then withstood whatever response the defending champs could muster from there on. Parker-Price is very much a midfielder in this team so probably not gonna see as many of the goal-scoring highlights he used to provide on the regular for Torslanda down the divisions but he’s doing what he needs to be doing. According to the Allsvenskan website, Owen Parker-Price covered 12.972 kilometres in this game which was more than anyone else in the game.

OPP did curl one effort on target that the keeper caught fairly comfortably – similar range to where he almost scored a late winner last week.
However, what shone through here was how efficient he was with his defensive tasks – 5/6 ground duels won, 6 recoveries, 3 interceptions, 4 clearances, 2 blocked shots... those are numbers Finn Surman or Tyler Bindon would be happy with.

To be doing that in a clean sheet win away against the reigning champions of Sweden in only his second match in the Allsvenskan, mate, if you don’t think he’s got a chance to make the World Cup squad from here then think again. Mjällby were undefeated at home last season, never conceding more than once in any of those 15 matches (11 wins, 4 draws). Örgryte just popped both of those balloons at the first attempt. Amazing result.

Sounds like someone who might have been handy against Finland.

Orgryte travel to Hammarby

Ouch a 8-1 hammering for Orgryte at Hammarby. Reality check after last week's big upset win.

OPP (no 23) off at 57 mins (5-1).

Lowlights below

Orgryte host Brommapojkarna. After being hammered 8-1 in their last game you'd hope for a reaction.

https://us.soccerway.com/game/brommapojkarna-ELVAW0WQ/orgryte-CGT7Kq4j/?mid=OSIwlSqg

Orgryte lose 1-2.  So a big score improvement from the last game!

Good news that OPP played a full game. 

Him Bayliss (gone a little quiet at the Jets) and ADJ (barely playing in the PSL) maybe in a 3 way fight for one of the final WC spots.

Orgryte host Degerfors

 

1-1 draw.

OPP a full game and match high 7.8 Soccerway rating.

Only 2 min highlights, but he's prominent. Has an early goal nice goal assist ruled out as the scorer is off side. Orgryte in maroon, OPP no 23.

Edging ahead of Bayliss & ADJ for a WC spot?

Next is the Göteborg & Kiwi derby. GAIS hosting Orgryte.

The two teams head coached by brothers to add to the rivalry!

Niche Cache

Örgryte played twice this week with both games at home. They lost 2-1 against Brommapojkarna and then drew 1-1 against Degefors. Nothing particularly noteworthy about that – it means that ÖIS have taken five points from five games to give themselves a reasonable start after being promoted. Simply avoiding an immediate relegation would probably be seen as a successful season for them (and not having any more 8-1 defeats like they did last week would also be high on the priority list). That’s all fine.

But you’ve gotta know that Owen Parker-Price has started all five fixtures this season and is looking superb. True to his Ole Academy roots, he’s playing like a Ryan Thomas clone getting heaps of touches, mostly at the base of midfield, and completing a high percentage of his passes whilst always trying to move the team forward. Despite his size, he’s also digging in defensively ranking pretty highly compared to other midfielders in the division. He’s only been substituted once (during the 8-1 shellacking vs Hammarby last week, where they conceded four of those games without him). This from SvenskaFans.com after the draw with Degefors...

“[OPP] was constantly available, quick with his feet, and misplaced very few passes. It seems that Owen slowly but surely, more and more, is getting accustomed to the pace of the Allsvenskan and yesterday, in my opinion, he was ÖIS’s best player. When he uses his quick feet and is as intelligent and efficient as he was yesterday, it leads to increased possession, which in itself means that ÖIS are able to gain more control in games.”

There’s nothing about these performances that’ll make headlines but just jot this idea down for when he inevitably does. OPP could have been forgiven for needing a few months to adapt to this level of footy having spent so long down in the lower leagues... instead it’s only taken a few games.