Topic: James Milner - One man army

[Fromola]

People compare Milner and Henderson but Henderson is way better and a massive miss to the team.
I actually want Milner and his fucking shit corners out the team.

Henderson's an excellent box-to-box midfielder. Milner is a utility wide player.

[Shaved Crossbar]

I was initially enthused about his signing but I've had my doubts about him at CM for a few games now. He was beyond awful today.

[Packalacky]

Henderson's an excellent box-to-box midfielder. Milner is a utility wide player.

Where was this excellent player in our last 20 games before he got injured? Henderson is bang average and we really need better players in CM. Milner is a better version of Henderson and will come good. He's had 6 games for us and "fans" are writing him off already. Get a grip.

[Les Willis]

I didn't think he was too bad today. Not sure why he's getting so much stick for today's game.

[spider-neil]

I didn't think he was too bad today. Not sure why he's getting so much stick for today's game.

He was rubbish. Caught in possession. 'Blind' crosses. Shit corners. Failure to pick our runners. He should have been the first CM to be hooked.

[Chakan]

I didn't think he was too bad today. Not sure why he's getting so much stick for today's game.

Because he was woeful today. Which game did you watch?

[ThePeetmix]

Because he was woeful today. Which game did you watch?

I thought he was decent today to be honest. But the lack of quality around him is showing.

[killer-heels]

I thought he was decent today to be honest. But the lack of quality around him is showing.

I thought he was decent today to be honest. But the lack of quality around him is showing.

You mean his lack of quality?

[Les Willis]

Because he was woeful today. Which game did you watch?

I was probably distracted. 

[Upinsmoke]

Somebody else either player or coaching staff could of asked him not to take any free kicks or corners, his touch was horrendous too, needed about five to bring it under control. Odd as he made a promising start to his career

[Chakan]

I thought he was decent today to be honest. But the lack of quality around him is showing.

I was probably distracted. 

I was commentating, unfortunately got to see him all the time. His first touch was criminal and the less said about his corners the better.

[ThePeetmix]

You mean his lack of quality?

I suppose but we know what Milner is. He's a great compliment for quality players. You put him in the team a couple seasons ago with Luis, Phil, Danny and Gerrard he'd be brilliant. He was great with the likes of Silva, Toure and Aguero etc because his link-up play is very good. With us, he's having to be THE midfielder trying to run the show. And it isn't his game.

It's like having Dirk Kuyt being our main creative outlet.

Agree he's rats at corners. But the same could be said about anyone in our squad.

[HighSix]

Somebody else either player or coaching staff could of asked him not to take any free kicks or corners, his touch was horrendous too, needed about five to bring it under control. Odd as he made a promising start to his career

It seems to go with the armband for some stupid reason.

[Kopite B205]

I thought he was dreadful today. On what I've seen so far I'm genuinely concerned.

[Six Beardy]

Henderson is bang average and we really need better players in CM.

Since when did this become a phrase ? Can one be 'bang rubbish' or 'bang brilliant' ? It's bang annoying.

[Mutton Geoff]

Probably Milner's  worst game for us, his corners had a bit of Aspas about them

[Keita Success]

Probably Milner's  worst game for us, his corners had a bit of Aspas about them

I was about to mention Yago.

[Fromola]

I suppose but we know what Milner is. He's a great compliment for quality players. You put him in the team a couple seasons ago with Luis, Phil, Danny and Gerrard he'd be brilliant. He was great with the likes of Silva, Toure and Aguero etc because his link-up play is very good. With us, he's having to be THE midfielder trying to run the show. And it isn't his game.

It's like having Dirk Kuyt being our main creative outlet.

Agree he's rats at corners. But the same could be said about anyone in our squad.

He hardly ever played central midfield though. He'd fill a gap on the left or right or occasionally as more of a striker.

It reminds me of when we signed Joe Cole from the champions by giving him a daft wage and promising him his favored position and he came in and didn't do anything. Milner's got more to offer more than Cole but only if he's used the way he was used at City.

He might not have Silva, Yaya and Aguero but Coutinho, Sturridge, Benteke and Firmino are quality players. Milner just has to be used where he's effective.

[LFC UNTIL THE MANAGER IS NO LONGER DESERVING OF MY SYMPATHY]

Don't worry about his form, it is not like we have given him assurances of starting in centre midfield...



Oh hold on!

[killer-heels]

Don't worry about his form, it is not like we have given him assurances of starting in centre midfield...



Oh hold on!

He isnt fucking Lionel Messi. If he has a sequence of bad games then drop him. We dont have to pander to a player like him.

[harryc]

Awful player for the CM role, he just doesn't have the attributes.

[Fromola]

Awful player for the CM role, he just doesn't have the attributes.

What I don't get is if most fans could see that, and certainly Pellegrini and Mancini, why couldn't Brendan Rodgers? We didn't sign the much needed top drawer CM over the summer because Rodgers put all his faith in Milner.

[MrBoywunder]

Jack of all trades, master of none.

With the wages he's on you expect a lot more, still early days but he doesn't seem suited to CM at all, which isn't surprising.

Don't think he waranted being promised a spot in the middle especially when he hadn't played there consistently since his Villa days, which is 5 years ago.

[stevensr123]

I said before we signed them he isn't a very good central midfielder, obviously people on here know more than the likes of pelligrini etc

The guy, in fact most of our central midfielders don't have the ability to control a midfield.

Average player in central midfield and a complete defitinition of utility player.like most of our players. We needed near world class quality to replace stevie and we end up signing Milner on a free.

[LFC UNTIL THE MANAGER IS NO LONGER DESERVING OF MY SYMPATHY]

He isnt fucking Lionel Messi. If he has a sequence of bad games then drop him. We dont have to pander to a player like him.

You'd hope we'd do that!

[paddysour]

The guy, in fact most of our central midfielders don't have the ability to control a midfield.

This was always the most bizarre thing about this transfer. Rodgers talks about death by football then wants to play a midfield of Milner and Henderson. There's just no logic

[Anywhichwayicant]

This was always the most bizarre thing about this transfer. Rodgers talks about death by football then wants to play a midfield of Milner and Henderson. There's just no logic

On top of his sweeper keeper, and then signs Mig.

[stevensr123]

This was always the most bizarre thing about this transfer. Rodgers talks about death by football then wants to play a midfield of Milner and Henderson. There's just no logic

I think he thinks you can control a game just by running around more than the other team.

Henderson and Milner are great in terms of energy, but if we want to become the best and strive for the best we are going to need far more talented players than those two. And let's be honest we have needed higher quality midfielders since Alonso and masch left.

Allen contributes fuck all both  in terms of goals, assists and defensive work.

Lucas is on a downward spiral, our only defensive midfielder but can be improved upon.

Henderson and Milner are work horses that cant control a game to save there lives.

Can is young and isn't ready yet, rodgers also keeps playing him out of position.

Anyway point is, our players in midfield are average therefore we should expect average performances

[dirkster]

Yet another underwhelming signing. Seems par for us right now.

[LFC UNTIL THE MANAGER IS NO LONGER DESERVING OF MY SYMPATHY]

Henderson and Milner are great in terms of energy, but if we want to become the best and strive for the best we are going to need far more talented players than those two. And let's be honest we have needed higher quality midfielders since Alonso and masch left.

Henderson knows when to press and when to hold his position.  His use of the ball is brilliant.  He gets goals, assists - he's very dominant in CM.

I think he's street ahead of Milner in CM, so I wouldn't lump Henderson in with Milner when talking about both players.

I also think Henderson is easily good enough, but what we need is the right partner for him.  Alonso and Henderson would have been a brilliant partnership.

[HeartAndSoul]

Our team needed at least 2 centre mids in the summer. Mind boggling we were just happy with Milner who hadn't played in that position for a few years now and looks out his comfort zone to be honest. The guy just doesn't have the attributes to play there. His range of passing is poor, so is his touch. Only good thing is his energy even then he just runs around like a headless chicken. Should just stick him out wide and let him do what he does best which is making smart runs in behind and playing little one twos

[elsewhere]

Don't worry about his form, it is not like we have given him assurances of starting in centre midfield...



Oh hold on!

 

[Redman0151]

This was always the most bizarre thing about this transfer. Rodgers talks about death by football then wants to play a midfield of Milner and Henderson. There's just no logic

Rodgers isn't very good at spotting a good player, it's as simple as that

[ThePeetmix]

He hardly ever played central midfield though. He'd fill a gap on the left or right or occasionally as more of a striker.

It reminds me of when we signed Joe Cole from the champions by giving him a daft wage and promising him his favored position and he came in and didn't do anything. Milner's got more to offer more than Cole but only if he's used the way he was used at City.

He might not have Silva, Yaya and Aguero but Coutinho, Sturridge, Benteke and Firmino are quality players. Milner just has to be used where he's effective.

That's exactly what I'm saying. He's being used as our main central midfielder because we haven't got anyone else. He was a good player to bring in, but he's been brought in for the wrong reasons.

You put him at the side of the diamond with that 2013-14 team, he'd probably bring even more to the team that Henderson did that season, and Hendo was superb that season. They are both similar in many ways. Both great at providing the link between the quality players up front and in midfield.

[robertobaggio37]

I was about to mention Yago.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/5KMq70_nNL0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/5KMq70_nNL0</a>

[SP]

And this is why you cannot have nice things.

[John C]

Jack of all trades, master of none.

SP was too polite, this is the kind of shit that ruins a discussion about a player. I know we need another CM badly but JM has done beyond what's been asked of him. And more to the point, what is being asked of him?