Topic: James Milner - El Burro Magnifico

[Wilmo]

Just extraordinary. What an absolute collosus this guy is, he will rise to any challenge and exceed any expectation put on him. He ran the game yesterday and was the best player on a pitch full of excellent ones. He's a deceptively smart player who understands efficiency can more than make up for raw skill. Bit early but I think he might end up as a top manager. Great player and we're lucky to have him, as any team in the world would be.

[Angelius]

With each passing day, I am getting convinced that he is not human. Either that, or Ribena should list as a performance enhancing substance.

[El Denzel Pepito]

The day he retires/chooses to leave, it'll be because he's mentally done with the game, rather than physically. 16 years in the Premier League? Crazy.

He's been managed well and retired from internationals, so I reckon he could physically do another 3-5 seasons yet, making atleast 25-40 appearances every year. He's made 36 and 32 league appearances for us in the last two years and he's looked the fittest during games. It's whether he can be arsed mentally, and under Klopp I think there's no chance he packs it in, knowing he can win another title.

[RedForeverTT]

When you see that Rooney was already done by the time he was 28 or 29 and then we look at the Milner who, not only lasted the whole game but was busting his lungs running up and down.

[Bobinhood]

With 15 fresh stitches in his head. Completely insane. He banged out a couple of won headers even. I thought he would sit this one out by medical/manager intervention.

[kcbworth]

Was a level above, set it up for us

[soxfan]

The day he retires/chooses to leave, it'll be because he's mentally done with the game, rather than physically. 16 years in the Premier League? Crazy.

He's been managed well and retired from internationals, so I reckon he could physically do another 3-5 seasons yet, making atleast 25-40 appearances every year. He's made 36 and 32 league appearances for us in the last two years and he's looked the fittest during games. It's whether he can be arsed mentally, and under Klopp I think there's no chance he packs it in, knowing he can win another title.

At the start of last season, I thought time had caught him. He seemed a bit slow, or at least did when placed on the pitch with certain players. But wow, was I wrong. If he's willing, I could see him being an effective 6th midfielder here even when he's 35. He so damn intelligent & well-conditioned! What a marvel.   

[Giono]

He's probably going to start regressing soon, but he's putting it off as long as possible, you could almost argue he's improved as a player since joining us, which is incredible given that he's 32.

True. It’s even more incredible because the demands on our midfielders is high under Klopp.

[Ben87]

Great article on the Anfield Wrap about him today. The senior member of the squad still covering the most distance in the match, what a player!

[jepovic]

The first problem of aging players is usually not keeping the pace or the stamina during a single game. The problem is that it takes longer to recover between games, so it gets tough to play 2 full games per week. That applies to humans though, not sure about Milner.

[thejbs]

I imagine he'll want to finish his career at Leeds, especially if they get promoted. Would love to see him stick around the club after he hangs up his boots.  Model professional and top lad.

[Kashinoda]

TAW's first 'The Second Look', focusing on James Milner

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

[Oberyn_Martell]

Weirdly I think he does best against park the bus sides at home
. He goes all over the pitch to help break them down. Probably helps he played under Pellegrini in that regard.

I still think he shouldn't be playing against the best sides in the premier league, I think we need a lot more mobility.

[BabuYagu]

He was fucking amazing against West Ham, wasn't he?

As well as the key passes and assist I marked out above, he was also involved in two of the other goals scored. He provided the pass from the right flank into Firmino whose run and through-ball setup the 3rd goal for Mané. He also put in the corner that was flicked on by Snodgrass, in a failed attempt to clear the ball, to Sturridge.

Keep it up Hames!

[Bobinhood]

Baaa. No touch in the defending left back position. Just Useless.

[sempi]

Weirdly I think he does best against park the bus sides at home
. He goes all over the pitch to help break them down. Probably helps he played under Pellegrini in that regard.

I still think he shouldn't be playing against the best sides in the premier league, I think we need a lot more mobility.

Mobility? For Mane's goal he stretched and passed a ball back in that many so called nippier players would have given up on!
His experience  gives him that extra yard in his head that headless chickens will never get to!

[sempi]

With each passing day, I am getting convinced that he is not human. Either that, or Ribena should list as a performance enhancing substance.

He's a terminator!!

[Xabi Gerrard]

Is Milner now the most experienced player in the league (in terms of appearances or length of time)? Now Barry, Carrick and Rooney have gone I can’t think of anyone more experienced.

What a fucking asset to have in our squad. Usually the benefit of having a player with that much nous is offset by the fact their body is noticeably in decline, but he’s still one of the fittest players around. What a beautiful freak.

[BarryCrocker]

Is Milner now the most experienced player in the league (in terms of appearances or length of time)? Now Barry, Carrick and Rooney have gone I can’t think of anyone more experienced.

Defoe has 7 more games than Milner on 485.

[Ben87]

Defoe has 7 more games than Milner on 485.

Milner will overtake him this season, he had loads more games in his legs than defoe

[BarryCrocker]

Became the first player since the invention of football (EPL Era) to score 8 goals in a row all from the penalty spot.

[Red Beret]

Milner made his City debut in Hodgson's first game in charge of Liverpool.  Strange how the wheels of fortune turn...

[newterp]

The tackle on Zaha (I think) - first half - was awesome.

[Ben87]

The tackle on Zaha (I think) - first half - was awesome.

Brilliant tackle. Took the ball and a lot of Zaha with it. Zaha was moaning about that at every opportunity for the rest of the half

[kavah]

The way he sees the opportunity and just launches in to set up the goal is just boss, predatory, such a dangerous player, he really knows how to hurt teams.

The clip from the AV thread:

Salah goal on 23 mins

https://streamable.com/b8soy

https://www.clippituser.tv/c/rypzag

[MJL]

The Dorian Gray of football.

[PIPA23]

top professional, one of our best transfers.

i wish we signed him before City did...

[sms1986]

Interestingly, he has the same number of league goals for us as he got for City, 13. However,  he has 147 league games for them and 99 for us.

[boznich]

Interestingly, he has the same number of league goals for us as he got for City, 13. However,  he has 147 league games for them and 99 for us.

Penalties

[Keita Success]

From Crooks’ team of the week (thought I’d share some of his garbage to get you nice and angry at 4am):

“What you get with Milner is nothing special but you do get a wonderful level of consistency. In fact Milner is almost always a candidate for my team most weeks, such are his performances.”

Nothing special. Sure, Garth.

[WhoHe]

What I noticed was when he got proper clattered (a few times) he just gets on with it, no rolling around, no moaning, harassing the ref etc. I wanted one of the commentators to mention this - as a positive for him. Imagine some of the usual knobs taking the tackles he did, they would still be rolling.

[...]

From Crooks’ team of the week (thought I’d share some of his garbage to get you nice and angry at 4am):

“What you get with Milner is nothing special but you do get a wonderful level of consistency. In fact Milner is almost always a candidate for my team most weeks, such are his performances.”

Nothing special. Sure, Garth.

What an idiot

[sms1986]

What an idiot

Just ignore him, nobody takes that team or his article seriously. It's all pure click bait.

[Keita Success]

Just ignore him, nobody takes that team or his article seriously. It's all pure click bait.

Still gets me angry, even though it's meant to

[red vinyl]

I’ve never looked at his team of the week for a long time,even though it’s on the bbc football main page. As SMS says it’s click bait and nothing more.

[BarryCrocker]

100th appearance for us (4th player to play 100 matches for 3 clubs).
1st Liverpool player to play 100 matches after transferring on a Bosman.
80th PL assist (equal 7th with Beckham and 12 behind Stevie G).

[trav2591]

Machine!!

"Liverpool's unsung hero James Milner covered an exhausting 12.39km against Leicester on Saturday, at an average speed of 7.69 km/h - meaning he ran further and, on average, faster than anyone else on the pitch as Jurgen Klopp's men maintained their winning start.

In fact, only Bournemouth's Dan Gosling could match Milner's legs this weekend, the Cherries midfielder covering 12.57km as his side chased a result against Chelsea - though without any reward.

And Milner now ranks fourth among Premier League players for total distance covered so far this season."

[El Lobo]

That's insane when you think he's been subbed off a few times as well

[farawayred]

A contract extension is in order, I reckon, after Hendo. What a player and a gentleman!

[rocco]

A contract extension is in order, I reckon, after Hendo. What a player and a gentleman!

Contract up at the end of this season .