James Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 As for Duff, I don't think he's a bad player. Then your opinion = fail. Yep its much more likely Duff will improve for us than Milner. Its just a mental thing Allow me to explain. Firstly, the worst injury in football to come back from is a foot injury. It takes months of playing for a player with a broken metartarsal to refind their old form, and Duff had the worst foot injury in Premier League history. Injury problems aside, people may point out that even before his injury he would be going backwards rather than try to beat his man, and that he rarely looks bothered, or comes out of first gear. I see that too, but I think it is a mental problem. I think he may have developed a fear of getting injured. Why do I think this? Well for starters, in counter attacking situations where he has found himself with plenty of space, he has actually produced a turn of speed and a determination to attack we otherwise don't see. However, when an opposing player comes near, he slows down and try playing backwards. At Chelsea, he sufferred two bad shoulder injuries from being barged off the ball while running at speed down the flank, and ended up taking judo classes to learn to fall on his shoulder without getting injured. When an opposing player has come near him, pull his arm across his body and bend his elbow, a classic martial arts position when you expect to be thrown onto your shoulder. Trouble is, this action slows him down and stops him running at speed and beating his man. Talent is still there. His technique is good, his general play and passing outside of the final third is good. He still hits a good cross. If the club were to invest time in him, both Keegan and a sports psychologist, it is possible that Duff can be snapped out of the daze he is currently in and become an effective player. Not definite, but possible. Whereas Duff is a player with good technical ability but with problems, Milner is mentally and physically sound, yet is technically inferior to many Premier League midfielders, regardless of the fact that he is the last player to leave the training pitch every day. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Don't forget that for much of the season, Milner was on the left wing of a lopsided 4-3-3, and his job was obviously to whip in crosses from outside the edge of the area with his right foot. With our strikers, those are easy to defend against, but it was obviously central to our tactics. Do we have stats for Milner under Allardyce vs under Keegan? Having looked at stats for other players, I'm pretty sure crosses don't count. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dokko Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I know it is just stats, but when a winger can't get in a decent cross or shot, you expect him to keep the ball, either by playing a sensible pass, or by taking the ball down the byline to force a set piece. Giving the ball away one in three is not what we need. Creating players try creating and more often fail, if they don't then they really are amazing players like Scholes etc...and is why defenders will also have high passing as they pass between themselves and do not take risks. Truly truly pointless stats those, the fact you don't know what they consider and what they don't really does take the biscuit when presenting them to criticise a player, at least do it properly. OK, why not compare him to other Premier League right wingers at teams we want to be challenging: Bentley 76% Osman 76% Pienaar 78.5% Ireland 74% Utaka 79% Lennon 81% Milner 66% Our other midfielders are comparable to their equivalent players at these clubs, but Milner drops well short of both his team mates and his rivals. Because these stats mean fuk all, do i have to say it again like? And since we played boot it up field hit and hope football it really does again mean fuk all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I know it is just stats, but when a winger can't get in a decent cross or shot, you expect him to keep the ball, either by playing a sensible pass, or by taking the ball down the byline to force a set piece. Giving the ball away one in three is not what we need. Creating players try creating and more often fail, if they don't then they really are amazing players like Scholes etc...and is why defenders will also have high passing as they pass between themselves and do not take risks. Truly truly pointless stats those, the fact you don't know what they consider and what they don't really does take the biscuit when presenting them to criticise a player, at least do it properly. OK, why not compare him to other Premier League right wingers at teams we want to be challenging: Bentley 76% Osman 76% Pienaar 78.5% Ireland 74% Utaka 79% Lennon 81% Milner 66% Our other midfielders are comparable to their equivalent players at these clubs, but Milner drops well short of both his team mates and his rivals. Because these stats mean fuk all, do i have to say it again like? And since we played boot it up field hit and hope football it really does again mean fuk all. If that was truely the case, his team mates would have lower averages too. They don't. The stats prove what we all see in the pitch, i.e. Milner being unable to hit a cow's arse with a banjo when it comes to playing a simple possession preserving pass. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberto2005 Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I know it is just stats, but when a winger can't get in a decent cross or shot, you expect him to keep the ball, either by playing a sensible pass, or by taking the ball down the byline to force a set piece. Giving the ball away one in three is not what we need. Creating players try creating and more often fail, if they don't then they really are amazing players like Scholes etc...and is why defenders will also have high passing as they pass between themselves and do not take risks. Truly truly pointless stats those, the fact you don't know what they consider and what they don't really does take the biscuit when presenting them to criticise a player, at least do it properly. OK, why not compare him to other Premier League right wingers at teams we want to be challenging: Bentley 76% Osman 76% Pienaar 78.5% Ireland 74% Utaka 79% Lennon 81% Milner 66% Our other midfielders are comparable to their equivalent players at these clubs, but Milner drops well short of both his team mates and his rivals. Because these stats mean fuk all, do i have to say it again like? And since we played boot it up field hit and hope football it really does again mean fuk all. If that was truely the case, his team mates would have lower averages too. They don't. The stats prove what we all see in the pitch, i.e. Milner being unable to hit a cow's arse with a banjo when it comes to playing a simple possession preserving pass. Lennon at 81% shows what a load of shite those stats are. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I'd have Lennon over Milner any day. At least he has pace, can beat his man, and doesn't lose the ball easily in the middle third. Milner loses the ball 1 in 3 passes, many of which are from what I've seen in games in the middle third of the pitch, and this puts pressure on his team mates too many times and is simply not good enough. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Toon Barmy Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Keep James, he is the best rightsided midfielder we have at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Keep James, he is the best rightsided midfielder we have at the moment. I probably am considering the shit we've got there. He needs replacing in all honesty. Arshavin + Guthrie + Lua Lua + Geremi should suffice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShearMagic Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Just reading through RAWK, came across this: I have it on good authority (and it is a very trustworthy source close to Milner himself) that he will sign for us this week. He is apparently having talks at the moment and said that it seems like an inevitibility that he's going to sign for LFC. Marvellous. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shaun11177 Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Is there any particular reason why we want to sell Milner, or is it the player himself who wants to go. I dont understand it, i thought this was the type of player we were trying to sign-young with premiership experience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ketsbaia Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 And if he's good enough for Liverpool, surely he's good enough for us?? They are a top 4 side after all.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 The reason would be that he sucks maybe? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Would love to swap milner with lennon on the right Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustynrg Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Keegan must have put him on the "get rid of these" list surely? I'm amazed he's going to Liverpool. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Keegan must have put him on the "get rid of these" list surely? I'm amazed he's going to Liverpool. Benitez knows what he's doing apparently. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shaun11177 Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 He might just "suck" but you could include most of the squad on that criteria! I would stick with him and sign Lennon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shak Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Versatile and works very hard, two things Rafa absolutely loves. But even if you do rate the lad, how anyone can think he'd be a good acquisition for Liverpool is beyond me. What they really lack is that bit of class in wide areas, lots of efficient players but nobody who can conjure up that bit or true brilliance to decide a game. Not even Jon will argue that Milner is that type of player, surely? Bizzare signing for them if it happens, and would just further strenghten the notion that Rafa only knows one way to play. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Parka Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Swap him for Benayoun like! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LooneyToonArmy Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Swap him for Benayoun like! not a bad suggestion tbh! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbo Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 And if he's good enough for Liverpool, surely he's good enough for us?? They are a top 4 side after all.... Or maybe Rafa just doesn't know shit about creative players. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberto2005 Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 He's an average player, probably always will be, I quite like the lad in terms of technical ability but without the pace he won't progress any further. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Heneage Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Who says you need pace to be a winger? I'd try him in the middle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElDiablo Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Who says you need pace to be a winger? I'd try him in the middle. WHY?!?!?!?!? What attributes does he have that make you think he'll be any good in the middle? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Milner in the middle seems a popular theory and I can't help but wonder why. He doesn't have the movement, vision, awareness, passing ability or quick thinking to play in there. I think he would lose the ball constantly. All Milner typically wants to do is put his head down and try to beat his man with step overs, emphasis on TRY, because he usually fails unfortunately. Just not a good enough player. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cajun Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Championship player... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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