Milner in the Centre

[madras]

You really need to take into account where his position is.  It's easy to have more accurate passes when you're in the middle of the park passing 5 yards rather than on the touchline crossing the ball 20.  Another case of statistics proving nothing, other than they can't prove anything.

 

I considered that possibility.  But why do wingers like Pennant, Lennon and Downing have a much higher % than Milner?  Young is comparable, but he has 14 assists to Milner's 2, so at least he's doing something with his 69%.  Petrov is passing sideways is he?

 

 

think of the players they wefre playing with and the style of football they were told to play (ie that lot...pass to your team mate as opposed to milners orders for most of the season...knock it there and we have a 63.8% chance of either getting a knock on or winning the 2nd ball then a 22/24% chance of getting out of our own half after that)

 

milner looked a better player in NUFC teams that were playing better football......but everyone has their price and i don't see milner in the middle of midfiled.

 

could see him playing as a behind-the-main -striker type.

[midds]

a winger should have a lower passing accuracy than a central midfielder as they should be attempting more risky passes and crosses, and also a CM has players on all 4 sides which he can pass to whereas a winger is often limited to passing back to the full-back or sideways to a central midfielder.

 

however i often see milner take the safe option and come inside as he doesn't have the technical ability or pace to beat a player down the flank, so you'd expect his passing stats to be higher. maybe it's those useless crosses from 50 yards out that brings his percentage down. if you ever see milner take it past someone on the outside you'll see him twist and turn like a whirling dervish to create any sort of space or to unbalance his opponent. you simply can't do that in the middle of the park so his ability to beat a player will be nullified. his first-touch also leaves a lot to be desired and with the limited space you get in the middle of the pitch i can't see him ever having the time to do anything creative. his short passing is also pretty average and i don't think he's ever shown the type of movement or reading ofthe game you need to excel in the middle. is he also strong enough or good enough in the air to deal with very physical players week in, week out? doubt it. he can get away with this, or lacking pace, if he has other elements to his game, but he doesn't.

 

he does have a good shot but like i said, his ability to create space in congested areas is so poor that he rarely gets the time or space to get shots away, despite the fact that 9 times out of 10 he comes inside. he was only able to exploit his shooting at under-21 level because of the poor quality of opponents he was up against. and anyway, most central-midfielder who score regularly do so by arriving late in and around the box and by having excellently timed runs, and to mention his movement again, i havent seen any of this from milner.

 

Milner would have more options if he played through the middle.

 

Do you think that's his best position Mick?

 

Not being arsey, just wondering where you'd play him in the current set-up.

[Ikon]

I think Milner is a decent player and a good squad player. But i hope that we can find a quality player to have in a central role instead of him.

[Thespence]

Milner would be better in the center rather than right wing. I think he has a decent shot, a football brain & good work rate which is all wasted playing far out. Most of his games for U21's have been in the middle or playing behind a front 2.

[Mick]

 

Do you think that's his best position Mick?

 

Not being arsey, just wondering where you'd play him in the current set-up.

 

I think it could be his best position as like others I think his lack of pace means he's unlikely to do well on the wing and make the position his own.  I don't think he's that bad when coming inside but sometimes runs into dead ends because of his limitations.  I think his limitations will be reduced if he's got more options as he can run all day and will get better as a game goes on and the opposition start to fade.  Being able to run all day is as much an asset as being able to break records over 30 metres early in a game.  Very few players can play on the wing and be effective for 90 minutes, I think Milner is a 90 minute player but hasn't the pace to get past too many defenders but he's not thick and could adapt.

 

[Wullie]

I can't believe the stick Milner is getting in here.  He might not be the best player in the league but he's not as bad as the stick he's getting.

 

Hear hear.

[midds]

 

Do you think that's his best position Mick?

 

Not being arsey, just wondering where you'd play him in the current set-up.

 

I think it could be his best position as like others I think his lack of pace means he's unlikely to do well on the wing and make the position his own.  I don't think he's that bad when coming inside but sometimes runs into dead ends because of his limitations.  I think his limitations will be reduced if he's got more options as he can run all day and will get better as a game goes on and the opposition start to fade.  Being able to run all day is as much an asset as being able to break records over 30 metres early in a game.  Very few players can play on the wing and be effective for 90 minutes, I think Milner is a 90 minute player but hasn't the pace to get past too many defenders but he's not thick and could adapt.

 

 

That's fair enough. 

 

I think he's fairly good at a lot of things but he's not exceptional in any one area of his game. A quality CM, like Fabregas, is excellent in virtually every area which makes  CM an ideal position for him. I just think he'd get found out if you put him in there every week. Against the lesser teams it would be a good move but his versatility works against him when he's trying to cement a place in the first XI.

 

A bit like Steve Watson, only higher up the pitch.

[madras]

 

Do you think that's his best position Mick?

 

Not being arsey, just wondering where you'd play him in the current set-up.

 

I think it could be his best position as like others I think his lack of pace means he's unlikely to do well on the wing and make the position his own.  I don't think he's that bad when coming inside but sometimes runs into dead ends because of his limitations.  I think his limitations will be reduced if he's got more options as he can run all day and will get better as a game goes on and the opposition start to fade.  Being able to run all day is as much an asset as being able to break records over 30 metres early in a game.  Very few players can play on the wing and be effective for 90 minutes, I think Milner is a 90 minute player but hasn't the pace to get past too many defenders but he's not thick and could adapt.

 

 

That's fair enough. 

 

I think he's fairly good at a lot of things but he's not exceptional in any one area of his game. A quality CM, like Fabregas, is excellent in virtually every area which makes  CM an ideal position for him. I just think he'd get found out if you put him in there every week. Against the lesser teams it would be a good move but his versatility works against him when he's trying to cement a place in the first XI.

 

A bit like Steve Watson, only higher up the pitch.

not putting him up with these but manu petit and mendieta were jobbing full backs till someone thought they could do a job in the middle (hell man i'll even throw barry venison in there).

 

 

not saying it would work but it may be worth a try.

[Mick]

 

That's fair enough. 

 

I think he's fairly good at a lot of things but he's not exceptional in any one area of his game. A quality CM, like Fabregas, is excellent in virtually every area which makes  CM an ideal position for him. I just think he'd get found out if you put him in there every week. Against the lesser teams it would be a good move but his versatility works against him when he's trying to cement a place in the first XI.

 

A bit like Steve Watson, only higher up the pitch.

 

I feel sorry for players who are seen to be versatile as they rarely get regular games in one position and don't get to shine like other players who are stuck in one position.  I think Milner playing both left and right will have helped him though as he can use both feet unlike a lot of central midfielders who can only play on one side of centre. 

 

[Rich]

If Keegan genuinely reckons he's up to it, then that's good enough for me.

[Tooj]

I think he's better on the left than the right btw.

[midds]

 

That's fair enough. 

 

I think he's fairly good at a lot of things but he's not exceptional in any one area of his game. A quality CM, like Fabregas, is excellent in virtually every area which makes  CM an ideal position for him. I just think he'd get found out if you put him in there every week. Against the lesser teams it would be a good move but his versatility works against him when he's trying to cement a place in the first XI.

 

A bit like Steve Watson, only higher up the pitch.

 

I feel sorry for players who are seen to be versatile as they rarely get regular games in one position and don't get to shine like other players who are stuck in one position.  I think Milner playing both left and right will have helped him though as he can use both feet unlike a lot of central midfielders who can only play on one side of centre. 

 

 

It'll certainly be interesting to see how Keegan uses him. If he thinks he can do a job in there then I hope he gets a chance and plays well.

 

I'll still have my reservations about it but who am I to question his judgement? We're not exactly overflowing with quality CM's and once Emre fucks off then Milner might get his chance. We'll just have to wait and see.

[biggs]

Wonder if KK is saying this now as he is having a difficult time getting a playmaker and will use him there as a stopgap till we are in a position to get a specialist in there when we can challenge the clubs who have moved above us in the transfer stakes (we have more to offer like european football etc) .

[TRon]

a winger should have a lower passing accuracy than a central midfielder as they should be attempting more risky passes and crosses, and also a CM has players on all 4 sides which he can pass to whereas a winger is often limited to passing back to the full-back or sideways to a central midfielder.

 

however i often see milner take the safe option and come inside as he doesn't have the technical ability or pace to beat a player down the flank, so you'd expect his passing stats to be higher. maybe it's those useless crosses from 50 yards out that brings his percentage down. if you ever see milner take it past someone on the outside you'll see him twist and turn like a whirling dervish to create any sort of space or to unbalance his opponent. you simply can't do that in the middle of the park so his ability to beat a player will be nullified. his first-touch also leaves a lot to be desired and with the limited space you get in the middle of the pitch i can't see him ever having the time to do anything creative. his short passing is also pretty average and i don't think he's ever shown the type of movement or reading ofthe game you need to excel in the middle. is he also strong enough or good enough in the air to deal with very physical players week in, week out? doubt it. he can get away with this, or lacking pace, if he has other elements to his game, but he doesn't.

 

he does have a good shot but like i said, his ability to create space in congested areas is so poor that he rarely gets the time or space to get shots away, despite the fact that 9 times out of 10 he comes inside. he was only able to exploit his shooting at under-21 level because of the poor quality of opponents he was up against. and anyway, most central-midfielder who score regularly do so by arriving late in and around the box and by having excellently timed runs, and to mention his movement again, i havent seen any of this from milner.

 

Milner would have more options if he played through the middle.

 

To do what?

 

[Cajun]

Pass to someone.

[Mick]

 

It'll certainly be interesting to see how Keegan uses him. If he thinks he can do a job in there then I hope he gets a chance and plays well.

 

I'll still have my reservations about it but who am I to question his judgement? We're not exactly overflowing with quality CM's and once Emre fucks off then Milner might get his chance. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

I've got reservations about it but I've seen something in him which makes me think he could do a job for us in the centre and wouldn't mind seeing him given his chance.  I'd hate him to move on and make that position his own at another club because his loyalty here has been second to none.  We've shit on him more than once and he still does his best unlike some who throw a strop for no reason at all.

 

[midds]

 

It'll certainly be interesting to see how Keegan uses him. If he thinks he can do a job in there then I hope he gets a chance and plays well.

 

I'll still have my reservations about it but who am I to question his judgement? We're not exactly overflowing with quality CM's and once Emre fucks off then Milner might get his chance. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

I've got reservations about it but I've seen something in him which makes me think he could do a job for us in the centre and wouldn't mind seeing him given his chance.  I'd hate him to move on and make that position his own at another club because his loyalty here has been second to none.  We've shit on him more than once and he still does his best unlike some who throw a strop for no reason at all.

 

 

His attitude has always been spot-on. He's been hawked around and offered to other clubs but he's never (I think) come out and started whinging or complaining to the rags.

[Mick]

 

To do what?

 

If he's on one of the wings he can either run at a defender who is probably quicker than him so he's got no advantage doing that or he can go inside.  If he's in the middle he'll have players in front of him and probably to both sides as well as behind.  It's easier to defend against somebody when you have a fairly good idea where he's going to make his run.  That's not the case going through the middle when he can go left or right and the defenders, or opposition midfielders will not be able to read his game so easily.

[TRon]

Pass to someone.

 

Nicky Butt can do that but he doesn't call himself an "attacking" midfielder.

[Cajun]

Pass to someone.

 

Nicky Butt can do that but he doesn't call himself an "attacking" midfielder.

 

You asked what Mick was talking about, I answered.

[madras]

 

To do what?

 

If he's on one of the wings he can either run at a defender who is probably quicker than him so he's got no advantage doing that or he can go inside.  If he's in the middle he'll have players in front of him and probably to both sides as well as behind.  It's easier to defend against somebody when you have a fairly good idea where he's going to make his run.  That's not the case going through the middle when he can go left or right and the defenders, or opposition midfielders will not be able to read his game so easily.

the last few years even the players playing in the middle have had few options due to no movement.  quite often wide players get as many options due to full backs over lapping which centre halves rarely do (ie push up past the midfield)

[Mick]

 

Nicky Butt can do that but he doesn't call himself an "attacking" midfielder.

 

I can't think of any player who gave away the ball as much as Butt did last season.  How often did he play the ball to the opposition who then had a run at goal?

[Tooj]

 

Nicky Butt can do that but he doesn't call himself an "attacking" midfielder.

 

I can't think of any player who gave away the ball as much as Butt did last season.  How often did he play the ball to the opposition who then had a run at goal?

 

It annoyed me all the time when he tried that Scholes style cross-field pass, just no Nicholas, just no.

[Guest diddimz]

I've always thought he could do a job in the middle as well,theres no harm in trying him there anyway, as has been said i would hate for him to leave and make that position his own at another club after the loyalty he has shown us.Once we start playing some better football i can see him starting to shine.

[madras]

 

Nicky Butt can do that but he doesn't call himself an "attacking" midfielder.

 

I can't think of any player who gave away the ball as much as Butt did last season.  How often did he play the ball to the opposition who then had a run at goal?

bit harsh and smith gave the ball away more...geremi early season and barton till fulham at home.