Milner for England

[Guest Pie]

What utter nonsense. Lennon, SWP and Milner are options. Only one of those will go and compete with Gerrard and J.Cole for a place on the flanks.

 

Italy won it with Mauro Camrogypsi on the wing man.

Very redtop. Do we really need to go down the route of Arsprilla or Jeanarse? Its witless.

 

Back to the point:

Gerrard is wasted out there and not entirely comfortable! Far from it in fact.

Joe Cole has been in major championships and performed adequately on the left of midfield. However, there is something inadequate about adequacy isnt there? Square pegs, round holes.

 

Camoranesi is a right sided midfielder and considerably more gifted than the 3 mentioned.

 

As for 'options'. That is the point. As 'specialist' wide men, Milner, SWP and Lennon are weak at international level. Gerrard and Cole could never be described as such, nor can they can be described as comfortable or specialist in that position!

 

Once again: square pegs, round holes!

 

Camoranesi more talented than Lennon? f***ing hell.

 

 

You seem to have a problem with other peoples opinions. But yes, he was. Quite comfortably.

[Ronaldo]

Clearly watched him play once or twice then. Camoranesi is one of the least talented wingers i've ever seen, he's just consistently solid.

[Guest Pie]

What utter nonsense. Lennon, SWP and Milner are options. Only one of those will go and compete with Gerrard and J.Cole for a place on the flanks.

 

Italy won it with Mauro Camrogypsi on the wing man.

Very redtop. Do we really need to go down the route of Arsprilla or Jeanarse? Its witless.

 

Back to the point:

Gerrard is wasted out there and not entirely comfortable! Far from it in fact.

Joe Cole has been in major championships and performed adequately on the left of midfield. However, there is something inadequate about adequacy isnt there? Square pegs, round holes.

 

Camoranesi is a right sided midfielder and considerably more gifted than the 3 mentioned.

 

As for 'options'. That is the point. As 'specialist' wide men, Milner, SWP and Lennon are weak at international level. Gerrard and Cole could never be described as such, nor can they can be described as comfortable or specialist in that position!

 

Once again: square pegs, round holes!

 

Camoranesi more talented than Lennon? f***ing hell.

 

 

Its (It's / It is) evident that you missed a comma out earlier too, man!   Probably. Seriously though, whatever you think about Lennon or Milner, don't go down the route of red tops. It's toe curling. Its (It's/It is) back to forum typing and grammer as well. Happily.

[Guest Pie]

Clearly watched him play once or twice then. Camoranesi is one of the least talented wingers i've ever seen, he's just consistently solid.

Evidently you know exactly what I have done in the past 40+ years too! Can I start making things up too? I'm his brother.

[Ronaldo]

Educated guess. Lennon is ten times more talented than Camoranesi.

[Cronky]

Gerrard on the right?

 

Play players in their postions. Either Lennon, Walcott or SWP on the right with Gerrard in the center. Lampard on the bench.

 

That's how I'd see it as well. I'd only play two of Gerrard, Lampard and Joe Cole, and Lampard is the one I'd leave out.

 

To me it's about picking players who are going to give you a performance whatever the opposition. Lampard is obviously a very good player, but in a tight game against better or equal opposition he can disappear. Chelsea are nearly always better than the team they're playing so it's not something that's generally apparent at club level.

[Ronaldo]

Gerrard himself cannot operate without space.

[Guest Pie]

Educated guess. Lennon is ten times more talented than Camoranesi.

Educated in what?

[Guest Pie]

Gerrard himself cannot operate as effectively without space.

[Geordie Boot Boy]

Gerrard on the right?

 

Play players in their postions. Either Lennon, Walcott or SWP on the right with Gerrard in the center. Lampard on the bench.

 

That's how I'd see it as well. I'd only play two of Gerrard, Lampard and Joe Cole, and Lampard is the one I'd leave out.

 

To me it's about picking players who are going to give you a performance whatever the opposition. Lampard is obviously a very good player, but in a tight game against better or equal opposition he can disappear. Chelsea are nearly always better than the team they're playing so it's not something that's generally apparent at club level.

 

Totally disagree. I think, of the three of them, Lampard is probably the least likely to disappear in the big game. He might not play well but that's another matter. He's always involved IMO. Gerrard is your disappearing man of those three.

[Guest SpinTheBlackCircle]

Capello: " Another player I like is Milner, he is young. The future looks good."

 

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11677_4649832,00.html

 

 

 

 

:mackems:

[juniatmoko]

milner worth now more than we sell to villa...

[Guest schmuck]

Gerrard on the right?

 

Play players in their postions. Either Lennon, Walcott or SWP on the right with Gerrard in the center. Lampard on the bench.

 

That's how I'd see it as well. I'd only play two of Gerrard, Lampard and Joe Cole, and Lampard is the one I'd leave out.

 

To me it's about picking players who are going to give you a performance whatever the opposition. Lampard is obviously a very good player, but in a tight game against better or equal opposition he can disappear. Chelsea are nearly always better than the team they're playing so it's not something that's generally apparent at club level.

 

Totally disagree. I think, of the three of them, Lampard is probably the least likely to disappear in the big game. He might not play well but that's another matter. He's always involved IMO. Gerrard is your disappearing man of those three.

 

Absolutely, Lampard is always willing to get on the ball in a match and do the simple things right regardless of form, the only reason he might not be as prominent as has been is he doesn't have the same role for England or Chelsea at the moment that he had for Chelsea when his reputation was at it's peak.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Admittedly I haven't watched Milner every game this season, but I still think that we did the right thing to sell him for £12m when we did. All the signs were that his weaknesses were going to stop him becoming a top player, he can't beat a man and has little pace, and at the time even his crossing was poor.

 

He obviously suffered from being in a very poor team, but at the time I thought it was a brilliant sale.

[Bad Mongo]

The right thing? Only if you think Ashley's money is more important that the team.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

The right thing? Only if you think Ashley's money is more important that the team.

 

Keep the club out of the financial shit is a valid thing to do. Anyway, this isn't the thread for that debate.

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2010/01/milner_can_be_world_cup_wild_c.html

 

Milner can be World Cup wild card

 

Post categories: Carling Cup

 

Phil McNulty | 08:15 UK time, Friday, 15 January 2010

 

Martin O'Neill raised a few eyebrows when he claimed James Milner's defining moment in Aston Villa's Carling Cup semi-final win at Blackburn Rovers was "a great goal by a great player."

 

Great goal? O'Neill had a point. A classic Villa counter that swept the length of Ewood Park and was led and finished by Milner, with an honourable mention to Stewart Downing.

 

Great player? No. Let's bracket that alongside O'Neill flair for hyperbole that allowed him to charitably label Ashley Young "world-class" and "a genius" after a match-winning performance at Everton last season.

 

O'Neill's claim provided a good-natured sideshow in semantics after a deserved Villa win, and he had the last word when he told an inquisitor: "I take your point that playing great doesn't make you a great player, but he's a great player."

 

Milner is not yet a great player, but he is unquestionably an outstanding one and must get the chance to back O'Neill's boast with England in South Africa this summer.

 

Milner's introduction as a 16-year-old at Leeds United in 2002 was overshadowed by the parallell emergence of Wayne Rooney at Everton, but the former no longer needs to live in anyone's shadow as he comes to full maturity under O'Neill's tutelage.

 

He was the outstanding player on show at Ewood Park as Villa established a narrow lead for next week's semi-final second leg at home, an advantage that should be sufficient to seal a Carling Cup final against Manchester City or Manchester United at Wembley.

 

Taking a more central role, Milner was literally at the heart of everything Villa did, and his goal ticked the full list of pre-requisites for the modern midfield player.

 

He showed pace, power and stamina to take the ball great distance before exchanging passes with Downing, then showing the intelligence and composure to arrive on the end of the final pass and score with comfort.

 

Milner made it look easy, but it is what very good players do. Great ones even. He has only just turned 24 and his career has been something of a slow-burner, but with every week that passes it becomes clear he has to be with England at the World Cup.

 

Conditions in South Africa will be made for the combination of athleticism and ability possessed by Milner. He is one of the main reasons I continue to believe - and I'm in the minority - that David Beckham would be a needless luxury for Fabio Capello - providing Aaron Lennon and Theo Walcott are in good health.

 

Milner will provide England with options courtesy of his natural versatility. He has always been comfortable on the flanks, but, as O'Neill says, "has settled into a more central midfield role as if he has played there all his life."

 

In a tournament environment, tactical alternatives can prove priceless. If Milner is not on the plane it would be an uncharacteristic error by England's coach.

 

It was easy to understand O'Neill's enthusiasm after Milner's performance. If he is not a great player yet, and surely he has to prove this in an international context, then he certainly has it within his compass to become one.

 

He was part of a Villa side that now look ready to take the next step in the O'Neill tenure, from promising league positions to a major final, after this win.

 

Villa's manager packed his side with attacking intent at Ewood Park - and it had the desired effect. Emile Heskey was the most subdued member of a strikeforce that contained pace, power and width provided by Milner, Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Downing, who also showed enough to suggest he might keep Capello interested between now and the end of the season.

 

The visitors were a constant source of menace on the break, although they can be criticised for a failure to cash in on their supremacy, almost allowing Blackburn back in after the break.

 

As Villa supporters celebrated at the final whistle, the mood among the Ewood Park patrons was in marked contrast. Troubled times these for this splendid club, the one-time Premier League champions who are now living in reduced circumstances.

 

Sam Allardyce told a hard luck story after the game, based around two second-half efforts from Nikola Kalinic that bounced back off the woodwork. It was easy to see why Allardyce would clutch at these flimsy straws, but over the whole game Blackburn were second best.

 

Being an ordinary side is bad enough. Being unlucky and ordinary is a recipe for struggle - and that is what Rovers will face for the rest of the season unless they turn logic on its head and win at Villa next week.

 

An added problem for Allardyce is that he has failed to win the hearts and minds of many Blackburn supporters, who take a dim view of his tactical approach, making for an occasionally mutinous atmosphere.

 

It does seem Allardyce's style is an acquired taste - and one that some will never actually acquire, as proved by the swathes of empty seats inside Ewood Park for a game of such importance.

 

Loud jeers broke out as early as the first half, followed by what is becoming a familiar cry of "Big Sam, Big Sam Sort It Out."

 

In Allardyce's defence, he is having to sort it out on a tight budget and an even tighter schedule. Blackburn were playing their second game this week. Not ideal.

 

No such problems for Villa as they contemplate their first Wembley appearance since the 2000 FA Cup Final, inspired by the magic of Milner. Not a great player yet but showing all the signs he may become one, no doubt leaving O'Neill to tell us he was right all along.

[ElDiablo]

I think if he keeps this form up he deserves to go tbh. Still think we were right to accept 12m though, he didn't fit into our side at all. He fits into Villa's perfectly, if he'd gone to a different club I'm not sure he'd have made the same impact.

[merlin]

Milner has become a better player at Villa because he is being coached by a DECENT manager and an excellent coach in John Robertson who was a fine winger himself despite being slow. Milner is also surrounded by better players with pace(Young and Agbonlahor)and is playing in a team pattern that suits him as well as the players around him.

 

I always thought this would happen and for those who say the club were right o sell him, ask yourselves whether Villa would sell him BACK to NUFC for the same price...

 

The lad always had ability but, like so many others before him, was wasted at SJP - NUFC is one of the worst clubs in the UK for failing to get the best from players, and only 3 managers I can remember have done this - Joe Harvey, KK and SBR(possibly Gordon Lee to a certain extent).

 

It is no wonder we have failed to win any silverware worth talking about since 1969 and only under the managers named have the club ever LOOKED like being successful.

[madras]

Milner has become a better player at Villa because he is being coached by a DECENT manager and an excellent coach in John Robertson who was a fine winger himself despite being slow. Milner is also surrounded by better players with pace(Young and Agbonlahor)and is playing in a team pattern that suits him as well as the players around him.

 

I always thought this would happen and for those who say the club were right o sell him, ask yourselves whether Villa would sell him BACK to NUFC for the same price...

 

The lad always had ability but, like so many others before him, was wasted at SJP - NUFC is one of the worst clubs in the UK for failing to get the best from players, and only 3 managers I can remember have done this - Joe Harvey, KK and SBR(possibly Gordon Lee to a certain extent).

 

It is no wonder we have failed to win any silverware worth talking about since 1969 and only under the managers named have the club ever LOOKED like being successful.

at the time milner for 12mill was too good to turn down. as for john robertson being a winger it has to be noted that the dramatic upturn in milners form has came since he stopped being played out wide.

[ohmelads]

I agree with that article and I think Milner deserves a place at the world cup. He's a real team player who will do the donkey work which you don't always get from wingers, he will run all day but he has quality and he does the simple things well. His game has come on a lot since his early days, his crossing is better and his runs are better - he's a much more intelligent player than he used to be. You won't get any showboating from him, he is direct and will put balls into the danger area first time. I remember in his younger days with us he would try to beat the defender three times before putting a cross in, he used to cut back and cut back again and by the time he put it into the penalty area half a dozen players were back to defend it. Now it seems Villa have taught that out of him and he is more about one and two touch football as yesterday's goal showed.

 

He is versatile and would be a good option to have on the bench. If we are up against a dangerous winger he is someone who will track back and help us defend as a team. Lennon would be my first choice but Milner should certainly be in the squad because he brings those qualities.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I think we need to completely stop thinking of Milner as a wide player now. Out wide he is average, his only chance of becoming a great player is to make the centre of midfield his own.

[ohmelads]

I think we need to completely stop thinking of Milner as a wide player now. Out wide he is average, his only chance of becoming a great player is to make the centre of midfield his own.

 

I'd say he has more chance of getting in the England team out wide. We have competition wide right as well but Milner brings qualities the others don't.

 

People talk about playing people out of position but Milner is very versatile, he has played for years out wide, most of his career in fact, and I believe this is where he would play for England.

[madras]

I think we need to completely stop thinking of Milner as a wide player now. Out wide he is average, his only chance of becoming a great player is to make the centre of midfield his own.

 

I'd say he has more chance of getting in the England team out wide. We have competition wide right as well but Milner brings qualities the others don't.

 

People talk about playing people out of position but Milner is very versatile, he has played for years out wide, most of his career in fact, and I believe this is where he would play for England.

a bit of both is where i see him. in the duff/robben role at chelsea. not wingers but allowed to go wide but also doing a lot of qwork in the full back/centre half channel.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I'd say it's a waste of time picking him at all if he's only going to play out wide... he offers very little in that position IMO.

 

Duff and Robben both at pace, trickery and the ability to go at defenders.