Milner - Right wing or left wing?

[brummie]

I think Milner would be best on the right wing.

 

Our right wing.

[tmonkey]

Better winger on the right, better footballer down the left.

[Keefaz]

If you play him down the left you get the advantage of his shooting from distance which is pretty good, the downside is he's far too predictable, i think it was blackburn we played at the end of last season and everytime he cut inside ready to cross their defenders stepped out catching us offside. A good manager will spot something like that which means he's pretty useless out there.

 

Opposing managers know that the left-winger is going to cut inside and shoot = he's pretty useless there. That's what you're saying, ultimately. Name me a good left-winger that doesn't cut in and shoot; of course he will. Fortunately Milner has a very good shot on him. Really think you underrate Milner.

 

Anyhow, it's such a tough question. He seems more effective on the left then he does on the right. People who say he can't cross are deluded. It's erratic, but 50% of the time his crosses are absolutely superb, and it'll be intriguing watching him cross balls for Owen and Viduka every week, as apposed to Martins, Dyer and Sibierski*.

 

But i just don't know. That'd mean Milner on the left with Geremi on the right, but you could argue that Geremi should be in the centre. Meaning Milner left and Nobby right...

 

Personally, i think we'd be more profitable of a N'Zogbia-left/Milner-right combo, rather than a Milner-left/Solano-right combo.

 

The N'Zogbia situation is potentially going into the 'stupid' bracket again, trying to convert him into a left-back. He's a left-winger. He's been good as a left-winger. He's been average-to-dogshit everywhere else he's played. When consistently in the side, he's a mint left-winger. He even looked good against Hartlepool down the left. I've just got a feeling that Zoggy is rejuvinated under Allardyce and we've got a very good player on our hands again.

 

Milner is more fruitful individually as a left-winger, but i think Zog on the left/Milner on the right would be more profitable on the whole, i reckon.

 

*On a separate note to that, a ball-playing duo of Milner up-high, and Nobby from deep, is a mouth-watering prospect, imo.

 

Milner's often crossed from his position on the left wing, from what I can remember. Two Luque goals on a plate from that position?

[Newcastle Fan]

Both

[Guest Knightrider]

Let him switch flanks, alternating with N'Zogbia or whoever, providing he plays of course, Milner that is, like he did to good effect last night.

[Guest Moe-Ali]

Both, he's very much two footed.

[Rebellious]

I think he has more assists on the left wing.  I remember on the right wing he constantly attempts to skin defenders and fails 90% of the time. The same as Zoggy on the wing, tries and fails. Too much enthusiasm and not enough skill yet.

[Shak]

Let him switch flanks, alternating with N'Zogbia or whoever, providing he plays of course, Milner that is, like he did to good effect last night.

 

The problem there being that N'Zogbia would be pretty useless on the right, much like Solano would be useless on the left. So whoever he's alternating with would be seriously hindered, wouldn't be worth it.

[TRon]

The talk of Zog playing next season as LB worries me. No doubt he will do a great job but there are two problems.

 

He sees himself as a left midfielder.

 

We'd lose a very good left midfielder.

[Skirge]

I voted right wing as its his most natural position, but really we are blessed that he can play both left and right wings and do a good job on both sides.

[STM]

I didn't really want to vote because i think he's a fantastic player on both flanks. When we have injuries (which we always do) he's very valuable to us. I voted right just because it will be more natural to him in the long run.

[Guest optimistic nit]

Both, he's very much two footed.

 

he's very much right footed.

[beardsleymagic]

I'm not that bothered to be honest, I like to see wingers swap sides a few times in match. It offers the something a bit different when they can cut in and have a shot.

 

It also keeps the opposition on their toes a bit.

[Syrette]

2 pages and no-one has exaggerated his flaws yet. Good good.

[Cajun]

Both, he's very much two footed.

 

he's very much right footed.

 

Not at all, can shoot and cross very well with his left.

[Baggio]

If you play him down the left you get the advantage of his shooting from distance which is pretty good, the downside is he's far too predictable, i think it was blackburn we played at the end of last season and everytime he cut inside ready to cross their defenders stepped out catching us offside. A good manager will spot something like that which means he's pretty useless out there.

 

Opposing managers know that the left-winger is going to cut inside and shoot = he's pretty useless there. That's what you're saying, ultimately. Name me a good left-winger that doesn't cut in and shoot; of course he will. Fortunately Milner has a very good shot on him. Really think you underrate Milner.

 

 

You're missing the point slightly Yorkie, having seen Milner play on the left several times I can tell you 95% of the time he cuts in to either cross or shoot, it just gets far to predictable as I've pointed out like when we played Blackburn, a good manager like Mark Hughes spotted what he was doing and set his defence up to step out whenever he cut inside, meaning that every ball he crossed in either went straight to the keeper or our striker got caught offside.

 

You say name a good left winger that doesn't cut inside and I can't because they all do, however they usually have more variety to their game in that position like being able to dribble past a few people or hitting it down the wing and outdoing everyone for pace, Milner doesn't have this and never will.

 

If you look at Milner you will notice his biggest weakness is his pace, like it or not wingers need pace in the modern game unless you're excellent at dead balls like Beckham and Solano were (they were faster than Milner in their day too) so the best thing Allardyce could do if he's playing 4-3-3 is to play him as the attacking midfielder where his lack of pace won't be a problem, he has the potential to be a very good player there given the attributes he possesses.

[Yorkie]

I've used this point to counter yours every time. He makes up for his lack of pace in his excellent ability to beat his man. He lacks pace, definitely, but i don't think it's too detrimental a (non)-attribute. That said, he'd be immense and a complete winger if he was fast. It'd be ace if speed could be improved; always a tough one, though.

[STM]

The only reason a footballer needs pace is if he wants to get to the ball first or beat his man whilst with the ball. Milner does both of these without having an abundance of pace. Plain and simply his end product is top draw in my eyes and doesn't deserve and negitive critisism. Sure there are parts of his game that he can improve on but for me he is the most exciting young player at the club.

[Baggio]

I've used this point to counter yours every time. He makes up for his lack of pace in his excellent ability to beat his man. He lacks pace, definitely, but i don't think it's too detrimental a (non)-attribute. That said, he'd be immense and a complete winger if he was fast. It'd be ace if speed could be improved; always a tough one, though.

 

Beating a man is one thing Yorkie but the lad can't race away from them, so no you're not countering my point at all tbh, the only good him beating a man is if he can put excellent balls into the box straight away which he doesn't do often enough, players like Beckham and Solano put excellent balls into the box everytime as well as being dead ball  specialists, if anything he wants to hold onto the ball too long and beat the same man more than once which eventually slows down any possible counter attack we want to play.

[abcdefg]

I saw him selling the Morning Star at the Gala the other week etc.

[Yorkie]

Baggio, you're talking about him as if he's doing this stuff constantly. What more evidence do you need than the Celtic game that he's good at beating his man, and whipping a cross in? What's really good is that come the end of last season, his crossing was much more precise - whereas at the beginning, two out of three Milner crosses would go to the first defender's feet. Sure, he occassionally slows down the counter attack by spending too long on the ball, but you're saying it as if it's all he does. He's progressively getting better.

 

Like i said before, i think you slag him off too much. I don't think you're comprehending how much potential the lad has - it's early days and he's only going to get better. I can't see him being a centre-mid, so throwing him out the team (which as i gather would be your preferred option) is only going to hinder a very fast-progressing youngster, who atleast until recently, has been a pivotal figure of our attacking play.

 

Reckon he'll prove you wrong over the season.

[Baggio]

Baggio, you're talking about him as if he's doing this stuff constantly. What more evidence do you need than the Celtic game that he's good at beating his man, and whipping a cross in? What's really good is that come the end of last season, his crossing was much more precise - whereas at the beginning, two out of three Milner crosses would go to the first defender's feet. Sure, he occassionally slows down the counter attack by spending too long on the ball, but you're saying it as if it's all he does. He's progressively getting better.

 

Like i said before, i think you slag him off too much. I don't think you're comprehending how much potential the lad has - it's early days and he's only going to get better. I can't see him being a centre-mid, so throwing him out the team (which as i gather would be your preferred option) is only going to hinder a very fast-progressing youngster, who atleast until recently, has been a pivotal figure of our attacking play.

 

Reckon he'll prove you wrong over the season.

 

Jesus Wept!   Are you seriously suggesting I've been proven wrong from a pre season friendly?!

 

I suppose everyone has been proven wrong about the talent that is Albert Luque too?!

 

I don't think he'll prove me wrong although I hope I do, he may have potential but his weaknesses stand out like a sore thumb to me and he's never going to have any pace whatsoever, ideally we'd buy SWP to replace Dyer and play N'Zogbia down the other wing leaving Milner to be back up for either.

 

Time will tell though how good Milner goes on to be.

 

 

[Mowen]

Have to agree, if we got SWP in to replace Dyer we'd be far better served with SWP and Zog on the wings with Milner as backup.

[STM]

James Milner is a good winger, no two ways about it. He's a very good crosser of the ball (not quite beckham, nobby standard) and has a very good shot on him (see the goals he scored and how many he has scored).

[Yorkie]

Baggio, i didn't say that at all. My words were: "he'll prove you wrong over the season". I didn't say that the Celtic game was enough to prove you wrong altogether, i just said that there was evidence there that he can beat his man and whip across in, and to great effect. I'm looking over it but i'm sure you must have interpreted my post wrong; i don't see how i made out what you're saying at all, really mate.