James Milner

[Didsbury Dave]

He's an odd player, James Milner . He's kind of good at lots of things but not great at anything. He makes us a better team when he plays due to his steel and work rate, but he's not one of our best players. He does it through his defensive skills, but he's basically an offensive player. He's too slow and takes too many wrong decisions to be a winger. He's not dominant enough to be a holding midfielder. His passing's not good enough to be an attacking midfielder. But in all those roles his solidity helps others perform.

I felt sorry for him against villa as he played in four positions.

Whatever his strengths and weaknesses, he is certainly not a bloody wing back. He's far too slow.

 

[Damocles]

He's an odd player, James Milner . He's kind of good at lots of things but not great at anything. He makes us a better team when he plays due to his steel and work rate, but he's not one of our best players. He does it through his defensive skills, but he's basically an offensive player. He's too slow and takes too many wrong decisions to be a winger. He's not dominant enough to be a holding midfielder. His passing's not good enough to be an attacking midfielder. But in all those roles his solidity helps others perform.

I felt sorry for him against villa as he played in four positions.

Whatever his strengths and weaknesses, he is certainly not a bloody wing back. He's far too slow.

This pretty much sums him up in a sentence. Good guy to have in the squad, not really one we should be concerned isn't playing every game.

 

[waspish]

For me he has NEVER had a run of games in midfield can only remember 1 game he played there and that was against Leicester in the cup away from home and he scored!

 

[Nelly's Left Foot]

Is he the latest player to fall out with Mancini?

 

[Akira]

I always believe James cannot partner Yaya in a two-man midfield. However, given another setup, say the Rags', James would shine, because of his work-rate in centre-mid.

As much as Yaya cannot hold the midfield alone, so can't James. In a two-man midfield pairing of Yaya and James, when either one of them moves forward, he will desert the other.

With that said, however, I saw James' best games for City when he is partnered with Silva. Silva's flair, Milner's workrate and their devastating understanding, they have really done some beautiful wingplay. Refer to the 1-6 as an example. One can say, it was because of Evra's poor positioning, but I rewatched it and realized they did move their wingplay to the right too. I would credit it more of their ability than of Evra's incompetence.

I think Milner would probably be those type of players that need others to help him shine through. Without Silva, Milner wouldn't be at his best, and would just probably be a plain workhorse, ala Kuyt.

 

[whats platt doing]

I dont rate him. Thougt he was really poor for England at the euros. If he was not exceptionaly fit he would be a championship player at best. If i was manager i would sell him.

 

[mikeyboy]

Milner won pfa young player of the year playing a full season in centre midfield. this is his best position not out wide imo. he's unlucky not to have been a decent run in the centre. shame.

 

[Tevez City]

I agree with the OP, Milner best position is a CM and not a winger and thats what the player himself said.

 

[oakiecokie]

Once again on Tuesday he showed that he is not a winger and that performance must rate as one of the worst I have ever witnessed from someone in a City shirt.
Always rated him at Villa and as others have said,he looks far more comfortable in a central midfield role as he does have the stamina to actually back track.
Square pegs into round holes definately doesn`t fit Bobby.

 

[cibaman]

I think his main weakness is that he gives the ball away too much. He'll make a 40m run to gain possession and then hoof it to the opposition. With some players you can accept that they'll give the ball away because their job is to make things happen, to play killer passes. But Milner is meant to be be an unspectacular worker. He's meant to help us win and keep possession not give it away.

There was a spell about 12 months ago when he stopped giving the ball away. He ran with his head up, played better passes. He was magnificent in the 1-6. But he seems to have slipped back into his old habits.