What Can We Do With Milner?

[north down blue]

I really want him to do well, but he keeps letting me down. Personally i think he needs a break. He played at that under 21 tournament for England, had a full season at Villa and then went straight to the world cup at the end of last season.

 

[pee dubya]

I'd say the tempo was one of the things he couldn't handle last night!

He was caught on the ball time and time again.

I'm not writing him off just yet, but he's not a winger and he won't get in the middle of our midfield.

Who knows though, maybe he'll 'do a Zaba'

Possibly tempo is the wrong word. But at Villa they didn't play possession football, they played almost like rugby, it was about gaining territory, hitting a front man early to get you up the pitch then work from there. Play for set pieces, or work the ball for crossing into the box. He doesn't really seem to have grasped the pass and move philosophy yet.

 

[J.B]

Swap him for Ireland

 

[AustinBlue]

Bring the comfy chair!

 

[Fat Chance]

Baffling...

For whatever reason he has certainly been the biggest disappointment for me,he just doesn't look like the same player from last season at Villa.
He sometimes looks overwhelmed,maybe it's a confidence thing,as though he doesn't believe he is good enough to play in this team.
Certainly a sustained run in his best position would help,the problem being,we have better players in the team who will,quite correctly,not allow this.

As much as i want him to come good,as i had him down as the key summer signing,i fear he could be one who makes way for a superior talent.

And,for the record,Barry played superbly last night,especially given the early,undeserved,yellow card.

I could'nt agree more, especially the 2nd sentence. He's almost falling over when running unchallenged, like his legs are half-cut, even after springing a move he falls in to a trance like state not knowing when to release the ball (if he don't know he's about to get challenged for the ball yet chooses to stay in the same dithering position then it looks like a psycologico block-out/cause it happens to him a lot-regular). A goal would help him no end, he's a much better player than he's showing.

 

[Spiros]

I'd say the tempo was one of the things he couldn't handle last night!

He was caught on the ball time and time again.

I'm not writing him off just yet, but he's not a winger and he won't get in the middle of our midfield.

Who knows though, maybe he'll 'do a Zaba'

Possibly tempo is the wrong word. But at Villa they didn't play possession football, they played almost like rugby, it was about gaining territory, hitting a front man early to get you up the pitch then work from there. Play for set pieces, or work the ball for crossing into the box. He doesn't really seem to have grasped the pass and move philosophy yet.

Yeah I'd agree with that.

He doesn't seem to have the high-end technical ability that's going to be needed. Maybe playing with some of these players who do have those skills he will be able to add that to his game. Another example though, of an English player who is very highly-valued but found wanting technically.

 

[Anonymous]

Don't get Mancini's love affair with Milner at all. He offers less than nothing when he plays in the wide areas (as he did last night). The French commentators were laughing at him and Barry midway through the first half saying they both looked completely lost because of the tempo at which the game was being played.

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

Don't get Mancini's love affair with Milner at all. He offers less than nothing when he plays in the wide areas (as he did last night). The French commentators were laughing at him and Barry midway through the first half saying they both looked completely lost because of the tempo at which the game was being played.

goods players not top notch if we want to start winning trophey s we need to get better all round players .look at other prems midfields everton arteta pienar rodwell cahill coleman and arsenal nasri wiltshire fabregas all good technically. we will get top four with this team but if we want to boss games against the better teams in the prem and champions league teams we will have to strengthen the middle up but im sure mancini knows this but the problem is getting the top top players in january maybe when we do get top 4 we will rectify it in the summer.Rome wasnt built in a day!

 

[northstander]

tied to a post in front of a firing squad, seriously though i didn't want him but mancini did, i don't think he offers anything different to what we already have and so far very disappointed in his performances, but like all others i'll give him a chance to prove me wrong and hope he does, but at the moment i'd put him on bench and start with johnson.

 

[Kaini Industries]

Milner clearly needs time. He's used to playing at a much higher tempo in a totally different style of team.

He's a full grown English man, and he's had half a season!

And? So you think all English players are programmed to fit into any English team instantly?

He's a good player and he'll prove it in time. He's been unfortunate that the three central midfielders in front of him have been excellent of late.