James Milner

[Cardie]

If there is truth in the article then it can only indicate that we're working with a very restricted budget based on sales as much as cash available. There really is no point in us getting rid of Pennant and brining in Milner (in fact, I'd say it's a backwards step, and I actually like Milner.)

 

Milner is better suited to the formation we've settled on than Pennant, he isn't a winger in the traditional sense and has the versatility to play on both sides of the field.

 

As a squad player he'd be a very useful signing.

[Cardie]

.

[Rashid]

Milner is better suited to the formation we've settled on than Pennant, he isn't a winger in the traditional sense and has the versatility to play on both sides of the field.

 

As a squad player he'd be a very useful signing.

 

Milner is slow as fuck, doesn't score goals and get past a man with skill... he is what you would call "a waste of money"....

 

And how many squad players in addition to Kuyt, Banayoun and Pennant do we actually need?

[StevieH]

James Milner wouldn't be an improvement on Dirk Kuyt or Jermaine Pennant, just as Philip Degen wouldn't be an improvement on Steve Finnan or Alvaro Arbeloa. I appreciate that Rafa is operating with one arm tied behind his back while the Americans are still the owners, but surely we could come up with something better than Milner and Deggen.

[MLB]

Milner is better suited to the formation we've settled on than Pennant, he isn't a winger in the traditional sense and has the versatility to play on both sides of the field.

 

As a squad player he'd be a very useful signing.

 

 

Like many on here, I really don't think we need any more squad players at this point. The ones we currently have are fine. In fact, Pennant would be more useful because we can use him when we want to play 4-4-2 as well. If Pennant or Benayoun are leaving then, fair enough, he's a decent replacement, but I really don't see the point in it. We should be buying someone who can replace Kuyt in the first team, not replace Pennant in the squad.

[hamstrung]

I was wrong. The article was written by Chris.

 

The one where MIlner was mentioned?

 

Its by David Harrison

[Josef Svejk]

He's a more obvious back-up for Kuyt in our current formation than either Pennant or Benayoun. I understand that people may not particularly like that formation or, more likely, Kuyt in his new role, but neither Pennant nor Benayoun is particularly suited to the left or the right attacking position in a 4-2-3-1. Milner, by contrast, could do the job on either side.

 

Again, I'd love a "bigger name", but I can see the sense of it...

[Spy Bee]

Rashid - You're a drama queen and a shit speller.

 

I think he's a tidy player. Considering the financial restriction we have I think he's a good signing. He'll definitely strengthen the squad, but I can see the argument for wanting players that strengthen the first eleven.

[snez1]

Kuyt is better than Milner.

[Rashid]

You're a drama queen and a shit speller.

 

I think he's a tidy player. Considering the financial restriction we have I think he's a good signing. He'll definitely strengthen the squad, but I can see the argument for wanting players that strengthen the first eleven.

 

Adam mate, Benayoun and Pennant are "tidy players"... why buy players we don't need?

[hamstrung]

Rash. Calm down a bit. You don't need to repost your opinion so much.

[Rashid]

Rash. Calm down a bit. You don't need to repost your opinion so much.

 

I am now leaving the James Milner thread. Sorry mate.. I get your point.

[Cardie]

Milner is slow as fuck, doesn't score goals and get past a man with skill... he is what you would call "a waste of money"....

 

And how many squad players in addition to Kuyt, Banayoun and Pennant do we actually need?

 

Like I said, it depends on the full summers transfers both in and out.

 

As an example, if we sell:

 

Carson, Itandje, Crouch, Voronin, Alonso, Riise and Pennant

 

Then it's unreasonable to expect the 7 players that replace them to be the very top level players in world football. Even the richest clubs in the world wouldn't be able to do it.

 

You need to look at the market and see what's available against what you need and *cliche alert* cut your cloth accordingly.

 

If that means you can use one or two of those 7 to sign replacements that may be better suited to the system or the league for very little real cash and still leave yourself the budget to add more expensive players then why wouldn't you do it?

[Josef Svejk]

Whether you like it or not, Rash, Rafa likes strong, physical, mobile players (ideally, with ability, of course). Neither Pennant nor Benayoun meets those criteria - which makes me wonder why we signed them, quite honestly, but that's another story. Milner is a Rafa-style player, whether we like it or not. And he would suit our system. I doubt he's first choice for the job, but he wouldn't be a bad investment at all...

[Rashid]

Whether you like it or not, Rash, Rafa likes strong, physical, mobile players (ideally, with ability, of course). Neither Pennant nor Benayoun meets those criteria - which makes me wonder why we signed them, quite honestly, but that's another story. Milner is a Rafa-style player, whether we like it or not. And he would suit our system. I doubt he's first choice for the job, but he wouldn't be a bad investment at all...

 

I know I said I was leaving the thread.. but just one last point...

 

As you said.... then why did he sign those players for £12m?

 

And Milner does not "fit the system".. he has no skill, pace or goalscoring ability... which is what you need from a wide player in attacking positions.

 

Cardie - I know what you are saying mate but why sell Pennant who loves being here and replace him with someone who isn't better for the sake of it?

[Cardie]

Rashid - We weren't playing that system when he signed?

[coop]

Has Milner signed then.

 

Thought he had with all the tears in the thread.

[Crazyhorse7778]

James Milner and Glen Johnson are the future of our right flank.

[Spy Bee]

James Milner and Glen Johnson are the future of our right flank.

He is a vastly improved player. I'd be well happy with signing him.

[Crazyhorse7778]

He is a vastly improved player. I'd be well happy with signing him.

 

So would I, but I like joining in the hysteria of this thread.

[Rashid]

I like Glen Johnson too, he is a good attacking fullback and an improvement on what we have in some ways....

[StevieH]

Glenn Johnson would be a very good signing providing the fee is sensible. I watched him a lot in his youth at West Ham and although he was v quick and composed on the ball, he was defensively very naive. This was the case at Chelsea too, but since his move to Portsmouth where he has worked with Tony Adams the defensive side of his game has improved greatly.

[rebel23]

we're in danger of packing the squad full of average players, swapping mediocre players for mediocre, it makes no sense to me.

 

'Carson, Itandje, Crouch, Voronin, Alonso, Riise and Pennant

 

Then it's unreasonable to expect the 7 players that replace them to be the very top level players in world football. Even the richest clubs in the world wouldn't be able to do it.'

 

out of those players 6 were signed by Rafa over the years, we will be sayingg next year how can we get rid of 5 more players he's brought in without replacing them, the fact is we've been buying too many squad players over the years and hence why they have no futures after we discover they're not good enough

[rebel23]

James Milner wouldn't be an improvement on Dirk Kuyt or Jermaine Pennant, just as Philip Degen wouldn't be an improvement on Steve Finnan or Alvaro Arbeloa. I appreciate that Rafa is operating with one arm tied behind his back while the Americans are still the owners, but surely we could come up with something better than Milner and Deggen.

 

it's disappointing as you say all these players are a step down on what we have, which isnt good enough anyway

 

if there's no money why doesn't he just sell Crouch, Pennant, Carson and buy one good player? there are others he could sell and raise the money, the fact is from what we know, he is choosing to try and swap them and bring mediocre players who are worse than what we have and will be very difficult to recoup any money on when we decide to get rid.

 

next year if there's no money and we have to make sales will we be saying "sell Degan, Milner, Kuyt, Voronin, blah blah " how much will that raise? probably not as much as the current crop would, in effect it's a waste

[cochcaer]

My first response is "Why?" He's no improvement on Pennant so totally pointless signing.