James Milner

[RichC]

I agree with Matt, we need either Lucas or a Lucas replacement to sit in front of our back 4

[Exiled_red]

Milner is a good player.

Thing is we don't really need good players we need game changers and he isn't one and it would be unfair to expect him to be one, he's a steady eddy who performs in big games.

He's an cog in a machine but when you're machine is rusty and failing he will probably go unnoticed unless we improve the overall quality of the team.

What Milner does best is allow the quality players ahead of him to shine because he grafts all day long and plays both simple and at time intricate passes around the area.

Similar to Ings I think the success of this signing is based on the rest of the window, if we bring in quality around and a head of him he'll look a very astute piece of business, if we don't he'll look a hard worker who lacks the quality to win games.

True to a certain extent but I don't think you can look at the signings in isolation, if we bring in quality players who are game changers ahead of them then an efficient machine is what we need. I quite like Milner as a player, I think he is very under-rated and he can come in as a fairly experienced, quality player who could do well for us.

Lets see who else we sign and what the plans for our team/squad are looking like. If Milner and Ings are signed to be the game changing players then we have a big problem and will struggle again next year. If they are signed as well as some game changing players then that is what we need.

[gratziani]

He cost city 26 million and we are getting him on a free.

One thing about Milner when I have seen him play he never hides and always gives his all.

Canny signing for our new right back

[baitman]

who does milner start in front of.

allen, goes without saying. can, yes, hendo, maybe.

has he improved our starting 11. yes.

[Rich]

He's a really good crosser of the ball as well.

[cream]

He's a really good crosser of the ball as well.

Bentekeh likes this.

[Vermilion]

Downing was a good crosser of the ball and AC liked that too. EDIT: apparently.

[S-RED]

Just looking at the top of 1st page of the off field section, is quite depressing reading.........

[Paddy]

People moaning that Toure would be our 'experience' in the dressing room.

Well this is they type of player we should have. For free, it's a no brainer.

[gratziani]

He has played in and won the league twice at City.

If this kind of signing isn't good enough for us I do wonder who is ?

[Nicey]

Milner is a awesome signing .. if you disagree you are the reason the world is going down the ****ter

[Lecter]

Milner is a good player and I think not too dissimilar to Hendo. We miss Hendo when he doesn't play so it's a very good signing. On a free you can't say no.

That said, both will be first team regulars and you end up with a team looking short on creativity. Hendo & Milner should be solitary unsung heroes in a classy team. You have too many players like that though and it starts looking very thin on quality.

This is a difficult one

Who is Milner taking the place of???

Is it one of the attacking players or is it someone like Joe Allen???

Milner is way more creative than Allen but less creative than one of Sterling / Coutinho / Lallana

Milner will win more possession than any or all of them put together though

I am not adverse to signing Milner, primarily because it might mean Allen is further down the pecking order. I do have some concerns though but obviously they could be alleviated depending on who else we sign and who is managing the side

The most important thing for me is who is managing us next season, if its Brendan then its going to be a difficult year as I have no faith in him signing or playing the right kind of team selections / systems that get the best out of the players we have

[Lecter]

Milner is a good player.

Thing is we don't really need good players we need game changers and he isn't one and it would be unfair to expect him to be one, he's a steady eddy who performs in big games.

He's an cog in a machine but when you're machine is rusty and failing he will probably go unnoticed unless we improve the overall quality of the team.

What Milner does best is allow the quality players ahead of him to shine because he grafts all day long and plays both simple and at time intricate passes around the area.

Similar to Ings I think the success of this signing is based on the rest of the window, if we bring in quality around and a head of him he'll look a very astute piece of business, if we don't he'll look a hard worker who lacks the quality to win games.

It also depends on the manager

We brought in a few players last summer and the manager has disregarded a few of them, played a lot of them out of position

The thing is with the signings of Ings, Milner & even someone like Clyne / Benteke its hard to actually see what hes trying to do, the approach to me is too scatter-gun and as such it will probably mean huge inconsistency

[redmike65]

Milner is not replacing anyone as such, indeed to refer to a player as replacing X is very reductive way at looking at things esp in midfield. He can play any number of roles. What the player gives a manager is tactical flexibility. He can play him on either side of a diamond or even in behind the strikers in an emergency, he can play as an inside right or even as a second striker. Oh and probably a wing back or left back!

[Lecter]

Milner is not replacing anyone as such, indeed to refer to a player as replacing X is very reductive way at looking at things esp in midfield. He can play any number of roles. What the player gives a manager is tactical flexibility. He can play him on either side of a diamond or even in behind the strikers in an emergency, he can play as an inside right or even as a second striker. Oh and probably a wing back or left back!

Oh joy