James Milner

[little dave hedgehog]

looks nails

[Fredo]

Hard.

[Gibbo]

Hard.

And not even a bush in sight

[dom9]

And not even a bush in sight

[Fredo]

[BigChief]

Please tell me his injury is not serious? Moreno for even one league game is going to fck us.

[MrMichael]

CIES says he's been the 2nd best left back in Europe this season - http://www.football-observatory.com/...p/2016/171/en/

[McDermotX]

Haven't heard from the Football Observatory in long while

Weren't they the mad ones who came out with some mad figures around how much someone was worth in real transfer values etc ? Can't remember

FWIW though, Milner has been playing very well since moving to the LB role, even if it's not an ideal situation going forward with more fronts to fight on next season and beyond......more so based on who is there as an alternate.
Moreno is Moreno (lets leave it at that)......perhaps Joey Gomez can slip back into the role, but there is a huge, understandable, question mark there with not just his long term role there, but also his recovery from injury. Done relatively well in the short time he filled in there before all the same. But overall, it has to be an area to look at, especially if Moreno is slung his hook.

As for Jimmy Milner, it's been a huge bonus for Klopp in how he has stepped into the LB role, something noone would have called. Obviously limited in his effectiveness in midfield, as we've seen in the past, he has stuck to his guns and done his job very well, but in that sense its not a huge shock, as he's undoubtedly a top pro and never gives less than his best. Very much the Dirk Kuyt of this team, and seems to have boundless levels of fitness, something obviously helped by out limited number of games, but he's a game lad, always has been and it's very rare to see him give less than a 7/10. (Dropping the England gig has been a factor as well)
I think he's happy to play the role all the same, without knowing the lad obviously - I know some have concerns around that, as being a full-time member of a team working well is paramount in his thinking I would imagine.

Should have stuck the head on Sterling down at the corner flag there on New Year's Eve all the same.......would have been worth the red card.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Haven't heard from the Football Observatory in long while

Weren't they the mad ones who came out with some mad figures around how much someone was worth in real transfer values etc ? Can't remember

FWIW though, Milner has been playing very well since moving to the LB role, even if it's not an ideal situation going forward with more fronts to fight on next season and beyond......more so based on who is there as an alternate.
Moreno is Moreno (lets leave it at that)......perhaps Joey Gomez can slip back into the role, but there is a huge, understandable, question mark there with not just his long term role there, but also his recovery from injury. Done relatively well in the short time he filled in there before all the same. But overall, it has to be an area to look at, especially if Moreno is slung his hook.

As for Jimmy Milner, it's been a huge bonus for Klopp in how he has stepped into the LB role, something noone would have called. Obviously limited in his effectiveness in midfield, as we've seen in the past, he has stuck to his guns and done his job very well, but in that sense its not a huge shock, as he's undoubtedly a top pro and never gives less than his best. Very much the Dirk Kuyt of this team, and seems to have boundless levels of fitness, something obviously helped by out limited number of games, but he's a game lad, always has been and it's very rare to see him give less than a 7/10. (Dropping the England gig has been a factor as well)
I think he's happy to play the role all the same, without knowing the lad obviously - I know some have concerns around that, as being a full-time member of a team working well is paramount in his thinking I would imagine.

Should have stuck the head on Sterling down at the corner flag there on New Year's Eve all the same.......would have been worth the red card.

No disrespect to Dirk but in terms of being a quality player in his current position, Milner is most certainly not the Dirk Kuyt of the team. Milner is one of the best performing left backs in the league this season, and his goal/assist stats from that position are nothing short of top tier.

Posted about it before Xmas, but Milner's defensive stats this season beat most, if not all, of those of Clyne, and his offensive stats are pretty damn close to those of Firmino's.

Milner this season is having the sort of run of form at left back that most left backs can only dream of, and it is the sort of form that only the top bracket of left back puts in week in week out.

I know you were not knocking Milner and that you praised him in your post, I just thought the Dirk Kuyt comparison was out of whack given how Milner is doing this season.

[McDermotX]

Only trying to draw the comparison between the two in their status in the relative squads as opposed to their respective roles in said teams. Might have worded it better at 3am, but thought it was clear.
Both hard-working, under the radar at times, fitness levels, professional attitude, fighting spirit, limited in some respects but never shirking from their duties etc........not just down to their goals and assists output though there are parallels in that regard as well, especially in their effectiveness from 12yds.
There's very much a concordance at work when evaluating them IMO.

[baitman]

Only trying to draw the comparison between the two in their status in the relative squads as opposed to their respective roles in said teams. Might have worded it better at 3am, but thought it was clear.
Both hard-working, under the radar at times, fitness levels, professional attitude, fighting spirit, limited in some respects but never shirking from their duties etc........not just down to their goals and assists output though there are parallels in that regard as well, especially in their effectiveness from 12yds.
There's very much a concordance at work when evaluating them IMO.

both were moved out of their regular position to fill in and did well.
imho milner is 'filling in' to a much higher level than kuyt ever did.
dirk worked his little ginger bollocks off but was never a top class wide player. he scored some great and important goals for us though.

if we get a new LB it might be a job for anyone to displace milly when fit.a

[RedReet]

No disrespect to Dirk but in terms of being a quality player in his current position, Milner is most certainly not the Dirk Kuyt of the team. Milner is one of the best performing left backs in the league this season, and his goal/assist stats from that position are nothing short of top tier.

Posted about it before Xmas, but Milner's defensive stats this season beat most, if not all, of those of Clyne, and his offensive stats are pretty damn close to those of Firmino's.

Milner this season is having the sort of run of form at left back that most left backs can only dream of, and it is the sort of form that only the top bracket of left back puts in week in week out.

I know you were not knocking Milner and that you praised him in your post, I just thought the Dirk Kuyt comparison was out of whack given how Milner is doing this season.

As were Dirk's in 08/09, on par with Ronaldo. Scored just two less than Torres that year (admittedly in many more games), involved in as many goals as golden boot winner Anelka and was immense throughout. Often overlooked IMO, but almost as crucial as the Gerrard/Torres partnership that got all the headlines. Was class with Suarez, Maxi, Meireles and Gerrard when Kenny joined too.

Would be a dream signing for Klopp I'd imagine.

[Charly]

Another good game I thought.

Its like asking Albert Einstein to get a part time job as a poledancer, and finding out he leaves with a garter full of 50s

[kubrickscube]

Seemed to use his left foot more I thought

[Boxing24]

this is very nice city of the uk