James Milner
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I'D DO A BETTER JOB THAN THAT JAMES MILNER.
It's a familiar feeling of hoping we don't sign a journeyman. Then you get slapped in the face. Instead of anger you just hope they won't go straight into the team. Another slap in the face. Then you hope the club accept the offer and he agrees to have talks. It escalates to a punch in the face.
more happy about Milner than any other player we've been linked with so far providing we get him
That'd what he actually thinks
"Graham's thoughts"
He also wishes the bad aids on Sterling & his wages.
I agree we need to replace Johnson, no quarrel there.
As for Gerrard, I agree that we need more leaders. What I don't agree with is that they need to be similar players to the one Gerrard used to be about 5 years ago. The need for leaders can be combined with the need for a centre half, the need for a DM, and even the need for attackers, by buying players for those positions who also happen to have strong leadership qualities. Carlos Tevez is an example of a forward we could go for: apparently he's available for around £7m.
The move for Milner could IMO actually lead to a lower leadership quotient in our best XI, if it means Can gets fewer starts, because while young he strikes me as our most natural leader of all - certainly more than Milner.
Still concerns with Can in the 'holding role' but if he can perform there we could well revert to the diamond.
Can holding with Hendo right centre and Milner left centre and Coutinho in the hole. I actually like the look of that.
If we can somehow find a belting striker all hope wouldn't be lost.
Can holding with Hendo right centre and Milner left centre and Coutinho in the hole. I actually like the look of that.
If we can somehow find a belting striker all hope wouldn't be lost.
I dunno, I think you need a really quality DM in that formation. Certainly much more of a specialist than Can, who's always been more of a box to box player.
You know where Can would be really good in that formation, though? One of the sides. The position we're about to spend a fortune on Milner to take up!
Great!
You know where Can would be really good in that formation, though? One of the sides. The position we're about to spend a fortune on Milner to take up!
Great!
Agree, still massive question marks over Can in that position, but I think we're counting on him to show his worth there. I also think Lucas will leave and tbh as much as I'd love him to stay and become a valuable squad player, his injury record in recent years makes for grim reading.
I'm not sure about Can at right centre/left centre either...don't think he has the same dynamism as Hendo or Milner.
I doubt he ever comes back to England, he has said he would like to finish his playing days in Argentina. I imagine he will return to South America before he ever comes back to the Premier League.
Juan Iturrbe looks a bit like that, but he's done pretty poorly at Roma this season.
Tevez would be a better option than Ings in my book - but at £7m, even at wages of £80k that's £6.5m a year over 3 years. Still a good signing.
I think your argument for signing Steve's could be equally applied to Millner.
I also think you over-estimate Can's current leadership quality - I think he's too young and inexperienced for that role - I don't actually think he's ready to nail down a starting position - he was one of the players who's form tailed off significantly at the end of the season - albeit not in his favoured position.
I rate Can, think he's a good young player who can become very good for us over the years, but I'm not quite ready to rely on him as a key player to get us back in to the CL positions.
More importantly, if we do go for a DM, that leaves the 2 CM slots to be covered by Henderson, Can & Allen - which is as big a disaster waiting to happen as relying on Sturridge to be fit all season & replacing Suarez with Balotelli. There is no strength in depth there.
Coutinho has often filled one of those roles too though. I think something more pressing than worrying about midfield personnel, is getting our defensive shape back via altering how advanced we expect both full/wing backs to be, that in turn will narrow the gap between centre halves and allow the centre midfield to hold position better. At the moment we're too stretched in all those roles, which makes everything else fall apart.
Yep - I should have added, I don't think signing a CB is in anyway a priority - it's the system that needs improving - not the personnel.
Yes, Coutinho could fill one of those spots - but then again, it would be at Can's expense and if Henderson were ever unavailable, a midfield if Can & Coutinho would feel a little too inexperienced.
Heaven forbid Henderson & Can to be out - that would leave Allen & Coutinho in a hobbit midfield.
Like I said - strengthening central midfield is essential - Millner will do this.
Yes, Coutinho could fill one of those spots - but then again, it would be at Can's expense and if Henderson were ever unavailable, a midfield if Can & Coutinho would feel a little too inexperienced.
Heaven forbid Henderson & Can to be out - that would leave Allen & Coutinho in a hobbit midfield.
Like I said - strengthening central midfield is essential - Millner will do this.
I think that's what we need to get away from, or rather, relying on it as an essential part of our set up, because it's exploited too easily when we struggle to keep possession.
It's fine having a midfielder who sits and drops in as and when we need it, but we have fullbacks on the halfway line too. When we played with Finnan or Arbeloa at right back, an essential part of our defensive game was that one of them would tuck inside to give a back three when we needed it, same on the opposite flank. We lost that to some degree when we brought in Johnson and struggled to adequately fill the left back role. At the minute, it's like the sole purpose of 60-80% of the defense is to supplement and compensate for a lack of quality in midfield and attack, like by adding extra numbers it will somehow make up for the lack of genuine match winning consistency. Which naively, overlooks the fact that the ideal completely undoes itself by leaving itself wide open to the opposition. It has to change. We have the personnel to adopt a flatter, tighter defense. If we get the attacking roles right, then the compromise will be worth it.
Can should be starting for us in midfield next season. He's not perfect yet but he's potentially top class. Anything else is a failure to properly address our priorities.
He is excellent. I'd be all over signing him. Maybe he'd come to piss off Mourinho. Nah, doubt it.
Always.
On official:
[article]Liverpool Football Club are delighted to announce they have agreed a deal to sign Manchester City’s James Milner, subject to a medical.
The Reds have agreed personal terms with the England international, who will join the club on a free transfer on July 1 after his contract at the Etihad Stadium has expired.
Milner will arrive at Anfield having lifted two Barclays Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup during his five-year spell with City.
The 29-year-old is also firmly established as a regular for England and has notched 53 caps to date.
Having also represented Leeds United, Newcastle United and Aston Villa, Milner has lined up against Liverpool 24 times in total during the course of his career.[/article]
[article]Liverpool Football Club are delighted to announce they have agreed a deal to sign Manchester City’s James Milner, subject to a medical.
The Reds have agreed personal terms with the England international, who will join the club on a free transfer on July 1 after his contract at the Etihad Stadium has expired.
Milner will arrive at Anfield having lifted two Barclays Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup during his five-year spell with City.
The 29-year-old is also firmly established as a regular for England and has notched 53 caps to date.
Having also represented Leeds United, Newcastle United and Aston Villa, Milner has lined up against Liverpool 24 times in total during the course of his career.[/article]
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