The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[Jimbo]

Surely Man City won't buy Silva, Toure and Milner? Where would that leave Barry, Kompany, De Jong, Adam Johnson, Vieria, Ireland, Michael Johnson, Vladamir Weiss and Wright Phillips? I know they need a squad but surely they don't need that many midfielders?

Need? When did need come into it?

[Merv]

Surely Man City won't buy Silva, Toure and Milner? Where would that leave Barry, Kompany, De Jong, Adam Johnson, Vieria, Ireland, Michael Johnson, Vladamir Weiss and Wright Phillips? I know they need a squad but surely they don't need that many midfielders? Even if two or three leave they'd still have around seven midfielders who would expect to be playing every week.

Well, Silva's done and Toure and Milner are all but sealed, apparently.

I reckon City will continue to rotate Kompany between CB and defensive CM, De Jong will partner Toure regularly in midfield, Barry will be told to compete for his place or clear off, Vieira will be used sparingly for his experience (he was a short term signing anyway), A Johnson will still feature regularly, though not as a nailed-on starter, Weiss will be loaned out again and probably eventually move on, M Johnson - if ever recovers from his injury problems - will be made surplus and move on - and Ireland and SWP will be available for transfer.

My guess, anyway.

[Concrete John]

Surely Man City won't buy Silva, Toure and Milner? Where would that leave Barry, Kompany, De Jong, Adam Johnson, Vieria, Ireland, Michael Johnson, Vladamir Weiss and Wright Phillips? I know they need a squad but surely they don't need that many midfielders?

Need? When did need come into it?

There's likely to be a load leaving - Ireland we know about and hopefully to us if Jimmy goes, SWP is also likely and Viera was only ever a short term signing.  Johnson has disappeared into limbo and simply isn't within a million miles of their 1st team picture.

[JUAN PABLO]

Not heard of any Man Shitty player coming in the deal...

My source is away in Italy. So If I get any news will post ...

[pauliewalnuts]

Surely Man City won't buy Silva, Toure and Milner? Where would that leave Barry, Kompany, De Jong, Adam Johnson, Vieria, Ireland, Michael Johnson, Vladamir Weiss and Wright Phillips? I know they need a squad but surely they don't need that many midfielders? Even if two or three leave they'd still have around seven midfielders who would expect to be playing every week.

Well, Silva's done and Toure and Milner are all but sealed, apparently.

I reckon City will continue to rotate Kompany between CB and defensive CM, De Jong will partner Toure regularly in midfield, Barry will be told to compete for his place or clear off, Vieira will be used sparingly for his experience (he was a short term signing anyway), A Johnson will still feature regularly, though not as a nailed-on starter, Weiss will be loaned out again and probably eventually move on, M Johnson - if ever recovers from his injury problems - will be made surplus and move on - and Ireland and SWP will be available for transfer.

My guess, anyway.

On one thread we're lamenting the fuckedness of the English national team, then you read this and see an up and coming player (Milner) maybe going there, and another one (Johnson) already there, and an established one (Barry) headed for their bench, and you wonder when they're going to get a game with people like De Jong, Toure and Silva there.

Still, they can siphon off the huge wages, if that keeps them happy.

The English game is gigantically fucked. The national team is just the tip of the iceberg.

[VillaAlways]

Not heard of any Man Shitty player coming in the deal...

My source is away in Italy. So If I get any news will post ...

Not Fabio is it ?? ;-)

[Walmley_Villa]

The English game is gigantically fucked. The national team is just the tip of the iceberg.

My thoughts exactly - we haven't moved on despite having one of the best league's in the world - if anything we have gone backwards when compared to the likes of South Korea/Japan.

[Toronto Villa]

Surely Man City won't buy Silva, Toure and Milner? Where would that leave Barry, Kompany, De Jong, Adam Johnson, Vieria, Ireland, Michael Johnson, Vladamir Weiss and Wright Phillips? I know they need a squad but surely they don't need that many midfielders? Even if two or three leave they'd still have around seven midfielders who would expect to be playing every week.

Well, Silva's done and Toure and Milner are all but sealed, apparently.

I reckon City will continue to rotate Kompany between CB and defensive CM, De Jong will partner Toure regularly in midfield, Barry will be told to compete for his place or clear off, Vieira will be used sparingly for his experience (he was a short term signing anyway), A Johnson will still feature regularly, though not as a nailed-on starter, Weiss will be loaned out again and probably eventually move on, M Johnson - if ever recovers from his injury problems - will be made surplus and move on - and Ireland and SWP will be available for transfer.

My guess, anyway.

On one thread we're lamenting the fuckedness of the English national team, then you read this and see an up and coming player (Milner) maybe going there, and another one (Johnson) already there, and an established one (Barry) headed for their bench, and you wonder when they're going to get a game with people like De Jong, Toure and Silva there.

Still, they can siphon off the huge wages, if that keeps them happy.

The English game is gigantically fucked. The national team is just the tip of the iceberg.

English football has been consmng itself over several years. When up and coming or proven English Premiership players voluntarily decide that giving up starting positions for cushioned benches then we know that hell is around the corner. Players who are already limited on a global scale have decided not to develop their abilities but their material possessions instead. Between the FA and Premier League, football is in ruins, not neccessarily as a spectacle, but as a competitive entity that gives back to the game itself and to it's development.

[Toronto Villa]

The English game is gigantically fucked. The national team is just the tip of the iceberg.

My thoughts exactly - we haven't moved on despite having one of the best league's in the world - if anything we have gone backwards when compared to the likes of South Korea/Japan.

What has struck me in this tournament is that most of the players from other nations genuinely look like they wanted to be there. For most of our lot it seemed a complete chore, and a distraction from lying on the beach, or on the deck of their yachts.

[PaulTheVillan]

I really can't see Milner being a Villa player by the time the season kicks off.

[Concrete John]

English football has been consmng itself over several years. When up and coming or proven English Premiership players voluntarily decide that giving up starting positions for cushioned benches then we know that hell is around the corner. Players who are already limited on a global scale have decided not to develop their abilities but their material possessions instead. Between the FA and Premier League, football is in ruins, not neccessarily as a spectacle, but as a competitive entity that gives back to the game itself and to it's development.

I think a prime example of this is SWP.  He was a great young player at City and looked like he might develop into an even better one.  He then opts to move to Chelsea where he hardly ever even saw a football.  The fact he moved back to City is not overly relevant as it was too late as his key years where spent bench warming, so the player he COULD have been was never found.

Will Milner suffer a similar fate?

Would Walcott have developed better had he stayed with Southampton?

I'm not sure what the answer is, but this new 'homegrown' rule might actually expand the problem.

[pablopicasso_10]

havent they scrapped the "homegrown rule"?

[not3bad]

havent they scrapped the "homegrown rule"?

It's still coming in as far as I know.

[TheSandman]

I think any solid hopes of us keeping Milner have been dramatically reduced due his time spent in the wonderfully balanced and rational company of our band of English heroes. I can just imagine young James being shown photos of multiple houses, cars, women and inflated bank statements from the likes of Cole, Terry, Rooney etc.

Nothing at all wrong with the English game ...

At a conservative estimate he will be getting £40/50K per week with us and he could no doubt afford all the cars and houses he wants. To get more is just sheer greed.

I'm almost certain he will be off.

[TheSandman]

havent they scrapped the "homegrown rule"?

It's still coming in as far as I know.

What about the capping of squad size at 25?

I haven't heard much more about that but was sure it was coming in.

For an idea on that we have a squad of 28.