The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[TheSandman]

The Grabbing Hands
Grab all that they can
All for themselves
Afterall it's a competitive world
Everything Counts in large amounts

[Monty]

Monty, isn't that just being competitive?

BLF: for once we agree - Delph will be a bit of a star, I think.

In a business way, yes. In a sporting way, the way that they go about doing it is distasteful, in my view. And by that I mean using money that they don't technically have to bully other clubs into remembering that it's they, Man City, who have won the lottery.

[Villa'Zawg]

I commented that he was better for his age than either of those two players were and I'll happily stand by that opinion. I pointed out that Gerrard and Lampard were a year or two older than Milner when they had what I regard as their breakthrough seasons.

That's interesting.

The part in bold is key, I think.

Frank Lampard is, what 31? Go back seven years and you're into 2003. (2010-7= 2003)  By that stage he was already a key player of the Chelsea team who had competed for CL places and trophies.

As pointed out earlier, Steve Gerrard was one of the key peformers for England as far back as 2001. He's 29 now. So what, 9 years? That makes him  around 20 at the time. 4 years later he played a key part in Liverpool's EC win.

Nowt wrong with a bit of bias, talking up our players and viewing them more favourably than others. But there's talking up and there's talking shite.

I've just decided that Frank Lampard had his breakthrough season in 2007. There, just now. Don't have anything to back that up, mind. Most logic indicates that isn't the case. But it's what I regard as his breakthrough season, so I can't be wrong. I'll try and justify it with some cack handed stats  in due course.

I’ve explained why I regard the seasons I mentioned as Gerrard and Lampard’s breakthrough seasons. You choose to pick Gerrard at a stage where he had scored less than 10 career PL goals and Lampard at a stage when he was a couple of years older than Milner, which was oddly enough my original point.
.
You clearly and unequivocally have the right to be deemed the expert and arbiter of what talking shite is all about but perhaps lack a crucial bit of introspection in that regard.

[VillaVA]

I haven't been on H&V since the Citeh bid so apols for missing out on the previous 40 odd pages.  

I only VERY recently got over Barry, and now I feel properly sick everytime I think about Milner in a Citeh shirt.

What would make me feel MUCH better is if Milner and Faulkner tell Citeh to fuck off, Milner steals Barry's place in the World Cup (like Patrick Barclay thinks he's going to) and ends up scoring the winning goal in the Final.

[pauliewalnuts]

I'm fairly sure that when Martin brings in the removal men to re-locate this site to the new server he'll find a considerablle number of lost marbles where the settee was.

Heard similar claims before, when I said Liverpool will drop out of the top 4... Gabby will convert from a winger and make it as a centre-forward ... Milner will make a good centre-mid...

I realise it sounds smug, but when you are called a crackpot it's very tempting to remind people of it.

Well, as I remember it, you were predicting meltdown for Liverpool rather than an exit (which may be temporary) from the top four.

Converting Gabby from a winger to a centre forward is a bit of a weird one as he really only played one season out wide in the first place.

Milner had already played centrally for Newcastle several times (and their fans wanted him played there more often) and played there in his last game for them before joining us, at Coventry, where he excelled, and scored.

Other than that, I shall will you on to predict us to win the league next year, just in case you really have got something.

[KevinGage]

I commented that he was better for his age than either of those two players were and I'll happily stand by that opinion. I pointed out that Gerrard and Lampard were a year or two older than Milner when they had what I regard as their breakthrough seasons.

That's interesting.

The part in bold is key, I think.

Frank Lampard is, what 31? Go back seven years and you're into 2003. (2010-7= 2003)  By that stage he was already a key player of the Chelsea team who had competed for CL places and trophies.

As pointed out earlier, Steve Gerrard was one of the key peformers for England as far back as 2001. He's 29 now. So what, 9 years? That makes him  around 20 at the time. 4 years later he played a key part in Liverpool's EC win.

Nowt wrong with a bit of bias, talking up our players and viewing them more favourably than others. But there's talking up and there's talking shite.

I've just decided that Frank Lampard had his breakthrough season in 2007. There, just now. Don't have anything to back that up, mind. Most logic indicates that isn't the case. But it's what I regard as his breakthrough season, so I can't be wrong. I'll try and justify it with some cack handed stats  in due course.

I’ve explained why I regard the seasons I mentioned as Gerrard and Lampard’s breakthrough seasons. You choose to pick Gerrard at a stage where he had scored less than 10 career PL goals and Lampard at a stage when he was a couple of years older than Milner, which was oddly enough my original point.
.
You clearly and unequivocally have the right to be deemed the expert and arbiter of what talking shite is all about but perhaps lack a crucial bit of introspection in that regard.

Are you basing your bizarre conclusion on the amount of goals Milner has scored this year, a fair few of those penalties? Is that it?

Please tell me you have more than that.

Please tell me there is more behind this 'creative' outlook that sets James Milner above two of the most consistent performers in the Premiership for the past decade.

Actually don't.

I find myself in the unique position of defending those twats. I feel dirty.

You've set the criteria in so far as you're quite happy to disregard the considerable impact both had at club level before the age of 24 to fit the the weakest and most contrived of arguments.

[Villa'Zawg]

Are you basing your bizarre conclusion on the amount of goals Milner has scored this year, a fair few of those penalties? Is that it?

Please tell me you have more than that.

Please tell me there is more behind this 'creative' outlook that sets James Milner above two of the most consistent performers in the Premiership for the past decade.

Actually don't.

I find myself in the unique position of defending those twats. I feel dirty.

You've set the criteria in so far as you're quite happy to disregard the considerable impact both had at club level before the age of 24 to fit the the weakest and most contrived of arguments.

And you are using exactly what to determine that Frank Lampard, West Ham stalwart, was better than James Milner at the same age?

[TheSandman]

Didn't Gerrard score a fair few goals and break into the International team in 2000/01 suggesting that was his breakthrough season when he must have been 21 or 22?

[pauliewalnuts]

Do you really believe that, Villadawg? Honestly?

He's a good player, nobody is disagreeing with that, but better than Lampard and Gerrard at his age?

How many non-partisan observers do you think would agree with you on that?

[KevinGage]

He joined Chelsea in 2001.

For someone with a fetish for stats, you aren't all that when it comes to facts and figures, are you?

[TheSandman]

Chelsea paid £11million for him too, not bad for a player yet to make a breakthrough. He also managed 14 goals for West Ham in 99/00.

[Greg N'Ash]

JAMES MILNER has snubbed Manchester United and told friends he wants to join their arch rivals Liverpool.

United, Chelsea and Manchester City are all desperate to land Aston Villa's 24-year-old England midfielder.


And Villa boss Martin O'Neill has demanded the Midlanders slap a massive £40million price tag on the player.


But with O'Neill also being linked to the manager's job at Anfield if Kop boss Rafa Benitez goes this summer, Milner has not ruled out a dream Liverpool move.


Sources close to Milner insisted: "Being born in Leeds, there is no way James wants to play for Manchester United.


"His preferred Premier League club is Liverpool."


But if O'Neill stays at Villa Park that option will be KO'd - leaving City and Chelsea to slug it out.


O'Neill is realistic enough to know Villa cannot compete with the money at City's disposal even if owner Randy Lerner doubles Milner's current £45,000-a-week wages.


But he doesn't want Villa to roll over when City up their offer to nearer £25m and will make City's Arab billionaires to pay through the nose in any transfer negotiations.


A source close to O'Neill said: "Martin doesn't want to start the summer feeling like he's pushing a rock up a mountain because the club have let Milner go too cheaply.


"This is a player Villa have turned into an England international, who has been one of the most consistent players in the Premier League and who has discovered a whole new role in central midfield thanks to Martin.


"To let somebody of that quality and stature go without a fight and at a price City believe is a bargan would be counter-productive.


"Nobody at Villa wants to see Milner leave and the club will speak with him before he goes to the World Cup about a contract extension.


"But if his heart is set on leaving, then Villa must get the absolute top price for him."

[Villa'Zawg]

Do you really believe that, Villadawg? Honestly?

He's a good player, nobody is disagreeing with that, but better than Lampard and Gerrard at his age?

How many non-partisan observers do you think would agree with you on that?

Yes, I think Milner is as good as if not better than Gerarrd and Lampard were at the same age.

I have no doubt in my mind  that Milner is one of the best young players I have ever seen.

Forget about my opinion,  why is it that the richest football club in the world have made him their number one transfer target? They're non-partisan observers aren't they?

,

[Monty]

JAMES MILNER has snubbed Manchester United and told friends he wants to join their arch rivals Liverpool.

United, Chelsea and Manchester City are all desperate to land Aston Villa's 24-year-old England midfielder.


And Villa boss Martin O'Neill has demanded the Midlanders slap a massive £40million price tag on the player.


But with O'Neill also being linked to the manager's job at Anfield if Kop boss Rafa Benitez goes this summer, Milner has not ruled out a dream Liverpool move.


Sources close to Milner insisted: "Being born in Leeds, there is no way James wants to play for Manchester United.


"His preferred Premier League club is Liverpool."


But if O'Neill stays at Villa Park that option will be KO'd - leaving City and Chelsea to slug it out.


O'Neill is realistic enough to know Villa cannot compete with the money at City's disposal even if owner Randy Lerner doubles Milner's current £45,000-a-week wages.


But he doesn't want Villa to roll over when City up their offer to nearer £25m and will make City's Arab billionaires to pay through the nose in any transfer negotiations.


A source close to O'Neill said: "Martin doesn't want to start the summer feeling like he's pushing a rock up a mountain because the club have let Milner go too cheaply.


"This is a player Villa have turned into an England international, who has been one of the most consistent players in the Premier League and who has discovered a whole new role in central midfield thanks to Martin.


"To let somebody of that quality and stature go without a fight and at a price City believe is a bargan would be counter-productive.


"Nobody at Villa wants to see Milner leave and the club will speak with him before he goes to the World Cup about a contract extension.


"But if his heart is set on leaving, then Villa must get the absolute top price for him."

That's the funniest thing I've seen in quite a while.

[pauliewalnuts]

How do they keep a straight face whilst inventing this bullshit?

Man City I could understand because of the money involed. Man United because of the cachet involved, and the likelihood of bothering silverware on a regular basis.

But Liverpool? That must surely be up there with a return to Newcastle in terms of likeliness to happen.