The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[Chris Smith]

Agree totally, we should say 25 and Ireland and get it sorted, then we don't have to spend all summer worrying about it and have a replacement in. I actually think IReland and NRC could be more effective than Milner and Petrov, but we will see.

That would actually mean MON playing NRC, a task that seems beyond him most of the time.

Spot on, other than the 70 odd games he's started for us he's hardly featured.

The issue is that once you get on the wrong side of MON then there appearsher way back.

Mr Smith knows that, he's just maintaining his stereotype.

Mr Smith is just sticking to the facts, you should give it a try.

[ozzjim]

Chris, you are, as ever arguing a point even you must know you are wrong on, yet are still arguing it. You must get a strange kick out of it or just be a disagreeable chap for the sake of it.

[Chris Smith]

Chris, you are, as ever arguing a point even you must know you are wrong on, yet are still arguing it. You must get a strange kick out of it or just be a disagreeable chap for the sake of it.

I am not wrong. I've just stuck to the facts.

He has been injured for several months but before that featured regularly. Everyone is assuming that he wouldn't have played had he been fit but as I said he was in the side and was even captain after the bust up so it is just speculation.

[Percy McCarthy]

Odd that so many people seem to accept Petrov is so fundamental to any possible new midfield combination.  His legs have gone, he can't manage more than 60 minutes, can barely manage a forward pass let a lone a shot at goal,  and he really aint all that.  I'd be more than happy to see him shipped out and replaced.  

As for Ireland, when he came on as sub for City at VP last season he changed the game and ran the game.  For me he's a very good player and a more than adequate replacement for Milner.

I think Petrov would make a very good squad player, ideal for coming on for the last half-hour when we are ahead to calm the game and keep possession. Agree that he maybe should not be first choice. Agree about Ireland too.

[peter w]

Surprised that everyone conveniently overlooks the fact that NRC cannot pass a ball and makes the wrong decisions to often when running through with it. Don't get me wrong, I like him as I think he brings some energy to our midfield but we spend too often without the ball. I argue to non-Villa mates too often that its our counter-attacking tactic when the truth is that we struggle to get the ball back and then keep it.

Petrov, for all his faults, never gives the ball away when he has it. I din't think he offers a great deal else in all honesty and certainly doesn't add vigour.

NRC adds the vigour but without the ability to start a move and keep the ball. He can break up attacks better though.

So we're somewhere in between. I think neither of them are good enough and if NRC was to go it wouldn't be to an Everton but a Blackburn. Same as Stan. We need to look upwards towards better players.

[supertom]

Ideally I'd love a midfield with Ireland and Milner. Sadly, City won't give us a sniff of any of their lot unless we sell them Milner. I'd rather keep him. He's our player, we know how good he is, what he offers.

For all the good 30 mill would be, we still have to go through the uncertainty of finding a decent replacement. And I've said before, and stand by it, Milner would need two players in his place. Because I don't think there's a player out there who'd come here, that can offer all of Jimmys attributes.

[PaulTheVillan]

If they offered £30m + Ireland then I'd snap their hands off.

Sign A Striker, Scott Parker & Yossi Benayoun.

We would be a better team.

[SoccerHQ]

Chris, you are, as ever arguing a point even you must know you are wrong on, yet are still arguing it. You must get a strange kick out of it or just be a disagreeable chap for the sake of it.

I am not wrong. I've just stuck to the facts.

He has been injured for several months but before that featured regularly. Everyone is assuming that he wouldn't have played had he been fit but as I said he was in the side and was even captain after the bust up so it is just speculation.

After the bust up with MON in September he started the grand total of 3 league games before getting injured in January.

[OldUser]

NRC is great, it's just a shame he has pinball flippers for feet.

[pauliewalnuts]

He's a crap footballer, but he's quite useful to throw in the middle and say "be awkward" every now and then.

Well, I remember thinking that a few times last season, anyway

[peter w]

He's not a crap footballer just limited in his usefulness.

[supertom]

I actually thought pre-season and early season, Nigel had improved his distribution a lot. He was keeping it simple and acted with more composure on the ball. His frustration early on was probably due to playing well when he played but then being dropped. Particularly I thought he was awesome against Juve in the peace cup, and Liverpool against Anfield. He did after all skipper pretty much a youth side to a tournement win agaist decent opposition, albeit pre-season. Then to have Sidwell ahead of him in the pecking order, was not fair.

If he plays the game within his limitations, and doesn't try to be too clever with the ball, he can be a great asset. Often this season when Stans died at 70 minutes, we could have used him, but sadly he was injured.

I'd like to see him get a shot at it again here, but I think a decent offer will see him depart.

[peter w]

Awesome against Juve during the season is totally different to being awesome against a team a month behind us in terms of fitness and preparation for the start of the new season.

[Clampy]

Agree totally, we should say 25 and Ireland and get it sorted, then we don't have to spend all summer worrying about it and have a replacement in. I actually think IReland and NRC could be more effective than Milner and Petrov, but we will see.

That would actually mean MON playing NRC, a task that seems beyond him most of the time.

Spot on, other than the 70 odd games he's started for us he's hardly featured.

The issue is that once you get on the wrong side of MON then there appears no way back.NRC has hardly figured since his run in with MON-for some reason Luke Young has had similar problems & I wonder how many more points we'd have secured last season had Carew started instead of Heskey.

MON's man management does not appear to be the best-I'd hate to think what would have happened had MON been at the helm when McGrath was here.

He played and even captained the side after his bust up with MON. He then got injured and was out for several months.

He was captain for one game, then dropped again if i remember rightly, which was a bit pointless.

[Namaste]

£30 million plus Richards or Ireland.
We spend the £30 million trying to get a twenty-goal a season striker. Couldn't be simpler?

I'd much rather tell them "no sale" though in all honesty.