The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[BedsVillain]

What is Ireland actually valued at?  I think I read £12m a week or so ago when he said he wanted to leave, but with a clearly unhappy player and a club that hardly needs the money, surely he'd be chepaer in an open market situation?

I'd say £9m is a likely price and we should be screwing them for at least £30m for Milner.  So £20m + Ireland should be the very bottom end of our valuation!

If we are interested in Ireland, why don't we just put an offer in now. Milner is now off limits until after the World Cup, so no business can be done on that front. If they ask stupid money for Ireland, they know they'll get slapped twice as hard when they return for Milner.

There's no rule that Ireland has to be part of the Milner deal. Personally, I'd like to see them both in a Villa team. Pull your finger out, Martin and surprise us.

I'd be happy with that.

I agree this would be the ideal situation Milner alongside Ireland with Petrov just behind them in a midfield 3 would work a treat IMO.


-----------------------Friedel---------------------

Onuoha-------Cuellar------Dunne------Warnock

-----------------------Petrov----------------------
---------Ireland-----------------Milner-----------

-----------------------Young----------------------

----------Agbonlahor----------Keane------------


Keane seems like a likely purchase to me, although I'd prefer a younger more exciting second striker personally. If Onuoha is also available I'd get him in too would be a great versatile addition.

Although I did feel Milner would go at the right price, I'd still much prefer him to stay on a new contract and alongside Ireland would make a very good midfield too!

[JJ-AV]

I like the look of that side, BedsVillain but I can't see an O'Neill team lining up with just 3 outfield players over 6 foot, and one of them (Onuoha) barely that.

If we do go Keane + Agbonlahor upfront, you can bet your bottom dollar Cuellar will still be right back and we'll be signing a physical and tall midfielder.

[TheSandman]

I'd also like the greater defensive stability of having more in midfield so I'd drop Keane on to the bench in favour of Downing or Albrighton.

I'd also like a better and younger defensive midfielder than Petrov to be flanked by Ireland and Milner in a three man midfield.

[BedsVillain]

I like the look of that side, BedsVillain but I can't see an O'Neill team lining up with just 3 outfield players over 6 foot, and one of them (Onuoha) barely that.

If we do go Keane + Agbonlahor upfront, you can bet your bottom dollar Cuellar will still be right back and we'll be signing a physical and tall midfielder.

I hear where you're coming from JJ, I think in the long run replacing Stan with a more combatitive midfielder would be the way to go, someone like Alou Diarra from Bordeaux would be great. Can't see it happening anytime soon though, MON was singing his praises the other day.

I hope Carlos gets to play in the middle with Dunne as I think that would be a sensational partnership, Onuoha is fairly tall and has a great leap on him too, I think he would be a great addition being able to play all across the back four.

[Chris Smith]

Onuha is a good player but those with a problem with Cuellar because of his perceived poor distribution will not be appeased by him at right back.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I'm still sticking with £20m + Hart and Ireland, or as a minimum, £20m + Hart and Bellamy.

But let's keep him, for God's sake we don't want O'Neill pissing the proceeds up the proverbial wall.

[Legion]

What? You mean you wouldn't trust him to spend the money wisely?

[Rip Van We Go Again]

What? You mean you wouldn't trust him to spend the money wisely?

I'd trust him with it about as much as Gordon 'Any spare coins down the back of the sofa?' Brown.

[kipeye]

I can't believe everyone is queueing up on this thread to say how much they want for Milner.
Why should we assume he is going because he is the target of a club with lots of cash. Small-time thinking after too many years of Herbertenomics.

[Concrete John]

I'm still sticking with £20m + Hart and Ireland, or as a minimum, £20m + Hart and Bellamy.

But let's keep him, for God's sake we don't want O'Neill pissing the proceeds up the proverbial wall.

When we did a poll on the subject most of us actually did.

[SoccerHQ]

Stat for Ireland Milner:

Stats

The stats seem to back up the views of the few City fans I know who say that he works very hard for the team.  For the 08/09 season, that's an awful lot of tackles for somebody who isn't very good at it. (In fact, exactly the same "tackles per minute" as Petrov).

 
I don't need stats I've seen Ireland plenty of times to know that he's not a tackler. You wouldn't risk him in a 4 which means that you'd have to change the whole style of play to suit him. Some players are that good to make it worthwhile. Stephen Ireland isn't one of them.

Play him out wide then with licence to support the strikers. He'd contribute more from the left than Downing has.

Or given you seem to be sticking to the non tackling issue, how about playing him infront of two more defensive minded central midfielders like Petrov and NRC who can tackle.

[john e]

I'm still sticking with £20m + Hart and Ireland, or as a minimum, £20m + Hart and Bellamy.

But let's keep him, for God's sake we don't want O'Neill pissing the proceeds up the proverbial wall.

so you think he's worth about £40 million then ?

[Chris Smith]

Stat for Ireland Milner:

Stats

The stats seem to back up the views of the few City fans I know who say that he works very hard for the team.  For the 08/09 season, that's an awful lot of tackles for somebody who isn't very good at it. (In fact, exactly the same "tackles per minute" as Petrov).

 
I don't need stats I've seen Ireland plenty of times to know that he's not a tackler. You wouldn't risk him in a 4 which means that you'd have to change the whole style of play to suit him. Some players are that good to make it worthwhile. Stephen Ireland isn't one of them.

Play him out wide then with licence to support the strikers. He'd contribute more from the left than Downing has.

Or given you seem to be sticking to the non tackling issue, how about playing him infront of two more defensive minded central midfielders like Petrov and NRC who can tackle.

As I've said I do think he's a decent player. It's the claims that he's as good as Milner and a direct replacement that I have issues with added to what even his most enthusiastic admirers would have to accept is a suspect temperament.

If we sell Milner we have to replace him, I'm just not convinced that Ireland is the man.

[SoccerHQ]

Happy with that, that's the nearest "Downing is shite and I wish MON hadn't spunked 12m on him" response we'd get from Chris! (wink).

Sign Ireland regardless and start Downing on the bench for the first game which will hopefully give him a bit of a wake up call and some focus.

[Dave]

I do think that Young, Milner and Ireland running around behind Gabby with Petrov and AN other behind them pulling the strings would be awesome.