The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[HOLTENDER]

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.

Could that AN Other be Reo-Coker?

The best defnsive/combative midfielder we have at the club, who fits snuggly into a 5 man midfield?

[john e]

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.

Could that AN Other be Reo-Coker?

The best defnsive/combative midfielder we have at the club, who fits snuggly into a 5 man midfield?

yeah, but we would also need a new manager for that, cus the one we got aint going to play him,

not that i would want him to, as i think he's a bit pants

[pauliewalnuts]

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.

I pretty much agree with that. They are two very different players.

I like the idea of a player like Ireland, though, in many ways he's what we're missing. He's clearly absolutely hatstand, though. Although I do think he's the sort of player Martin could get the best out of.

With Milner, selling him would be a set back. He's one of our best players, there's no getting away from it. I know there's an argument that we've sold better players than James Milner before and coped with it, but I'd still rather not sell him and not find ourselves forced to cope with it in the first place.

On the plus side, he's not the type of player - the mercurially talented type - it would be nigh-on impossible to replace. I also think, as others have mentioned, that Delph - whilst himself not being a direct replacement - will also mature into an excellent player for us, if handled properly.

For me the worry is as much about what message it sends out to the rest of the league and our squad as it is about losing Milner.

[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.

Could that AN Other be Reo-Coker?

The best defnsive/combative midfielder we have at the club, who fits snuggly into a 5 man midfield?

Could be. But ideally I'd want someone better. Petrov and a nice new midfielder next season with NRC offering back-up, Delph and the new guy the season after with Petrov covering the two of them while bringing Gardner through, then Delph, the new guy and Gardner the season after.

[Mazrim]

I like the idea of Milner playing Petrov's role. Might seem a bit harsh but there you go. I'd keep NRC as one of the covering midfielders to play alongside Milner, that way we would have huge workrate in midfield.

Ideally:

-------------Milner---------NRC-------------

Walcott------------Ireland------------Young

---------------------Gabby

With Downing and Albrighton ready to come on and Delph taking over from NRC when he's fit again.

Certainly agree with Dave about the exciting prospect of Delph and Gardner together.

[peter w]

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.

Could that AN Other be Reo-Coker?

The best defnsive/combative midfielder we have at the club, who fits snuggly into a 5 man midfield?

Could be. But ideally I'd want someone better. Petrov and a nice new midfielder next season with NRC offering back-up, Delph and the new guy the season after with Petrov covering the two of them while bringing Gardner through, then Delph, the new guy and Gardner the season after.

If the best we#ve got to offer after the past 3 seasons is a midfield of petrov and NRC then we'll start our journey back down towards the 10th place we were in when we found them.

[Ads]

Reo-Coker isn’t good enough to take us beyond 6th. I like the guy as I think his work rate is excellent, but his second touch is a tackle and that’s not good enough for a central midfield with CL aspirations.

[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.

Could that AN Other be Reo-Coker?

The best defnsive/combative midfielder we have at the club, who fits snuggly into a 5 man midfield?

Could be. But ideally I'd want someone better. Petrov and a nice new midfielder next season with NRC offering back-up, Delph and the new guy the season after with Petrov covering the two of them while bringing Gardner through, then Delph, the new guy and Gardner the season after.

If the best we#ve got to offer after the past 3 seasons is a midfield of petrov and NRC then we'll start our journey back down towards the 10th place we were in when we found them.

Which is why we need someone better than him. As I think my post suggests.

[peter w]

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.

Could that AN Other be Reo-Coker?

The best defnsive/combative midfielder we have at the club, who fits snuggly into a 5 man midfield?

Could be. But ideally I'd want someone better. Petrov and a nice new midfielder next season with NRC offering back-up, Delph and the new guy the season after with Petrov covering the two of them while bringing Gardner through, then Delph, the new guy and Gardner the season after.

If the best we#ve got to offer after the past 3 seasons is a midfield of petrov and NRC then we'll start our journey back down towards the 10th place we were in when we found them.

Which is why we need someone better than him. As I think my post suggests.

Just adding to your contre-temps not disputing your position.

[Dave]

Just adding to your contre-temps not disputing your position.

Yeah? You wanna make something of it? C'mon then.

*sorry for misunderstanding

[Ads]

With Carew, Downing, Keane and AN Other central player in the squad to mix it up. We’d look very good indeed, agreed Dave.

[Des Little]

I'm sorry but our team would look a whole lot better without Downing in it

[KevinGage]

I like the idea of Milner playing Petrov's role. Might seem a bit harsh but there you go.

Doesn't seem harsh, but does seem a bit odd.

A midfielder who likes to bomb forward and leave gaps playing a disciplined DM role? That's the worst of both worlds.

We'd be leaving ourselves exposed and limiting his natural game at the same time.

[paul_e]

I think it's a bit harsh to be overly critical of downing yet.  When he came into the side he looked very good for a few games but then fell away.  I genuinely think we need to give him a full summer getting into the villa mentality and see how he goes for the first half of next season.  If he still looks hopelessly out of his depth then we cut and run in january.

You've got to remember this is a guy who'd been at the same club for 10+ years and had never had a siginificant injury until Petrov nobbled him, his problems seem to be in his head more than in his feet.  I've said it about NRC as well, if we could get the 2 of them doing what they're good at, at 100%, they'd be very good players for us.  Thankfully I think Downing's issues are much simpler than NRC's to solve and I still hold out hope he's going to be a good player for us.

I'd probably try to play 5 and get him to tuck in though in a 5 of:

albrighton - milner - petrov - downing - young
(with delph to come in for petrov)

[Mazrim]

I like the idea of Milner playing Petrov's role. Might seem a bit harsh but there you go.

Doesn't seem harsh, but does seem a bit odd.

A midfielder who likes to bomb forward and leave gaps playing a disciplined DM role? That's the worst of both worlds.

We'd be leaving ourselves exposed and limiting his natural game at the same time.

He wouldnt be as rigidly dedicated to watching the back 4. As he has more mobility and far more stamina and energy than Petrov he could cover his defensive duties and still commit to the attack, just not as much as a midfielder in front of him, say Ireland.

I think limiting him to attack is as much a waste as limiting him to defence. He can do both. But what I'm suggesting is having a player alongside him (NRC or Delph) to share his defensive duty.