The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[nechells]

That Mystery Man just enjoys being in the limelight.  He might be mates with Faulkner or whoever, but there's no way they discuss everything in detail with him.

I have to say,my very limited experience of Faulkner has led me to form the opinion that he is a prat.

Yes he can undoubtedly do the job far better than I could but FFS he's just Randys puppet-He may well have served Randy loyaly in other ventures but most will agree that football is a different world & compared to the likes of Kenyon,someone as inexperienced as Faulkner is way,way out of his depth.

That said,I don't think even Faulkner would be stupid enough to go blabbing private matters involving multi-million pound contracts-if he was indeed privy to private thoughts in the first place.

Can we please not pass comments about people who, on a personal level and more, have been very good to the H&V empire.

No probs.

Perhaps you could furnish us a list of everyone who has been "very good to the H & V empire" - Just so as we know who we can pass comments on & who we can't.

Thanks in advance

I have to say,my very limited experience of you has led me to... Well you know the rest.

You may well mistakingly believe that I crave your approval though.

[Villa'Zawg]

Perhaps you could furnish us a list of everyone who has been "very good to the H & V empire" - Just so as we know who we can pass comments on & who we can't.

Why would you pass comment on someone you don't know?

It's never stopped us on here with any other person connected with the club.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

If Heskey doesn't start the next game, it's a joke. He was our best player by a mile, the only man who looked like making something happen.

This is not the Villa. Capello will have a Plan B, C and probably D.
Yes Heskey did well but as Chris Smith would probably say, I'll leave it for the manager to decide.

[supertom]

As well as Heskey played, the team itself didn't look right. If that means Fabio goes 5 in midfield and plays Joe Cole instead, then so be it.

Personally against such bog standard opposition, I think Fabio will stick with two up front, but I wonder if he might be tempted to put Crouch in for his goal threat. We do need to notch up a few. There's now a worry the US might finish above us on goal difference, because I think they should beat the other two.

We don't want to make hard work of it, that's for sure.

It'd be harsh on Emile but this is the World Cup, you have to take it game by game. We'll be under no pressure in the next two, so someone to hold it up for the runners, might not be needed.

[Chris Smith]

As well as Heskey played, the team itself didn't look right. If that means Fabio goes 5 in midfield and plays Joe Cole instead, then so be it.

Personally against such bog standard opposition, I think Fabio will stick with two up front, but I wonder if he might be tempted to put Crouch in for his goal threat. We do need to notch up a few. There's now a worry the US might finish above us on goal difference, because I think they should beat the other two.

We don't want to make hard work of it, that's for sure.

It'd be harsh on Emile but this is the World Cup, you have to take it game by game. We'll be under no pressure in the next two, so someone to hold it up for the runners, might not be needed.

Surely the change will be that Barry comes into the middle and Gerrard plays from the left. It is what he played all through qualifying.

[supertom]

As well as Heskey played, the team itself didn't look right. If that means Fabio goes 5 in midfield and plays Joe Cole instead, then so be it.

Personally against such bog standard opposition, I think Fabio will stick with two up front, but I wonder if he might be tempted to put Crouch in for his goal threat. We do need to notch up a few. There's now a worry the US might finish above us on goal difference, because I think they should beat the other two.

We don't want to make hard work of it, that's for sure.

It'd be harsh on Emile but this is the World Cup, you have to take it game by game. We'll be under no pressure in the next two, so someone to hold it up for the runners, might not be needed.

Surely the change will be that Barry comes into the middle and Gerrard plays from the left. It is what he played all through qualifying.

For now yes. Against better opposition, I think Cole has to play. We were crying out for his guile against the US. But in all honesty, I don't see what Barry will change, he's not had a great season, for club or country. He'll not be 100% either.

[Chris Smith]

As well as Heskey played, the team itself didn't look right. If that means Fabio goes 5 in midfield and plays Joe Cole instead, then so be it.

Personally against such bog standard opposition, I think Fabio will stick with two up front, but I wonder if he might be tempted to put Crouch in for his goal threat. We do need to notch up a few. There's now a worry the US might finish above us on goal difference, because I think they should beat the other two.

We don't want to make hard work of it, that's for sure.

It'd be harsh on Emile but this is the World Cup, you have to take it game by game. We'll be under no pressure in the next two, so someone to hold it up for the runners, might not be needed.

Surely the change will be that Barry comes into the middle and Gerrard plays from the left. It is what he played all through qualifying.

For now yes. Against better opposition, I think Cole has to play. We were crying out for his guile against the US. But in all honesty, I don't see what Barry will change, he's not had a great season, for club or country. He'll not be 100% either.

We're just much better balanced with Barry in there, Lampard and Gerrard both benefit from having him in the side.

As for Cole, he's hardly played any football in the last 12 months and has looked poor in the games he has figured in for Chelsea. So impact sub at most for him I reckon.

[Concrete John]

From the BBC gossip page:-

Manchester City are reportedly ready to offer midfielder Stephen Ireland in any potential deal to land Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.
Full story: http://www.caughtoffside.com/2010/06/13/manchester-city-ready-to-offer-ireland-in-40m-liverpool-swoop-mancini-attempts-to-sweeten-cheeky-deal-to-sign-gerrard/

If true this might mean them moving away for the Milner deal.  Would suit us to see another of our direct rivals weakened and us not!

[russon]

What odds would you have got for Heskey MOTM v America and Milner hauled off after 30 minutes for being crap? Hopefully Jimmy goes on to have a stinker of a tournament and no-one wants to buy him while Heskey excells and we call in a few mill from a gullible Newcastle, they're usually good for a bad buy.

[Clampy]

As well as Heskey played, the team itself didn't look right. If that means Fabio goes 5 in midfield and plays Joe Cole instead, then so be it.

Personally against such bog standard opposition, I think Fabio will stick with two up front, but I wonder if he might be tempted to put Crouch in for his goal threat. We do need to notch up a few. There's now a worry the US might finish above us on goal difference, because I think they should beat the other two.

We don't want to make hard work of it, that's for sure.

It'd be harsh on Emile but this is the World Cup, you have to take it game by game. We'll be under no pressure in the next two, so someone to hold it up for the runners, might not be needed.

Surely the change will be that Barry comes into the middle and Gerrard plays from the left. It is what he played all through qualifying.

There's two problems with that imo. Firstly Barry has'nt played for nearly 4 weeks, so he'll probably only last an hour. Also, why shove Gerrard out wide just to accomodate Lampard? It's the kind of thing we always do and which is why we'll never win anything.

[LeeB]

What odds would you have got for Heskey MOTM v America and Milner hauled off after 30 minutes for being crap? Hopefully Jimmy goes on to have a stinker of a tournament and no-one wants to buy him while Heskey excells and we call in a few mill from a gullible Newcastle, they're usually good for a bad buy.

Heskey + Golden Boot = Man City + £15m

Get out the orange dot.

[Chris Smith]

As well as Heskey played, the team itself didn't look right. If that means Fabio goes 5 in midfield and plays Joe Cole instead, then so be it.

Personally against such bog standard opposition, I think Fabio will stick with two up front, but I wonder if he might be tempted to put Crouch in for his goal threat. We do need to notch up a few. There's now a worry the US might finish above us on goal difference, because I think they should beat the other two.

We don't want to make hard work of it, that's for sure.

It'd be harsh on Emile but this is the World Cup, you have to take it game by game. We'll be under no pressure in the next two, so someone to hold it up for the runners, might not be needed.

Surely the change will be that Barry comes into the middle and Gerrard plays from the left. It is what he played all through qualifying.

There's two problems with that imo. Firstly Barry has'nt played for nearly 4 weeks, so he'll probably only last an hour. Also, why shove Gerrard out wide just to accomodate Lampard? It's the kind of thing we always do and which is why we'll never win anything.

It's the way we played all through qualifying and it worked well. Gerrard plays from the left but not as a winger so is able to get forward and link up with Rooney and it also gives Ashley Cole room to push on.

[Concrete John]

It did work well in qualifying, but that doesn't mean it should be kept going into the finals.

Against the top sides, a 4-4-2 played as rigidly as England do it can be exposed and you end up getting overrun in midfield.  Playing two strikers means Rooney can drop deeper to combat this, but do you want your biggest goal threat chasing around in midfield?

England's best side when it comes down to facing the tournament favourites would be Gerrard behind Roony and Heskey left out.  Probably Joe Cole coming in wide left.

[eastie]

Englands best side against anyone should not include heskey 7 goals in 59 internationals I believe, total luxury we can't afford-goals win games and heskey as per usual missed a sitter!

[David_Nab]

Englands best side against anyone should not include heskey 7 goals in 59 internationals I believe, total luxury we can't afford-goals win games and heskey as per usual missed a sitter!

He also set up the goal and once he went off we had no one holding the ball up.He might not score enough but for me he was one of the better players on the pitch on the day and deserves to stay in the team.

It's a shame Young hasn't been able to perform for England because with Beckham out the delivery from the wings is awful and SWP is hopeless on the left.