About James Milner, there is one thing just about everybody seems to agree upon: He is not rated correctly.
The balance now seems to lie in favour of him being under-rated, but there are still those baffled that he can be a regular both for England and, admittedly in a utility role, for the Premier League champions.
The issue is brought into focus by the fact his contract expires in the summer: Manchester City need to decide just how highly they rate the midfielder who turned 29 this week.
Milner rejected the deal City made last month and has been told there will be no improvement on that offer, something which suggests City still see him as little more than a useful reserve, able to step into a range of positions when required.
He has started 10 of City’s 20 league games this season, against 12 starts in the whole of last season—and made a further eight appearances from the bench—operating at the back of midfield, on the flank and even at centre-forward.The question really comes down to whether he can be seen as a first choice in any one position and the answer to that is probably no.
Yet in a sense that is part of Milner’s charm. It may be that privately he is frustrated he hasn’t tied down one position, but it’s impossible to tell from his performances.
He plays with equal gusto wherever he is asked, versatile and apparently uncomplaining. That makes him a huge asset for any club as the man who can be relied upon to fill any hole, but it’s easy to see why he would tire of that: It must be galling for a player of his quality to know if everybody else is fit, he will only be on the bench.
In that regard, it’s entirely understandable Milner—as he approaches his final contract at his peak—should be considering his future.
He’s won two Premier Leagues, an FA Cup and a Capital One Cup with City, but never as the heartbeat of the side: What neutral could blame him if he wanted to try to be the leader of a team?
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2323069-versatility-makes-james-milner-ideal-transfer-to-cover-steven-gerrards-exit
No comments:
Post a Comment