I think Rodgers may have actually made a good signing here, for about the fourth time since he's been at the club. Kudos to him.
James Milner | Signed for Liverpool
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Who else has? Robbie Fowler, can't think of anymore.
No one said barcelona is solely populated by world class players but they don't have hard working fillers running around the place. The only reason they'd have them at times is because they need second choice players and their academy isn't producing much in said position. The moment it does they'd rather use the youth, than go around signing mediocrity for the sake of it.
Song, keita and whoever else haven't played a big part to Barca's success for gods sake. Hence song is being sold, and keita is history. I don't know why we have this tradition of celebrating players of mediocre ability by calling them important parts to title winning campaigns when they really aren't.
Its pretty simple, have two players per position of players who can get it done. Players with the ability to get it done at any level. We've seen youngsters impress at a very high level at a very young age, you know why? They've got the ability to do so. These mediocre players get shown off on such stages because things are that much tighter. Space is that much less and no amount of hard work can actually make up for their technical deficiencies.
we have too many players like that at the moment, to the point that they're basically first 11 players. We need to clean up shop in the summer. Most of them were signed to give the first 11 a lift but have now failed to do so and are deemed valuable squad members. They need to go! We've got some good youngsters around, we'll use them as fillers.
Again (as I've said umpteen times above) I've never suggested we sign him. You keep ignoring that.
My point is simple. Not every player in a squad of 25 needs to be a superstar, nor massively gifted. Its horses for courses and over the course of a season you need players who are versatile and relatively consistent. This is especially the case in the Premier league where the game is more physical. I don't think that is a particularly controversial point.
You say Barca wouldnt have this sort of player - my point is that they have, and have had numerous players in their side who are not hugely gifted footballers but who do the job required of them. We have a number of players like that and they're as important to the team over a season as anyone else.
The question is whether City will be a better team for losing him. I think not given that they'll need a couple of players to replace him in terms of positions he can play. He's also performed better than a lot of their players this season anyway.
If you look back over quality sides of the past - outside the first choice XI then you'll see players who have contributed. At United we've had loads - Brown, O'Shea, Evans, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Jesper Blomqvist, - and those are of the top of my head. I don't see how acknowledging what players like that achieve is a problem at all frankly. Those kinds of players often sit on the bench and missed the big games but without them we'd not have won all the titles we have because over a 50 games season, because at the very least you need someone to come in and do a job when the big players are injured or need a rest.
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Interesting if he goes to Pool. You would expect him to want to be first choice, so Sterling/Gerrard replacement?
He's better in midfield than any of their current lot.
I guess Coutinho, Henderson and Milner rotating for the 2 CM spots in a 4-3-3 make sense.
Also when they play 3-4-3, I'd expect Milner and Ibe to be the RWB competitors and if Sterling leaves and isn't replaced, Ibe and Markovic may be fighting for the RWF spot in their.
Seems like a decent signing on a free, but doesn't move the needle much.
It leaves Can without an obvious role in the squad unless he can play RCB and they continue with their 3-4-3, or he can play DM or RB in their 4-3-3. He's sort of an idiot but does a lot of things very well and had a better aged 20/21 season than most Prem debutants.
Also when they play 3-4-3, I'd expect Milner and Ibe to be the RWB competitors and if Sterling leaves and isn't replaced, Ibe and Markovic may be fighting for the RWF spot in their.
Seems like a decent signing on a free, but doesn't move the needle much.
It leaves Can without an obvious role in the squad unless he can play RCB and they continue with their 3-4-3, or he can play DM or RB in their 4-3-3. He's sort of an idiot but does a lot of things very well and had a better aged 20/21 season than most Prem debutants.
Definitely. Would be one of their most sensible signings in recent years.
This is all well and good, but Keita was a very good player. He just looked a bit average next to what is the most technically impressive midfield in (at least) the modern era. He's still a decent footballer at age 35.
Figure he'd be what Park was for us, but more will be expected from him than what we required of Ji Sung. While 3 Lung was a bit of a big game specialist for us as well as a decent cog in other games, Milner is probably expected to start in more games, and probably asked to run the team along with Henderson (& probably Can). Park served a role, while Milner is expected to do more, but not sure if he can do it on a better team. Easy enough to shine when you support players like Yaya, Silva, Aguero, Nasri, etc. Much harder when you're a major cog instead of just a support player.
He's better than Park and will play in a much worse team than Park played for, obviously he'll have a completely different role there. He has to be one of the main men at Liverpool, I agree.
-----------------------Can---------------------
---------Millner-------------------Henderson-------
would be a pretty good central midfield - Millner and Henderson would have licence to get forward and all three are decent at retaining the ball
though knowing rodgers he will persist with can in a back three and probably try to play Millner at wingback (where in fairness he could probably do an ok job - just not as well as he would do centrally imo)
I saw a guy on twitter say he's gonna be on £150k/week. Liverpool's highest paid player? That has to be bullshit, surely?!
It's painfully average, let's be honest. Hard working, somewhat consistent and energetic, but there is a troublesome lack of quality in that trio. Well, troublesome if I were a Liverpool fan.
Wouldn't be a shabby midfield, to be honest. Can has looked better than I expected. Throw Coutinho in around those three, and it's a very decent midfield.
Safe deal for Rodgers who clearly can't spend that much after 2015 fiasco.
I'd have the same assessment. Guess it could work if the front 3 are all brilliant, but that midfield is just uninspiring. It lacks any real quality going forward. A decent base, but certainly nothing to get excited about. Imagine they'd be tough to play against though.
does rodgers still get a vote on the transfer committee?
If it doesn't include spending money then why not...
not sure - but 150k for 5 years is £39 Million and his current wage is supposedly £6.25m a year (120k a week) or £31.25m over a five year period - if he had been brought last year on the same wages and a fee of £7.75 million i think most people would have thought that was quite good business?
with
Stirling-----Sturridge---Couthino
in front of it I think it would be pretty effective - though that depends on keeping stirling at the club and having sturridge fit but in theory I think its pretty solid and enough to cause most teams below them a problem whilst being hard working enough to ensure any of the top teams need to have a decent day against them
The defence however would probably be the area that would worry me most as they probably need a new keeper, a right back and at least one centre back which is a lot to try and fit together at once
Yeah could well be true. City were meant to have offered him something like £165k/week (incl. bonuses)
Probably not, it seems as if 50% of the notional transfer fee is rolled into the player's contract in these cases. So base salary of £100k + £10M spread over 4 years = £150k/week (City offered £165k apparently).
Even though he was one of City's best players this season just gone, but okay.
Its scandalous that a player as mediocre as he is can get paid 150K a week in the premiership. Absolutely scandalous.
Well when Lewendowski is on 160k it seems crazy
When young is on 120 and you consider milliner is on a free it seems quite reasonable
Premier league wages will only go up with the new TV deal as well
Young is now on 120k? When did it go up from 90k?
apparently
http://www.tsmplug.com/richlist/manchester-united-players-salaries-list/
Runs out 2016 though so I'm sure he will be looking to do a millner himself
Good player and signing but he's a player you don't mind your rivals signing, which says everything.
Nothing reasonable about it same as the Young deal. This is precisely why so many prem clubs are under performing, the people that run them are absolutely clueless.
I get that there's a lot of money in the premiership but that's no reason to pay mediocre players exorbitant wages. Look how small the Spurs wage bill is comparatively to pool's and the players of the clubs are basically on the same level.
Milner is a solid signing for any top four side imo. Most championship winning sides need a player like Milner, reliable, consistent and hard-working. Not going to win player of the year, but can be vital in helping to win games. Bit like Park for us.
Looking at those numbers it feels like Mata and Di Maria are underpaid given their transfer fee and status.
I think alexis sanchez is on the same as Mata so it's probably more that Rooney Falcao and Rvp were on massive wages rather then Mata and Di Maria being on relatively low ones
It's average as feck. It's akin to us playing Carrick-Fletcher-Giggs/ Anderson.
I'm not advocating that they're being paid unfairly. It's just a testament of how much the PL pays. If RvP goes this summer then that's a huge chunk of wages left open with Falcao gone as well. United can basically pay whatever they want at this moment.
Can't see him going myself... Mainly because I can't see anybody paying close to those wages plus any transfer fee
Looks defensively sound, but where is the creativity?
Top of the diamond, Coutinho
Top of the diamond, Coutinho
Well that would make more sense, but I assumed he would have been in that set-up instead of one of Milner or Henderson.
The diamond doesn't allow for much width however.
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