Results tagged “james milner” from Birmingham Mail - Aston Villa

JAMES Milner has been so dedicated and dynamic since joining Aston Villa that he can be excused an occasional off day like at Everton on Saturday.

And there's no doubt that Villa will miss him if, as expected, he fails to recover from a calf problem to maintain his ever-present run at West Ham on Wednesday.

But perhaps the open training session at Villa Park last week solves the riddle about why he repeatedly gave the ball away at Goodison Park.

During a small-sided practice match, the bumper crowd given free access to the stadium for the event might have noticed Milner was kicking both ways.

Wearing a green bib to distinguish him from the other players on the two teams, Milner had to constantly swap ends to join whoever had possession.

It was a training exercise which showcased the winger's amazing work-rate but it meant him having to try hard to remember which set of players to pass to.

Which might explain why he so uncharacteristically struggled to find the feet of his claret and blue team-mates during Saturday's draw at Everton!

IT'S amazing what a bit of England recognition can do for a player's profile.

Don't get me wrong I don't begrudge James Milner winning plaudits for carrying out the defensive duties which have so impressed Villa fans for such a long while.

But would the Match of the Day pundits really have spent so long eulogising over the former Newcastle winger if he wasn't in fashion with Fabio Capello's Three Lions squad?

And why did it take Alan Hansen more than 160 words to describe a simple example of Milner's willingness to track back against Wolves last weekend?

"It's a bit technical in as much as if you've got a full-back on one side taking a corner kick on the other side, beforehand you'll designate somebody to go in the full back's position," said Hansen.

"So you've got a full-back on one side taking a corner kick on the other side so you designate somebody to go in that position.

"But a lot of the time when the ball breaks down the person, whoever it is, might get sucked into the play, might follow the ball.

"I've seen it hundreds of times where they just forget.

"Whereas James Milner is so reliable it's just untrue. Warnock is taking the corner kick from the opposite side on the right.

"What happens is Villa get possession and then it breaks down and watch Milner. He doesn't forget.

"He goes back, he goes back, he goes back, he goes back and ends up in what you'd describe as a perfect left back position and who wins the ball on the other side? The guy that's taken the corner kick."

Like I say, it's commendable that Milner's qualities are being highlighted by the 'experts' on national telly.

And in fairness Hansen did also add that he had been won over by Milner's attitude and ability and now rated him as a top class player.

But he could have summed up all of his waffling above by simply saying: "When left-back Stephen Warnock took a right wing corner, James Milner covered and tracked back diligently - like he always does."