Milner aiming to be middle man

[Mark (Blue Army)]

James Milner is eyeing a place at the heart of City's midfield as he prepares to chase his dream of a Premier League winner's medal following his move from Aston Villa.

Manager Roberto Mancini pinpointed the England player's versatility as a key factor in his pursuit of Milner following the summer arrivals of Jerome Boateng, Yaya Toure, Aleksandar Kolarov, David Silva and Mario Bolatelli.

But 24-year-old James is warning his former Villa team-mate Gareth Barry and City's other top linkmen that he aims to play a central role when his Blues career kicks off against visitors Liverpool on Monday night.

Milner, who switched from the flank to the middle with notable success at Villa, said: "Wherever the manager wants me to play, I'll do it to the best of my ability.

"But I enjoy playing in the middle - that's probably my best position and where I've shown by best form over the past 18 months. I've been most creative and scored goals from there and I've enjoyed it immensely.

"I think that's where the boss has signed me to play, but if he asks me to play anywhere else I'll do what is best for the team.

"As long as we're winning football
matches, that's all that counts"

Not that he is taking a starting place for granted: "You need competition at any successful club, because if players are comfortable whether they play well or not then performances are going to slip.

"You need players pushing each other every day to step out on that pitch, and if you know you are going to be replaced if you don't perform, then that's healthy for the team."

James, who links up with another former Villa pal in goalkeeper Stuart Taylor, received a rousing weekend farewell from Villa fans and expects Stephen Ireland, whose No.7 shirt he inherits, to go down a storm there.

He said: "I enjoyed every second there and the fans were brilliant to me. Stephen's a good player who gives his all and was loved by the fans here with good reason. Hopefully I can show them what I'm all about."

mcfc.co.uk

[BlueMoonAwoken]

The thing i dont get where is barry or de jong going to fit in? if he continues to play barry on the left wing we will be so easy to work out, ok we might not concede lots of goals but we wont score many thats for sure. If he is hoping to play milner and toure in the middle and silva left wing and swp or johnson on the right then that means there is no place for eithe ballotelli or barry or de jong.

[Haz]

The thing i dont get where is barry or de jong going to fit in? if he continues to play barry on the left wing we will be so easy to work out, ok we might not concede lots of goals but we wont score many thats for sure. If he is hoping to play milner and toure in the middle and silva left wing and swp or johnson on the right then that means there is no place for eithe ballotelli or barry or de jong.

Thats why we have rotation - there will be a place for all of the aforementioned, just not all at the same time.

[sandman]

The thing i dont get where is barry or de jong going to fit in? if he continues to play barry on the left wing we will be so easy to work out, ok we might not concede lots of goals but we wont score many thats for sure. If he is hoping to play milner and toure in the middle and silva left wing and swp or johnson on the right then that means there is no place for eithe ballotelli or barry or de jong.

I hope that Barry cant get a start, I dont rate him for City half as much as I did when he played for Villa

[CityGer]

The thing i dont get where is barry or de jong going to fit in? if he continues to play barry on the left wing we will be so easy to work out, ok we might not concede lots of goals but we wont score many thats for sure. If he is hoping to play milner and toure in the middle and silva left wing and swp or johnson on the right then that means there is no place for eithe ballotelli or barry or de jong.

I hope that Barry cant get a start, I dont rate him for City half as much as I did when he played for Villa

He's has had some good games but has been mediocre in the main. He also appears to be get slower and less mobile by the week.

I think Milner, Yaya and Nige will be the main contenders for midfield berths, possibly all three away and two from three at home. Barry may be playing a bit part this season.

[sandman]

The thing i dont get where is barry or de jong going to fit in? if he continues to play barry on the left wing we will be so easy to work out, ok we might not concede lots of goals but we wont score many thats for sure. If he is hoping to play milner and toure in the middle and silva left wing and swp or johnson on the right then that means there is no place for eithe ballotelli or barry or de jong.

I hope that Barry cant get a start, I dont rate him for City half as much as I did when he played for Villa

He's has had some good games but has been mediocre in the main. He also appears to be get slower and less mobile by the week.

I think Milner, Yaya and Nige will be the main contenders for midfield berths, possibly all three away and two from three at home. Barry may be playing a bit part this season.

Totally agree, I think Barry is a clever player, he just doesnt seem to be coming up with the goods though.

[brite blu sky]

The thing i dont get where is barry or de jong going to fit in? if he continues to play barry on the left wing we will be so easy to work out, ok we might not concede lots of goals but we wont score many thats for sure. If he is hoping to play milner and toure in the middle and silva left wing and swp or johnson on the right then that means there is no place for eithe ballotelli or barry or de jong.

Well if we dont know and the press dont even know how many DMs we have, then other managers and players are also not going to have a clue. There are so many options that we could almost play every game with a different set up. We can certainly change things around mid game. This could be an effective tactic over the course of a season.. every little advantage helps.

Not sure if anyone has noticed but deJong looks like he is making more forward passes and even some runs forward...

Keep them guessing thats what i say

[Kladze]

The thing i dont get where is barry or de jong going to fit in? if he continues to play barry on the left wing we will be so easy to work out, ok we might not concede lots of goals but we wont score many thats for sure. If he is hoping to play milner and toure in the middle and silva left wing and swp or johnson on the right then that means there is no place for eithe ballotelli or barry or de jong.

Well if we dont know and the press dont even know how many DMs we have, then other managers and players are also not going to have a clue. There are so many options that we could almost play every game with a different set up. We can certainly change things around mid game. This could be an effective tactic over the course of a season.. every little advantage helps.

Not sure if anyone has noticed but deJong looks like he is making more forward passes and even some runs forward...

Keep them guessing thats what i say

I've noticed.
I first noticed it during the world cup actually.

[Im_Spartacus]

The thing i dont get where is barry or de jong going to fit in? if he continues to play barry on the left wing we will be so easy to work out, ok we might not concede lots of goals but we wont score many thats for sure. If he is hoping to play milner and toure in the middle and silva left wing and swp or johnson on the right then that means there is no place for eithe ballotelli or barry or de jong.

Well if we dont know and the press dont even know how many DMs we have, then other managers and players are also not going to have a clue. There are so many options that we could almost play every game with a different set up. We can certainly change things around mid game. This could be an effective tactic over the course of a season.. every little advantage helps.

Not sure if anyone has noticed but deJong looks like he is making more forward passes and even some runs forward...

Keep them guessing thats what i say

I've noticed.
I first noticed it during the world cup actually.

Holy shitfuck.

I will keep a close eye out for that. I know he did it for Holland once or twice but I think it made him ill so I would expect him to revert to type for us now

[s1ty m]

de jong is a yard dog. our yard dog. the sort of player i hate to play against, i love him, he's vicious. he will thrive in this awesome team that is emerging for us.

[Crossie]

Im fairly certain Milner will be a regular starter, we certainly wanted him alot.

De Jong is probably more useful against the better teams, but I dont think he will be rotating with Milner.

Silva is a regular

Yaya is a regular.

Its got to be Barry who makes way imo.

Milners left footed, so is Silva and AJ. Its getting abit cramped!!

[LookMumImOnMCF.net]

I think there's going to be lots of rotation this season, I hope it's not our undoing.

[giokingkladze]

Milners left footed, so is Silva and AJ. Its getting abit cramped!!

Milner's actually right footed but also has a decent left foot

[Grob]

I think there's going to be lots of rotation this season, I hope it's not our undoing.

Rotating 1 or 2 players within the same/similar formations shouldnt be an issue.

The master of squad rotation is the bacon faced drunk in trafford. He does the above.

[Grob]

De Jong is probably more useful against the better teams, but I dont think he will be rotating with Milner.

If De Jong plays against the likes of Blackpool and Wigan at home, it will be like playing with 10 men.

Now we have options, he had better be rotated out for matches such as the above this season.

[Wooders]

The thing i dont get where is barry or de jong going to fit in? if he continues to play barry on the left wing we will be so easy to work out, ok we might not concede lots of goals but we wont score many thats for sure. If he is hoping to play milner and toure in the middle and silva left wing and swp or johnson on the right then that means there is no place for eithe ballotelli or barry or de jong.

Well if we dont know and the press dont even know how many DMs we have, then other managers and players are also not going to have a clue. There are so many options that we could almost play every game with a different set up. We can certainly change things around mid game. This could be an effective tactic over the course of a season.. every little advantage helps.

Not sure if anyone has noticed but deJong looks like he is making more forward passes and even some runs forward...

Keep them guessing thats what i say

I've noticed.
I first noticed it during the world cup actually.

He was in the box at one point against Spurs (THEIR box!)

[ant london]

Will he be the "middle man"?

I've been chucking this around and I just cant remotely see how he would be played in the middle for us.....we're likely to play either 4-3-3 or 4-1-3-2 or at a push 4-3-1-2. The "central midfield" player in any of those formations to be seems much much more likely to be Yaya or De Jong. In the last of those I guess Milner could play at the tip of the diamond effectively but would David Silva not be the more obvious choice for that spot if one takes the assumption that the three behind in such a formation are likely (esp under Mancini's management) to be somewhat more physical player?

Left of right of a midfield bank of three I can definitely see him. Or equally wide on either side of an attacking trio. But in the middle? I can't see it happening...much