Premier League
James Milner: The Reds’ Indispensable Machine
James Milner is now 32 years old. One would say he is well past his prime. One would say that he can’t keep his place in the starting lineup anymore because he cannot contribute enough. This could not be far from the truth. Despite being past what most people would have described as his physical prime, he is still the same old Milner. Age is not a factor that has slowed him down at all. The traits he exhibits on the field are a testament to how important he is to Liverpool and to the rest of the squad. Not just as a teammate but also as a leader. A terrific personality and an incredible player. If one had to describe him in a single word that word would be versatile.
How Did He Break Onto The Scene?
James Milner has often been described as ‘Mr. Reliable’ and even ‘Mr. Versatile’. Not too much forethought has gone into it. The names do nothing but speak for themselves. Simply because Milner is indeed versatile and reliable. He has had a relatively nomadic career having played for 6 clubs across England. Milner spent majority of his time at Manchester City though, and earned most of his plaudits there as well. He made 203 total appearances for them and scored 18 goals. Although the goals don’t seem too much his defensive duties were far more important and he did them brilliantly.
By the end of his City career he became known for his fantastic ball recovery and even for coming in clutch by scoring big goals when City needed it most. In June 2015 he made a move to Liverpool and has been there since. Over time he has become a huge part of their squad as well.
Why And How Is He So Important?
Since joining the Reds he has become a pivotal figure in not only their midfield but get this, also in defense. He has put in shifts as a fullback despite being a holding midfielder. What is surprising is that he was extremely competent wherever he was deployed. Another testament to his versatility. Those days are behind him now since Liverpool have revamped their defense. This means Milner could go back to his favored position. And once he did, he seems to have rolled back the years.
His work rate is off the charts. His ball recovery is exceptional. The way he presses the opposition is extremely commendable. This fits in perfectly with manager Jürgen Klopp’s ‘Gegenpress’ philosophy. He believes in very aggressive pressure high up the field. This allows the team to win the ball in attacking areas and immediately launch an attack with minimal need for slow buildup. Considering the hard tackling and proactive player Milner is, he is a very very valuable asset to Klopp. Just this season his incredible work rate and pressing has lead to numerous goal scoring chances for Liverpool. An example would be the game against Brighton. In a tough game against Chris Hughton’s stubborn side, it was a terrific tackle from Milner in the attacking half that lead to Mohammed Salah’s winner.
His game sense is continually improving and so is his desire to play. He is showing no signs of slowing down. Liverpool are looking to carry forward their brilliant run from last season and improve upon it to challenge for even more silverware. And for that they’re going to need everything James Milner can give them. So its fair to say that he is indeed indispensable.
Photo credit to soikeo .info via Flickr
