Four games have passed so far in Liverpool’s new Premier League campaign, with the Reds achieving a mixed bag of results in the early stages of their quest to regain a top-four spot this season. Though some players are yet to fully click into gear, one of Liverpool’s new signings this summer appears to have hit the ground running already – James Milner.
Milner perhaps wasn’t the signing that most Liverpool fans were gushing over following this transfer window – especially considering this was the window in which Liverpool purchased their second and third most expensive players in their history – but one can’t help but feel that the free signing of Milner could work out to be some of the most astute business in the club’s recent past.
What makes the signing of Milner so shrewd is the complete lack of risk involved in the deal. Brendan Rodgers has brought in an England international and Premier League winner for free, in spite of reportedly high wages, and he brings with him bags of experience, leadership and a winning mentality – qualities that the Reds would have lost with the departure of Steven Gerrard this summer.
Brendan Rodgers must have been impressed by Milner so far in his short Anfield career, so much so that he chose to make him the team’s new vice-captain – a controversial choice for some, who were disappointed that senior Liverpool figures like Martin Skrtel and Lucas Leiva have once again found themselves overlooked despite their years of service to the club.
But the new vice-captain appears to have already won the respect and admiration of his peers, with German international, and midfield partner, Emre Can, lauding his signing, saying:
I haven’t had too much experience of playing alongside him just yet but it is clear that he is a fighter, is very experienced and is capable of playing good football… he passes on what he knows to the younger players. He talks to us a lot and that can only help us… with Stevie [Gerrard] leaving at the end of last season it is definitely good to have another experienced player like James Milner here.
The Reds’ new experienced midfielder has started in a multitude of different midfield three combinations early on in the season, but in each game – regardless of the result – has left the pitch having been one of the team’s best performers.
What many people did expect, however, was for James Milner to bring one of his most valuable commodities to Liverpool’s midfield – his industry. His relentless work rate has been on show already this season; it was revealed early this week that Milner is the player to have covered the most distance in the league’s opening four games, having covered over 49 kilometres so far – nearly 12.3km per game.
Though this was to be expected from a player as renowned for his endurance as James Milner, what Liverpool fans may not have expected was just how influential he has been for Liverpool in the final third of the football pitch. In three of Liverpool’s opening four league games, Milner has made the most passes in the final third out of anyone on the pitch; in all four games, he’s made the most for the Reds.
He is never seemingly in one fixed position in the midfield, but instead spreads himself across the midfield to provide covering assistance for Liverpool’s full-backs; attempt to break down the opposition defence; as well as make late runs in behind – something reminiscent of what Jordan Henderson is known to do when he is fit.
Despite being one of Liverpool’s most significant attacking threats so far this season, Milner has still found time to be one of the team’s most consistent defensive stalwarts; he’s made the most ball recoveries out of any Liverpool player this season with 31 in total, which could be accredited to the fact that he just never stops harrying and harassing the opposition, regardless of where he is on the pitch, regardless of whether it’s the first or final minute.
Liverpool’s relatively young midfielders in Emre Can and Jordan Henderson will continue to learn alongside someone like Milner; he can lead by example without treading on their toes and burdening them with one of the most difficult tasks at Liverpool – playing alongside Steven Gerrard.
The transfer may not have raised eyebrows at the start of the year; he may not be a glamorous South American import, or a highly sort-after Premier League goal-scoring powerhouse, but when the end of the season comes, we may be looking back and gushing about how the unexciting Bosman signing of ‘boring James Milner’ was the bargain of the summer, and Liverpool’s most crucial piece of business in the pursuit of getting back into the top four.
All stats courtesy of lfcstats.co.uk
Comments.
Loading comments…