Albert Einstein defined madness as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. This cannot be accused of James Milner, who has proven himself as one of football's very few versatility men.
You hear about wingers who can swap sides or even centre-backs playing in the defensive midfield role, but few compare with the man who became the Premier League’s youngest goalscorer at the age of 16 while playing for Leeds United. For City alone he has played every midfield position the mind could come up, as well as putting in a decent shift at full-back. Not to mention playing the false number nine position, when the club went through an injury crisis up-front.
Expecting to be a success without working hard is madness, drinking to the point of getting sick is madness, thinking Raheem Sterling is worth £50million pounds is madness. Manchester City’s decision to let the England International leave may not be on the same scale as those, but it’s not too far behind.
As a photographer I would like to use this metaphor. If you asked James Milner to take a portrait of you it would be nothing spectacular. The lighting would not shine in the right part of the face or it might not be perfectly straight. But what will it have? It will have a clear face with a nice background. When you look at the picture, it will not blow you away but you know the job was done by somebody who had a decent understanding of what they were doing. City manager Manuel Pellegrini summed him up best earlier this season when he put a challenge to the press to find him a more complete English player. "There are players who are better technically, yes, quicker players, yes. Players who head better, yes. But show me one who does all the things Milner does well. There isn't one."
This ability can be both a curse and a blessing for the man who while playing as a central midfielder with Aston Villa, was named PFA Young Player of the Season and was in the PFA Team of the Season in the 2009–10 Premier League campaign. So how can Milner get into the league's Team of the Year at Villa and struggle to get in the starting XI at City? The answer is simple really. At Villa he had consistency in both the position he played and the amount of games he started. Players and teams strive on consistency. The constant selection of the same back five was one of the major factors why Chelsea in the end ran away with the title. Knowing your role in a side helps you perfect the position. As they say practice makes perfect, but at The Citzens Milner struggled to pin down a settled role within the first-team. There was always a so-called better player in that position, whether it be Jesus Navás on the right-hand side, or Yaya Touré marauding forward from the centre, Milner in truth was never going to be the main main at the club.
For Milner's career, joining City can be seen as both a positive and a negative move. As he was at a big club he was guaranteed to be selected for England, he got to play in the UEFA Champions League and has been crowned a Premier League winner, twice. On the other hand, playing the role he has at City, Milner has developed a negative assumption to be a boring player who lacks the intelligence and passing ability to ever be considered a top midfielder. A feeling summed up on Twitter by the @BoringMilner account which has over 420,000 followers to date.
Many naïvely think all the England International is good for is running around and making life difficult for others. The midfielder’s goal against Swansea on the penultimate weekend of the season was a reminder that he has always been an exceptionally talented footballer in his own right. He also is a very good free-kick taker, with his well-taken strike against Hull City a prime example of just that.
I earlier mentioned that Milner was not getting a game in centre midfield due to the presence of Yaya Touré so naturally, it would be unfair not to compare the two players. Last season, James created 52 chances for his team-mates while Touré created a mere 33. While the African Player of the Year scored more goals than his now former team-mate, there is no denying when you compare the two that Milner is a very creative player on his own accord. Also mentioned above is the fact that Milner has played in many different positions. This takes intelligence as both a footballer and a man. Milner, in his time at Newcastle United, was described on the clubs official website as "a good reader of the game". A concise assessment to say the least, but also very accurate. You cannot help but feel that Liverpool's new signing understands the game better than most.
Footballers are often seen as a little dim as many may not have finished school or gone to college due to football commitments. Because of this they may not be the most cultured people you will ever meet. With that being said though, The former Villa man does not fall into this category. It was reported in the past that Milner is currently learning Spanish. Not because he wants to seek move to Spain, but because he wants to be able to speak to the locals when visiting one of his favourite holiday destinations. His desire to be educated and well-spoken is something that can only be admired.
In James Milner, Liverpool have got their hands on a very intelligent footballer and human being. He will bring 15 years of English football experience as well as the experience of winning trophies. He will bring a work ethic matched by few as well as a great passing range and an ability to strike the ball from range. In many ways he is the perfect replacement for outgoing captain Steven Gerrard who is set to make his MLS debut with LA Galaxy next month. With the move, Milner’s trophy winning days may arguably be behind him but for the first time in a while he may get to show off his creative game at a club that has a great tradition and history of attacking football.
For Manchester City, they have lost a player with the heart of a lion and one with a never-say-die attitude. A player who will run all day but can still move the ball well enough to not look out of place alongside players like David Silva, Yaya Touré and Golden Boot winner Sergio Agüero. They have lost a big-game player who can fill the gaps against Europe’s giants. They have lost a unique player in which it may take three or four players to replace. Not in terms of new signings but in how the players currently at the club play. In an away game at Stamford Bridge, will Pellegrini be able to get David Silva to run the way Milner did? Chances are no.
Instead the Chilean may need to ask two of his flair players to sacrifice parts of their game to keep the opposition out. What many fail to realise is that when you have players such as Milner in the side, who are willing to take one for team it gives the more talented players a chance to express themselves even on the biggest stage. That may not be the case at City any more. Many City fans may be glad to see the back of Milner but let’s see how they feel when they see players life Augero having to fill in on the wing when the side is under pressure. By having one less defensively hard working player in the side the sides attacking player’s ability to hurt the opposition will be reduced. The absence of Milner at City will not be obvious at first but when the big games and big teams come around it stand out like a candle among the darkness. A darkness in Europe especially, the blue moon of Manchester City may find impossible to avoid yet again.