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Posted in the Mario thread about that he can't be happy with getting as little game time as he is. At the moment he's at the bottom of the pecking order with Yaya, Barry and de Jong ahead of him. I really like James and think he's a top professional, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him go this summer. It doesn't do him any good in regards to the England squad either, sitting on the bench every game... OK, over the course of a whole season, he will get his chances, but still - he's been out of the team for weeks now.
I guess the situation with Johnson in similar.

What is your take on these two players?

I think Milner's taking the rap for the Sunderland match & I don't think he's featured that much since - He wasn't quite doing what Mancini wanted him to do & wasn't happy when he ended up at right back. However, he's admitted that he won't play regularly & I think he'll probably stay & see how it pans out, especially as De Jong's contract isn't sorted long term

I think Milner will be happy to bide his time....and play his part in the season. He's a fantastic pro and I honestly think we've not used him to his strengths when he has featured which makes it hard for him to really shine and cement his place.


Johnson, well, I've said it plenty of times before but if (as seems likely) Hazard arrives and someone offers half decent money I think he'll be a goner.

Did anyone else see the story running in France that we have agreed to play a pre-season friendly vs Lille to open their new stadium this summer. Certainly sounds like something we might do to sweeten a certain deal?

I think he will stay as we will have a lot of games next season and Barry legs may start to go with the amount we will play, and I hope Mancini would tell him to stay as he is valuable considering he can cover a few positions

Johnson for me can go

I hope you all are right regarding Milner. I really like the guy.
Johnson is a good player as well, but I feel he's failed to live up to his potential. I think he's a goner.

My main worry if either or both were to go would be the implications regarding the home grown quota. If we are nailed on to sign Hazard then would we not need to replace them with a home grown player of similar value, because of the FFP rules?

If so I have no idea who the replacements would be?

Superjaw was terrible last time he started. It's his own fault. He'll stay.

I don't think he'll go in the summer. He's had his moments this year and he'll be a long term prospect for our central midfield.

Pretty Boy Lee wrote:I don't think he'll go in the summer. He's had his moments this year and he'll be a long term prospect for our central midfield.

I agree, he is a very valuable player to have around, and i just dont think he has found his niche just yet. Maybe he is being instructed to Learn the role de jong plays, but at 26/27 i feel he deserves more than a squad place and should be a star for someone.

I dont want him to leave but i wouldnt begrudge him going

Hope he doesn't go. He might not have figured too much in the last 10 games, but, we'll probably play 50+ next season. We need a few Milners in the squad. Same with AJ really. Plus, both can do a job in particular circumstances.

We could do with a bit more back-up.

I hope Milner stays and think he will. Whenever players move to big clubs it's 'to win things, to challenge for trophies', he knows he can't/won't play every game. If he wanted to do that he would have stayed at Villa. Same goes for Johnson I guess.

Looking at it from a financial point of view, Milner wont be going anywhere. Noone will pay him what we are and noone could probably afford his transfer fee either. Plus hes a good squad player although since xmas hes been below par.

Johnson is an average English attacker with some ability but his all round game is lacking. I think we would get 12 million for him on the open market from Liverpool or Spurs perhaps. If we sign Hazard then he is surplus.

Grob wrote:Looking at it from a financial point of view, Milner wont be going anywhere. Noone will pay him what we are and noone could probably afford his transfer fee either. Plus hes a good squad player although since xmas hes been below par.

Johnson is an average English attacker with some ability but his all round game is lacking. I think we would get 12 million for him on the open market from Liverpool or Spurs perhaps. If we sign Hazard then he is surplus.

I reckon we would get close to double that from either of those two

Would i drop Yaya=NO
Would i drop Gaz Baz=NO
Would i bring on NDJ before Milner to shore things up=YES

He has to bide his time and wait.

He showed signs of being a real top quality midfielder for a spell, but either side of that spell, has not looked good enough. Whether that's down to lack of games or just that it's his real level, I've no idea.

If he does stay & can't get more games next season though, there's not much point in having him. That goes for AJ too.

If we're genuinely going to rotate players, the ones coming in should be as good as the ones dropping out, otherwise it ends up with some players playing almost every week & some playing hardly at all. We may as well have promising kids or veterans doing that rather than valuable players on big money, who could be sold.

If he stays he could end up only playing in the Carling Cup/FA Cup early rounds which isn't what he's going to be comfortable with. He actually had one of his best matches away to Leicester in the Carling Cup this season. Unfortunately that may be his level. He hasn't got the creativity to replace Silva or Nasri. He isn't as good as Barry, De Jong or Yaya as a holding player. He's ineffective out wide because he lacks pace. He's a good honest hard working professional but that's about it. Unfortunately that's not really enough. 50-50 whether he stays in the squad next year. If he's prepared to accept a sharp cut in wages he would be snapped up by half a dozen premiership teams, if not he'll probably be an occasional player next season and that is it. If he wants a greater role he's going to have to show considerably more than he did this season.

lets all have a disco wrote:Would i drop Yaya=NO
Would i drop Gaz Baz=NO
Would i bring on NDJ before Milner to shore things up=YES

He has to bide his time and wait.

exactly

Milner is Barry's long term replacement.

AJ for me can go. Haven't seen him have a decent full 90 minutes in a City shirt.

Mase wrote:Milner is Barry's long term replacement.

AJ for me can go. Haven't seen him have a decent full 90 minutes in a City shirt.

Agree with all of the above.

Milner will get more chances again next season. AJ has not shown enough imho, to be replaced by Eden Hazard or Bale hopefully.

Mase wrote:Milner is Barry's long term replacement.

I think he was bought with that role in mid but I dont think hes shown me in 2 years that he can be a long term successore to Barry.

I also think that, espciailly in Europe, going forward we'll need a better player in midfield than Barry.

I dont think Milner will ever be more than a squad player for us but I dont think he should be unhappy with that.

I think he'll have to show a marked improvement though to become a regular, I dont think he has the quality.