Happy Birthday to our modern day, albeit in a different context, ‘Anfield Iron’ James Milner.
Still playing at the very highest level, and for the best team in World football at that, at 35-years-of-age, just blows your mind. A picture perfect example of top professional dedication and just how vitally important it is to take care of your body.
All that said, you do sadly wonder just how much longer this rodeo can roll? Its been very noticeable this year that his legs are starting to drop off. Not in terms of endurance, He still has that in abundance over most any player in this league. But the pace to keep up with the kids of today is getting less and less. Which was glaringly evident again last time out at Newcastle in a game that just passed him by.
Side note- Not often you can question Klopp, or at least the sound logic behind most everything he does. Even if it doesn’t always work out. But starting Milner in midfield, with the ridiculous, physical demands we place on our midfielders who have to be all things to all men, just SHOULDN’T happen now. His legs just can’t fulfil that role to the max any more. Heck, ideally, outside of the Cup this year, you wouldn’t start him at all and would just have his versatile reliability in your arsenal on the bench.
It’ll be a sad day when he does finally hang it up as I can’t think of a more professional player who’s been both an absolute pleasure here and an integral building block in Klopp’s culture change at Anfield. Hopefully he sticks around in some capacity to guide the next generations off the park.
But thats for the future.
For now, heres to him having the best Birthday possible and restoring our 7 point lead over City at the top this evening.
theathletic.com
