2 years ago
491 Former Liverpool man Steve Nicol is never short of an opinion or two and he’s slammed the club for expecting too much of James Milner and Harvey Elliott.
The Reds have had a bit of a nightmare start to the new season and that was compounded by Napoli sticking four goals past them in Champions League action in midweek. That game caused Jurgen Klopp to question elements of his team’s performance and attitude, while other pundits have had a field day criticising the Reds too.
And speaking to ESPN (quotes via the Daily Star), Nicol believes there is too much reliance on the likes of the experienced Milner and young star Elliott this term.
Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images
“There’s no question, you have to sympathise with Liverpool as far as the injuries [are concerned]. You’re having to play James Milner, who signed a contract basically to be able to give other players a rest and come on for half an hour. That’s what James Milner signed a new contract for and that’s why they asked him to do it,” Nicol said.
“But he’s having to play in your biggest game of the season, and Harvey Elliott is a rookie. This guy is learning his trade and so when you’ve got two of your midfielders in the position they’re in, one with no experience and one with too much experience, then the engine room is going to be in trouble.”
TBR’s View: Nicol Makes A Good Point
It’s not really Elliott or Milner’s fault as such. Jurgen Klopp knows his players inside out and in an ideal world he’d be blooding Elliott slower and giving Milner minutes to help see games out.
As it is, he’s almost having to rely on the pair and with that, Liverpool’s results have suffered. Of course, other players need to stand up and be counted but the midfield has been troublesome for Liverpool.
The post 'There's no question': Pundit says there's two Liverpool players who simply shouldn't be playing each week appeared first on The Boot Room.
