Confirmed Transfer Mills to Bolton

[FryattFox]

These are assists that resulted in a goal.

Yes. And?

How many assists in a goal scoring opportunity were wasted by feeble front play?

I don't know. But as far as I could see, the problem last year certainly wasn't our finishing. Defending and creating chances were certainly worse.

 

[Miles Away]

I remember the one for Nugent v Southampton.

If so, I seem to remember that being a very well-played ball.

EDIT: It was, and it was. Still, Nugent had an awful lot left to do, but it was a nicely played ball nonetheless.

 

[Willlow]

I can understand you trying to dilute vehement opposition to one player but if you think Mills was good with the ball at his feet then you are quite delusional.

I didn't see him as much as somebody who lives around Leicester but it was more than enough to lose count of the amount of obscenely wasteful diagonal balls to nowhere. Defenders aren't supposed to do that and there isn't one in modern football who is any good at it. Maybe if he didn't try to bypass the midfield with every touch they might have been more productive throughout the season.

I don't think Mills is good with the ball at his feet, but I don't think he is any worse than St Ledger, Bamba or Morgan.

I agree that a defenders job is to clear the ball when necessary, but where possible give it to the midfielders to start an attack. However, I don't think Mills was the only player guilty of hoofing the ball forward.

I also think people should question why the long ball was used sometimes. Was it the midfield not being available? Lack of ideas further forward resulting in the ball coming back to the defenders or simply a tactic from management to start quicker counter attacks?

 

[Blue Maniac]

If so, I seem to remember that being a very well-played ball.

EDIT: It was, and it was. Still, Nugent had an awful lot left to do, but it was a nicely played ball nonetheless.

It was indeed, but this one small truffle didn't make the enormous mound of shit any easier to eat.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

While no one is claiming SSL and Morgan are hardly great technical players either, beecause they clearly aren'y, there's no way they did try long passes anywhere near as much sa Mills. Bamba certainly didn't. I can't remember another Leicester player in my lifetime who did tbh. It wasn't just the odd long pass, He attempted several every single game.

And I'm not sure it was tactics or lack of support either as Mills has the reputation of doing exactly the same thing at both Doncaster and Reading, that Doncaster side espeically were knoen for their good football and we played some great stuff under SGE last season as well in which we didn't try long passes all the time but Mills changed that when he came in under SGE, before NP was even in charge as well.

 

[Miles Away]

I can't remember another Leicester player in my lifetime who did tbh. It wasn't just the odd long pass, He attempted several every single game.

Walsh made Mills look like Beckenbauer.

 

[Miles Away]

It was indeed, but this one small truffle didn't make the enormous mound of shit any easier to eat.

Sure, just cementing the specific incident.

He did have a bad tendency to welly the ball, but this specific case was a nice effort.

 

[Blue Maniac]

I don't think Mills is good with the ball at his feet, but I don't think he is any worse than St Ledger, Bamba or Morgan.

I agree that a defenders job is to clear the ball when necessary, but where possible give it to the midfielders to start an attack. However, I don't think Mills was the only player guilty of hoofing the ball forward.

I also think people should question why the long ball was used sometimes. Was it the midfield not being available? Lack of ideas further forward resulting in the ball coming back to the defenders or simply a tactic from management to start quicker counter attacks?

There are many reasons why Mills looked completely lost during last season. One was being repeatedly abandoned by the marauding African lummox that was supposed to be his defensive partner. Don't get me wrong, I loved Sol purely because of his entertainment value, but he caused unnecessary panic in the defence. Another was, like you say, a lack of midfield options. Much of the time, nobody volunteered themselves for a pass. But Mills' main problem was himself. He picked out poor passes, he made stupid, naive and dangerous challenges, and he refused to learn from his myriad mistakes.

 

[Willlow]

There are many reasons why Mills looked completely lost during last season. One was being repeatedly abandoned by the marauding African lummox that was supposed to be his defensive partner. Don't get me wrong, I loved Sol purely because of his entertainment value, but he caused unnecessary panic in the defence. Another was, like you say, a lack of midfield options. Much of the time, nobody volunteered themselves for a pass. But Mills' main problem was himself. He picked out poor passes, he made stupid, naive and dangerous challenges, and he refused to learn from his myriad mistakes.

At last a reasoned argument rather than 'Mills is just crap'.

Without doubt the sending offs were naive and not only affected the team, but led to him struggling to build a partnership in the defence. I would argue that the sending offs also contributed to the fans turning against him. In different circumstances I think Pearson could have helped Mills develop into a top defender, but we will never know. I definitely see him more as a Pearson type defender than Bamba.

 

[H T B]

Walsh made Mills look like Beckenbauer.

Maybe so, but that pass for Muzzy was just brilliant

 

[Blue Maniac]

At last a reasoned argument rather than 'Mills is just crap'.

Without doubt the sending offs were naive and not only affected the team, but led to him struggling to build a partnership in the defence. I would argue that the sending offs also contributed to the fans turning against him. In different circumstances I think Pearson could have helped Mills develop into a top defender, but we will never know. I definitely see him more as a Pearson type defender than Bamba.

If NP and Mills hadn't clashed - and it's obvious they did - then I think NP would have been more than happy to have Mills in his team. After all, he persevered with Hobbs.

 

[Waxed]

If NP and Mills hadn't clashed - and it's obvious they did - then I think NP would have been more than happy to have Mills in his team. After all, he persevered with Hobbs.

For all my disdain last season, I agree. After all it's not like he hadn't carved out a good reputation for himself elsewhere. I was just surprised with the player we ended up with.

 

[Brown Nose]

While no one is claiming SSL and Morgan are hardly great technical players either, beecause they clearly aren'y, there's no way they did try long passes anywhere near as much sa Mills. Bamba certainly didn't. I can't remember another Leicester player in my lifetime who did tbh. It wasn't just the odd long pass, He attempted several every single game.

Gerry Taggart launched two or three long balls directly into touch every game. Also, as has been said, Walsh's distribution was no better than Mill's in his first few years at the club. It was only under MON that it got any better. And Mills disciplinary record was good compared to Walsh. Remember Dabizas? His distribution was laughable and certainly no better than Mills.

The anti-Mills sentiment expressed in this thread is absurd. He's patently a better player than he has been portrayed as, otherwise three clubs would not have paid in excess of a million quid for him already. He just didn't settle here for reasons probably a lot more to do with failing to mix with players, managers, splitting with his ex, etc than anything that happened on the pitch.

Some transfers work out, some don't. Certainly, if like us under SGE, you sign loads of players without doing much in the way of homework in terms of them integrating into the club, you're going to have a few that don't work out.

 

[M17TT C]

Don't be silly BN, Mills is quite clearly the worst player that has ever played for Leicester. He once kicked the ball out for a throw-in you know and also had to make some last ditch takles as none of the other players could make any themselves.

We'll walk the league now and Bolton are going to finish bottom by a mile now they have the worst defender ever to have graced a football field.

I just can't wait to see which Forest reject we move for next though Ipswich have thrown a spanner in the works with that plan today.

 

[fox58]

interview with Mills on the moan in

 

[Blue Maniac]

Gerry Taggart launched two or three long balls directly into touch every game.

Maybe so, but Taggart had something resembling positional awareness, an ability to tackle without getting sent off, and composure. Mills displayed none of these.

Also, as has been said, Walsh's distribution was no better than Mill's in his first few years at the club. It was only under MON that it got any better. And Mills disciplinary record was good compared to Walsh.

Again, Walsh knew where he was on the pitch most of the time and at least looked like he wanted to win games of football.

Remember Dabizas? His distribution was laughable and certainly no better than Mills.

Yes, but to be fair Dabizas was shite. But again, he had some idea how to defend.

The anti-Mills sentiment expressed in this thread is absurd. He's patently a better player than he has been portrayed as, otherwise three clubs would not have paid in excess of a million quid for him already. He just didn't settle here for reasons probably a lot more to do with failing to mix with players, managers, splitting with his ex, etc than anything that happened on the pitch.

I quite agree. Although it's difficult to imagine him playing well after what I saw last season, obviously he can because people who know the game a lot better than I do have come to different conclusions than I have.

Some transfers work out, some don't. Certainly, if like us under SGE, you sign loads of players without doing much in the way of homework in terms of them integrating into the club, you're going to have a few that don't work out.

Absolutely spot on. SGE's approach to transfers last summer was, in hindsight, pretty naive. The fact that he didn't appear to know anything about the personalities of the players he was bringing in is possibly the most disturbing thing. That he was allowed to make massive changes in such a short space of time and then fired after a handful of games was nothing short of astonishing.

 

[Lako42]

Mills made me laugh, a centre half who could not win a header to save his career. He really was quite shit.

The Reading fans were delighted to see the back of him.

 

[londonfox]

Feel free to point out my hypocrisy in that I am adding yet another post to this thread.

But....

Maybe he did have a falling out with Nigel Pearson. Maybe he didn't. Maybe he was telling the truth in his latest interview and maybe he was lying. Maybe he has a stash of midget porn hidden on his laptop and maybe in his spare time he is a top notch cook. But whatever, who the **** cares. He is a Bolton player now. Can we all just stop talking about him.

 

[Waxed]

Did he say anything vaguely interesting in his interview?

 

[Ike O'Noclassed]

Did he say anything vaguely interesting in his interview?

No. Gagging clause (A. Young). Stanks o' fesh.