Confirmed Transfer Mills to Bolton

[camberwell fox]

I think as others have said - if he had done the simple things well such as tackling, being in position and distributing short balls to team mates people would have forgiven the fact that he couldn't pass wind.

Truely woeful defender in almost every way.

 

[FryattFox]

Truely woeful defender in almost every way.

Absolute madness.

Did you actually ever go to any matches?! I can't imagine that you have, and if you have been then you clearly don't understand football.

See below.

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.

 

[Miles Away]

My final word on it is that I think he is a better defender than anyone we currently have on the books.

Still, the well had been poisoned and he had to move.

 

[bocadillo]

I think he is a better defender than anyone we currently have on the books.

How wrong can one man ever be?

 

[FryattFox]

How wrong can one man ever be?

You clearly haven't stumbled into an alley whilst Homer and Alex have been playing 'games'.

Oh, you didn't mean that sort of 'wrong'...

 

[Miles Away]

How wrong can one man ever be?

Who is better Boc?

 

[bocadillo]

Who is better Boc?

They're all better than somebody who thinks he has nothing to learn and resolves to carry on playing in a style that will cause him to miss at least half a dozen games a year through suspension.

 

[Waxed]

Mills is not a "truly woeful defender in almost every way". True, he was dreadful here and the signing was ill-thought at the time but that does not justify such criticism. I was bitterly disappointed with him but I can also appreciate his past achievements.

He had a bad time here, looked dreadful and it was best for all parties that he moved on. He may go to Bolton and perform wonders there and I could still sleep at night if it happened like that (although I don't see it happening). But they probably got a good deal for him when all is said and done.

 

[Blue Maniac]

Absolute madness.

Did you actually ever go to any matches?! I can't imagine that you have, and if you have been then you clearly don't understand football.

See below.

I think it's fair to say that anyone judging him solely on performances for Leicester City could easily come to the conclusion that camberwell has. 'Woeful' is the perfect word to describe Mills' mercifully brief stay at the KPS.

 

[Blue Maniac]

Who is better Boc?

Going on last season's evidence: Sean St Ledger, Paul Konchesky and Wes Morgan.

 

[Miles Away]

Going on last season's evidence: Sean St Ledger, Paul Konchesky and Wes Morgan.

I'd have to disagree personally, and I was lucky enough to watch a lot of the football. Not to say you're definitively wrong (that would be rude) but I don't share the view.

 

[Blue Maniac]

I'd have to disagree personally, and I was lucky enough to watch a lot of the football. Not to say you're definitively wrong (that would be rude) but I don't share the view.

None of them were by any means outstanding; SSL had a very shaky start but recovered well; Konchesky was hit and miss - but mostly hit; Morgan is my favourite because a) he seems to have some ability with the ball at his feet despite having the appearance, on first sight, of a lumbering buffoon, and b) he displays the awareness and confidence that defenders should have. Mills did not. Additionally, the aforementioned triumvirate each had more good games than bad ones - something that I would hope Mills couldn't claim with a straight face.

 

[The Old Fox]

This thread sums up my feelings towards LCFC, at the moment: it is more interesting to discuss a player who has left, than the current squad or our chances for the new season.

Matt Mills is no longer a Leicester player. I could understand, when he was here but not playing, but now, what is the point in arguing as to whether Mills was the best player ever to sign for the club, or unworthy to wash the kit?

 

[FryattFox]

I think it's fair to say that anyone judging him solely on performances for Leicester City could easily come to the conclusion that camberwell has. 'Woeful' is the perfect word to describe Mills' mercifully brief stay at the KPS.

I disagree.

He made some stupid decisions, yes, but I definitely saw glimpses of the quality that he has. At least half our team were shite last year, just more consistently so.

It's been done to death on here regarding how he never settled in the team, etc, but I'd be very surprised if he doesn't do pretty well for Bolton next season.

 

[FryattFox]

This thread sums up my feelings towards LCFC, at the moment: it is more interesting to discuss a player who has left, than the current squad or our chances for the new season.

Matt Mills is no longer a Leicester player. I could understand, when he was here but not playing, but now, what is the point in arguing as to whether Mills was the best player ever to sign for the club, or unworthy to wash the kit?

It's a forum.

It's a hot topic.

It's the same as when Sven left.

There's not a lot else going on.

It's polarising.

Any more?

 

[alex]

I like tits

 

[FantasyFox]

None of them were by any means outstanding; SSL had a very shaky start but recovered well; Konchesky was hit and miss - but mostly hit; Morgan is my favourite because a) he seems to have some ability with the ball at his feet despite having the appearance, on first sight, of a lumbering buffoon, and b) he displays the awareness and confidence that defenders should have. Mills did not. Additionally, the aforementioned triumvirate each had more good games than bad ones - something that I would hope Mills couldn't claim with a straight face.

Interesting. If I was going to buy a player based on your scouting report, I would go for:

1) Mr Shaky
2) Mr Hit & Miss

I think my last pick would be the aware and confident lumbering buffoon.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

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.

Comparing the importance of the distribution of a player plying today to one playing 15 years ago is assuming the shift in power in the game hasn't changed when it clearly has.

Teams who play possession football in the 2010s in England are a hell of a lot more abundent than in the 1990s and defenders come up against different styles of team and different types of player. Playing against possession teams the one thing you don't want to do is keep giving the ball back to them and as such the distribution of a defender is far more important now than it was 15 years ago and it's only getting more and more important as more and more teams in this country change to a possession style of football.

Mills is an anachronism, an old school English type of defender and the kind of defender who is dying out (for good reason) and the kind of player who is becoming more and more obsolete. Compare the defenders of PL teams 15 years ago compared to now and you'll find a hell of a lot more Mills/Walsh/Taggart style cloggers in the PL 15 years ago.

Tbh I'm not sure Walsh and Taggart would be anywhere near as effective playing for us today as they were back when they did anyway, especially given their lack of pace now with the emergence of the on running attacking midfielder as opposed to the traditional number 9, which has rapidly declined over the past decade or so.

 

[Brown Nose]

Comparing the importance of the distribution of a player plying today to one playing 15 years ago is assuming the shift in power in the game hasn't changed when it clearly has.

Teams who play possession football in the 2010s in England are a hell of a lot more abundent than in the 1990s and defenders come up against different styles of team and different types of player. Playing against possession teams the one thing you don't want to do is keep giving the ball back to them and as such the distribution of a defender is far more important now than it was 15 years ago and it's only getting more and more important as more and more teams in this country change to a possession style of football.

Mills is an anachronism, an old school English type of defender and the kind of defender who is dying out (for good reason) and the kind of player who is becoming more and more obsolete. Compare the defenders of PL teams 15 years ago compared to now and you'll find a hell of a lot more Mills/Walsh/Taggart style cloggers in the PL 15 years ago.

Tbh I'm not sure Walsh and Taggart would be anywhere near as effective playing for us today as they were back when they did anyway, especially given their lack of pace now with the emergence of the on running attacking midfielder as opposed to the traditional number 9, which has rapidly declined over the past decade or so.

Well, to be fair, you were the one that brought the historical reference into it in the first place. Putting that aside, did you watch England in the Euros? We were exceptional at giving the ball away and this was a collection of players from the best teams in the Premier League.

A lot of cobblers is spoken about possession in the modern game. Having most of it doesn't mean you do anything constructive with it as many teams prove all the time. Under Sven, we dominated possession in lots of games that we failed to win. When MON was here, we almost always had 40% or less possession in games and seemed to do rather well. It's also not a modern phenomena that possession is more valuable nowadays. Liverpool in the 70s-80s were built on possession football but they also had the best players. My point is, that on its own, possession is irrelevant and that has been the case in any era. Another obvious example is Chelsea in the Champions League last season. They hardly kept the ball for two passes in the later matches, yet triumphed through good, old fashioned, guts, determination and luck. These factors are far more significant in determining a result than possession of the ball.

Matt Mills isn't an anachronism. He's a modern central defender who likes to try the occasional long ball in a match as do many other central defenders in this league and better ones. The fact that his success percentage with them in a few games for us was poor proves nothing about his ability as a footballer. The fact that he received a couple of red cards proves nothing. Just as his excellent last ditch blocks in a number of games don't prove anything either. At his best, Mills is better than Morgan or St. Ledger in my view. However, we never saw him at his best probably due to reasons I've previously expressed in this thread. Given the things he said in his interview the other day, it would appear that NP decided to make an example of him to establish his credentials as boss and make it clear to the rest of the players that he wanted a subservient staff.

Personally, I think this trait in NP is a poor one and something that will ultimately stop him from making the grade at Premier League level. Time will tell though.

 

[Matt_B]

Well, to be fair, you were the one that brought the historical reference into it in the first place. Putting that aside, did you watch England in the Euros? We were exceptional at giving the ball away and this was a collection of players from the best teams in the Premier League.

A lot of cobblers is spoken about possession in the modern game. Having most of it doesn't mean you do anything constructive with it as many teams prove all the time. Under Sven, we dominated possession in lots of games that we failed to win. When MON was here, we almost always had 40% or less possession in games and seemed to do rather well. It's also not a modern phenomena that possession is more valuable nowadays. Liverpool in the 70s-80s were built on possession football but they also had the best players. My point is, that on its own, possession is irrelevant and that has been the case in any era. Another obvious example is Chelsea in the Champions League last season. They hardly kept the ball for two passes in the later matches, yet triumphed through good, old fashioned, guts, determination and luck. These factors are far more significant in determining a result than possession of the ball.

Matt Mills isn't an anachronism. He's a modern central defender who likes to try the occasional long ball in a match as do many other central defenders in this league and better ones. The fact that his success percentage with them in a few games for us was poor proves nothing about his ability as a footballer. The fact that he received a couple of red cards proves nothing. Just as his excellent last ditch blocks in a number of games don't prove anything either. At his best, Mills is better than Morgan or St. Ledger in my view. However, we never saw him at his best probably due to reasons I've previously expressed in this thread. Given the things he said in his interview the other day, it would appear that NP decided to make an example of him to establish his credentials as boss and make it clear to the rest of the players that he wanted a subservient staff.

Personally, I think this trait in NP is a poor one and something that will ultimately stop him from making the grade at Premier League level. Time will tell though.

Firstly, you can't score without possession, so it is key. Secondly, it wasn't a few that went ary, it was most of them. Thirdly, Mills is hardly going to give an interview and say "I was a prize twat and Pearson was right to boot me out" just as Pearson wouldn't admit he was at fault, so it's pointless reading anything into the interview.