Aston Villa 0 – 2 MAN CITY – MY THOUGHTS

The general perceptions of David Silva and James Milner could not be more different. One is viewed as a gifted artist, blessed with typical Spanish virtues of technical excellence and creative flair. The other is referred to as a willing runner, happy to get stuck in, but regarded as having limited talent. On paper, they are in direct contrast.

The reality, however, is not quite so black and white. Silva combines his effortless grace with an awareness of his defensive duties, happy to display the ugly, under-appreciated elements of his game on a regular basis. Milner is intelligent, his movement purposeful and with his blend of ability and application, he is the ideal foil to his teammate. On paper, they might be in direct contrast. On the pitch, fortunately, they are the perfect pair.

If it seems odd to highlight a couple of floating midfielders as an effective duo – when many would naturally pinpoint a central defensive partnership or the link between two strikers – it serves only to remind City supporters just how delightful Silva and Milner are when playing together. Friends off the pitch, their relationship when they cross the white line is obvious and, once again, it was integral at Villa Park in driving City to a fully deserved three points.

In the aftermath of a hard-fought, dramatic win it would be easy forget just how sloppy and disjointed City were during the first-half on Saturday. Passes went astray, the tempo was lethargic and with the home side threatening on the counter-attack, it began to feel like one of those days when a goal would prove elusive and Villa would steal a victory late on. And then came the Silva and Milner show.

It all began when Silva starting drifting more centrally. That move made perfect sense as it placed our best player in his best position, but while Silva is undoubtedly a true genius and the greatest player I’ve ever seen in a City shirt, he cannot change games single-handedly. He can prompt attacks, demand the ball, create chances and inject ingenuity to an insipid performance, but he needs help. He needs someone to make the runs to receive his majestic passes. At Villa Park, Milner was – as he invariably is – that man.

His critics, so eager to spout ill-conceived, repetitive nonsense, will tell you he is nothing more than a workhorse, someone who is fitter than other players, but lacks their touch and technique. For some reason in this country, it is frowned upon to be responsible, to help your fullback, to track back and support your team defensively. Milner does all that without complaint, but he also has far, far more quality than many would have you believe. His intelligence, or rather, the intelligence of his movement is perhaps his greatest asset.

Silva needs runners. He needs people to make angles, to stretch defenders and to open up gaps. Those runners might not always receive the ball, but they drag the opposition out of position away from Silva and leave him the space to delight.

It goes without saying that Yaya Touré and Samir Nasri are incredibly skillful players, but they want the ball to feet. They don’t make frequent bursts that might go unrewarded. They camp on the edge of the box and ask for the ball. They are fairly static. That doesn’t particularly help Silva.

Milner, however, is a constant whir of movement. He darts everywhere. He sprints out wide, he glides centrally, he drives to the opposite side of the pitch to overload in that area. He is effervescent, dynamic, energetic. He is exactly what Silva needs. He is exactly what City need.

If you can, watch a replay of Saturday’s match. Watch how many times in the second-half Silva picks up the ball between the lines and looks for a forward pass. And then watch how many times Milner provides the option. It’s unfashionable and is often overlooked by observers, but it was a key feature of how City operated against Aston Villa, prodding and probing, wearing them down until Yaya danced forward and supplied a sublime finish to break their defensive barrier.

The Ivorian will understandably take the plaudits and the headlines, as will Sergio Aguero for his thumping goal which clinched victory, but make no mistake; Silva and Milner were the real stars of the show. Their double act goes from strength to strength.

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