Bend it like.... Milner

James Milner got his second chance yesterday after being pulled in the first England game against USA when he clearly wasn't up to the task - to the extent where he earned himself a yellow card trying to defend the left hand flank.
Notably, he was put on against Slovenia to replace the ineffective Aaron Lennon on the right wing, and his performance was a crucial part of the turn-around in England's performance. England are used to getting 'Beckham-style' deliveries from that position, but in the absence of the master crosser, all that has been on offer are speedy dribblers who can skip past a couple of defenders but on the whole fail to deliver anything worthwhile. I like Lennon on the right, on top-form he can be virtually unplayable, but he has to be able to play in a way that England can benefit.
For my money, England with wingers who can cross the ball look ten times more likely to score than England with speed and maneuverability on the wings. I don't know whether Milner has been taken under Beckhams' wing for any special training, but the fact that 'normal' service has been resumed is absolutely undeniable.
Defoe has proved his value as a hit-man, and he nearly scored twice from similar Milner crosses - with Milner providing the service, you have more confidence that Crouch will be able get that last minute goal if the ocassion calls for it.

My interpretation of the rules on yellow cards in the 2010 World Cup is that Glen Johnson can not play in the next game - two yellows equals a one-match suspension, but after the quarter-finals, all bookings are scratched from a players record meaning that ONLY a dismissal in the semi-final would prevent the player from being picked for the World Cup final.