Milner fears England could suffer from pitch battle

Aston Villa midfielder James Milner admits Wembley’s poor-quality pitch could cause problems for England’s World Cup preparations.

Milner got a close look at the surface during Sunday’s League Cup final against Manchester United and found it was difficult to produce the kind of quick passing game that England coach Fabio Capello wants to play.

The pitch cut up badly and was so heavy that players were getting cramps just an hour into the match.

With England hosting African Cup of Nations winners Egypt at Wembley on Wednesday and then facing Mexico at the national stadium in May, Milner fears Capello’s team could struggle to find their rhythm ahead of the finals in South Africa unless the surface is improved.

“It was very difficult actually. It was very slippery and was cutting up. I hope it can improve,” Milner said.

“It was not good. You work as hard as you can to get to a Cup Final at Wembley and it was probably one of the worst pitches you will play on all season.

“Hopefully it can be changed. It was worse than any of the Championship pitches.

“It’s not good, I hope it can be rectified because when you are growing up you watch the old finals at Wembley and people used to say it was like a carpet.

“At a cup final you want to play on the best surface on a great pitch, but I knew what to expect as I have been there before.

“There had been a lot of rain and maybe it was poorer on Sunday but whenever I have been there before I’ve never thought ‘this is a great surface’.

“I’m not a groundsman, so I don’t know what goes into it. Maybe it is because it is a new stadium, but if you’re comparing it to Arsenal – that’s one of the best grounds you can play on. It is a top, top surface.

“That’s obviously a new ground and if that can get it anyway near that, I would be very happy.”

Although Milner finished on the losing side against United, his vibrant display in his new central midfield role emphasised how useful he could be to Capello at the World Cup.

Normally a winger, Milner has adapted impressively to the different demands of playing in the midfield engine room.

He could even fill in at left-back if needed and the former Leeds and Newcastle star is ready to do whatever it takes to get into the thick of the World Cup action.

“I think the centre suits my game. I can use my work-rate and get around the pitch and influence the game,” Milner said.

“There is competition for places all over the pitch but that’s why it might help me because I can play in different positions and I have played a lot of football out wide. I’m just happy to be involved and have the chance to stake a claim.

“Being moved into the middle of the pitch has allowed me to enjoy it and maybe get a few more goals than I would have done than being out wide.”