Aston Villa: James Milner ready to pass spot test at World Cup
Nov 12 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail
James Milner
JAMES Milner is refusing to let Villa’s penalty problems put him off for England after admitting he would be prepared to put himself on the spot and take a crucial kick at the World Cup.
Milner’s miss in the 5-1 Premier League win over Bolton at Villa Park on Saturday was his second of the season for Martin O’Neill’s men after he hit the post in the Carling Cup victory over Cardiff.
Those two failures came hot on the heels of the winger wasting two opportunities for England Under-21s during the European Championships in Sweden in the summer.
Collectively Villa have spurned five of the 11 penalties they have taken so far this season with Ashley Young also fluffing two and Gabby Agbonlahor erring in the Carling Cup shoot-out at Sunderland.
But Milner believes they are due a change of fortune from the spot and the 23-year-old winger insists he would still be brave enough to take a pressure penalty at South Africa 2010 next summer.
