The time has come to sell Downing..he's not good enough plain and simple. Numerous amounts of times I've watched Liverpool this season and numerous amounts of times the guy cuts in he needs to attack the defender and take him on...he was against Boswinga yesterday for gods sake he should have done much better. Also everytime he crosses he fails to beat the first defender no wonder Andy is having a tough season he just hasn't been given the service. Downing doesn't even deserve to be on the bench IMO I've just had enough of his poor performances the fact we spent 20 million on him and still need a winger in that position speaks volumes. What do you guys think sell Downing? Keep him as backup? Also what wingers and other transfers would you like to see.
Tony Evans from the times yesterday said that Downing was the worst kind of player. Talented but wouldn't accept any responsibility whatsoever, I couldn't agree more with him. One of the most despicable seasons I've ever seen from an individual player, purely because he has the talent but was too scared to play. Shankly would've turfed him out of the club immediately if he was here. Lack of ability in people like Spearing can be forgiven because they never hide, hiding on the pitch even though you've got the talent while in the red of Liverpool is unacceptable though. Cowardice has no place at Liverpool football club.
I was never a fan of Downing no disrespect to Villa but he was playing for an average team and not exactly giving match winning performances as he was overshadowed by Young. The fact that Adam Johnson is sitting on the Man city bench makes me angry we could have had Johnson I reckon..I think Middlesbrough wanted 7 million from us at the time but we weren't prepared to take that sort of risk. But imagine someone like Adam Johnson: young quick can score goals can provide decent service...compare that to Downing he has none of these qualities he's 27 he won't improve and it seems he just doesnt want to try and try something different he's happy to do the same unaffecting thing making us way too predictable on the left by cutting in 9/10 times. I agree at least with Spearing and Henderson they look like they care when they mess up and try a little more but downing shows no expression of that thoroughly angry and disappointed with him all season.
I wouldn't go through lengths to sell him, don't really like the term we "we need to sell ASAP" etc. It's not about getting rid, its about bringing in. We need to identify the weak spots and strengthen those areas. CM next to Lucas, wide player and someone up front.
I really like Downing, he has so much quality in that left foot that it's painful to watch him play like he currently does. He has no self belief at times and I feel he just needs a coach to keep encouraging him (not just consistantly starting him) and reminding him of what he can do. We've seen flashes, but all too sparse. I really wish Liverpool would sign another coach, someone like Ian Rush or Fowler or Barnes, someone with genuine ability and knows what it's like playing with the pressues of the Liverpool badge who can guide him through. Dalglish clearly has enough responsibility to be able to treat all his players with micromanagement.
Downing's football strategy book consists of two plays: 1. Receive ball from centre midfield, run five yards until someone steps in front of you, pass ball to left back and let him run up the wing. 2. Receive ball from left back who has ran half the pitch, stand stil until an opponent approachs you, pass ball to centre midfielder who has three people standing around him. Sooner we get rid of him, the better.
Don't know about that, but I think he makes me a Witch Doctor with the amount of cursing I do when he ****s up.
Yesterdays performance should have sealed his fate. We've been waiting all season for hum to find his form, and it never happened. He frustrates me to no end, I find myself yelling at him to beat his man, and I can't count how many times his crosses have been terrible, overshot or under hit. It might explain Andy's poor season, he's had to rely on Downing because people are convinced we need to force that duo. Yesterday for me marked the emergence of Carroll, he's recently hit form and I think his goal proved many doubters wrong. To me he showed that he's NOT a hoofball, typical tall striker. He has a good sense of movement and positioning and those feet of his are his most powerful asset. So basically we don't need Downing as Carroll doesn't need him. He should be moved on, recoup as much as we can for him and move on. Enough of the forced British team. Hendo has bags of potential and I saw that yesterday, he worked his socks off (even through a poor team performance). Give him time and teammates who he can build up confidence with. I wouldn't be too confident if I had to pass to Downing all the time. Spearing, as much as I like the lad, has not got the skills to be a world class player and either needs to learn a lot more or to be moved on.
Downing's football strategy book consists of two plays: 1. Receive ball from centre midfield, run five yards until someone steps in front of you, pass ball to left back and let him run up the wing. 2. Receive ball from left back who has ran half the pitch, stand stil until an opponent approachs you, pass ball to centre midfielder who has three people standing around him. Sooner we get rid of him, the better. Sounds like John Barnes when he played for England. Yep, cut our losses. May be fantastic at chipping balls into dustbins in training, but just has no balls for the real thing. Picked up a copy of the Mirror on the train today - gave Downing 7/10 and Johnson 5/10. WHAT!!!??? Am I on my own thinking Johnson was one of our best players? I'd make him vice-captain. Mind you, a headline I saw in the S*n was "Kop fury at disallowed goal!" All the interviews with the team and management (and my own un-scientific canvassing of workmates, family and friends) is generally that those of the red persuasion thought it was goal, but that it was probably impossible to give as it was so close. Disappointing, but the best team, for the first hour at least, won - and that's that. Fury? Nice comments further up the post re Henderson. he's everywhere and NEVER hides. He always wants the ball and is the first to try and offer himself as an option to a beleaguered collague. He lacks composure, mostly, and an unfair comparison with Gerrard at that age. Give him time - remember what an utter bag of shight Fellaini was for his first eighteen months? It's Adam and, especially, Downing who've been dire this season. Enrique is like the Emporer's new clothes too, especially his defending. Is he any better than Insua? I don't think he is, defensively. Anyhow, a mixed season but a transitional one, which we expected. Read Gary Neville's analysis of the final in the Mail today. Not for the first time, Chuckle 1 was spot one. But we should prepare for the long-haul, back Kenny (though I'm convinced he's only laying the foundations for another, younger manager to take us the full distance to The Promised Land), enjoy the better, pass-and-move football (generally speaking ) and accept that for the time being we're a top six team at best. NEXT season will be about aiming for fifth or fourth at the very best. And let's hope that there's a rule change that the winners of the Europa get an automatic CL place.
I just think back to how everyone and his dog hated Lucas. I think everyone, even Adam deserves an other season. But I would like to buy about 3 new players to use ahead of them, and give them time out of the spotlight to get over their stupid transfer fees. I think we would be a laughing stock to sell them after one season.
Agreed, Yes we all saw it was a goal on freeze frame, but I'd never hold that one against the linesman. I'm happier being able to use that one to counter the chavski fans going on about the 2005 CL semi.
I would keep Downing as back up, unlesss somebody offered over 12m for him which they wont, I would offload Adam n Spearing though, they arnt good enough and we have got Hendo and Shelvey who are better and younger so can improve
The difference between a good mid-table player and a class-top few teams in the league player is often consistency. There are tons of players in football who "on their day" are unplayable and can win a match almost single-handedly for their team; Downing can be immense every now and then (though very rarely this season). He's massively inconsistent though and as such is a mid-table player, I genuinely prefer Gutierrez (for example) who has half the talent but can be seen working his socks off for 90+ minutes every game of the season and on a bad day is a 6/10. For some reason English fans have come to accept that left-wingers have a right to be luxury players who tend to be a bit idle, if you're going to win more illustrious trophies you'll need more players with more fight.
We shouldn't be looking to sell these players on. They are good squad players, nothing more. They improve the depth of the squad and are good to bring off the bench. We just need top quality to the first team in the summer.
