Oh Eric, don't do us any favours mate, "I assume you mean not always singing and dancing about Liverpool"! The BEST we ever get from you is damning with faint praise and comparisons with United's squad - not that United's squad can be considered as world class. With the signing of Downing we have addressed 2 issues - width and pace. We have added to the capibilities of our midfield to both control and change a game. Now as we are constantly informed that United do not/cannot play through their midfield, it woe betides a United supporter from commenting upon either the player or the price paid. I do agree that stats can only tell you so much. However, it is worth comparing Downing's stats against those of either Nani or Valencia
TBF I do think Vidic is world class. If there's a better defender out there I'll be surprised. Evra might be up there too with the best left backs. And the season before last (when he scored 30+ goals) Rooney was at the top level if your judging compared to Suarez last season. So it's a bit unfair to say Rooney will never there.
Ok guys can we get back on topic - I'm quite sure I didn't mean for this to turn into a discussion about Utd.
What you talking about Dave. I very rarely bring United players into it unless responding to a previous post about United players. ( unlike your suggestion to compare stats above ) Also I think you will be able to see I said price isn't important if the player brings success. I'm pretty sure you would of jumped on this unless I said I think Downing is brilliant ? I think he is ok, an improvement on your previous left sided position but hardly an exciting signing ( something I have noticed a few of your fans posting this week )
Back on topic I think we need a striker with a bit of pace. We have Carrol for aerial threat and saurez for trickery and kyut as a poacher. If we got striker with a bit of pace would give us 4 different options.
I'd agree; but then we've got Ngog and he's got pace. We need someone with pace and a finishing ability. Cheeky bid for Torres? 20m should get him.
Now pace isn't everything.If it was the be all and end all,we wouldn't need another striker...we would keep Ngog.However it isn't.I reckon we need another poacher,someone that will gobble up chances in tight games as a sub.
This is true but then isn't it always the people without stats who say stats don't prove anything? But take Aaron Lennon. All the pace but only able to cross a ball in the last coupla seasons, whereas young Insua wasn't great at defending but could cross far better. Downing can obviously cross. I didn't realise quite how well and I've championed him since Boro's UEFA Cup run. And he's not a cut-insider. Jeez, I got sick of them. Aside from the ability to pay a little too much being a nice feeling for Liverpool fans, I thought it was a high price until today when I saw Paul Tomkins' piece (okay, he's a Liverpool fan but no blogger or journo I've read has ever shown more substantial research) saying he was in the top 5 chance creators, the other four being Fabregas, Gerrard, Lampard and Giggs. Did Giggs create chances or just cross it to the 'keeper? I dunno. Stats don't tell you everything but that stat says Downing has the potential to be world class if he can sit with that kind of company.
I totally agree. As you say Ngog does have the pace but lacks the killer instinct. The only player, presently in the Premiership, who I can think of for that role would be Defoe.
I don't really give a monkeys what class Downing is as long as he finds Andy Carrolls bonce.If he does that...we score goals and if that happens,its money well spent.
