Despite his improvement in attitude he doesn't seem to be a brave player. Too many times he runs into the corner & loses the ball because he delayed making a decision, be it crossing too late, taking on the defender after he's got support or doing neither and passing back to the CB's. Having said that, you know what you are getting so if he's picked we can't continue to criticise him for doing what he always does. As long as his work rate is high I'm no longer going to criticise him for just being average.
No its not, but he can't be any better than he is. So its up to BR to put someone else on or if we don't have anyone to replace him, buy someone in the summer. Until then, if he puts in the effort its counter productive to abuse publicly (I can't promise I won't "FFS" during a match lol.)
Bottom line is he's performed badly, reason or not. He's been full of uncertainty since joining. It started bad, but he's been playing regularly and it appears to be paying off though there is room for improvement in decision making, lots of room but that goes for Johnson Henderson Shelvey Sterling and Suarez though Luis has greatly improved his link up and passing this season. What Downing suffered from affected a few players. Also when we as a team are so ineffectual certain players stand out as being particularly bad, the more possession they get in a game we're not doing well in they appear to be far worse than anyone else. Downing has suffered from this. In games where he was awful so were a number of other players that received far less of the ball in attacks. So if Downing starts to put some form together we'll have another Lucas situation. Do some of you never learn.
Well no not really. Lucas was a young man trying to find his way in a new country, displace mascherano, and didn't get agood run in the team. Downing is a proven premiership player, an England international and had played for several seasons at a high level. I don't think it is too much to expect him to hit the ground running or at the very least, be a first team player who constantly contributes with goals and assists,as he did at villa,after 1 1/2 seasons.! Not look like some 18 year old who looks overawed by the whole situation. I was happy when we signed him (couldn't care less about the fee) but,as with kewell, he just hasn't produced anything like the form he is capable of and it's very disappointing.
What frustrates me is that he seems to lose the ball in the same way several times in a game. I do think at the moment (or at least until Coutinho can show why he deserves to be ahead) he should be starting, because Sterling has dropped off, Borini injured (and hasnt shown much either) and Shelvey looks clueless a lot of the time
Problem is he may have bene playing better, but he's playing at a 6/10 compared to a 4/10 earlier in the season. Made this point so many times but his strength is staying wide and crossing balls.... it just doesn't fit in with the way we are playing. When Sturridge/Saurez/Countinho have played out wide they've cut in and taken players on allowing them to link up with people in the middle. Downing tries this at times but can't take players on so either chips one into the box (with no one there) or has a shot which 9/10 is blocked or straight at the keeper. If he goes to another Prem club he'll probably do well and get a lot of assists for teams with forwards who are decent in the air.
Fair point. However, when we signed him we knew he wasn't a world beater, we expected him to be a consistent 6/7 out of ten performing. And before someone says it, yes £20m is too much for a reliable average player but (a) the fans didn't do the negotiating, (b) the fee is in the the past and (c) it wasn't Downings fault! And no, I'm not a Downing fan but I am a believer in being fair on an individual!
I thought he played well against Zenit. As I said if we had a striker who knew how to make the right runs he'd have had at least 3 assists. What more do you really want from a wide player?
This is like saying its time to be nice to christian poulsen or worse paul konchesky... just cos theres nobody else (bar the invisible manwho suddenly turne dup last thursday) having nobody else is not a good reason to accept a negative, average player like downing... end of. LFC next year MUST be coutinho sturridge suarez up top and gerrard, lucas, henderson in midfield... its really simple start there and improve with signings. I mean come on guys our team since january seems to have impoved a bit making january a good window... but we are SERIOUSLY underperforming. Reina johnson skertl agger enrique gerrard lucas henderson coutinho sturridge suarez I'd push suarez out to left side where he looked world class v arsenal. I'd want couninho to just run and dribble and try to play his way in. really really simple in my view... just do NOT sign anyone that is not good enough to push one of those 11 out. Sell downing and sell shelvey as priorities, either loan or sell coates if he won't get in the gym.... loan out suso to spain to make a player of him.... then focus on sterling in cameos and rebuild his confidence which looks shot. Buy a CB a CM and a striker..... I just hope we don't just keep buying average players from here on in. NO MORE ASSAIDI'S! buy someone you really think will force someone in that 11 out. I;m willing to forgive mistakes like borini and allen as going to what you know unitl you get your feet under the desk... after all they might be reserve quality for a top team one day, next summer is vital, if the wrong players are chosen i'd back Henry if he sacked the guy after 5 games. We'll all know if they are right the day they arrive generally.
Downing has improved and I think he does deserve a place in the first XI. However, this isn't a compliment to Downing - more of an insult to LFC. As someone has already mentioned, he was poor before and he has now improved up to an 'average' level where he is doing the basics right. Unfortunately, we don't have anyone better to displace him and hopefully Coutinho could be that man. If not, I have no problems with using Downing until the end of the season. But a much better replacement is needed in the summer.
Downing is **** and shouldn't be near our first 11. If he bust a gut I would have sympathy but he doesn't and him saying **** like he only pulled his finger out when Rodgers told him he could **** off doesn't make me happy. and also if his performances at the moment constitute Downing "in form" then god help us
agree with this... he's average nothing more and he's not working that hard, just being played all the time. if getting him to average means half a season in the team its not worth it!
