Downing will set up a lot of goals (or chip in with the odd few himself) to turn matches that were draws last season into wins and matches that were losses last season into draws. Big Andy will like playing with him very, very much.
I'm not too sure we can play Suarez and Downing together really... both play on the left but Suarez often starts a little wider than a normal LF, so he'd collide with Downing. If we were to play them together we'd have to put Suarez on the right, but I'm not too sure how well he'd do there.
Neither am I sure how Suarez would adapt to playing on the right, but if Sunderland was any indication then it could be very successful
RHC, why don't you just read back over the whole thread and if you STILL think, as usual, that this is down to me then fair enough, we'll agree to disagree. I know it isn't, and until such time as one or two on here accept some objective and creative critisism of your side, manager or newly signed players then this will continue to happen as I just refuse to not fight fire with fire, not a chance. I tried it yesterday and still woke this morning to the usual bullshit from KPR followed by the usual from PMK.
Downing can play right. [video=youtube;s38jnV1FyKo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s38jnV1FyKo[/video]
Downing played on the right all season for Villa. Him and Young both played on the opposite side to their natural foot. It's a tactic being used more and more now to deceive full backs. I said on another thread that Downing on the right and Suarez on the left cutting inside to assist Carroll would be hugely effective.
I'm not a big fan of left footed players playing on the right to be honest. We signed him for his crossing ability and on the right he's not going to be as effective at crossing as he could be.
so your impliying that ever foreign footballer is , ball greedy, diving, and uncommited. hmm funny. and your basically trying to say that most english players are the complete opposite. well seeing as liverpool fans were looking at mata instead of downing, youd be calling mata those things, which i doubt you've ever seen him play then. and tbh seeing how bad englands done internationally, i guess being a ball greedy diving and uncommited twat must be a great thing to be in football, especially since the last english player to win the ballon d'Or was michael owen, your not really saying much are you ( especially seeing how owen turned out ) about downing :/ P.S the most assists downing has ever had is 14. and dont get me wrong im not saying anything at all bad about downing i think hes a good player, i just think your very ignorant and stupid. sorry had to be said. EDIT: dont really get why my other post was deleted, as you know it was true, but who ever said the truth is a good thing.
A new post on Tomkins' site (I'm still reading it) begins with: A certain player happens to have completed more successful crosses in the past three seasons than anyone else in the Premier League; he is the top-flight’s 5th-most successful chance-creator over the past seven seasons, and the only one of that top five to not be in a Champions League side over the duration (the other four being the world-famous quartet of Fabregas, Gerrard, Lampard and Giggs). http://tomkinstimes.com/2011/07/is-stewart-downing-actually-stanley-devastating/ Got any Mata stats?
So, it looks like 20m for Downing. What are your thoughts on this price? Do you think its a compelte rip-off and that you have been totally hustled by Villa, or do you think it's a good price? Thanks, I look forward to your thoughts
Slighty overpriced. The stats don't lie though and his stats are excellent. He was also voted Villa's player of the year ahead of Ashley Young. Hopefully the price is around £15M with various add-ons.
This is unashamedly robbed from LFConline OptaJoe Opta Sports 421 - Since Aug 2004, only 4 players (Lampard, Fabregas, Gerrard & Giggs) have created more PL chances than Stewart Downing. Craftsman. OptaJoe Opta Sports 34.4 - Stewart Downing has averaged 34.4 appearances over the past five Premier League seasons. Reliable. OptaJoe Opta Sports 135 - Stewart Downing has completed more crosses in open play than any other player in the Premier League over the last three seasons. Whip. Also regarding Henderson & Adam: OptaJoe Opta Sports 110 - Jordan Henderson, Luka Modric & Samir Nasri have all created 110 PL goalscoring chances since Aug 2009. Transferable. OptaJoe Opta Sports 56% - Downing, Adam & Henderson created 239 chances in the PL last season, equivalent to 56% of Liverpool's 2010-11 total (429). Blueprint. --------------- I understand that some opposition fans are keen to rain on our parade, they must have thought we would just keep falling down the table. But no matter how many times they come on here and make inflammatory judgements about our signings with pretty much nothing to back it up, and then claim 'i was just giving an opinion this is a forum', well that's just an extra reason to look forward to the start of the season. When our signings- all fitting within a plan and designed to get the best out of their teammates- click next year, and we're actually making a few teams look over their shoulders, then hopefully this word 'average' will stop being so overused. Downing wasn't 'average' in relation to any of those stats above, he wasn't average when he just swept the Villa season awards, and he won't be 'average' for a team that even in crisis finished 6th. So... cheers, and how about you actually look up the word 'average' you morons.
Downing's crossing stats highlight his weakness, not his strength. He has a very limited view of what he brings to the team. Hug the touchline, get crosses in, rinse and repeat. To succeed at a higher level, he'll need to develop the ability to "think outside his position" and contribute elsewhere when the team needs it.
That's rubbish, watch his goals and you'll see him heading to the back post, cutting inside from the right, and generally having good awareness on the pitch. O'Neill wouldn't have played him in the middle for a time if he wasn't aware of what's around him. The fact that he uses his most effective weapon (engineering some space and then whipping a dangerous cross in) merely shows he is also aware of his own strengths. Antonio Valencia does the same week-in week-out to great effect, and he currently owns the medal our lads want. Charlie Adam knows he's good at corners and has good corner-taking stats, does that mean he needs to figure out how to get better at throw-ins? That said if he is oh so one dimensional then he can do this every game for us and i'll be chuffed: [video=youtube;iLx9wo392W8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLx9wo392W8[/video]
What does Antonio Valencia do other than that? Nothing much and United are a undoubtedly better side with him in it.
Nope, still not convinced. But I agree about Valencia. I think we're a poorer side with him in it, if we're getting overrun in central midfield.
I disagree Personally, I find Valencia one of the most tedious, one-dimensional players in the league to watch. He can't beat a fullback, runs fast, and hoofs it somewhere inside the eighteen 432 times a match and by chance it leads to a goal every 4th match. Young is a far, far better player and they've done well to get him. Valencia isn't the answer to any top clubs problems. Young is his solution. United aren't a good side to watch with the man who never smiles (because he doesn't enjoy being so limited) in the team.
