Stewart Downing - West Hahahaham player

[baitman]

i didnt get to see the game, but caught the highlights on tv. early on enrique [it think] had a good run up the left, and ran into their defence, i was wondering where downing was, and he was in the box... the ball came to him and he moved out left away from the box, but he did manage to get a cross in.
i wonder where these lads get their positional sense from.

[DannyMan2006]

Downing performed against Brighton like he did early on in the season. Nothing spectacular, but a very promising display. If he turned out like that every week I doubt there'd be much complaint. He's a good player and is capable of a concistant level of form as he proved last season with Villa, and that's why it's so frustrating.

With Carroll & Henderson they are young lads and will go through dips at this early stage in their career. Even Charlie Adam, it's only his second season in the prem, it can't be easy with all the expectation. To go from Blackpool in the Championship to a year in the prem and then Liverpool is a massive step.

But Downing on the other hand is an exception. He's played at the top level for a while now. He needs to keep his form up now and then kick on if he wants to be a fixture for more than a couple of seasons.

[Craig_H]

I dont think he actually is capable of producing it consistently though. It's at the level of about once in 12 games thus far.

And i'd pull you up on the 'top level' comment too I mean...Villa. Really?

[DannyMan2006]

I dont think he actually is capable of producing it consistently though. It's at the level of about once in 12 games thus far.

And i'd pull you up on the 'top level' comment too I mean...Villa. Really?

I think he started the season very well, then his form dipped along with the teams. And Villa are a decent Premiership side, or were when he was there anyway.

[Mostar]

I dont think he actually is capable of producing it consistently though. It's at the level of about once in 12 games thus far.

And i'd pull you up on the 'top level' comment too I mean...Villa. Really?

That's his biggest problem imo.

He has one or two decent games and then he goes missing for next 10..

That said he has never been playing this bad as he has shown with us so he is capable of improving and playing better overall.

[DannyMan2006]

That's his biggest problem imo.

He has one or two decent games and then he goes missing for next 10..

That said he has never been playing this bad as he has shown with us so he is capable of improving and playing better overall.

His form at Liverpool has been clear to see. And only that matters now tbh. But if we are talking about Downings career in general, then I have to say I completey disagree. Downing has always proved to be a very concistant performer at club level, if a little unspectacular. He's a good player, nothing more and nothing less.

It was obviously hoped that his move here would see him kick on, but he's gone backwards really. But I think he can turn it around and at least get back to how he performed with Villa.

[Mostar]

His form at Liverpool has been clear to see. And only that matters now tbh. But if we are talking about Downings career in general, then I have to say I completey disagree. Downing has always proved to be a very concistant performer at club level, if a little unspectacular. He's a good player, nothing more and nothing less.

It was obviously hoped that his move here would see him kick on, but he's gone backwards really. But I think he can turn it around and at least get back to how he performed with Villa.

My comment was made in reference to his time with us.

[DannyMan2006]

My comment was made in reference to his time with us.

Fair enough

I think he started very well with some nice promising performances. Then his form dipped and aside from the odd moment he's been in general quite poor for the majority of games since then.

Yesterday was his first decent performance in a good while. I don't care how good Brighton are, you still have to turn up and Downing did on Sunday. That's the minimum level he should be at, week in, week out.

[Mattshark]

His form at Liverpool has been clear to see. And only that matters now tbh. But if we are talking about Downings career in general, then I have to say I completey disagree. Downing has always proved to be a very concistant performer at club level, if a little unspectacular. He's a good player, nothing more and nothing less.

It was obviously hoped that his move here would see him kick on, but he's gone backwards really. But I think he can turn it around and at least get back to how he performed with Villa.

He has been consistently average over his career and has always been a bottler sadly. He is an average player who has the odd good game.

[Norbs]

He has been consistently average over his career and has always been a bottler sadly. He is an average player who has the odd good game.

That description covers 95% of footballers though. All players can be hit and miss.

Trouble is that he was Villa's player of the year, beating Ashley Young, and our club's admiration of him wasn't based on watching a YouTube clip of highlights but clear indication that he was good in our league. To say he was always a bottler is off the mark and incorrect.

[Mattshark]

That description covers 95% of footballers though. All players can be hit and miss.

Trouble is that he was Villa's player of the year, beating Ashley Young, and our club's admiration of him wasn't based on watching a YouTube clip of highlights but clear indication that he was good in our league. To say he was always a bottler is off the mark and incorrect.

Yes and probably over 95% of footballers aren't good enough to player at the level we expect to play at.

He was player of the year for a very poor side. He has never been a top level player and never been good enough for us. He would be a good player for a bottom half team, he is a long way off good enough for us.

And no, he has always been a bottler.

[Norbs]

Yes and probably over 95% of footballers aren't good enough to player at the level we expect to play at.

He was player of the year for a very poor side. He has never been a top level player and never been good enough for us. He would be a good player for a bottom half team, he is a long way off good enough for us.

And no, he has always been a bottler.

I'm not offering an opinion on him Matt, I'm just stating fact about his performance last season. Why he's failed to at least replicate similar stats at Liverpool is up for discussion and I think we move the ball out of defence too slowly to suit his style. He lacks the space to weave his magic (I'm being artistic) and has shown an inability to adapt to our style of play. I'd wager that if he moved to Newcastle or even Arsenal then he'd flourish again.

This is more a sign of a weakness of ours than his. We scratch our heads about how we create so many chances yet fail to score but if you look at our two most prolific players in the last 10 years, Owen & Torres, both were able to latch on to a through ball and profitted from space. Carra gets slagged off for his hoof ball but the ball travels a lot quicker than the man and perhaps we need a little bit more length in our passes out of defence right now.

[danperkins]

Yes and probably over 95% of footballers aren't good enough to player at the level we expect to play at.

He was player of the year for a very poor side. He has never been a top level player and never been good enough for us. He would be a good player for a bottom half team, he is a long way off good enough for us.

And no, he has always been a bottler.

[Mattshark]

I'm not offering an opinion on him Matt, I'm just stating fact about his performance last season. Why he's failed to at least replicate similar stats at Liverpool is up for discussion and I think we move the ball out of defence too slowly to suit his style. He lacks the space to weave his magic (I'm being artistic) and has shown an inability to adapt to our style of play. I'd wager that if he moved to Newcastle or even Arsenal then he'd flourish again.

This is more a sign of a weakness of ours than his. We scratch our heads about how we create so many chances yet fail to score but if you look at our two most prolific players in the last 10 years, Owen & Torres, both were able to latch on to a through ball and profitted from space. Carra gets slagged off for his hoof ball but the ball travels a lot quicker than the man and perhaps we need a little bit more length in our passes out of defence right now.

Performance is always about opinion, output can be described in facts, performance can't. He looked good in a terrible side who were down in the bottom half, that is a long way from playing with us. He looked ok in a **** team imo.

And I don't think our chance creation is particularly great, I have always thought this season that we were creating low percentage chances, not good ones.

He would not flourish at Arsenal at all, he would be terrible there too. He might do better at Newcastle, but he is a midtable player at best and he lacks the intelligence, work ethic and drive to succeed at our level.

[Yozza]

Downing feeling the pressure at Liverpool after failing to hold down first-team spot
By DOMINIC KING

Stewart Downing is determined to transform his fortunes after admitting his form has been affected by the ‘culture shock’ of swapping Aston Villa for Liverpool.
The England winger cost £20million when he joined Liverpool seven months ago but only created his first goal in 30 appearances for the club in last Sunday’s 6-1 win over Brighton.
With Craig Bellamy fit to face Cardiff in the Carling Cup final on Sunday, Downing’s place in Liverpool’s Wembley team is vulnerable and he said: ‘I have been on the bench sometimes, whereas at other clubs I have been used to playing every week more or less.


‘That has been hard to get used to. It has been a little bit of a culture shock. But I have adapted to that and you just have to be ready when you get called upon.
*

‘It has been a bit up and down for me but you have just got to keep your head down and keep working hard.’
Downing added: ‘I expected pressure but I didn’t expect it to be as big as it has been. You are under the microscope every day.’
But the 27-year-old has said he will knuckle down, adding that Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish watches everything.
'The easy thing is to spit the dummy out and point out everything around that is going wrong,' he said.
'I have had some good games and some indifferent games and I have been on the bench sometimes when I have been used to playing every week.
'That has been a bit hard getting used to but I have adapted quite well, I think But the only thing you can do is keep training well.
'If you are not training well you won't be picked - Kenny addressed that on day one.

'You have to train well if you are in the team or not: you have to be ready when called upon. Kenny sees everything. He watches training day in, day out.
'If you are not performing or you start spitting the dummy out you will not be playing so there is no point doing that.
'You have got to play well and be ready when he picks you and give him problems - reasons to keep picking you.'

sorry about the formatting - bloody iPad

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz1nBiDGF26