Stewart Downing - West Hahahaham player

[Shaggy]

Much improved last night. Still not great but an improvement.

[Lents]

I don't think playing on the same side as Enrique helps.

Enrique tends to hold the ball far too long, then gives it to Downing when there's nowhere else to go. He needs to be sliding it in front of Downing earlier, he's quicker than he looks. Instead Enrique has a tendency to over run a lot of the time leaving Downing dropping off to try and cover when he inevitably over runs it.
Enrique is a fantastic left back, but he really needs to be more decisive in the final 3rd, seems to dribble, dribble, dribble, run out of space/ideas, lay it back to Downing who's in a terrible position to attack.

[Zapater]

I don't think playing on the same side as Enrique helps.

Enrique tends to hold the ball far too long, then gives it to Downing when there's nowhere else to go. He needs to be sliding it in front of Downing earlier, he's quicker than he looks. Instead Enrique has a tendency to over run a lot of the time leaving Downing dropping off to try and cover when he inevitably over runs it.
Enrique is a fantastic left back, but he really needs to be more decisive in the final 3rd, seems to dribble, dribble, dribble, run out of space/ideas, lay it back to Downing who's in a terrible position to attack.

I get the impression Enrique has the same opinion of Downing that most of us on here do. I think he thinks Downing is a pussy, he'll often disposes Downing or ignore him on the overlap.

Obviously, I'm just speculating from what I've seen on the pitch, and I don't know for sure before someone asks me how I know this...

He had one of his best games yesterday for us. Someone needs to be in his ear every single day at training and tell him he has the ability to and pace to beat and man and ping crosses in, like he was doing to Zabaleta last night.
When he was up against Richards he didn't fancy it quite so much but someone needs to be telling him he's better than he thinks he is.

When did he beat Zabaleta? He might have gone somewhat around him one time, but he didn't show him a clean pair of heels. His crossing was ****ty as well. His performance was the kind of substandard performance that Jermaine Pennant used to put in and we were unhappy about. It's an improvement for Downing and what he's shown, yes but compared to other players, and what one would expect from a Liverpool player it's still very lacking.

[Lents]

I'm not claiming Downing's performance last night was like Ryan Giggs in the 90's, i.e a left wing maestro but it was a big improvement on recent ones.
He will know he's not done it. I see a lot of 'give x y or z time' but the same doesn't seem to apply to Stewart Downing.
Is it because he has a reputation of being a 'nearly man'? He was fantastic last season for Villa, but then they had a couple of strikers who were capable of scoring, and he played for the most part in a pretty dynamic front 3 with Young and Agbonlahor.
2 players who are 'decent' but not world beaters, a lot like Stew, but who worked well together because they were pacy, confident and not being slagged off left right and centre.
i'm not saying Downing doesn't deserve some of the criticism he's had this year, but similarly if we had a vaguely decent forward barring Bellamy (Suarez plays wherever he wants, which is fair enough) he'd have had at least *some* assists this season.
Just see Andy Carthorse's air shot vs. Bolton when Downing laid it on a plate for him. That's not the only occasion this season.

I don't have a solution, perhaps when Suarez is back, him Downing and Craig will have a bit more about it than for example, Downing Carroll and Kuyt?

[Zapater]

I'm not claiming Downing's performance last night was like Ryan Giggs in the 90's, i.e a left wing maestro but it was a big improvement on recent ones.
He will know he's not done it. I see a lot of 'give x y or z time' but the same doesn't seem to apply to Stewart Downing.
Is it because he has a reputation of being a 'nearly man'? He was fantastic last season for Villa, but then they had a couple of strikers who were capable of scoring, and he played for the most part in a pretty dynamic front 3 with Young and Agbonlahor.
2 players who are 'decent' but not world beaters, a lot like Stew, but who worked well together because they were pacy, confident and not being slagged off left right and centre.
i'm not saying Downing doesn't deserve some of the criticism he's had this year, but similarly if we had a vaguely decent forward barring Bellamy (Suarez plays wherever he wants, which is fair enough) he'd have had at least *some* assists this season.
Just see Andy Carthorse's air shot vs. Bolton when Downing laid it on a plate for him. That's not the only occasion this season.

I don't have a solution, perhaps when Suarez is back, him Downing and Craig will have a bit more about it than for example, Downing Carroll and Kuyt?

class.

Yep, understand your concept, but from your wording it makes it sound like he was really good, and looked a genuine threat, where in reality I'd have been genuinely surprised if he created a clear cut opportunity or scored.

All I'm saying is that, usually we don't give him the opportunity to have the ball in better positions, which he did in this game. It's not like I have faith from that, suddenly there's going to be some kind of u turn.

I didn't think he was "fantastic" last season. Given I don't watch Villa week in week out, because they're the kind of football club with players like the ones you mentioned, plus Petrov etc which make my eyes hurt. Seeing he's an experienced campaigner it'd be naive to expect anything more than this.

Concerning your bit about a top 3, personally I'd have Kuyt or Maxi to make up the 3rd player depending on opposition. Although, due to congested fixtures and Bellamy's knee's there is really a need for 5 or 6 players to be available to fill those positions.

[Lents]

Maxi is clearly not fancied by the boss for me, and would imagine he's off in Summer.

Kuyt is perfect for games like last night, he'll work his bollocks off, but for me and many other reds i speak to his legs have gone and it's now showing up his lack of ability.

I don't watch a huge amount of football outside of England and Spain so i'm not about to get all Football Manager on you's and chuck names of Romanian Premier League players who have 18 for pace on there into the hat, but we definitely need investment in the 'forward' areas.
Defensively i'm fairly happy now, centre midfield is fine when Lucas is back and Adam is no longer first choice.
We definitely need a proper forward, in the Benzema/Higuiain class, and at least someone to play on the right.

I think Downing will improve over the rest of the season, he needs to regain his confidence. Even look at him in the Villa game at Anfield last season he, along with Bent and Young were too much for our back 4 to handle, this was when he was arguably playing for a move but still, he has got it in his locker.

[Mattshark]

Maxi is clearly not fancied by the boss for me, and would imagine he's off in Summer.

Kuyt is perfect for games like last night, he'll work his bollocks off, but for me and many other reds i speak to his legs have gone and it's now showing up his lack of ability.

I don't watch a huge amount of football outside of England and Spain so i'm not about to get all Football Manager on you's and chuck names of Romanian Premier League players who have 18 for pace on there into the hat, but we definitely need investment in the 'forward' areas.
Defensively i'm fairly happy now, centre midfield is fine when Lucas is back and Adam is no longer first choice.
We definitely need a proper forward, in the Benzema/Higuiain class, and at least someone to play on the right.

I think Downing will improve over the rest of the season, he needs to regain his confidence. Even look at him in the Villa game at Anfield last season he, along with Bent and Young were too much for our back 4 to handle, this was when he was arguably playing for a move but still, he has got it in his locker.

I thought Kuyt was superb last night, he looked like he did a couple of seasons ago.


We beat Villa 3-0 at Anfield last season, Downing looked good in a awful Villa team, he was never spectacular with them.

[Lents]

We lost 1-0 to Villa at Anfield last season, Downing scored.

Agree on Kuyt's performance last night.

[Mattshark]

We lost 1-0 to Villa at Anfield last season, Downing scored.

Agree on Kuyt's performance last night.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/match/fixtures/first-team/liverpool-v-aston-villa-2010-8-20-15-00-00/last-match-statistics

No, we didn't.

[Lents]

Apologies, it was last match of the season Away at Villa.

[Exiled_red]

I don't think playing on the same side as Enrique helps.

Enrique tends to hold the ball far too long, then gives it to Downing when there's nowhere else to go. He needs to be sliding it in front of Downing earlier, he's quicker than he looks. Instead Enrique has a tendency to over run a lot of the time leaving Downing dropping off to try and cover when he inevitably over runs it.
Enrique is a fantastic left back, but he really needs to be more decisive in the final 3rd, seems to dribble, dribble, dribble, run out of space/ideas, lay it back to Downing who's in a terrible position to attack.

I get the impression Enrique has the same opinion of Downing that most of us on here do. I think he thinks Downing is a pussy, he'll often disposes Downing or ignore him on the overlap.

Obviously, I'm just speculating from what I've seen on the pitch, and I don't know for sure before someone asks me how I know this...

I can see both of these points I think that the problem is Downing is too quiet/passive a player and lets Enrique do whatever he wants. I think he needs to be more forceful with Enrique and 'want' to take over the play. I think as the winger he should be wanting to take over possession in the opposition half and demanding the ball from Enrique rather than just watching Enrique step forward into his role and just watching him do it. I think Downing needs to show or tell Enrique that he is the one who should be involved in most of the attacking play down that side and that Enrique's role is to support him, not vice versa.

I think that is the problem with Enrique he will try and do stuff himself unless there is a more forceful character calling for the ball. Notice he (Enrique) isn't the same when Bellamy is playing that role, IMO this is because Bellamy is a more forceful with him than Downing, if he doesn't play the ball to Bellamy when he should you can be sure Bellamy will give him an earful, Downing might give him a quiet word (at most).

[Rich]

I don't think Enrique and Downing get on

Our Spanish fullback is a bit of bugger in playing the much delayed pass which does Downing no favours whatsoever. In fact, Enrique has looked a bit dodgy these past few games, often dwelling on the ball too long but as Exiled says Downing isn't moaning at him enough to demand the ball earlier.

It would also help, mind you, if Downing did something more useful with the ball then his usual run down a blind alley and check back.

[dww]

I think Bellamy ahead of him helps Downing. His movement gives him the option to pass forwards and then move more central, without that he is a/ too predictable and b/ often in Enriques way when he comes from deep.

[Nick77]

He's still nowhere near a 20 million pound player!

[danperkins]

Downing worked hard like everyone last night, but on the ball he was very average.