Stewart Downing - West Hahahaham player

[Buzzo]

when we signes this lad I never thought even for one second that he wouldnt deliver. people who are very savvy said that he.didnt have the right mentality to succeed at a club like liverpool but its something that just passed by.

unfortunately, the silent whispers look spot on. after 25 + games and only one goal and zero assists you have to say that downing has been an unmitigated disaster. to think we spent close to 55m on carroll and downing and theyve delivered virtually nothing says a few things.

firstly we need to evaluate signings more carefully. at a club like liverpool mentality is perhaps even more important that talent and someone like lucas is a case in point. he was booed constantly but the lad believed in himself and became one of our leaders.

I dont think stewart has that sort of leadership quality or mentality. carrolls case is different because for me he doesnt have the physical, tactical and technical tools to be a top grade footballer. hes currently playing a level above his capability and its showing.

secondly we need to take a closer look at the people making the signings. suarez, bellamy and enrique have been unqualified successes, adam and henderson have both been reasonable but downing and carroll have been shocking.

carroll was a panic buy and one thats going to be a heavy weight on the shoulders of damien and kenny.

Can't argue with any of that. Downing was easily the most questionable signing we made and hasn't been close to good enough. I think Carroll can become a great forward, I just dont think he should have left the toon. We bought him before he was ready to move, and it's not like we did it n the cheap.

[Craig_H]

If we're better than Villa '11 then surely he should've slotted in ok. His lack of form is really bemusing

I dont buy this "he was brilliant for Villa".

Whether the Villa fans voted him their player of the year or not, isnt of any importance IMO.

[Norbs]

I dont buy this "he was brilliant for Villa".

Whether the Villa fans voted him their player of the year or not, isnt of any importance IMO.

Not brilliant but productive.

Adam played a number of great cross field passes today from right to left which Enrique ran on to but his crosses were poor. Had Downing played on the left he would've put in some brilliant crosses in to the empty 6yd box

[el matador]

unlike carroll downing for me does have the tools. hes quick, has a very good touch and links in well but with him the issues are not physical but mental.

top level players need belief and an arrogance which he doesnt have. it can happen to anyone just look at kaka at real madrid. they signex him for nearly 50m and he looks poor there, torres at chelsea is another example.

the other thing is whether fsg will open the wallet and buy in a top draw forward thatwe desperately need. sorry lads but carroll could play the rest of the season and I dont think he'll get more than a goal every five or six games.

top four is already a long shot but not having another striker just makes that possibility more remote.

[Mattshark]

Not brilliant but productive.

Adam played a number of great cross field passes today from right to left which Enrique ran on to but his crosses were poor. Had Downing played on the left he would've put in some brilliant crosses in to the empty 6yd box

He wasn't as productive as what we already had though, he looked decent in a really **** Villa team.

[Norbs]

He wasn't as productive as what we already had though, he looked decent in a really **** Villa team.

He was undoubtedly productive though, there's no reason why he shouldn't do better at a better club. Villa played a 442 with less attacking full backs, maybe that is the problem

[el matador]

you cant really argue that we bought a team of winners. downing, carroll, adam, enrique have all been relegated and only suarez is used to actually winning anything.

[Mattshark]

He was undoubtedly productive though, there's no reason why he shouldn't do better at a better club. Villa played a 442 with less attacking full backs, maybe that is the problem

Playing in better club doesn't mean a player will be better, teams set up verry differently against us than against Villa and quite frankly in his career he has never been any better than average.

[Catrin]

Downing is a good player but struggling to find his form. He is worth sticking with and our patience will be rewarded. Carroll on the other hand.....

[Mattshark]

Downing is a good player but struggling to find his form. He is worth sticking with and our patience will be rewarded. Carroll on the other hand.....

He isn't, he never has been, he is a average player and nothing more.

[Daniel 7]

He's an Aston villa signing - a player for teams aiming to get into the Europa League at best.


Oh. Hold on.

[Bender]

Downing is a good player but struggling to find his form. He is worth sticking with and our patience will be rewarded. Carroll on the other hand.....

why is he struggling he has been consistent for villa over a number of seasons now he's at lfc he's become £20million pound's worth of crap

[Daniel 7]

I wonder if the ex situation might be a contributing factor? Maybe thats been there since he joined and is messing with his head? It might have just come to a head in Yarm last week, don't they have a kid together?

[Fredo]

why is he struggling he has been consistent for villa over a number of seasons now he's at lfc he's become £20million pound's worth of crap

He's not crap. Just not a lfc player. Average but not crap.

[Shaggy]

He's not crap. Just not a lfc player. Average but not crap.

Yeah, but when you put average/mediocre players in our team then they become crap. He's crap, absolute ****ing crap. Get rid.