Blackburn Post-Match

[danperkins]

Neither, I'm making the point that we persist with playing him on the right and every time he has been employed there for us, he has been absolutely dreadful. He has looked better on the left, admittedly not up to the standard we should be getting.

You were posting about him being the answer to LM and being disappointed in him, but half the time he is playing on the right.

We used to think we were weak on the flanks with Pennant and Riera, but I'd take both of them over what we have now. Those two were supposed to be **** Rafa signings as well.

Left or Right he has been sub standard. I'm sure Kenny seen him as versatile as last season he played from the right for Villa too.

And i was never a fan of either players you've mentioned but i'd have them over Downing too at the moment.

[Exiled_red]

I think the problem is his confidence.

He finished the season with Villa on the very high note and unfortunately he hasn't reproduced the same impact nor the same type of performance with us and clearly with each and every game the lack of offensive production is getting to him.

Today you can see he was definitely trying his best but it almost feels he has the burden of the entire world on his shoulders and playing under tremendous amount of pressure is certainly affecting his game.

[danperkins]

I don't think anyone has ever said that he's going to be world class, I think that we signed him because we thought he could do a job and would be decent, rather than outstanding.

20 million is a lot of money to pay for someone just to do a job.

IMO Comolli and Kenny looked at his stats, he is an out an out winger, we have Carroll and i'm sure they thought Downing would be bread and butter for Carroll with his delivery.

Unfortunately neither player has worked out.

[danperkins]

I think the problem is his confidence.

He finished the season with Villa on the very high note and unfortunately he hasn't reproduced the same impact nor the same type of performance with us and clearly with each and every game the lack of offensive production is getting to him.

Today you can see he was definitely trying his best but it almost feels he has the burden of the entire world on his shoulders and playing under tremendous amount of pressure is certainly affecting his game.

The confidence and the mentality is a massive problem i agree, only he can fix that and whether or not he does is a different story.

IMO he'll be a squad player.

[johnly]

Watching Football First is like torture. I have no idea how we did not win this game. An unlucky OG, a keeper with a point to prove (Seen too many of them at Anfield this season) and some suspect finishing again have cost us. Luck is not on our side at the moment.

The idea is right, the execution is not yet there

[Mostar]

I still think he can, as Muddled said he's an average cog in a mis-firing team. I think as the team improves he will improve. One of the problems is he is the type of player that will play well when the team is playing well, but he isn't a player who can take control of the game and make the team play well, like a Gerrard or a Suarez would. The problem is we have too many of these 'passive' type players in the team.

[Exiled_red]

20 million is a lot of money to pay for someone just to do a job.

IMO Comolli and Kenny looked at his stats, he is an out an out winger, we have Carroll and i'm sure they thought Downing would be bread and butter for Carroll with his delivery.

Unfortunately neither player has worked out.

That's the way the game is going now though money wise. Truth is Downing isn't worth £20m, but if you're a mid table club and a top club want one of you're best players you make them pay top dollar, unless a player is out of contract top clubs will always pay over the odds. Add to that the English premium...

I've mentioned this before, but Carroll isn't getting games, he's not had more than 2 back to back starts and recently he's been getting 5 mins here and 10 mins there. I still think he can get goals given a run of games.

I think for a player like Downing Carroll being in and out of the team is also a problem what is expected of him varies depending who is playing up front, i.e. he will deliver a different ball in to Andy Carroll compared to Suarez. Also the unpredictability of Suarez (who has more often than not been the striker he's had to aim for) must be a problem for those playing with him as you don't know what he'll do, this can't help Downing (or the others) meaing it must take longer for them to get used to playing with him, than it would be with a more 'predictable' type player.

[Exiled_red]

Watching Football First is like torture. I have no idea how we did not win this game. An unlucky OG, a keeper with a point to prove (Seen too many of them at Anfield this season) and some suspect finishing again have cost us. Luck is not on our side at the moment.

The idea is right, the execution is not yet there

As I was saying I don't think this team is as bad as we make out on here, we just can't finish. In some ways this is more frustrating than if we were just generally **** and not creating anything.

[BigChief]

Watching Football First is like torture. I have no idea how we did not win this game. An unlucky OG, a keeper with a point to prove (Seen too many of them at Anfield this season) and some suspect finishing again have cost us. Luck is not on our side at the moment.

The idea is right, the execution is not yet there

This is what excites yet annoys me. The fact we can move a football so beautifully to within 6 inches of the goalline, then f*ck up the rest. I'm just glad we're getting it there right now. I'd hate to see us revert to long ball or defend deep tactics!

[red g]

20 million is a lot of money to pay for someone just to do a job.

IMO Comolli and Kenny looked at his stats, he is an out an out winger, we have Carroll and i'm sure they thought Downing would be bread and butter for Carroll with his delivery.

Unfortunately neither player has worked out.

nail on head there, 'in theory' it looked great..... not withstanding both are not very good

55million

45 appearances

5 goals

0 assists

Resale value 20m if we are lucky.

I think its safe to say that is ****ing abysmal

[red g]

As I was saying I don't think this team is as bad as we make out on here, we just can't finish. In some ways this is more frustrating than if we were just generally **** and not creating anything.

I would agree with this, We do play it out of defence well and our short passing game is neat and tidy with everyone in our first 11 looking comfortable on the ball....even Skrtel now

[Shaggy]

nail on head there, 'in theory' it looked great..... not withstanding both are not very good

55million

45 appearances

5 goals

0 assists

Resale value 20m if we are lucky.

I think its safe to say that is ****ing abysmal

[The Birdman]

Well today was depressing.
Adam was woeful again, just a complete lack of effort and interest. Suarez had at least 7 attempts of which 0 were on target, none, zilch yet people will still post that he's a great player.
Great players don't miss the amount of clear cut chances he has this season.
Carroll worked his bollocks off, was mobile and unlucky not to score and its hardly his fault we work the ball wide only for Enrique (mostly) to pass back and across.
We pick the lad then don't put crosses into the box, he was raging on loads of occasions when crosses didn't come in from good positions.
Agger should have cleared the ball, ****ed around and gave away the corner, Adam's positioning at the near post then mindless swing at the corner was something you see in U12's football.
We've made excuses for long enough, given Kenny loads of slack and support but drawing at home to Blackburn, Sunderland, Norwich, Swansea et al is criminal.

[Shaggy]

When Suarez tried that outrageous sand wedge chip at the Annie Road end when the ball ended up on the roof of the net, Carroll went nuts at him for not cutting it back.

[The Birdman]

Enrique? Nah mate, he was our best player today.

Was he bollocks, he was good 1st half but absolutely abysmal 2nd half.
Johnson was our best player, Carroll next then clear daylight.