Downing

[Bob Loblaw]

Good post Avvy but to be honest I dont care where a player comes from, in this case I actually rate Downing. Not everybody we sign can be a star name, thats just unrealistic. I want an Ageuro or Mata as much as the next man and am concerned at 85M for Carroll, Henderson, Adam and Downing but you need to judge each deal on its own merits.

Downing has played 5 years plus at this level and pretty much always been a consistant performer and one of the better players in each team he has played with, he had an excellent year last year and is about to hit his prime. If James Milner is worth 30M, 16M for Downing represents good value. Mata is better, will cost more and we have considerably less chance of getting him. Plus a move for him doesn't seem to be hindered by the Downing deal.

Carroll is a good player but we overspent cosiderably, I think everybody knows that.

Adam looked the part last year and is relatively cheap, so a low risk deal. I'd prefer better to be honest but if he can bring his blackpool form here he'll do fine.

Ive only seen Henderson once against us that I can remember but he seems highly rated. The cash does seem very high ala Carroll here though.

 

[spider-Neil]

if it IS downing on our left for next season, I'll take it.
he is left footed
a proper wide midfielder who want drift inside every 2 seconds
can cross (I couldn't care what the stats say I have my own eyes)
and has intelligence not like many of the overrated kick and rush wide players

he lacks pace though, which is a shame.

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=44931.msg1355165#msg1355165 date=1309019952]
if it IS downing on our left for next season, I'll take it.
he is left footed
a proper wide midfielder who want drift inside every 2 seconds
can cross (I couldn't care what the stats say I have my own eyes)
and has intelligence not like many of the overrated kick and rush wide players

he lacks pace though, which is a shame.
[/quote]

People say this, he's quick enough. He's not lightening quick but he's capable of beating a man and he's got good acceleration on the break.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=44931.msg1355166#msg1355166 date=1309020045]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=44931.msg1355165#msg1355165 date=1309019952]
if it IS downing on our left for next season, I'll take it.
he is left footed
a proper wide midfielder who want drift inside every 2 seconds
can cross (I couldn't care what the stats say I have my own eyes)
and has intelligence not like many of the overrated kick and rush wide players

he lacks pace though, which is a shame.
[/quote]

People say this, he's quick enough. He's not lightening quick but he's capable of beating a man and he's got good acceleration on the break.
[/quote]

he's not quick mark and when you see him properly you'll think he is running through tar, not unlike riera.

 

[Jürgen4PM]

A tiny plus: He beat Young to player of the season at Villa (who many rate on here)

 

[keniget]

He's quicker than Riera not that that's saying much. I think Mark is right, he's got just enough pace to carry him past a man, but he's not really a player you'd label as fast.

Anyway, we'll soon enough know everything there is to know about Downing.

Aston Villa have gotten raped of their best players every summer for the past three years now. Their fans must be feeling pretty fucking fed up - they were challenging for Europe not long ago.

 

[spider-Neil]

the way I see it is, from what I've seen of downing he is a very good crosser of the ball but villa have shit strikers (carew, bangawhore,heskey all shit) and with exaggeration carroll is one of the best headers of the ball I have ever seen. that's the reason I think kenny is going for downing...that and our top targets want CL football.

 

[Insignificance]

If Kenny have a plan and thinks he will fit in I am ok with it. But if the plan is that he is english I am not ok with it.

What we need is players that fit in to our system, and not nessecary the best players out there. We need balance in the squad and in the team... I stillthink there are better ways to balance the team than buying Downing.

 

[OLD_Lewy]

downings deceptively quick, i mean he's no usain bolt but he'll give a lot of the players in the league a run for their money

 

[themn]

[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=44931.msg1355179#msg1355179 date=1309021406]
If Kenny have a plan and thinks he will fit in I am ok with it. But if the plan is that he is english I am not ok with it.

What we need is players that fit in to our system, and not nessecary the best players out there. We need balance in the squad and in the team... I stillthink there are better ways to balance the team than buying Downing.
[/quote]


I've been told that the *English Factor* is at the forefront of Dalglish's thinking, and that Comolli and FSG are in accord.

 

[Gary25]

[quote author=themn link=topic=44931.msg1355185#msg1355185 date=1309022452]
[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=44931.msg1355179#msg1355179 date=1309021406]
If Kenny have a plan and thinks he will fit in I am ok with it. But if the plan is that he is english I am not ok with it.

What we need is players that fit in to our system, and not nessecary the best players out there. We need balance in the squad and in the team... I stillthink there are better ways to balance the team than buying Downing.
[/quote]


I've been told that the *English Factor* is at the forefront of Dalglish's thinking, and that Comolli and FSG are in accord.
[/quote]

Thanks for letting us know that mate 😉 would never have guessed - not like we haven't splashed £55 million on Carroll and Henderson, are reportedly bidding £16 million for Downing, were willing to spend up to £20 million on Jones.

 

[Hansern]

Are some of you lot serious? He's got more than enough pace. Just have a look at youtube for christ sake. He's deffo not in the Riera mould.

 

[refugee]

[quote author=Lewy link=topic=44931.msg1355184#msg1355184 date=1309021859]
downings deceptively quick, i mean he's no usain bolt but he'll give a lot of the players in the league a run for their money
[/quote]

Yep, he can move when he wants to.

 

[themn]

[quote author=Gary25 link=topic=44931.msg1355189#msg1355189 date=1309024765]
[quote author=themn link=topic=44931.msg1355185#msg1355185 date=1309022452]
[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=44931.msg1355179#msg1355179 date=1309021406]
If Kenny have a plan and thinks he will fit in I am ok with it. But if the plan is that he is english I am not ok with it.

What we need is players that fit in to our system, and not nessecary the best players out there. We need balance in the squad and in the team... I stillthink there are better ways to balance the team than buying Downing.
[/quote]


I've been told that the *English Factor* is at the forefront of Dalglish's thinking, and that Comolli and FSG are in accord.
[/quote]

Thanks for letting us know that mate 😉 would never have guessed - not like we haven't splashed £55 million on Carroll and Henderson, are reportedly bidding £16 million for Downing, were willing to spend up to £20 million on Jones.
[/quote]

No need for the sarcasm, mate.

Only trying to contribute.

 

[Gary25]

[quote author=themn link=topic=44931.msg1355195#msg1355195 date=1309026348]
[quote author=Gary25 link=topic=44931.msg1355189#msg1355189 date=1309024765]
[quote author=themn link=topic=44931.msg1355185#msg1355185 date=1309022452]
[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=44931.msg1355179#msg1355179 date=1309021406]
If Kenny have a plan and thinks he will fit in I am ok with it. But if the plan is that he is english I am not ok with it.

What we need is players that fit in to our system, and not nessecary the best players out there. We need balance in the squad and in the team... I stillthink there are better ways to balance the team than buying Downing.
[/quote]


I've been told that the *English Factor* is at the forefront of Dalglish's thinking, and that Comolli and FSG are in accord.
[/quote]

Thanks for letting us know that mate 😉 would never have guessed - not like we haven't splashed £55 million on Carroll and Henderson, are reportedly bidding £16 million for Downing, were willing to spend up to £20 million on Jones.
[/quote]

No need for the sarcasm, mate.

Only trying to contribute.
[/quote]

I was just kidding mate 😀

 

[themn]

[quote author=Gary25 link=topic=44931.msg1355197#msg1355197 date=1309027132]
[quote author=themn link=topic=44931.msg1355195#msg1355195 date=1309026348]
[quote author=Gary25 link=topic=44931.msg1355189#msg1355189 date=1309024765]
[quote author=themn link=topic=44931.msg1355185#msg1355185 date=1309022452]
[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=44931.msg1355179#msg1355179 date=1309021406]
If Kenny have a plan and thinks he will fit in I am ok with it. But if the plan is that he is english I am not ok with it.

What we need is players that fit in to our system, and not nessecary the best players out there. We need balance in the squad and in the team... I stillthink there are better ways to balance the team than buying Downing.
[/quote]


I've been told that the *English Factor* is at the forefront of Dalglish's thinking, and that Comolli and FSG are in accord.
[/quote]

Thanks for letting us know that mate 😉 would never have guessed - not like we haven't splashed £55 million on Carroll and Henderson, are reportedly bidding £16 million for Downing, were willing to spend up to £20 million on Jones.
[/quote]

No need for the sarcasm, mate.

Only trying to contribute.
[/quote]

I was just kidding mate 😀
[/quote]

Were you ?

It didn't feel that way, pal.

 

[OLD_Lewy]

fuckin ell themn, stop bein such a bird, i spose we'll hear "it wasnt what he said it was the way he said it" soon

 

[themn]

[quote author=Lewy link=topic=44931.msg1355202#msg1355202 date=1309028297]
fuckin ell themn, stop bein such a bird, i spose we'll hear "it wasnt what he said it was the way he said it" soon
[/quote]

A "bird" ?

 

[OLD_Lewy]

bird = girl

 

[themn]

[quote author=Lewy link=topic=44931.msg1355210#msg1355210 date=1309028942]
bird = girl
[/quote]

And, that means what ?

 

[OLD_Lewy]

i was suggesting that you were reacting to garys joke like a cast member of sex and the city

 

[themn]

[quote author=Lewy link=topic=44931.msg1355216#msg1355216 date=1309030070]
i was suggesting that you were reacting to garys joke like a cast member of sex and the city
[/quote]

And that would indicate,what, exactly ?

 

[The Slugmonster]

[quote author=themn link=topic=44931.msg1355219#msg1355219 date=1309030573]
[quote author=Lewy link=topic=44931.msg1355216#msg1355216 date=1309030070]
i was suggesting that you were reacting to garys joke like a cast member of sex and the city
[/quote]

And that would indicate,what, exactly ?
[/quote]

Take this and all should be revealed

http://www.brainfall.com/quizzes/which-sex-and-the-city-character-are-you/

 

[OLD_Lewy]

apparently im a miranda/samantha
who woulda thunk it

 

[cobrastatus]

[quote author=Frogfish link=topic=44931.msg1354947#msg1354947 date=1308996207]
[quote author=cobrastatus link=topic=44931.msg1354927#msg1354927 date=1308994096]
[quote author=Frogfish link=topic=44931.msg1354920#msg1354920 date=1308993729]
Does anyone here really think that CL football with an average team is more enticing than joining the LFC revolution under KK ? I know the average footballers' IQ level seems to be well below 100 (roughly the general population's average) but really do they not consider next season or the season after and think only of the coming season ? I think I'd give them more credit than that.
[/quote]

With a CL team, there is always that small, 5-10% chance that they might actually have a miracle year and win the whole thing (us in 2005 for example). Footballers have short careers, I don't blame them for not wanting to burn a year out of top competition, I don't think it's as cut and dried as you're making it.
[/quote]



it's far far less than 5-10% !

The last time a 'small' team won it, it was Porto in 2004, the last time before that Borrusia Dortmund in 1997 and the last time one made the final (other than 2004 when Monaco played Porto) was Bayer Leverkusen in 2002, Valencia in 2000 & 2001 then Sampdoria in 1997. Since more and more the finalists are coming from the monied clubs I think it's safe to say that the chances of a club other than one of the elite making the final are now at an all time low.

If we say there are an average of maybe 60 teams per year over the period of 1997 to 2011 (there were 76 in 2010/11) then that's 15x60=900. Divide 900 by the number of 'small clubs' making a final (6) and that's 150:1 or less than 0.66% of a chance of making a CL final, unless you play for one of the elite. The chance of winning it less than 0.22%. Not good odds.
[/quote]

You're obviously right, and you've convinced me, but that doesn't matter. Gotta convince the footballers, who think it's more in the region that I proposed than what you proposed.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=Hansern link=topic=44931.msg1354968#msg1354968 date=1308998499]
The rumoured price is 16 mill. Ican live with that.
[/quote]

Awww yeah it's a bargain.

 

[Ryan]

In the 1400 "who should we buy" threads that exist in the months leading up to the summer, not one poster ever suggested spending 16-20M on Stewart Downing that's for damn sure.

 

[OLD_Lewy]

he's the next john barnes

 

[singlerider]

I think the Riera comparison is pretty fair - a player that is by no means great, but will probably give us a better balance and offer something to the team.

Unfortunately at way more than double the price it seems

 

[Squiggles]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=44931.msg1355268#msg1355268 date=1309041782]
In the 1400 "who should we buy" threads that exist in the months leading up to the summer, not one poster ever suggested spending 16-20M on Stewart Downing that's for damn sure.

[/quote]

Nobody was advocating a £16M for Jordan Henderson either, or a £35M move for Andy Carroll.

It's very early days, but there's certainly a few issues fans should be concerned with. Hopefully Kenny can get everything running smoothly this year and we'll have a great season, but for a organisation who prides itself on 'sensible decisions' and getting good 'value' then you have to wonder what's going on a times. There's much better value to be had on the continent.