Downing

[Judge Jules]

I thought Rio was referred to as Jar Jar.

He's referred to as Duckface as well.

And Fabs, it's got bugger all to do with his form, which (though it chokes me to say it) has indeed been excellent.

 

[Fabio]

If duckface got in the squad from his recent 'form' I don't see why downing didn't get in

^^^ Judge, form here was mentioned, which is completely incorrect.

Tbh, is there much in the way of decent English centre backs at the minute?

Don't see why ferdinand getting picked is an issue.

 

[ILD]

DUCK DUCK GOOSE

 

[Dreambeliever]

Are the refs all rubbish where you play?

Ha it as a corporate game so ya, pretty rubbish.

 

[Dreambeliever]

I have to say I don't really like that rule. What's the fucking point?

What the offside rule? 😎

 

[Dreambeliever]

Also, offside rule or not, you'd have to wonder why his teammates "often" allow an opposing striker to poke the ball in on the line instead of busting a gut to clear it. "Let's not get it to safety, Pat's gonna embarrass them and the ref with his firm grasp of the offside rule." Must be a team of academics.

Yes because a player on the post is always coached to drift across the goal to prevent goals.

And actually most of those games were for a Uni team so yes they were academics.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Suprised Rio went back after being 'dropped' from the squad after the whole John Terry fiasco.

And the fact Hodgson said last month he was sick of all the Rio talk.

 

[Molbystwin]

The mobile site of the papers sometimes flashes up some random beauties.... this made me guffaw into my cornflakes...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...th-Bale-to-land-Stewart-Downing-Football.html

 

[King Binny]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-threat-of-Liverpool-axe-saved-my-career.html

“I just thought: ‘I don’t want to let him down.’ But after he said what he said to me, I did think that maybe mine is one of the names in the envelopes,” Downing says. “I think he was testing people, testing their characters, asking: ‘Can they respond to criticism? Can they deal with a setback?’

“You can have great ability but if you can’t deal with that, especially at a big club, then it won’t work. You have to be mentally strong at the top because you get that criticism all the time.”

Six months later it has come full circle. Downing is a regular in the Liverpool side, Rodgers was surprised he did not recently earn an England recall and the manager has told the 28-year-old that there is “no way” he will be sold this summer.

“He wants me to stay, he’s told me that,” Downing says, ahead of today’s meeting with his former club, Aston Villa, who he left in the summer of 2011. “He said I have been brilliant and that’s why he wants me to play every week. So, for me, that’s all put to bed now.”

At the time it felt very different. Rodgers had questioned whether Downing had the “fight” to be at Liverpool and whether he was willing to “work hard”. That accusation, in particular, hurt.

“I was left thinking: ‘Where’s he got that from? What’s he seeing?’ One thing I have always tried to do is work hard. But, yes, I did use it as motivation. He said I could go but I didn’t want to go – and maybe that’s why he did it. We spoke and I told him I was frustrated at being in and out, in and out. And ‘frustration’ is the one word that summed it up.

“It was like a kick in the teeth; a shock. It hurt, it really did. I cannot afford not to be playing. Not at my age. He said: ‘If things don’t change you are free to leave.’ He was quite open about it and credit to him for that.

“Everyone thought when he said it that that was it for me but I have actually always got on well with the manager and I have always worked hard. At Middlesbrough with Steve McClaren, I worked hard in a defensive, counter-attacking team and at Aston Villa it was the same.

“But the biggest criticism you can have is the manager saying you can go and I had that. I just felt I needed a chance, that I needed a run of games.”

Injuries hit and Downing got that chance, unexpectedly, at left-back. “From then my aim was to play well and make him not leave me out. That was my aim but I also had to think that if I was leaving I had better play well for a move. Now I’m playing regularly and it means you can play with that bit more freedom.

“Players will be signed in the summer but that’s not a problem for me. They’ve come to get my place in the past and there are plenty of wingers here at the moment who are not playing. One bad game and I might be out of the team so every week I have to be ‘bang-on’ and make sure the manager keeps thinking: ‘I have to play him.’ I’m in possession of that shirt.”

As Downing talks it is easy to see why he reacted so strongly to Rodgers’ criticism and how that reaction has had a positive effect on the winger and on the team. He has fought back at Liverpool, although he is less optimistic about adding to his 34 England caps having been an unused substitute at Euro 2012. Since then he has had no contact with manager Roy Hodgson.

“I don’t think he will call me up, to be honest,” Downing says. “He took me to the Euros on the back of not having a great season and then didn’t play me at all. And I honestly thought: ‘Why am I here?’ The team wasn’t doing great in the games and I thought I could make a difference but it was the same subs every game and I just thought, ‘He’s not going to play me’. Since the Euros he’s not picked me once.”

“It has probably been the worst ‘best season’ that I have had,” Downing admits. “I’ve been playing, then not playing and sat in the stands every week – I’m not used to that – and then playing every week. Now the manager says I could play for England again. It’s been a strange season.”

 

[juniormember]

I'm not super keen on Downing the player, but I really dislike Downing the person as well.

 

[Modo]

Is it now justifiable to call him cunt?
Just saying...

 

[Farkmaster]

Downing has been playing for a move for a long long time. If anything he's been doing a worse job of it recently.

 

[juniormember]

Is it now justifiable to call him cunt?
Just saying...

I think it's wrong for us supporters to call any Liverpool player a cunt. I thought Brendanj was disgraceful when he used to call Lucas The Cunt.

 

[gkmacca]

That was before he started working with him.

 

[hmmmmm1]

He score or get an assist today, point to prove to his old club.

 

[rurikbird]

Not the best game from Stewie today. He doesn't handle any extra pressure well, does he?

 

[Squiggles]

He's just so painfully, frustratingly average.

If Coutinho and Suarez are on the same wave-length, Downing is there with a cup and a long piece of string looking bemused.

 

[nealmac]

It wasn't his worst performance. He created a couple of good chances. Aside from that he was very average. But for Modo to call him a cunt is way out of order.

 

[Modo]

It wasn't his worst performance. He created a couple of good chances. Aside from that he was very average. But for Modo to call him a cunt is way out of order.

It was a question!!!


Also, he's a cunt.

 

[Markeh]

zzzZZZZZZZZzzzZZZZZZzzzzZZZZZZZzzzzz

 

[mark1975]

Yes, and Modo's a boring cunt. I've hardly posted much of late, yet he's still making the same posts he was making 6 months ago.

 

[Lastboyscout]

It was a question!!!


Also, he's a cunt.

If he's a cunt because you don't think he's a good enough player for liverpool. Then by your logic you're a super duper uhber cunt. Right?

 

[Modo]

If he's a cunt because you don't think he's a good enough player for liverpool. Then by your logic you're a super duper uhber cunt. Right?

Again with the insults?
I guess I'm not allowed to call him a cunt but Lucas that's just OK.

 

[nealmac]

It was a question!!!


Also, he's a cunt.

It was a rhetoric question. Don't talk shite.

 

[nealmac]

Again with the insults?
I guess I'm not allowed to call him a cunt but Lucas that's just OK.

Lucas was never a cunt either. He was useless. There's a difference. Brendan on the other hand was a cunt of the highest order. I find it amusing that you're comparing yourself to him.

 

[Modo]

Lucas was never a cunt either. He was useless. There's a difference. Brendan on the other hand was a cunt of the highest order. I find it amusing that you're comparing yourself to him.

Erm... you need to check last posts in the Lucas thread.

All I'm saying is, if calling Downing a cunt causes such an uproar why doesn't it happen when Lucas is called one?
It's because I'm saying it isn't it?

 

[nealmac]

To be honest I haven't really been following the Lucas thread. But anyone who calls themselves a Liverpool fan that is referring to any of our players in such a manner is a cunt themselves.

 

[Modo]

Back to Downing the player.

I think he was awful today. Can't complain about the defensive work though.
Did he have an "off-day"?
I don't really think so, it's the way he plays in most games for us.

I really don't expect him to play for us after the summer, despite what Rodgers has been telling us. If an offer close to £8 million comes in, we'll sell in an instant.

 

[moron]

I think its wrong to call any one of our players a c*nt, and especially Downing who is one of the most gifted players in our squad.

 

[Modo]

I think its wrong to call any one of our players a c*nt, and especially Downing who is one of the most gifted players in our squad.

LOL