Coutinho's quality, but he's the exception rather than the rule, it's rare anyone picks up a player of that standard for that price and let's be honest, Downing didn't pick the transfer fee, the club did, he's still worked hard and got his head down this season and done reasonably well. Lucas was poor initially, I don't agree with the booing and the stick that many players get, it's counter-productive, Downing got similar treatment last season and struggled, this season he's had the backing of the manager and it's lifted his confidence and people have got off his back. You've backed other mediocre players in the past, the likes of Babel, so it's unfair to then use Coutinho as the stick to beat Downing with, yes he looks a great player but Downing isn't as poor as is made out by some and he's certainly not a slip from the standard we've had in recent years with the likes of Riera, Yossi and a few others, he's just got a massive price tag weighing him down.
He'll go at the end of the season anyway, I just find it a bit rich the double standards some people have, we've got a fair few under performing, mediocre performers in this squad that get afforded far too much slack, while others who aren't household favourites get an unfair wedge of stick.