Downing

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

I refer to him as 'hamster balls', he really is gutless without the ball and not good enough when he has it.

The new Nigel Callaghan

[pmk1981]

The bloke really is shit

[PaulTheVillan]

Downing is a luxury player. Games like today we can't afford to have him on the pitch. Games like West Ham the other week we can.

[TimTheVillain]

Do you think it's the way he runs ?

[ROBBO]

KMack should have replaced him at half time, it's a worry that he didn't.

[Ads]

He was covering his full back well I thought. Didn't offer much going forward, but then we didn't as a side full stop really.

[stevenjos]

Can't wait for him to leave

[Rudy Can't Fail]

To his credit he did show a great burst of speed getting back to defend and winning the ball in the final minutes. Can't fault his effort, he chases everything, it's just that he has such little to his game and the way we play at the moment, he's mainly a passenger. I'd prefer to see him and Albrighton fighting it out for one position in the side.

[Matt Collins]

I agree with Mark. I think Ireland and Petrov is a luxury too far in a pair. For now, that means we need to play NRC more often than not, and I'd let Downing and Albrighton compete for the other winger spot. I'd hope we could play in such a way as to enable Young to drift across the frontline still.

[Big Dick Edwards]

Downing has sound technical ability but is lightweight. He reminds me of Thomas Hitz in that respect.
If I was manager I'd consider switching Ash back to left wing and give Ireland the role behind Carew.

[darren woolley]

I will also give him untill the end of the season if he has not improved ship him out.

[Dave Cooper please]

Got it, he's the official pick on player for this season.

Cleary I'm off message but I thought had a reasonably good game today given the context that we were mostly giving a rearguard action.

He was the "pick on player" for much of last season too, but there's a reason for that - he's shite.

I don't agree that he had a decent game yesterday either (although admittedly I was watching on a dodgy feed!), when you are under the cosh you need your midfielders to provide an outlet, hold onto the ball and pick out a decent pass, this gives the defence some respite. Downing did none of this, when the ball came to him it almost invariably ended up with an Everton player two seconds later. This combined with his wussy tackling make him our worst regular starter, so I can understand why he is picked on.

[olaftab]

If Redknapp is after a winger, Stewart's his man.

Thanks Mark  for a constructive suggestion. I am little bit annoyed that you are trying to "improve" our opposition but  may be you are a very kind hearted soul!

[Witton Warrior]

Got it, he's the official pick on player for this season.

Cleary I'm off message but I thought had a reasonably good game today given the context that we were mostly giving a rearguard action.

We have such a choice to pick on ;-)

[Mark H]

He frustrates the shit out of me - he bottles everything , my mate told me a story show true I dont know that MON gave him a real rolloking after a game about tackling and Downings replay to him was you scouted me for 6 months you should know I dont tackle !, anyway however true the story he does play like that.  But the other aspect of his game that gets me wound up is his inability to make a simple pass on far more occasions that he should struggle