Had enough...

[villa1]

He's been much, much better this season. I did think he was poor yesterday though. He constantly let their players drift off him and there were occasions where he lost the ball and made no effort to chase back. That said, he shouldn't be singled out as the whole team were poor in the first half!

Did notice a few people started to boo him when got the ball yesterday, mind.

[alanclare]

What was the net cost of Ireland?

[Dave]

The one and only think I will say is that he doesn't like 50-50's or sticking his head where somone's boot is

True enough.

I can't think of a single winger though who does. Or is expected to.

[koreanmeatballs]

He's our 'record signing'

No he isn't. The £10m we paid for Downing is less than the £12m we paid for Milner.

Did we not pay 10 million then with 2 million add ons? My apologises if I am incorrect.

Ireland was about 6 million wasn't he? The blokes a mentalist, think it's becoming clear that he never wanted to be here, never has done.

[villa1]

I can see where people are coming from with the 50 50 challenges. However, there were a number of occasions yesterday when the ball was in the air on the edge of their box and he stood and watched their player head it away. If he at least challenged for it the ball may have fallen kindly for us. Instead the defender simply headed it out of danger.

[PaulTheVillan]

...long time reader, firs time poster...

Cant stand it anymore, I've had enough.

How the hell is Stewart Downing anywhere near our first team. He's a joke of a footballer.

Somehow he's our leading goalscorer but the boy is a disgrace...

Defenders of Downing I ask you...

When has he won a 50-50?
When has he ever left 'some one for dead'
When has he put a decent cross in?
When has he tracked back (Not fucking walking, I mean ran back and put a tackle in)

We you sat in the lower north yesterday? row Q seat 186 by anychance?

[Dave]

He's our 'record signing'

No he isn't. The £10m we paid for Downing is less than the £12m we paid for Milner.

Did we not pay 10 million then with 2 million add ons? My apologises if I am incorrect.

We did.

And which of those performance related add-ons do you think he has hit so far, based on your opening post?

[koreanmeatballs]

I'm not in the lower north, somebody else has similar frustrations?

'And which of those performance related add-ons do you think he has hit so far, based on your opening post?'

Isnt that the point? He hasn't hit these performance related add-ons?

I'm sorry if I have annoyed people with this but we have signed the guy for a lot of money, signed him from a team where he was player of the season numerous times. I was just expecting a bit more from him. Like the rest of them, well not Big Brad, Clark and Wee Barry they need to improve a hell of a lot or at least look like they give a shit.

[TimTheVillain]

KM, Downing is not a grafter in the way the likes of Des Bremenr used to be, but he does have shed loads of ability and skill.

In Spain ( for example), he is the type of player they love - not knocking Des Bremner at all, but workhorses are two a penny - players who can put the ball on a sixpence ( as Downing can) are in short supply and we should focus on what he can do rather than what he can't.

[saunders_heroes]

...long time reader, firs time poster...

Cant stand it anymore, I've had enough.

How the hell is Stewart Downing anywhere near our first team. He's a joke of a footballer.

Somehow he's our leading goalscorer but the boy is a disgrace...

Defenders of Downing I ask you...

When has he won a 50-50?
When has he ever left 'some one for dead'
When has he put a decent cross in?
When has he tracked back (Not fucking walking, I mean ran back and put a tackle in)

Cheerio then!

[N'ZMAV]

FFS. Downing has been very good this season, why are people getting on his back after a couple of bad games? lets remember hardly any one has played well over the last two games. Probably only Clark, but if he hadn't have scored yesterday then we'd probably be saying he was poor too.

Yes, we are in a shit position, and we've got loads of injuries and a shit run of games coming up. We have to just get on with it and all pull together. People need to remember that the manager is new, he's been left with an average squad which is quite low in numbers. People are expecting too much too soon.

[Dave]

'And which of those performance related add-ons do you think he has hit so far, based on your opening post?'

Isnt that the point? He hasn't hit these performance related add-ons?

They tend to be things like playing 100 games for us, helping us qualify for the Champions League and gaining international caps?

Which of these (or any other) hypothetical performance related add-ons to trigger an extra £2m to Middlesbrough do you think he should have hit by now?

[Blackcountry Villa]

I'm not Downing's biggest fan, he's a decent footballer but he is a fanny, but there are plenty who have been much worse than him this season. Ashley 'world class and thinks he's better than us' Young, Friedel has been at fault plenty of times, the defence is shambolic and keystone cops, and our strikeforce is piss poor. Gabby is our best striker which says it all. If it wasn't for Downing's goals we'd be in even more trouble because the others are hardly banging the goals in are they?!

[Rip Van We Go Again]

...long time reader, firs time poster...

Cant stand it anymore, I've had enough.

How the hell is Stewart Downing anywhere near our first team. He's a joke of a footballer.

Somehow he's our leading goalscorer but the boy is a disgrace...

Defenders of Downing I ask you...

When has he won a 50-50?
When has he ever left 'some one for dead'
When has he put a decent cross in?
When has he tracked back (Not fucking walking, I mean ran back and put a tackle in)

Kids
Don't do drugs.

[Billy Walker]

I agree with you koreanmeatballs when you say you wish we had attacked more when we scored our second goal.  I think Arsenal were there for the taking. With Albrighton and a fully charged Gabby on the pitch who knows what might have happened... I think the scoreline would have been different.

It's frustrating but we've simply got to give the manager time and try to fight our way through these testing times.  As for Downing, I think he has been very good this year.