Villa start Downing talks - 'He can play central midfield' says McAllister

[Phil from the upper holte]

but i'd want someone better than coker in there. Someone who can pass for a start.

Gregory, this is 2011, things have changed, have you been sleeping for the last 12 months?.

You're in for a great surprise, who'll never guess which centre forward we bought for £18m

He can't pass. Or at least not to the standard required for a team with aspirations to compete at the business end of the table. He needs three touches and time just to pass it square ten yard. He's got plenty of good qualities and was probably our best player yesterday but a central midfield with him in it just too slow and predictable.

By the same logic we may as well fuck Downing off now as he can't cross a ball so he's no good on the wing and he can't tackle, so no good in central midfield.  The fact that Downing and NRC have been our best and most consistant performers  says so much about this season.

Mark you really think Downing can't cross?

[Clampy]

Downing's a decent crosser, he just dose'nt do it enough.

[pauliewalnuts]

Strangely, considering the OTT stick he gets on here about it, I thought Downing weighed in with some very committed tackles yesterday.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

but i'd want someone better than coker in there. Someone who can pass for a start.

Gregory, this is 2011, things have changed, have you been sleeping for the last 12 months?.

You're in for a great surprise, who'll never guess which centre forward we bought for £18m

He can't pass. Or at least not to the standard required for a team with aspirations to compete at the business end of the table. He needs three touches and time just to pass it square ten yard. He's got plenty of good qualities and was probably our best player yesterday but a central midfield with him in it just too slow and predictable.

By the same logic we may as well fuck Downing off now as he can't cross a ball so he's no good on the wing and he can't tackle, so no good in central midfield.  The fact that Downing and NRC have been our best and most consistant performers  says so much about this season.

Mark you really think Downing can't cross?

Clampy just answered for me. Of course he can cross, at Middlesborough he constantly delivered. Yesterday he got a cross in. A cross. He contributes enormously but it's that final ball into Bent that's missing. When he gets that right, he'll be the best all round winger (apart from Giggs) in the country. I'd also like to see him moving in on the far post when the ball is on the other wing. He scored a few like that in the first half of the season but seems to have been forgotten.

Downing is potentially a much better player than most think he could be, especially his biggest fans on here.

[mal]

but i'd want someone better than coker in there. Someone who can pass for a start.

Gregory, this is 2011, things have changed, have you been sleeping for the last 12 months?.

You're in for a great surprise, who'll never guess which centre forward we bought for £18m

He can't pass. Or at least not to the standard required for a team with aspirations to compete at the business end of the table. He needs three touches and time just to pass it square ten yard. He's got plenty of good qualities and was probably our best player yesterday but a central midfield with him in it just too slow and predictable.

By the same logic we may as well fuck Downing off now as he can't cross a ball so he's no good on the wing and he can't tackle, so no good in central midfield.  The fact that Downing and NRC have been our best and most consistant performers  says so much about this season.

Mark you really think Downing can't cross?

Clampy just answered for me. Of course he can cross, at Middlesborough he constantly delivered. Yesterday he got a cross in. A cross. He contributes enormously but it's that final ball into Bent that's missing. When he gets that right, he'll be the best all round winger (apart from Giggs) in the country. I'd also like to see him moving in on the far post when the ball is on the other wing. He scored a few like that in the first half of the season but seems to have been forgotten.

Downing is potentially a much better player than most think he could be, especially his biggest fans on here.

The fact that NRC and Downing have been our 'best and most consistent performers' explains succinctly why we have been flirting all season with the bottom three  places and not third to sixth.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Sure Mal but who's to blame for that?

[PaulTheVillan]

Downing is a left winger. Fuck Ash off & play Downing Left, Albrighton (or a new right winger) on the right.

[manic-road]

Milner moved from the wing to play in a central role and thrived, who's to say Downing couldn't have a similar impact? I'm still not sure why he get's so much stick from a minority of fans, he's been our most consistent performer this year and is now starting to get picked for the England squad more regularly.

[Simba]

Milner moved from the wing to play in a central role and thrived, who's to say Downing couldn't have a similar impact? I'm still not sure why he get's so much stick from a minority of fans, he's been our most consistent performer this year and is now starting to get picked for the England squad more regularly.

Agree. Or 'This' or whatever.

[Handsworth Wood Villa]

Downing is a left winger. Fuck Ash off & play Downing Left, Albrighton (or a new right winger) on the right.

This.

I hate it when he plays on the right.

[mal]

Milner moved from the wing to play in a central role and thrived, who's to say Downing couldn't have a similar impact? I'm still not sure why he get's so much stick from a minority of fans, he's been our most consistent performer this year and is now starting to get picked for the England squad more regularly.

Milner has bottle and takes chances. The reason I don't like Downing is not because he does anything wrong, because he doesn't but that we do not seem to be as good a side when he's playing. Some players add something intangible and some - Downing and NRC - take something away.

[Simba]

Milner moved from the wing to play in a central role and thrived, who's to say Downing couldn't have a similar impact? I'm still not sure why he get's so much stick from a minority of fans, he's been our most consistent performer this year and is now starting to get picked for the England squad more regularly.

Milner has bottle and takes chances. The reason I don't like Downing is not because he does anything wrong, because he doesn't but that we do not seem to be as good a side when he's playing. Some players add something intangible and some - Downing and NRC - take something away.

You might need to substantiate that.