The secret of our 'success'

[VillaAlways]

Just on Sky that we are going to make Downing the highest player at the Club so we can keep him.

Fuck me

In this day and age.How else are we supposed to keep our best players ? Or would you be happy losing Young and Downing in one season

[TheSandman]

I did say at the time Roeder might have a positive effect and that everyone was being a bit too harsh on him. Maybe he's been having a word with our defence and helping them work on their games.

I do think involving the likes of Luke Young, Petrov and Reo Coker more has also aided us.

But Dunne? No. He's just been slightly less wank in the last few games where we also remain fortunate that a few of his mistakes in the last few games haven't cost us as they had done in earlier games.

[Ger Regan]

Oooooohhhh

Bout time you got yourself a bird so you can stop stalking me

Or you could just keep your downing bashing to the relevant threads. Makes them easier to ignore that way.
Marvellous quip by the way.

[JJ-AV]

No, it's definitely Roeder. I think he should be given a crack at the manager's job.

Is this tongue in cheek?

[Chris Smith]

I knew it wouldn't be accepted on here as many of you have painted yourselves into a corner with your opinions on Dunne. However, we've gone back to defending properly in recent months and stopped being such a soft touch at set piececs, much of that is down to him. I'm not trying to claim that he's been fantastic but he helped stabilise the side when things were threatening to go completely tits up.

When he's not there, Bolton away for example, we see the difference.

I don't expect him to be here next season and his early season displays were rubbish but you're letting emotion cloud your judgement if you fail to see how his improvement has coincided with the upturn in results.

[TheSandman]

If Downing scored a hat-trick, won 56 tackles and set up another four goals with 50 yard pin-point crosses there are three or four people on this site who would STILL not be happy with him and find some minor way to criticise him. I just choose to accept that and stifle a yawn or ignore them entirely.

[Ger Regan]

I knew it wouldn't be accepted on here as many of you have painted yourselves into a corner with your opinions on Dunne. However, we've gone back to defending properly in recent months and stopped being such a soft touch at set piececs, much of that is down to him. I'm not trying to claim that he's been fantastic but he helped stabilise the side when things were threatening to go completely tits up.

When he's not there, Bolton away for example, we see the difference.

I don't expect him to be here next season and his early season displays were rubbish but you're letting emotion cloud your judgement if you fail to see how his improvement has coincided with the upturn in results.

Our win on Sunday was in spite of him imo. If he had been sent off for that challenge (as he should have been, if we're being honest), we'd have been in a world of shit. I'm not saying that he's been an utter disaster recently, but he's still enough of a liability to cause serious concern.

[Concrete John]

I think his recent form in isolation is decent enough, but not enough to make up for what we saw earlier in the season.

[Percy McCarthy]

Just on Sky that we are going to make Downing the highest player at the Club so we can keep him.

Fuck me

A season where he improves on a diabolical season last season and does well, nothing more nothing less so have a pay rise

Is there a thread where you haven't mentioned how little you rate Downing yet? Best get cracking if there is.

He hasn't mentioned him on the Motown thread.

[Chris Smith]

If he had been sent off for that challenge (as he should have been, if we're being honest

He got in-between the player and the ball who then kicked into him. Sometimes they're given, sometimes they're not and (for once) the decision went our way. It was not the clear cut penalty some have suggested.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Just on Sky that we are going to make Downing the highest player at the Club so we can keep him.

Fuck me

A season where he improves on a diabolical season last season and does well, nothing more nothing less so have a pay rise

Is there a thread where you haven't mentioned how little you rate Downing yet? Best get cracking if there is.

He hasn't mentioned him on the Motown thread.

Ironic that Downing's only ever recording on Motown was the 'All the Man You Need' album. Wimp!

[Brend'Watkins]

It could easily have been given, it wasn't a nailed on pen but we've had softer decisions against us.  We deserve a bit of luck for a change, Sunday was our turn.

[Percy McCarthy]

Just on Sky that we are going to make Downing the highest player at the Club so we can keep him.

Fuck me

A season where he improves on a diabolical season last season and does well, nothing more nothing less so have a pay rise

Is there a thread where you haven't mentioned how little you rate Downing yet? Best get cracking if there is.

He hasn't mentioned him on the Motown thread.

Ironic that Downing's only ever recording on Motown was the 'All the Man You Need' album. Wimp!

Yes, and on that he bottled out of a fifty-fifty duet with Kim Weston. Wanker!

[Ger Regan]

It could easily have been given, it wasn't a nailed on pen but we've had softer decisions against us.  We deserve a bit of luck for a change, Sunday was our turn.

I think that we can all agree on the luck bit. But still, he fills me dread any time the ball comes near him. Not as much as earlier in the season, but dread nonetheless.

[JJ-AV]

I knew it wouldn't be accepted on here as many of you have painted yourselves into a corner with your opinions on Dunne. However, we've gone back to defending properly in recent months and stopped being such a soft touch at set piececs, much of that is down to him. I'm not trying to claim that he's been fantastic but he helped stabilise the side when things were threatening to go completely tits up.

When he's not there, Bolton away for example, we see the difference.

I don't expect him to be here next season and his early season displays were rubbish but you're letting emotion cloud your judgement if you fail to see how his improvement has coincided with the upturn in results.

I really don't rate him, but you're totally spot on here.

We missed him when he went off v the Baggies too.