Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Toronto Villa on October 29, 2010, 02:37:56 AM
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Ok. Time to man up here. For all of you who slated Downing last season, here's your chance to come clean. He's been excellent this season, and is getting better with every game. In my opinon, our best player by a distance, and on track to comfortably to get 10-15 goals, maybe more. He's been very creative, and he's popped up with some important goals. Give him a couple of better strikers to play with and he'll not only score more because of having better players around him, but create numerous chances.
I would also ask those of you who are doubting Ireland right now to think about what being out of the game actually can do to form and confidence. Ireland despite the odd moment clearly isn't at the races yet. He's frustrated because he knows he is capable of a lot more. But give him time. Like Downing, I'm convinced he'll come good.
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i couldnt disagree any more if i wanted to! he bottles tackles! his distribution is average at best!
with that being said i would love for him to prove me wrong!
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He may be a powder puff when it comes to tackling, but to be honest he is a winger so I'm not that bothered.
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Wise words TV. Lets hope you're right about Ireland too.
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yes but i don't know how many times this season he has given the ball away with sloppy passing! unnecessarily giving the ball away! it kills us!
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Because he is the only player who gives the ball away!
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no he isnt the only player that gives the ball away but... this discussion is about downing if the discussion was about sidwell i would be saying the same stuff and probably worse!
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i couldnt disagree any more if i wanted to! he bottles tackles! his distribution is average at best!
with that being said i would love for him to prove me wrong!
I don't want my most skilful players having to make strong tackles. Last season for obvious reasons lacked some confidence making challenges, and while you could never mistake him of being Roy Keane, he still gets involved. Quite frankly I want him doing what he's been doing. That is, running at full backs, creating chances and scoring. That's why we bought him. Not for what you are criticising him for.
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A professional footballer does not have the luxury of having one job! especially not a footballer in one of the smallest squads in the league. I agree he has his moments but Ashley Young is also a winger (attacking player) he gets his foot in and he doesnt give away 7 yard passes. If there is a 50/50 to be won he has to win it! If you're willing to accept anything less [regardless of position] of a player you're mad! Milner (the wanker) started off out wide,great tackler,great passer!
Maybe you would have an argument if SD was terrorizing full backs week in week out scoring and setting goals up, but he doesn't. So when he isn't doing the above what is he expected to do????? Dig in and help the team!
Like i said before i would like nothing more to come on here and say Toronto Villa you were right,SD has proved me wrong! at the end of the day it's about the villa but at the moment i can't see it!
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There are plenty of Villa legends who were not known for their tackling. I had a problem with Sir Brian when he first broke into the team, but I soon realised that he so much more to offer. If Downing can recreate his 'Boro form - and I think he's progressing towards doing that, then we shouldn't let it worry us. It might be a little irritating at times, but so what? Worry when the likes of Dunne, Collins and NRC stop tackling.
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Jury is still out on Downing for me. He has started promisingly and scored some good, important, goals. but he does tend to go missing and his distribution is woeful at times. Still, I'll judge his overall contribution at the end of the season and not just yet. Marks out of ten so far? 6and a half.
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It is Downings first full season with us, remember he was being asked to settle into a new set up after an extended lay off so it was not surprising it took him time. You could apply the same reasoning with Ireland who has in effect been playing very little first team football at Citeh in the last year or so.
With regards to slow starts, older fans will remember Andy Lochhead took months before he hit the back of the net. I dread to think what would have been said about him if the internet had existed, especially as there was a relegation involved too during that period.
So I think patience from the fans is the name of the game with any new players, the case of Downing proves this and I hope fans will bear with Ireland who I am sure will also come good.
NB. However, none of the above can apply to Sidwell. How long have we been waiting for him to do something ?
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Agreed Pete.
There always seems to be a barrage of these smug 'told you so' threads when a player puts more than two half decent games together nowadays. Are we that easily impressed? Are we that lacking in talent and things to be positive about that we'll lionize even modest contributions?
I'll save the Downing hero worship for when he has a more telling impact on results and performances over an extended period of time, thanks all the same.
He does some very good things, some sublime crosses, long distance passes and is providing more of a goal threat this year in the final third. I've never had doubts about his technical ability -even last year- but I don't buy the argument that he's a winger so he doesn't have to worry about giving the ball away, tackling or the other less attractive parts of the job.
It's a team game, which is why Ash when playing wide has no qualms about tracking back. Milner for all his effectiveness further up the pitch wasn't afraid to muck in and even a player like Drogba has a crucial part to play when his side are under the cosh and need to defend.
Different players might have different degrees of effectiveness in these secondary roles, but they have to contribute.
There are only a select group of very top players who are so good at what they do that they don't need to worry about mucking in for the team and doing the ugly stuff. Downing certainly isn't in that category.
He might not be Reo Coker esque in the tackle but he can still provide nuisance value and it's important for the overall shape of the team that he does his bit even if not in possession.
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I did say previously that he'd be much better for us once he'd had a full pre season.
Knew he'd come good, but it's early days and we just have to teach him to tackle now.
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I never doubted him.
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No complaints here, he's been very good so far this season although I'd be suprised if he gets 15 goals this season VT, he's not scored much more than that in his career to date.
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It proves to me how important a full and proper pre-season is for a player. Hopefully Ireland will be a better player after a full pre-season.
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Better than last season? Yes. Excellent so far this season? No. I'll rate him, good. Our best player so far? No. Heskey (recently) or Ashley Young.
I'll hold my hands up to slating him last season. Understand what people are saying about him being a winger but, as a centre half, I hate seeing anyone bottle a tackle.
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So what if he can't tackle, he's a winger. As long as he does that well I don't give a toss. Look at Ronaldo, he's a big a jesse but he's still regarded asrather decent.
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If Downing scores a hatrick on sunday , i will even put a poster of him on my office wall ..
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If I didn't have a full and proper pre-term preparation due to the fact that I was lounging around doing fuck-all except fine-tune the settings on my PS3, nobody would give a fuck and I would be expected to do the job I am paid for. No doubt all those who did have a full and proper pre-season will be 'given some slack' soon as they will be 'tired' because they are in the midst of a 'long and gruelling' season.
Y T Yates, Yardley.
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I find all the 'wait and see' type comments a little odd. So far this season he's been our best player and for that he deserves the plaudits he is getting. If his form drops I'm sure that will be noted but at the moment he's our top scorer and very important to to the team and has shown that those who wrote hom off last season were being a little premature..
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The first season the Milner came back he had quite a few poor games. For the whole of that season the bloke next to me kept saying that he was never worth £12M! Last season of course he was excellent.
Downing looked crap last season but has looked quality this year so far so it leads me to think that it takes a while for players to work out how they fit into the set up. Ireland's current difficulties stem from the fact that we haven't worked out how to use him yet but by the start of next season I would expect him to have established himself.
Downing to score against the Blues.
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Ireland can go one of two ways, come good like Milner and Downing or stay average like Sidwell, hopefully the first.
Not sure A Young is much better defensively than Downing, remember at home to Chelsea it was Downing who was selected on the right to combat the threat of A Cole and he did a very good job.
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I think he is playing well and scoring goal's as long as we are winning and he score's goals like against Burnley then i dont care if he does'nt put a foot in of course i would like him to track back and get some tackle's in but some player's dont do it and some player's do.
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I find it such a nonsense to see clichéd tripe like being “a powder puff”. I’ve seen him make plenty of good tackles this season, as I’m sure the neigh-sayers have as well. To single him out for this sort of criticism when we have Young in the side who struggles to cope with the effects of gravity is bizarre.
Downing is in the team to create chances, score goals, excite us and cover his full back. He’s doing all of that and to a high standard, so the OP is correct in singling him out as our best and most consistent performer this season. He’s been excellent and his goal on Wednesday was fantastic.
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I don't know where this issue about him not tracking back is coming from , he's been one of our hardest working players this season IMO. Yes he doesn't get his foot in too much but good players shouldn't have to, they let their positioning do their tackling for them.
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Yeah, we're (or some of us) are falling into the same trap that we do with Reo-Coker (who seems to get judged by many on his goalscoring ratio and struggle to pick defences apart with Platini-like passes, when his game has never been and never will be, about that). Downing is a winger. We bought him because of his skill on the ball, his vision, his ability to deliver a dangerous cross, his goalscoring edge - which we've seen a few times already this season and most recently on Wednesday, when he scored with the kind of long-range strike he's always been capable of. While I expect him to make a challenge if the ball's there to be won, he's not in the side for that reason. He'll never be a crunching ball-winning combative midfielder - just as you'll never seen Aaron Lennon hammering into players, or Adam Johnson sticking reducers on Michael Essien.
Downing's been good this season, far sharper, brighter, more confident. One of our better players, and he's becoming a likely matchwinner. Let's hope it continues.
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I thouht he got stuck in against Chelsea when he had to
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So far he has been a completely different player to what we witnessed last season, as has Heskey.
2-0 on Sunday with SD & Heskey on the scoresheet couldn't be any better for me?!?
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He is now starting to show his valuation and has become our most in form player. That's the standard he needs to uphold for the season. We'd be a far weaker team if we didn't have him in his current form.
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Whilst I'm not a fan of "see, told you so" threads, it is hard to see who has been our best player this season so far, if it isn't Downing.
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A lot of people said he would be better after a pre-season and he has,! He's not our best player by a country mile but he is playing well. Ireland will go the same way he is quality and that will show.
All players don't settle in straight away
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Whilst I'm not a fan of "see, told you so" threads, it is hard to see who has been our best player this season so far, if it isn't Downing.
Friedel, Luke Young, NRC, Ash have bigger claims to that IMO.
Alongside Heskey he has probably been our most improved player.
But best? No.
Until he makes regular match altering contributions I don't see how that stands up.
If the ball deflects in off Sidwell's arse in the 89th minute on Sunday no doubt we'll be seeing similar revisionism with him.
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I think you’ve got an entrenched view there that’s getting in the way of reality. Downing has played consistently well all season and has contributed goals, chances, assits and so on in nigh on every game.
I will agree that Heskey has done well and NRC has been superb for the most part. Ash has been very disappointing and its your inclusion of him that bemuses me most. You appear to be measuring Downing by a different yard stick to everyone else.
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Downings one of those players that always looks good on MOTD but we all know that he does go missing quite a lot I think hes improving but not quite their for me.
Best player for us so far I got to say its close between Reo and Albrighton for me and Im Gutted Albrighton is out on Sunday, im sure he is too!
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I'd go with Downing as best overall player, so far.
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I was never a Downing fan and really didn't want us signing him. However, he has proved me wrong so far this season and long may it continue. However, he is yet to do it consistently but the signs are good.
If it was a full pre-season etc that has made the difference to him, and the same will apply to Ireland, what concerns me is these players are still first team regulars when out of form and/or unfit. The Downing we saw last season could well have "cost" us a top 4 place or even a trophy. Can we keep having the luxury of carrying a player under those circumstances? Would a run in the reserves not be more beneficial, to both the player and us?
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I find it such a nonsense to see clichéd tripe like being “a powder puff”. I’ve seen him make plenty of good tackles this season, as I’m sure the neigh-sayers have as well. To single him out for this sort of criticism when we have Young in the side who struggles to cope with the effects of gravity is bizarre.
Downing is in the team to create chances, score goals, excite us and cover his full back. He’s doing all of that and to a high standard, so the OP is correct in singling him out as our best and most consistent performer this season. He’s been excellent and his goal on Wednesday was fantastic.
My thoughts exactly.
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NRC, Downing & Heskey have been very good under GH.
Last season I was very critical of all 3 of them. I'm delighted they're performing.
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Downing is stepping up a level now he is fit and his confidence is returning. Think if Ireland had put that goal in against Chelsea we would start to see what a great player he is going to prove to be. For some reason i think Sidwell is gonna get the winner against the Shit ........
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Maybe you would have an argument if SD was terrorizing full backs week in week out scoring and setting goals up, but he doesn't.
He's scored 4 goals so far this season. More than any other of our midfield/wide players and three of our strikers.
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As the opening post says, he is having a great season so far. Clearly he needed time to bed in, and the change in our footballing approach has also probably helped him. Long may it continue.
I also agree on Ireland - I really do think he needs time (andsome decent forwards to play with) before we see the best of him, but I have seen flashes of it already, and am looking forward to what he will be.
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Ok. Time to man up here.
Can I just say how much I hate that expression - oh, we already have a thread for that.
Couldn't agree more TV, he has been excellent and we saw glimpses of it last year without ever seeing the full potential.
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Only doubt I had over Downing was just how bad his injury was and how well he would recover. Can't have been easy, bad injury, new club etc but is now looking like the player I thought he would be.
Same for Ireland...quality player, he'll come good.
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Downing's having a fantastic season. Maybe for once we can learn to stop slating players as soon as (or in some cases, before) they pull the shirt on. Players need time to bed in and I suggest we do the same with Stephen Ireland.
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I think you’ve got an entrenched view there that’s getting in the way of reality. Downing has played consistently well all season and has contributed goals, chances, assits and so on in nigh on every game.
I will agree that Heskey has done well and NRC has been superb for the most part. Ash has been very disappointing and its your inclusion of him that bemuses me most. You appear to be measuring Downing by a different yard stick to everyone else.
I don't have a particularly entrenched view when it comes to Downing.
I never wrote him off when he was coming in for dogs abuse last year but neither am I going to indulge in the short-term itis that suddenly hails him as our best player. It was Ivanhoe a few weeks ago. It seems to take increasingly less to earn that accolade.
Ash is a constant threat and is still our most dangerous player. Anytime he picks up the ball he looks the most capable of producing. He's the one the opposition are worried about the most. Downing's goals this season have often come when he's looked off the pace and out of the game entirely. It's great that he's added goals to his game but for a winger he doesn't seem willing/ capable of creating for others anywhere near enough.
As I said earlier, I'll reserve judgement until he has put a consistent run of form together for more than a handful of games.
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i acknowledge his performances have improved from last season and i think the style of football we now play suits him better, his failings in terms of wasting the ball and his lightweight approach to the game are still there, lets see if he goes missing on sunday
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I have to admit I was anti-Downing when he was at boro, and didn't think he was England material either. But I am impressed with him this season, and in true Villa style we always love a 110% man and I've not seen Downing work as hard as this season.
The same will apply to Ireland, I was please when we signed him just think we need to give him time to settle in and get some games under his belt. I'm not sure we are playing him in the right position though, I may be wrong but can't remember him playing off the front man. Would like to see Heskey and Gabby (when fit) up front with NRC and Ireland in the middle.
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No need for confessions, Downing was shit last season and was rightly given stick. This season he's playing much better and is rightly being given the plaudits.
That's it, no need for point scoring.
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Well done Stew, keep it up. Playing better than Young at the moment. We need a song for him. How about something imaginative like "there's only one Stewart Downing"?
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Great suggestion. Can i add to it with a second line of, 'one Stewart Downing!' ?
Get the Brigada boys onto it asap!
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kevin- hit the nail on the head!
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No need for confessions, Downing was shit last season and was rightly given stick. This season he's playing much better and is rightly being given the plaudits.
That's it, no need for point scoring.
Spot on.
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Hope, no, pray that he delivers on Sunday.
Quality this campaign, he's backing his talking on the pitch.
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No need for confessions, Downing was shit last season and was rightly given stick. This season he's playing much better and is rightly being given the plaudits.
That's it, no need for point scoring.
Spot on.
But it's the internet, point scoring and porn are what it's for!
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No need for confessions, Downing was shit last season and was rightly given stick. This season he's playing much better and is rightly being given the plaudits.
That's it, no need for point scoring.
Spot on.
But it's the internet, point scoring and porn are what it's for!
I know.
I'm doing the wanker sign at most of you, whilst frotting over two girls one cup.
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No need for confessions, Downing was shit last season and was rightly given stick. This season he's playing much better and is rightly being given the plaudits.
That's it, no need for point scoring.
Spot on.
But it's the internet, point scoring and porn are what it's for!
One day somebody will invent on online game where you can score points while bashing your bishop to specialised niche porn and then the internet will be broken forever.
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And he has not been lightweight in the tackle either this season. He has made a number of good tracking back tackles. He is an excellent signing that played half a season getting over injury and not being match fit. I like Stewart and think he is one of our best players. Goals from midfield are essential in the places for Europe and he will score more than most in that position.
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I know he'll come good, and he can be better than he is at the moment. That said, he's improved on his performances of last season thus far, and that'll do for me.
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He went missing again today, was playing as an auxillary right back (hiding), did not try to carry the ball, passed it as soon as he could, gave it away and crap dead ball
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Yeah I thought that was comfortably his poorest game of the season today, just didn't into it at all.
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He wasn't particularly great but few of them were today. Clark excepted.
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He was well marked today I thought.
Still having a great season and our best player so far.
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went missing AGAIN today! contributed zero!!
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he's a bit better than last season,
but last season he was so abysmaly shit that anything would have been an improvement.
he not going to come good, he is a very very average footballer, MON made a mistake buying him for 12 mil,
yes he will now and again score the odd goal, or do something quite good, but he is no where near any good,
and we will have to put up with him for a long while yet, as he's going no where.
still not quite as bad as Sidwell though, who is truly shit, but a total loser non the less
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went missing AGAIN today! contributed zero!!
What utter toss. Certainly not as effective as other games but hardly zero contribution, I even saw him make a couple of tackles.
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He was poor today and sadly that was the rule rather than the exception for most of the side.
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Brilliant again today. He destroyed Wes Brown repeatedly and with Albrighton on the other side we now have such a threat from wide positions.
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He was superb.
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His run and perfect ball to Marc made the goal. I actually thought we had wasted the chance when Young didn't play him in on the run earlier. He also could have had a couple himself. Really thought his last chance was in the top corner until it went into the Holte.
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Brilliant again today. He destroyed Wes Brown repeatedly and with Albrighton on the other side we now have such a threat from wide positions.
Agreed, Oh for a decent centre forward.
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Brilliant again today. He destroyed Wes Brown repeatedly and with Albrighton on the other side we now have such a threat from wide positions.
Agreed, Oh for a decent centre forward.
yeh, it's something we are missing. Gabby isn't sharp enough yet, but we need a top centre forward to attack the crosses that are really getting better in terms of quality. In two years we/ve gone from Milner/Young crosses, to Albrighton/Downing crosses. It's a big upgrade and we need to find someone to take advantage of that.
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Stuart Downing has just been arrested by West Midlands Police following an allegation from a Mr W. Brown over a serious raping that occurred between the hours of 12:45 and 14:40.
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Absolutely sensational performance today I thought. Brilliant. Ran Brown ragged all game.
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Best performance in a Villa shirt today by far - he's set the standard now for me.
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Hands up - I was one of his biggest critics last year and didnt buy all the ' he needs a full pre season' stuff.
Superb today - and has weighed in with a few goals also. Long may it continue.
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I own up, i slated him rather alot about his delivery last season. But this season so far i think he's been our best player, his wing plays been awesome and his final ball usually always delivers perfectly. Keep this up Downing and Ireland take note. The futures bright the futures Claret and Blue
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Stuart Downing has just been arrested by West Midlands Police following an allegation from a Mr W. Brown over a serious raping that occurred between the hours of 12:45 and 14:40.
On an unrelated offence an unknown Frenchman is wanted for questioning for fraud. He claimed to be a world class left back but allowed a kid to go past with ease.
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Stuart Downing has just been arrested by West Midlands Police following an allegation from a Mr W. Brown over a serious raping that occurred between the hours of 12:45 and 14:40.
On an unrelated offence an unknown Frenchman is wanted for questioning for fraud. He claimed to be a world class left back but allowed a kid to go past with ease.
... meanwhile, play ground bullies Master Bannan and Master Hogg find themselves in hot water after strolling around the upper 5th playground like the owned the place, stealing Carrick’s lunch money and giving Fletcher a nasty Chinese burn.
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... meanwhile, play ground bullies Master Bannan and Master Hogg find themselves in hot water after strolling around the upper 5th playground like the owned the place, stealing Carrick’s lunch money and giving Fletcher a nasty Chinese burn.
I thought Park was South Korean?
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Most improved player this season and some good performances this year...
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He's brilliant
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He's been our best player this season to be honest. If not for him and Albrighton in particular, we'd really be struggling even more so for goals.
What I like about Downing is that he's got a brain on him. He's never gonna man up and get his foot in, but that's not a problem really. We need the luxury of a couple of solid midfielders to do the dirty work, and allow out attacking midfield 3 to concentrate mainly on forward player.
But yes, Stewie is effective wide, he breaks quickly and seems to have an idea of what he's gonna do with the ball, which is good. He's also good when he drifts inside, and with his confidence up he's looking to make things happen, try a pass, a shot.
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His effort late on on with his right peg was only a whisker over the bar. Pity all his shots fell on his weaker foot.
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Stuart Downing has just been arrested by West Midlands Police following an allegation from a Mr W. Brown over a serious raping that occurred between the hours of 12:45 and 14:40.
On an unrelated offence an unknown Frenchman is wanted for questioning for fraud. He claimed to be a world class left back but allowed a kid to go past with ease.
... meanwhile, play ground bullies Master Bannan and Master Hogg find themselves in hot water after strolling around the upper 5th playground like the owned the place, stealing Carrick’s lunch money and giving Fletcher a nasty Chinese burn.
Very funny laughed out loud at that.
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Albrighton is twice the player already that Downing can ever hope to be,
if i had to pick between the two i'd go for MA every single time
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Really. At the moment what Marc has got is the freedom of youth. When he makes mistakes his age is taken into account and he is given a bye. He is playing well but so is Downing but any mistakes he makes are picked on and he is criticised.
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I quote Toronto, Stewart has been great until here, one of the few players that are worth the large amount of money that MON(ey wasted) spent for. He's a good winger, maybe last year he disappointed even because he was played as central midfielder (he could play that role but he's a little bit too lightweight to play as holding midfielder, so he should play in front of another CM employed with defensive tasks). And Vidic was the man who scored not by chance but just because Delfouneso didn't engage him at all.
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i think some of the comments are a bit over the top, played well today but awful against blose and did nothing against fulham , better than last season but 1 decent game in 3?
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Always had the technical ability and skill, that was never in question.
But he's starting to have a sustained impact for longer periods in games now, rather than just the odd decent cross or good ball.
He won't do it every game, because those kind of players rarely do.
But well worth a place in the side at the moment, whereas earlier in the campaign he looked like the obvious choice to make way for Ireland.
Vast improvement on last year.
Since he's been with us he's got into a few England squads and you'd genuinely wonder how he did it. If he makes the next one it will be on merit.
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i think some of the comments are a bit over the top, played well today but awful against blose and did nothing against fulham , better than last season but 1 decent game in 3?
Or, 10 decent games in 14.
As others have said, we would be far worse without him.
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I thought he had his best game for us today, he's crossing is much better that Young's
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i think some of the comments are a bit over the top, played well today but awful against blose and did nothing against fulham , better than last season but 1 decent game in 3?
He has been superb most games this season and is our current top goalscorer.
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Downings best game and he spends it all on the LEFT, instead keep pissing about on the right.
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i think some of the comments are a bit over the top, played well today but awful against blose and did nothing against fulham , better than last season but 1 decent game in 3?
He has been superb most games this season and is our current top goalscorer.
hawkeye and others did not think that Downing would ever play well in a Villa shirt and was quite vehement about it. Unlike those others hawkeye does not like to admit he was wrong.
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He's done very well this season, after a pretty wretched 09/10. I'm pleased that he was heavily involved today because one concern I had about him is that he tended to disappear in big games. To be frank, he tended to disappear in a lot of games but he seems to be putting that right, so well done.
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On his day at Boro he was untouchable, sadly that wasnt game in game out, it was more like 1 in 7. But a decent pre season and no injury has done him the world of good. I think the slightly inflated price that MON paid is probably why there were a few axe grinders out there.
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i think some of the comments are a bit over the top, played well today but awful against blose and did nothing against fulham , better than last season but 1 decent game in 3?
He has been superb most games this season and is our current top goalscorer.
hawkeye and others did not think that Downing would ever play well in a Villa shirt and was quite vehement about it. Unlike those others hawkeye does not like to admit he was wrong.
i never ever said that he wouldnt play well in a Villa shirt, i said quite a lot of other things, i agree that he is playing a lot better this season, he played his best game for us today but he is our most expensive player and has a tendancy to go missing in games, still bottles chalenges and still wastes the ball to often, he is not as good as Walters Daley Morley for example,
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Really?!? Downing is our one player who rarely gives the ball away, he is playing brilliant this season and is scoring consistently, after the slating we all gave him, he is our best player so far this season.
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i'm still far from convinced by him to be honest,
he tends to play reasonably well when the rest of the team do, in other words he gets carried away on a good team performance, he's not a player that imposes himself on a game when we are not on form
when we play poorly, so does he, he's definitley not a stand out player in my view. just does good on the back of others
today we were fantastic, and Downing was quite good,
but no where near brillaint,
he did put some decent balls in, one of which we scored from, but he often needs time and space to do it, whereas Albrighton seems to get the ball over from almost imposible angles even when the defender is breathing down his neck.
i will admit i have never rated him at his other clubs, and still dont, never wanted to sign him, and think we could have got better for the money
for 12 mill, we got a player who now and again does things of quality on the pitch, but no where near enough for me, i think we have some far superior players in the squad to him,
and i dont think he is a player that can be relyed on, especially when things are not going well
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What a nonsense argument this "bottles challenges" is. No he doesn't.
Somniloquism is right about the entrenched opinions some have.
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i'm still far from convinced by him to be honest,
he tends to play reasonably well when the rest of the team do, in other words he gets carried away on a good team performance, he's not a player that imposes himself on a game when we are not on form
when we play poorly, so does he, he's definitley not a stand out player in my view. just does good on the back of others
today we were fantastic, and Downing was quite good,
but no where near brillaint,
he did put some decent balls in, one of which we scored from, but he often needs time and space to do it, whereas Albrighton seems to get the ball over from almost imposible angles even when the defender is breathing down his neck.
i will admit i have never rated him at his other clubs, and still dont, never wanted to sign him, and think we could have got better for the money
for 12 mill, we got a player who now and again does things of quality on the pitch, but no where near enough for me, i think we have some far superior players in the squad to him,
and i dont think he is a player that can be relyed on, especially when things are not going well
sanity at last
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I think he’s talking garbage. He’s making a point about the correlation between the Villa playing well and Downing playing well, compared to Villa playing poorly and Downing playing poorly as some sort of evidence that he’s not very good?
That seems to be the best argument going for how important a player to our side he is and how he’s been our best player this season. Which is reflected in his goals, crosses and general molesting of opposition full backs.
But he “bottles challenges”. I bet you pissed blood when you saw Albrighton not take Vidic on in a 50/50?
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i'm still far from convinced by him to be honest,
he tends to play reasonably well when the rest of the team do, in other words he gets carried away on a good team performance, he's not a player that imposes himself on a game when we are not on form
when we play poorly, so does he, he's definitley not a stand out player in my view. just does good on the back of others
today we were fantastic, and Downing was quite good,
but no where near brillaint,
he did put some decent balls in, one of which we scored from, but he often needs time and space to do it, whereas Albrighton seems to get the ball over from almost imposible angles even when the defender is breathing down his neck.
i will admit i have never rated him at his other clubs, and still dont, never wanted to sign him, and think we could have got better for the money
for 12 mill, we got a player who now and again does things of quality on the pitch, but no where near enough for me, i think we have some far superior players in the squad to him,
and i dont think he is a player that can be relyed on, especially when things are not going well
sanity at last
Not really.
For £10m (not £12m) we got the most dangerous player on the pitch in a game against Man Utd. A player who is the second highest goalscorer for a winger in the league this season.
To echo earlier posts, there are some people who had made up their mind about him last season. On the form that he is showing this season, they were very wrong.
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"When we play poorly so does he"
are you serious?
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"When we play poorly so does he"
are you serious?
i've seen Villa play really poorly in the past. but Barry still looked absolute quality even so,
same goes for Milner, Young, even Petrov and a whole host of players from the past, but never Downing.
its not a difficult concept to understand, if you ever saw Le Tiss play, he was fantastic most weeks even when his team were rubbish,
if you dont agree with me thats fair enough, i just post honestly and not for effect, but if you dont understand what i'm saying, its not my fault
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if you dont agree with me thats fair enough, i just post honestly and not for effect, but if you dont understand what i'm saying, its not my fault
It's not your fault that you're wrong, but that doesn't mean you're not wrong.
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emporers new clothes
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emporers new clothes
As many league goals as Modric, Scholes, Fabregas, Milner, Wilshere, Lennon, and Joe Cole combined. As well as being one of our most dangerous players.
Yeah, he's been rubbish.
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I always said he'd come good. In truth he's been better this season than I'd anticipated him ever getting.
Some people have dug themselves into a hole so deep they don't want to admit they were wrong.
If there's any justice in the world he should be in the England squad ahead of SWP, Lennon, Cole, A Young and others who have been nothing like as good this season. Think about all the times when he got caps he didn't seem to deserve when he was at Boro. He definitely deserves one now.
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Wasn't a huge fan of Downing last season, but he's been immense so far this term easily our player of the season.
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emporers new clothes
As many league goals as Modric, Scholes, Fabregas, Milner, Wilshere, Lennon, and Joe Cole combined. As well as being one of our most dangerous players.
Yeah, he's been rubbish.
no one has said he has been rubish, there is a lot of hyperbole about him whenever he has a good game, where was he against blose, spurs, fulham?
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emporers new clothes
As many league goals as Modric, Scholes, Fabregas, Milner, Wilshere, Lennon, and Joe Cole combined. As well as being one of our most dangerous players.
Yeah, he's been rubbish.
no one has said he has been rubish, there is a lot of hyperbole about him whenever he has a good game, where was he against blose, spurs, fulham?
Doing alright, but not great.
Whereas he has been doing great in lots of our other games this season. Which you seem to be ignoring.
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emporers new clothes
As many league goals as Modric, Scholes, Fabregas, Milner, Wilshere, Lennon, and Joe Cole combined. As well as being one of our most dangerous players.
Yeah, he's been rubbish.
no one has said he has been rubish, there is a lot of hyperbole about him whenever he has a good game, where was he against blose, spurs, fulham?
Doing alright, but not great.
Whereas he has been doing great in lots of our other games this season. Which you seem to be ignoring.
i am not ignoring, he had a good game today, he did a couple of great things he also did a couple of not so great things like hitting the first defender with crosses, a couple of poor corners, gave the ball away early on that nearly cost us a goal but the movement and cross that he showed for our second was sublime
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Does anyone have our scorers stats?
Downing has what, 5?
Albrighton 3?
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He's our player of the season thus far as far as I'm concerned.
He's looking every inch the £12 million we paid for him.
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i'm obviously not his bigest fan,
but i feel a bit guilty of posting negative stuff on a day when we were superb, and Downing did play his part,
so even though i try to post with honest opinions, i appolagise for looking like i'm throwing a stick through the spokes.
i am really delighted by Villa's performance today, truly outstanding, overall one of the best in recent times.
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He's looking every inch the £12 million we paid for him.
£10m I believe.
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i'm still far from convinced by him to be honest,
he tends to play reasonably well when the rest of the team do, in other words he gets carried away on a good team performance, he's not a player that imposes himself on a game when we are not on form
when we play poorly, so does he, he's definitley not a stand out player in my view. just does good on the back of others
today we were fantastic, and Downing was quite good,
but no where near brillaint,
he did put some decent balls in, one of which we scored from, but he often needs time and space to do it, whereas Albrighton seems to get the ball over from almost imposible angles even when the defender is breathing down his neck.
i will admit i have never rated him at his other clubs, and still dont, never wanted to sign him, and think we could have got better for the money
for 12 mill, we got a player who now and again does things of quality on the pitch, but no where near enough for me, i think we have some far superior players in the squad to him,
and i dont think he is a player that can be relyed on, especially when things are not going well
Conversely you could argue that when Downing plays well Villa plays well and when Downing plays poorly villa plays poorly.
As for the assist only coming because he was in space, Several times he turned Brown inside out and then got balls into the box. He also made space and had some good shots, the last of which everyone thought was in the net to make it 3-1 including the commentators. Unfortunately it just went over the bar.
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i'm obviously not his bigest fan,
but i feel a bit guilty of posting negative stuff on a day when we were superb, and Downing did play his part,
so even though i try to post with honest opinions, i appolagise for looking like i'm throwing a stick through the spokes.
i am really delighted by Villa's performance today, truly outstanding, overall one of the best in recent times.
ill second that mate, there is more to be happy about than sad
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Deserves to be back in the England squad.
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I 'slated' him last season - and he deserved it. A £12M player who looked half-fit and disinterested, and above all seemed to lack heart and desire in a team that had those qualities in plenty.
I am pleased he is playing well now, perhaps thanks to that mythical 'full pre-season', but he isn't doing any more than I expected a £12M international to do. He's doing his job now, and fair play to him, but I don't think his current contribution should be laid on too thick. He needs to do what he is doing now for a much longer period.
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I 'slated' him last season - and he deserved it. A £12M player who looked half-fit and disinterested, and above all seemed to lack heart and desire in a team that had those qualities in plenty.
I am pleased he is playing well now, perhaps thanks to that mythical 'full pre-season', but he isn't doing any more than I expected a £12M international to do. He's doing his job now, and fair play to him, but I don't think his current contribution should be laid on too thick. He needs to do what he is doing now for a much longer period.
I still don't see where £12m has come from.
According to O'Neill:
"£10m is a bargain. It's great value and he's a superb acquisition."
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I 'slated' him last season - and he deserved it. A £12M player who looked half-fit and disinterested, and above all seemed to lack heart and desire in a team that had those qualities in plenty.
I am pleased he is playing well now, perhaps thanks to that mythical 'full pre-season', but he isn't doing any more than I expected a £12M international to do. He's doing his job now, and fair play to him, but I don't think his current contribution should be laid on too thick. He needs to do what he is doing now for a much longer period.
I still don't see where £12m has come from.
According to O'Neill:
"£10m is a bargain. It's great value and he's a superb acquisition."
An extra £2M depending on appearances, apparently.
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Regardless of whether its £10M or £12M, he is the most expensive signing in our squad. He should be doing the business, and I am glad he is now. But some of the gushing stuff on here is a bit rich.
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Without question he has been our most consistent player this season. No he won't ever go flying into 50-50 challenges, but that's not his role in the team. For those who've been eagar to critisise, it's time to move on to another victim.
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Regardless of whether its £10M or £12M, he is the most expensive signing in our squad. He should be doing the business, and I am glad he is now. But some of the gushing stuff on here is a bit rich.
If he was playing this well for someone else, would you pay more than £10M or £12M for him? I think he's worth more than that given what some teams shell out for footballers these days. And those amounts aren't exactly world records and for a top PL team that is a pretty middling trasfer fee to have paid for a player. We wax lyrical about other teams players all the time. How about we do it for one of ours when they do well?
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£10/12m.
About what Everton paid for Bilyaletdinov, Spurs paid for Palacious and Keane, what Man City paid for Barry, what Fulham paid for Andy Johnson and what Liverpool paid for Babel.
If that's the crazy market that we're living in, then he is worth every penny.
And yes, there are obviously cheaper players than him who are probably doing better. But that doesn't mean he isn't worth what we paid for him.
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And yes, there are obviously cheaper players than him who are probably doing better. But that doesn't mean he isn't worth what we paid for him.
Talking about that the other stick used to beat him with is that Johnson was the better winger for £7mil. What has happened to him recently? Has he fallen out with Mancini or injured?
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And yes, there are obviously cheaper players than him who are probably doing better. But that doesn't mean he isn't worth what we paid for him.
Talking about that the other stick used to beat him with is that Johnson was the better winger for £7mil. What has happened to him recently? Has he fallen out with Mancini or injured?
Mancini just thinks that Yaya Touré is a better attacker.
*chuckle*
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And yes, there are obviously cheaper players than him who are probably doing better. But that doesn't mean he isn't worth what we paid for him.
Talking about that the other stick used to beat him with is that Johnson was the better winger for £7mil. What has happened to him recently? Has he fallen out with Mancini or injured?
Mancini just thinks that Yaya Touré is a better attacker.
*chuckle*
He actually played today. Looks like he might have been "found out" although Blues having 10 men back wouldn't have helped trying to get through them.
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The problem for Johnson I'd that you can only do the same trick to go outside the left back with your left foot so many times. He needs tobplay on the left more.
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Downing was first class yesterday. He's doing well cutting in from the wing. Stronger on his right peg than I thought he was.
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Initially, I thought that he started really well when his Villa career finally started after his injury, but after this point, he became a bit of a luxury and not living up to his price tag.
However, I have to say that he was fantastic yesterday and he has been a lot more consistent this season. Long may it continue.
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Our best player so far this season. He destroyed Wes Brown yesterday. He's scoring goals and he's creating them. Shops in Birmingham should soon be selling out of humble pie.
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Knew he'd come good after the pre season.
Let's hope the same thing happens with Ireland.
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Knew he'd come good after the pre season.
Let's hope the same thing happens with Ireland.
That's if Ireland is still with us next season.
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Knew he'd come good after the pre season.
Let's hope the same thing happens with Ireland.
That's if Ireland is still with us next season.
If he can't knuckle down and wants to flounce off, then that's up to him.
If he works hard and takes on board what Houllier and McAllister tell him, he'll do well.
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Our best player so far this season. He destroyed Wes Brown yesterday. He's scoring goals and he's creating them. Shops in Birmingham should soon be selling out of humble pie.
I'll happily eat a large portion with custard, I wasn't exactly writing him off but I never thought he could be as good as he has been so far this season.
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Unlucky not to be named in the England squad as was Albrighton, I am really not sure about Ireland though from what I have seen so far, he looks like a lightweight.
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His best performance of the season with Capello watching and specially praised on Match of the Day but left out of the England squad!
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Wow. I'm sorry Stew, if you can keep playing at that level I will go forth to the world and proclaim your genius forsaking all others. He was awesome yesterday, everything he did was done at pace, not once did he get on the ball and stand still. He ran at the defence and showed some real awareness of his team mates. He changed his run when Bannan slid that through ball to him, seeing that Bannan didn't want it to go down the line, cut inside and created a great chance. Well done dude.
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Our best player so far this season. He destroyed Wes Brown yesterday. He's scoring goals and he's creating them. Shops in Birmingham should soon be selling out of humble pie.
I'll happily eat a large portion with custard, I wasn't exactly writing him off but I never thought he could be as good as he has been so far this season.
It's not only his talent. It's the immense confidence he is now playing with. He looks very fit, and as his confidence grows he is becoming so much influential on the way we play. It's a real pleasure to watch.
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I always thought that there was a player in him and that he would be his full self with a proper pre-season. Just goes to show that you can't judge a player on one half-season or first impression (take note Ireland-bashers!). How he isn't in the England squad is beyond me.
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Yesterday was quite superb, and there is something special going on. I just hope we stick faith in the kids. I think it's important we stick faith in the kids and add some much needed experience to the squad. Somebody like Patrick Viera would be ideal just for his experience and to guide the young lads. I think it's time for us to get rid of the dead wood i.e Beye, Davies, Salifou, Carew. I'd like a quality striker and an experience midfielder as previously stated. When everyone's fir I'd like to see the following line-up;
Friedel
Young Cuellar Dunne Warnock
Albrighton Reo-Coker Bannan Downing
Young
Agbonlahor
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Sorry Stewart. I thought he looked great when initially coming into the side but went off the boil around March. Now he's had a great pre-season he's looking great. Well done stuart, keep the form up!
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Another good signing by MON?
A modern midfielder, with a great cross.What i liked about him yday was he was picking out players with his crossing.Very impressive yday, probably my MOM, and our best player this season so far.
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MOM for yesterday was an incredibly difficult choice, Allbrighton, Warnock, Collins, Gabby, Bannan and Young were all in with a good shout but Downing shaded it for me. I always thought he was a very talented player but that his propensity for shitting out of tackles would mean that he would never be a favourite with the crowd, as someone said earlier, he's been our best player this season, lets hope he can keep it up, I also hope he retires from the England side, the last thing he needs is the Wembley boo squad getting to his new found confidence.
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Great run of form from him this season. As said before, not particularly pleased with his attitude towards tackling, but as a winger, it isn't a massive part of his game. Glad to see Bannan emerging too, our midfield looks very creative all of a sudden. Keep up the good work Stu and Bannan, here's hoping Petrov struggles to find his way back into the team.
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I always thought people were harsh on Downing. He came through a lot of injury problems and in spite of those he seemed decent last season.
I hope he keeps up the good form. He's a pleasure to watch this year!
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Downing has been very good this season.
5 goals already and his crossing has been much improved in recent weeks.
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There were so many times last season I wondered how the hell could someone fork out 12 million for Downing, just as I had done before that regarding James Milner when he too was a very average winger.
Just keep proving me wrong please.
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5 goals already and his crossing has been much improved in recent weeks.
For me the 2nd point is more important than the first.
He won't keep up this scoring rate, but his main job is to create, so his all round game being so improved shows greater signs of a big Villa future than the goals he's scored.
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5 goals already and his crossing has been much improved in recent weeks.
For me the 2nd point is more important than the first.
He won't keep up this scoring rate, but his main job is to create, so his all round game being so improved shows greater signs of a big Villa future than the goals he's scored.
TBh we need both points whilst we have no strikers. Double figures for him, Ash and Marc will help us alot this season.
Edit: 4 league goals and 2 assists for Downing. That stacks up to Bale with 4 league goals and 1 assist although Crouch has 6 assists and some of those could have been Bale knockdowns to other players. For us Ash has 4 assists and 2 goals and Marc has 3 assists and 3 goals.
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I'm not knocking it and hope he keeps it up. But for me it's a bonus to his general game getting back to where it shoud be for a £12m footballer.
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Sorry Stewart. I thought he looked great when initially coming into the side but went off the boil around March. Now he's had a great pre-season he's looking great. Well done stuart, keep the form up!
Same for me.
What's probably helped Downing who is very much to me a confidence player was getting a couple of goals early on in the season. He has 5 goals already this season so double figures should be a very realistic target as it is for our other wide men as our strikers aren't scoring much due to injuries.
The pleasing thing for me is we're now getting some consistantly accurate crosses from Downing whixch was a big strength of his game at Boro when he was playing well.
He should've had an assist at Sunderland when Heskey missed from 5 yards, similarly at Fulham he hit in some good low crosses and obviously yesterday.
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Desperately unlucky to be overlooked for the England squad, but from a personal point of view delighted. Allows him to focus on club form, less risk of injury and will serve as added motivation to him to continue to perform to get into the squad.
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Get him to knock in a few more goals from spectacular free kicks and we have the 'English Ronaldo' on our hands. Who'd have thunk it?
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I think he's having a better game because he's not spending half the game swapping wings with Ashley Young.
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I think he's having a better game because he's not spending half the game swapping wings with Ashley Young.
Indeed our better players are looking better because we are playing better football. Downing isn't really the sort of player that thrives on hoof ball so it's not surprising that he can use his pace and movement better in the current set up.
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I think he's having a better game because he's not spending half the game swapping wings with Ashley Young.
That's a big thing for me. Both he and Ash prefer the left, so when both playing there's a lot of changing over and whoever is on the right we don't get the best from. Adding a player like Albrighton who prefers the right gives greater balance to the side.
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I think it's also worth pointing out Ashley Young's contribution. While he's maybe not been quite as eye catching, his runs from all over the place are sucking in defenders wich then gives more space for the likes of Albrighton and Downing.
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I think it's also worth pointing out Ashley Young's contribution. While he's maybe not been quite as eye catching, his runs from all over the place are sucking in defenders wich then gives more space for the likes of Albrighton and Downing.
I noticed that on Saturday, both Ash and Gabby created a lot of space by their running off the ball.
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When fit that has to be our front four (Stew, Marc, Ash, Gabby), they will cause any team problems. Hopefully long term Delph and Bannan in the middle picking the passes.
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Downing is currently the most inform player we have and long may it continue.
He had Evra on toast ;)
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Overall this season he has been excellent, and is contributing goals which is key.
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Downing is currently the most inform player we have and long may it continue.
He had Evra on toast ;)
Brown. It was Albrighton who was dismantling Evra's reputation.
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Long may he continue to prove me wrong!!!
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Obviously he's playing well on the wing so I wouldn't change it in the next few games but I wouldn't be adverse to moving Young back to the left and play Downing in the hole for a few games to have a look as he does have a decent pass and shot on him.
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I'm glad we stuck with Downing and Albrighton on their proper wings most of the game on Saturday. I think it's more effective.
Very comfortably our player of the season thus far for me.
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Really pleased with Downing. His pre season training is really showing now .......
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Obviously he's playing well on the wing so I wouldn't change it in the next few games but I wouldn't be adverse to moving Young back to the left and play Downing in the hole for a few games to have a look as he does have a decent pass and shot on him.
Interesting idea. Maybe the answer is to have him and Ash interchanging positions during games?
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Downing has been our best player this season
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Obviously he's playing well on the wing so I wouldn't change it in the next few games but I wouldn't be adverse to moving Young back to the left and play Downing in the hole for a few games to have a look as he does have a decent pass and shot on him.
Interesting idea. Maybe the answer is to have him and Ash interchanging positions during games?
[/quoteObviously he's playing well on the wing so I wouldn't change it in the next few games but I wouldn't be adverse to moving Young back to the left and play Downing in the hole for a few games to have a look as he does have a decent pass and shot on him.
Interesting idea. Maybe the answer is to have him and Ash interchanging positions during games?
[/quotObviously he's playing well on the wing so I wouldn't change it in the next few games but I wouldn't be adverse to moving Young back to the left and play Downing in the hole for a few games to have a look as he does have a decent pass and shot on him.
Interesting idea. Maybe the answer is to have him and Ash interchanging positions during games?
I wouldn't want our best crosser anywhere other than on the wings. His deliveries are sublime at times and we can't afford to lose that element of his game.
I'd also like to add that he and Albrighton have been our star players so far this season imo.
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Fair play to him,he's been great this season. At the end of the last season i thought he was gonna go the same way as Sidwell.