Downing

[Dave Cooper please]

Cracking goal in a very encouraging first half for the wussmeister.

[supertom]

Cracking player. Never doubted him.

[Rancid custard]

Aha! The real Stewart Downing.

[Dr Butler]

I never rated him at Boro, didnt want us to sighn him, i have pointed out since day 1 that he is a very over rated ordinary footballer, i have seen the pre season arguement and never bought into that either- he dosent tackle, dosent get involved, dosent score, cant head the balll, his dead ball play is crap, he dosent beat a player and dosent create chances, every now and then he hits an ok pass or cross £12million bargain

not a bad header last night........and the one at Pompey.........

[DB]

I thought he did well last night, OK he's not a ball winner by any stretch but good good and was a threat to them all night. What about NRC what the hell did he do??? Apart from not track his man for their first goal.

[Hammer]

Downing was probably our best player last night. Won't get carried away - it's the least we can expect after nearly a season - but attacked positively, got stuck into the tackle, crossed well and scored a belting goal. More of this sort of thing.

[curiousorange]

I've been impressed by Downing throughout the start of this season as a whole. Seems more aware of his team role, has a bit of flair about him again.

[Ads]

He was good against West Ham and excellent alst night. One in the eye for the haters.

[peter w]

I'm not a Downing hater as I do like him, but I'm clearly in the minority about last night. Great finish for the goal, but apart from that I thought he was only okay.

[Ads]

He took on his full back and looked good when he came inside as well. He's also one of the few players we have who is willing to actually shoot at goal.

[peter w]

Agreed about his shooting but I don't remember taking his man on down the line save for that 10 minute spell at the end of the first half when we were tearing into them.

[not3bad]

There was a cracking bit of interplay between Downing and Ashley Young late in the first half following a short corner.  Hope they can do this more often.

[Ads]

He did it for most of the game I felt. Both him and Albrighton murdered their full backs.

Christ how the fuck did we lose that game to that shower of shite?

[not3bad]

Because we didn't take our chances and Stoke didn't know when they were beaten.

[peter w]

Or we didn't actually create that many chances, second half especially, and they were always going to get one at some point.