Stewart Downing amnesty.

[The Man With A Stick]

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.

[KevinGage]

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.

[hawkeye]

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

[TheBarneyArmy]

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.

[Dave Cooper please]

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.

[cdbearsfan]

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"?

[villa1]

Great suggestion. Can i add to it with a second line of, 'one Stewart Downing!' ?

Get the Brigada boys onto it asap!

[olofmilosevic]

kevin- hit the nail on the head!

[pauliewalnuts]

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.

[TimTheVillain]

Hope, no, pray that he delivers on Sunday.

Quality this campaign, he's backing his talking on the pitch.

[Stu]

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!

[pauliewalnuts]

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.

[adrenachrome]

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.

[atomicjam]

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.

[Rancid custard]

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.