SSN: "Downing won't commit to Villa"

[JUAN PABLO]

Downing's form has been no more than acceptable this season for a supposed £12m player.

Whilst the trend is depressing and indicative of how it is virtually impossible for a club like Villa to slowly build a competative side, I still couldn't care less if I never saw Downing in a Villa shirt again.

He's been our best player this season, in my opinion.

It wasnt hard to do thou really was it ..

[Dave]

If Downing and Young go, Bent could aswell. Doubt he'd enjoy it here if he's getting no supply.

Well he seems happy enough at the moment with next to no supply from either Ashley or Downing.

Other than setting up most of his goals you've got a point.

I think you're confusing him with Walker.

I'm pretty sure he's not. Young and Downing have both set up more goals for Bent than Walker has.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

If Downing and Young go, Bent could aswell. Doubt he'd enjoy it here if he's getting no supply.

Well he seems happy enough at the moment with next to no supply from either Ashley or Downing.

Other than setting up most of his goals you've got a point.

I think you're confusing him with Walker.

I'm pretty sure he's not. Young and Downing have both set up more goals for Bent than Walker has.

Young set up three: Everton, West Ham and Arsenal
Walker set up three: Bolton, Stoke and Arsenal
Downing set up two: Man Utd and Everton.

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

Year 1: Gareth Barry
Year 2: James Milner
Year 3: Ashley Young
Year 4: Stewart Downing
Year 5: Ciaran Clark
Year 6: Mark Albrighton
Year 7: Gary Gardner

etc etc.... football, as a competitive sport is dead.

[OzVilla]

This is also another wake up call to all those who think the players have absolute buy in to the Houllier philosophy.  Downing clearly doesn't as he still has two years on his contract to run and he's already making the earliest possible agitation for a move.

Perhaps this is a coded message to Randy that it's not only the supporters that realise that this Management team needs to be put out to pasture.

[cheltenhamlion]

I can't see the drama in his comments here. We have had a crap season and the management is up in the air. I am sure he will sign a new deal if the next few months are what we hope for.

[PaulWinch again]

Oh good, loyalty being shown again.

[Chris Smith]

If Downing and Young go, Bent could aswell. Doubt he'd enjoy it here if he's getting no supply.

Well he seems happy enough at the moment with next to no supply from either Ashley or Downing.

Other than setting up most of his goals you've got a point.

I think you're confusing him with Walker.

I'm pretty sure he's not. Young and Downing have both set up more goals for Bent than Walker has.

Young set up three: Everton, West Ham and Arsenal
Walker set up three: Bolton, Stoke and Arsenal
Downing set up two: Man Utd and Everton.

Young should get credited with an assist for the Man City goal too. Then there's all the chances they set up that he missed. Young in particular has struck up a good understanding with Bent, slipping balls through timed to his runs.

[Le Lapin]

His most likely destination would be Liverpool (not much European football there this season) or Spurs (he'll be bench warmer in they hold on to Lennon and Bale). Les Arse, Chelski or Man Ure would not be interested in him, would not be good enough for them in my opinion. The only wild card would be Citeh, but the will be looking for a better calibre of player.
It's disheartening at this stage, to continually loose our best players, to see no loyalty from them. Football is becoming a game that it's getting harder and harder to maintain interest in, why should we invest our money and nervous energy season after season if it's patently obviously that the players don't give a shite about the jersey or the fans.
A regulatory body should be put in place to police what these bloodsuckers agents are doing to the game and give them parameters to stay within.

[nick harper]

Same old, same old. It used to happen once every few years to us - Rioch, Gray, Gidman, *odge, Platt, Yorke etc - now it happen every bloody year. I was going to sort my season ticket out today but my enthusiasm has gone unsurprisingly.

[Ads]

Downing won't be going anywhere this summer. I think we've all accepted Ash is off, but Randy's is no mug. He's shown that he's not arsed about the cash to prove a point to the player.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Young should get credited with an assist for the Man City goal too. Then there's all the chances they set up that he missed. Young in particular has struck up a good understanding with Bent, slipping balls through timed to his runs.

You're clutching at straws with the Man City goal. Young shot, had nothing to do with setting up Bent.

You're right, Bent has missed a couple but overall, considering the possession and positions both Ashley and Downing get themselves into with Bent waiting in the middle, the failure to deliver the final ball has been nothing but very poor. If Downing can improve on that side of his game, we really will have the complete player and maybe then teams in the Champions League might show an interest.

[kippaxvilla2]

Fuck off Downing you two faced prick.

Sick of these Stewies and Ashleys and Rios and Stevies and Lamps and JT's and Wazzas and Bazzas who are all basically self serving, arrogant, thick, egotistical prima dona pricks.

Don't tell us two weeks ago you can't see why would want to leave then tell us some bullshit about being at a Crossroads when we took a chance on you when you had a potentially career threatening injury and turned you into the player you have become which is just about better than average.  Now do one along with your mate.

And Villa, stop arsing about again, do the decent thing and remove this failed management team and get someone in who is going to restore the work ethic into these under performing 'stars'.

[Fuse]

This is the last year I believe that clubs can spend what they want on transfers as next year the UEFA rules kick in. As such I think the transfer window will go mental with clubs spending more than in any other window. I dare say agents are telling their players that this may well be the last chance to secure massive long term contracts. Hence Downing all of a sudden has a change fo ehart and uses the usual CL ambitions as a smoke-screen for chasing the £.

Personally I am more concerned what happens at our club with the Manager situation. If we have a good manager then he won't be worried about players like Downing wanting to leave as he will have the skills to find a replacement.

I'd rather 11 younger, hungrier players on the pitch than so called established stars who have one good season and think they are fit to play against the likes of Messi.

Our best season under MON was when we had  that and we have gone backwards ever since the Barrys, Milners, Youngs of this world think they are better than the club they are at.

[not3bad]

Considering Young and Downing are both off and Walker's probably going back to Spurs the argument going on is a bit academic isn't it?