Ok, now comapre him to Hazard who is quite often playing a similar role to what Downing does. The difference is shocking.
Downing is in the same class as Charlie Adam IMO, looked good at their previous team because they were the best of an average bunch but when they get the move to a bigger team to really prove themselves they just prove that they belong at the like of Blackpool and Villa.
If we are deeming his recent performances as a good standard for the club then we are in trouble. He hasn't even justified £2m of his price tag let alone £20m. He needs to be sold in the summer and we need to get a player with real quality in. Hopefully Brendan will do as good in the summer market as the winter one just gone because Sturridge has been a steal so far and Coutinho in his 80 odd minutes so far has been head and shoulders above Downing in his whole Liverpool career.
Anyway moan over, could be worse, he could be Salif Diao.
My sentiments too, I think the encouraging signs people are seeing regarding Downing is largely based on the level of expectations we now have for him, which are virtually 0. He doesn't score enough, he doesn't create enough, he doesn't beat his man and therefore doesn't drag defenders out of their natural zones. His aerial ability is 0, his set-piece delivery is not strong enough to make him the main taker and neither is his contribution if he isn't taking the set piece, his defensive capabilities are extremely limited and commitment to a challenge is pathetic. His pace is actually his best asset, but the only trick he actually has in his book and to say he was a 1 trick pony would be an insult to the 1 trick pony. Very poor signing bought in to supply a man who wont be at the club come the first game of next year.
While there is small merit in keeping Downing as a squad member, for £80k a week you can be damn sure Brendan will be doing his damnedest to offload him in the Summer and rightly so in my opinion.
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