macandally

Doesnt he?? Who is that guy he does that then, looks just like him??

Well thanks for sparing your valuable time, but maybe if you write "I" instead of the Royal "We" then I would have understood you were giving your opinion not speaking for all of us. Opinions are just that, seems like the rest of the Villa players and a large number of fans support mine over yours as to his worth, considering he was voted POTY etc.

I dont think so. Its amazing how as soon as a player looks like he might leave, his quality suddenly disappears and he goes from being 2010/11 player of the year to an average Joe who we should grab 20 million for. Downing is a quality player, works hard, tracks back to help his fullback, is an England international with proven premiership quality. Players like that are two a penny arent they????

Can anyone tell us why though? What's the point of having the best poacher in the English game if we don't get the ball in the box?? Benty will not score from the half way line or if we can't keep hold of the ball for more than 3 passes. I am really getting disheartened at the way our team is looking for this season. Last year when we had to rely on the kids we really had a bad run of results. We need good quality signings and fast otherwise we will end up either buying a load of dross or paying over the top prices for average players! In fairness we will only have to worry about that problem for 6-12 months before he will no doubt move on. Didnt he say when he signed that part of the attraction was getting on the end of quality balls from Young and Downing. That soon went out the window. The quality we had is disappearing leaving us with the squad players.

I think if Given comes here and stays fit he will change few peoples minds with his performances as he can have those days where he is unbeatable. I would rather us have a younger player who could develop and play a part longer term, but if Siegrist is as good as he is supposed to be, signing Given might work for us.

This will be interesting. He is not for sale! Price is 20 milllion pounds. General says every player has his price. Fee agreed. Fingers crossed this is not true.

So the board making a bad appointment somehow doesn't make Downing a prick for all of the things he's said? Maybe Downing has seen the board's ambition or lack of, and has decided that as things have changed for the worse, he needs to reassess his career options? Maybe, maybe not, but that still doesn't make his behavior acceptable even if it is true. What behaviour? Wanting to get the most of his career? He hasn't said or done anything out of order, he hasn't demanded a move or bitched to the press. All he has done is go back on previous statements, which given the situation changed is understandable. His first set of comments were when it looked like we were going into a 2nd season under Houllier, then things changed and once again we were starting again. Now don't get me wrong I'm still delighted that Houllier went even if I'm not happy with who replaced him but the simple fact is things changed and so it seems did Downings views. Now that might well also have been changed because of people whispering in his ear or because of a confirmed offer who knows but the reality for me is this. The team and the club that Downing finds himself a part of now is not the same team and club with which he signed not so long ago. He joined us from Boro because we were ambitious, progressive and trying to achieve something, we aren't that club any more and if Downing had any doubt about this the proof was provided for him by the arrival of McLeish. The landscape at the club has changed it is understandable therefore if players attitudes to the club have changed. I think Downing owes the club a little more after they signed him injured but in reality he probably felt he had that debt to O'Neill rather than the club. It is also unrealistic to expect a player to stay for this reason alone and lets be honest we as a club aren't giving him many other reasons to want to stay are we. If Downing wants out he is doing nothing different to what 99% of players would do in his circumstances. We can bitch and moan about it all we want, we can call him all the names we want but it isn't going to change anything especially as the problem here and the real issue isn't Downing its those people running the club who have frankly made quite appalling decisions over the last 12 months and arguably for quite a bit longer than that. Most of us don't think we are going anywhere as a club so I'm struggling to think why people are lambasting a player for thinking the same in the face of offers to move to clubs that are. If people really think that players, any players are going to put the feelings of fans and the wishes of clubs ahead of their own careers, goals, ambitions and wealth then they are kidding themselves. Downing is no more a villain than any other footballer out there, they are all the same and the truth is if we were in their shoes we would all likely do the same. If I were playing for a club that held no emotional attachment to me that had gone through the 12 months we have and I had the chance to go to Arsenal or Liverpool I would likely want to take it. A proper post. I am sick of people slating realistic posts as negative, it smacks of fingers in the ear "lalalalaing". The McLeish appointment is a statement alright but not a positive one. The fans deep down know what it means, the players know what it means and Downing for one wants out. I hope something significant happens to change the status quo because the worse thing that can happen is death by a thousand cuts as we loiter in mid table.

Unfortunately mate footballers live in a bubble now full of hangers on who are constantly telling them how great they are. Gone are the days where they walked the streets like Gary Shaw used to. I think as long as there are agents and publicists hawking often average players around, there will be players wondering around totally detached from the real world.

North Stand redevelopment????

I wouldnt disagree although judging by what Kendrick is currently saying, it may be that we are optimistic with that plan.

As McLeish has allegedly stated he will be playing Bent and Gabby together, that would mean a three man defence!! Back to the Brian Little days then!

The problem is, that selling and reinvesting only works if you are buying developing young talent with a resale value. If you are buying 30 somethings like Parker the whole plan falls down. NZogbia is young enough to fit that plan though.

Again, post on poster. Try having an opinion on the team.

Again, as I said on that very same page, he is angling for a move but has chosen his words quite carefully as nowhere does he say, as Barry did in the NOTW, "I WANT OUT". We can all read between the lines, but there is a difference between implying it and saying it. I stand by my original post.

Sorry Mike, can you please direct me to some posts where you do anything except post about other posters?? Do you have anything to contribute at all or are you just an antagonist?? FWIW, if you look at the quality goals he scored, they came whilst he was managed by Hughes who obviously managed to get the best out of a volatile personality. Sorry to let reasoning get in the way of a good dust up!

If there is one good reason why Mark Hughes should have been Aston Villa manager, this guy is it. I cant help feeling that to get the best out of him, you have to build the side around him and give him that free role to wander and cause trouble. Hughes saw that and did it at City, for me, McLeish will be more substance over style and therefore Ireland as a luxury player will end up disappointed. Pity as if mentally right, he could be awesome for us and be the "player in the hole" that Young never was.

That is a prime example of cutting your nose off to spite your face. It is obvious he is angling for a move, but I dont think he has openly come out and said as much (ala News of the World and Barry)

So just because he has an opinion contrary to yours, he can F*** off?? Its a forum, people will post what they think and people will either agreement or not. If you cannot openly debate, whats the point of a forum??

I think if we had played 4-4-2 we would have been relegated! Playing 4-3-3 should be the way forward, the problem is our centre 3 are so weak that they get overun. We need probably two strong holding players to allow the likes of Delph or Makoun to pulll the strings. ----------------------Foster ----Young------Dann------Cueller---------LB ---------------Palacious----Witsel------------ ----------------------Delph-------------------- --------Albrighton--------------Downing------ ----------------------Bent----------------------

This scares me in so many ways!!!

This.

Rightly so. At the age of what 25/26 he is quickly dropping into the "great potential but wasted talent" bucket.

How long ago was that, 3/4 years??? Hargreaves was an England regular then wasnt he?

Mate once again you have me confused. You tell me that Downing has stated that he wants to leave and then ask me why I think he wants to leave now?? You told me that he stated he wants to leave before McLeish came in, surely you have evidence for that and can therefore answer your own question?? To me, I would think he would be more inclined to consider leaving after this managerial appointment. In my opinion, I would be surprised if he is here at the end of the window.

Difference being then we played hardball, had a charasmatic manager and appeared to be going places. I get labelled a doom monger, but I cannot see for one second that we are even remotely in this position with Downing.