colhint Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 I think southgate said that Downing was the most technically gifted player he had worked with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipvilla1 Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 This season Downing looks like he has become even quicker and more dangerous when attacking the full back. As much as people (including myself) have critisised Houllier it appears the work he has done on the training ground with Downing is really helping him develop and Im sure Capello has helped too. Downing has always had the potential, i guess he just needed the right the manager to help him reach that potential. HOULLIER OUT, lol. I also think last season was to early to judge him following his injury. It must be tough for even the most mentally strong footballer to come back from an injury like Downings and hit the ground running. I just hope we manage to hold on to him this summer and build on the quality thats already in the squad as opposed to having to replace it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NowDoINotLikeThat Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Think ppl forget how much experience Downing had before we signed him . He was very much part of the world cup squad back in 2006. (OK he didnt exactly pull up trees for England under Sven and yeh it was pretty miserable tournament for England again...but anyhow ...i digress!) Hes a quality player but is a confidence type of player- last season was always going to be tough for him coming back from that injury (ironically was a Petrov tackle that caused it). We managed to sign him basically because Boro were so pissed off at Spurs tapping him up the year before we signed him. As for Adam Johnson well yeh very good player also but there was some sort of agreement with Boro and him that they wouldn't sell him that paticular year that we bought Downing so its bit of a non debate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razor Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Downing has been really impressive recently, especially against Ghana and then he took that form into the Everton match, he had a little spell where he was poor around the time of the 4-0 defeat to City and the 3-0 defeat to Liverpool but has been easily our best player recently. I don't know why people are talking like we would have a chance of signing Johnson, Mancini views him as one of their most important players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 tough one to answer. If johnson got the gametime downing does he'd probably be a real star, but downing has been great this season either way, and id expect a similar improvement next term Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexicon Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Good to see that Downs has changed so many people's minds. He's a real asset to the squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Yep. Downing is POTY right now, IMO. It's a crying shame Milner left and Ash is leaving, cuz it would have been a deadly midfield....we were so close to making it all come together....I'm so sick of "rebuilding" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny_Villaman84 Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 downing are better general football be honest. if johnson play for us - albrighton and him will mirror attack style will panic full back. we need find other downing so we will better off with downing and (downing with natural right foot maybe milner is) rather that johnson and albrighton winger. (i am pro-albrighton - i am wakes that he need time and more developed into mature players i think he are better that young in winger be honest. i know albrighton prone mistake easier as he was his first season at Premier League, i not blame him, i am positive he are more potential better that downing or near in of standard beckham with pace and trickester.) downing are pussy, as he been nasty leg break which he never forget it and fear it happen again which not his fault it is our former captain petrov who break his leg it is his fault. overall downing better choice be fair as he are Intel players with very good general footballer... johnson are still young players high potential winger, right decision buy downing.. i was crisis buy downing 12 millions were rip off money with broke leg and pass medical exam which suspire me. in end it is are worth money to buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno_2004 Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Not this again.. Very different players IMO. Downing is more of a possession winger and certainly more of a well-rounded one - especially defensively (not tackling wise, but positionally and tracking back) whereas Johnson is more of an explosive MOTD-player. The game against Sunderland summed it up, he scored a good goal, goes missing (then again in that team he can afford to) and pops up now and again over the course of the game with some good piece of skill against a fullback. Downing is better for us right now - both Ashley and Albrighton are more flashy wingers (although I think Albrighton with experience could become a lot more involved, he certainly has the ability to do more than just receive the ball and have a go at the fullback). He also has the ability to play inside and did that very well against Citeh, Johnson simply does not have the tactical awareness and attributes to his game that would suit this. So in summary... I'd have them both in the team if I could (will never happen now, of course) but right now I'd take Downing. He's been one of the best wingers in the Prem this season; and I don't need to watch MOTD highlights to tell me that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno_2004 Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 downing are better general football be honest. if johnson play for us - albrighton and him will mirror attack style will panic full back. we need find other downing so we will better off with downing and (downing with natural right foot maybe milner is) rather that johnson and albrighton winger. (i am pro-albrighton - i am wakes that he need time and more developed into mature players i think he are better that young in winger be honest. i know albrighton prone mistake easier as he was his first season at Premier League, i not blame him, i am positive he are more potential better that downing or near in of standard beckham with pace and trickester.) downing are pussy, as he been nasty leg break which he never forget it and fear it happen again which not his fault it is our former captain petrov who break his leg it is his fault. overall downing better choice be fair as he are Intel players with very good general footballer... johnson are still young players high potential winger, right decision buy downing.. i was crisis buy downing 12 millions were rip off money with broke leg and pass medical exam which suspire me. in end it is are worth money to buy.Nomination for post of the internet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 I doubt whether we would have been able to have found the cash at the time for Downing had it not been we were signing him when injured and for me that was a master stroke. Johnson like others who often share a bench with him put a move to Manchester City and the salary it brings them above football reasons for making a move there and may still view a move elsewhere to get regular first team football in much the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Yep. Downing is POTY right now, IMO. It's a crying shame Milner left and Ash is leaving, cuz it would have been a deadly midfield....we were so close to making it all come together....I'm so sick of "rebuilding" downing---barry---milner---young thatd have been pretty bloody tasty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 i think johnson enjoyed the fresh air factor this season, wait until next year when he's bogged down by his injuries, brief appearances here and there and the fact that like young and downing have had previous teams will get wise to him and double up on him, he's got miles left to go IMO absolutely no danger of city selling him, you need 8 HG players for the CL iirc would be pointless flogging one of their better younger ones downing is getting better and better, still bottles tackles but you expect it and move on, he seems to have got quicker and on saturday chased more or less everything, just wish he'd shoot more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pelle Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 I haven't seen enough of Johnson to really judge, but I'm glad we have Downing. He's been very good this season. Well, most of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted April 5, 2011 Moderator Share Posted April 5, 2011 Was buying Downing over Johnson the right decision? Absolutely yes it was. We were buying an England international and a known quantity who has fulfilled his potential and is now arguably our best player. He is certainly our most consistent performer this season and is by a mile our player of the season. It is only speculation as to whether Johnson would have been as good for us had we bought him. He would certainly have been a bigger risk being a youngster. Man Citeh could afford to take him and give him time to establish himself. We needed a guaranteed quality player to come straight in and do a job (once he came back from injury that is). At the end of the day, if we were to use hindsight we can say that we're effectively discussing the merits of 2 quality players both of whom would have (and in one case has) done a good job for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 I haven't seen enough of Johnson to really judge, but I'm glad we have Downing. He's been very good this season. Well, most of it. That's the rub isnt it? I think the general consensus of the thread is that it is a moot point, yeah Downing and Johnson came from the same club and are both left footed wingers but it's not like we were struggling to choose between the two and plumped for Downing on a whim. Johnson is a great player, but we do only really see him on the highlights reel when he does something good. We dont see his bad games, his misplaced passes or his bottled tackles because we dont watch Manchester City every week. I would not be surprised if City sold him at some point though, especially if they decide to bring in a lot of proven/experienced Champions League players if they qualify for the big cup this season (and they almost certainly will) because he already has the same problem at Eastlands in that there is another left footed winger who is first choice ahead of him, namely David Silva. He might move on if they strengthen and he slips further down the pecking order. I wouldnt mind seeing him in a claret and blue shirt, but I wouldnt swap him for Downing. I wouldnt pick him for England over Stu on current form either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevillaisnice Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 No. Let's sell him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morpheus Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Also no. Johnson for me is a much more effective player and will only get better. Downing although being our standout player this season which wasn't hard, has already reached his full potential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Yes, 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomav84 Posted April 5, 2011 VT Supporter Share Posted April 5, 2011 johnson is class but younger than downing and no doubt would have inevitably been snapped up by citeh by now anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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