Shillzz Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Although 2nd half of Liverpool game he played deeper and did quite well. Agree, Which makes it all the more stranger that he hasnt been seen since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Although 2nd half of Liverpool game he played deeper and did quite well. Agree, Which makes it all the more stranger that he hasnt been seen since. He's injured isnt he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted January 21, 2011 Moderator Share Posted January 21, 2011 He's injured isnt he? He has missed a few weeks through injury yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sellyoakvilla Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 but he has been given a fair chance. Infact he's played the same amount of league games as Heskey this season. I'd say: Vienna, Bolton, Newcastle, Chelsea, Sunderland, Burnley, Blackburn, Liverpool......from starts...without a single 'good performance'....yeah we've seen small glimses but he's not been nowhere near good enough. It's very easy to say he's been poor in all of those games, you'd need to analyse his performances very closely to get a fair opinion on it. For what it's worth from what I've seen he hasn't been as bad as everyone is making out. He has shown glimpses and for a player who has been in Manchester at a club he loves to death all his life, to move to Birmingham and try and settle, it's always going to be difficult. Took me a while to settle at my new job after being at my old one for 2 years and I didn't even have to move house. I remember everyone saying Downing was shit, and Petrov, but the difference is MON didn't have the balls to drop them for anyone else. Maybe that was a good thing as they eventually came good but in my opinion Ireland needs a pre season, or at least a period out of the team (which is what he's getting) to be able to work with the team, the staff and the management without the stress of games coming up thick and fast, let alone the situation we are in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 This is madness, he hasnt played injury free OR in his best position since he's been at the club. Yet 90% of the people are ready to get shot of him!?!? He has the potential to be the best player at the club and is the most technically gifted player at the club...and people want to get rid?!?! :bonk: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fran_villa Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 He's injured isnt he? He has missed a few weeks through injury yes.Is it a Carew style injury :winkold: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sellyoakvilla Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 He is genuinely injured to be fair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I actually thought Downing was good. Have always stated so. Ireland was poor, I watched every game of that list, I can't recall a single game where any or many people said 'Ireland played well'....I'm willing to give him time, I've already said I hope he gets a run at the end of the season to find his form, I do think there is major quality there but that doesn't mean I have to make up excuses for his so far, inept, lackluster performances in a Villa shirt in a fair amount of starts to at least show in 2/3 of the games, he can play well. I'm willing to give him a chance but he's been terrible thus far and nothing can cover that up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shillzz Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Although 2nd half of Liverpool game he played deeper and did quite well. Agree, Which makes it all the more stranger that he hasnt been seen since. He's injured isnt he? True, but only for the games over the past couple of weeks isnt it? Anyway - Blackburn at home im thinking would be an ideal game for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 he's been terrible thus far and nothing can cover that up. Apart from the fact he's been carrying an injury since he arrived and been played out of position...other than that i agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 he's been terrible thus far and nothing can cover that up. Apart from the fact he's been carrying an injury since he arrived and been played out of position...other than that i agree. What's his position then? :? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sellyoakvilla Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 He'll start against Blackburn in the cup and he will play well if his injury has gone. Suspect he'll be on the bench against Wigan too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 he's been terrible thus far and nothing can cover that up. Apart from the fact he's been carrying an injury since he arrived and been played out of position...other than that i agree. What's his position then? :? Behind the striker and he has not played there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willy_Evergo Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 If the chance against Chelsea had gone in or if the shot against SHA had not been cleared off the line, he may have kicked on and we wouldn't be having this discussion. I think he comes across as being very low on confidence and he needs the ball to go in off his backside or something like that to get going for this club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno_2004 Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I thought he did very well against Fulham when he came on - he created three chances which if Ashley had put away with his 50p head we'd be 2 points better off. Did well against Blues too. I still think his position would be advanced on the right side of midfield, to start with anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 he's been terrible thus far and nothing can cover that up. Apart from the fact he's been carrying an injury since he arrived and been played out of position...other than that i agree. What's his position then? :? Behind the striker and he has not played there. Apart from... Chelsea, Sunderland, Blackburn, Liverpool, Burnley games.... :? Check the team sheets, or well just think back to the actual games...he was playing attacking midfield, behind a striker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 he's been terrible thus far and nothing can cover that up. Apart from the fact he's been carrying an injury since he arrived and been played out of position...other than that i agree. What's his position then? :? Behind the striker and he has not played there. Apart from... Chelsea, Sunderland, Blackburn, Liverpool, Burnley games.... :? Check the team sheets, or well just think back to the actual games...he was playing attacking midfield, behind a striker. Just because thats how Andy Gray shows it on his screen doesnt mean thats how they line up. I would say he has pushed on as a CM and not played behind the striker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sellyoakvilla Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I think Houllier is trying to turn him into a CM instead of shipping him out or making him sit on the bench behind Ash - his comments RE: "not working hard enough or defending" say enough to suggest this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 he's been terrible thus far and nothing can cover that up. Apart from the fact he's been carrying an injury since he arrived and been played out of position...other than that i agree. What's his position then? :? Behind the striker and he has not played there. Apart from... Chelsea, Sunderland, Blackburn, Liverpool, Burnley games.... :? Check the team sheets, or well just think back to the actual games...he was playing attacking midfield, behind a striker. Just because thats how Andy Gray shows it on his screen doesnt mean thats how they line up. I would say he has pushed on as a CM and not played behind the striker. No but had you watched the games, he's been off the striker. :? Chelsea - Reo-Coker + Petrov behind him. Liverpool - Hogg & Clark. Blackburn - Bannan + Hogg Sunderland - Petrov + Reo-Coker. Burnley - Sidwell + Reo-Coker. He was ALWAYS the most advanced midfielder whenever he's played under Houllier, he's always been close to the striker and in that hole. He's always had the freedom to get forward, those midfield pairings tell the story. Houllier said: "He won't be playing in Ashley's position. I've done that before and it didn't work. "So I'm not stupid, I'm not doing it again." but of course...out of position.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sellyoakvilla Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 To be fair POB he did play as a striker against Burnley but that's all I can remember on his litteral position played. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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