We have just about reached June and it seems that Liverpool have been linked with almost every winger in Europe. Some of the reported targets are realistic and well within Liverpool’s reach while some of the others are of course pure fantasy. Of the wing targets, two in particular stand out as more realistic and therefore more likely to happen. Stewart Downing has capped an impressive campaign for Aston Villa by being awarded their player of the year while Charles N’Zogbia has been instrumental in keeping Wigan Athletic in top flight football.
Both men would no doubt add some much needed width to our squad but if it came down to a straight choice between the two, who would Liverpool be better off with? When Stewart Downing first burst onto the scene years ago, he was being touted as a real contender to make the left side of England’s midfield his own. He hasn’t quite established himself as a first XI for The Three Lions but what he has done is show that he can be counted on to work hard for the team while maintaining a good level of consistency. His reward for his resurgence has been a place in the current England squad where he doesn’t at all seem out of his depth.
Charles N’Zogbia has always been regarded as a young player with great potential and year after year he has improved his all round play which culminated in him being capped by the French national team in August 2010. His ability in the wide areas is exciting to say the least and his pace would be greatly appreciated in a Liverpool team which quite frankly, aren’t the quickest group of players around. Some would question whether he would affect Liverpool’s team spirit due to a few controversial incidents from his past, but I personally could see him raising his game to much higher level under the guidance of Kenny Dalglish.
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Sorry but I actually thought we were after some ‘quality players’ this transfer market which effectively rules out the purchase of both Downing and NZogbia….and Enrique, Dann and Cattermole come to that.
I can only hope that Kenny has lobbed out some smokescreens to the press and that we’re busy sorting out the transfers of some more talented players.
what he said ^^^^
I concur!
with you all the way here! These are nothing but dross compared to those available out there!
Exactly what I wanted to say! Thank you!
n zogbia all da way
Are you his dad?
LOL
The best choise: Balazs Dzsudzsak from PSV
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/balazs-dzsudzsak/profil/spieler_35004.html
Downing for me, he has everything. He is direct, pacy, has great delivery, is 2 footed (unlike N’Zogbia) and is English (not very important but with the new rules etc it’s a bonus).
So Downing has ‘everything’ has he. As a winger he doesn’t have the pace and the guile to beat defenders and run down the wings. The only thing good about him is his delivery and that’s about it. And if you knew anything about N’Zogbia then you would know that he’s actually counted as a homegrown player. A bit of research probably won’t do you any harm mate.
You obviously know nothing about Downing then, he has been beating Defenders all season long and has looked frighteningly fast.
Hence why Villa fans wouldn’t want to sell even if you offered 25m for him.
N’Zogbia IS homegrown!Downing? — overhyped.
Nzogbia – NO QUESTION.
Downing is hopeless and it would be a great mistake if Liverpool really buy him.
the 2 player are good but downing i think is better for liverpooooooollllllllllllllll .ynwa
Sorry people but i King Kenny said that we’ll be getting the elite players.if the elite players are Downing,N’Zogbia,Adam,Henderson,Cattermole,Dann,Cahill,Enrique…then he’s only watching Premierleague..sorry but if we go on and splash 30 MILLION on HENDERSON and JONES i’ll question Kenny’s qualities a lot…i’m not a football transfer master but if we want to get back to where we were,we need young and top class players like Hazard,Juan Mata,Sergio Aguero,Fabio Coentrao,…etc..if Sunderland have really put a 20 million price on Henderson,let them have him for a lifetime!!Henderson whO???i’d have Lucas than him any day of the week,that means Lucas costs more than 25 million??
Reina
Johnson Rolando Skrtel Cissokho
Gerrard Lucas Meireles
Hazard Suarez Mata
That’s a team to dream of..no Hendersons,no Adams…and and no english overpaid and average players..Adam is the Scottish Xabi Alonso???GET LOST!!he might be a captain for Blackpool but he would fight with Spearing for the 3rd,4th place of the bench..and i’d rather have Spearo any day too!!
Exactly.
This is where Sir Alex beat us time & again. He ‘ll purchase 1 or 2 in the ranks of Rudd Van, Reo, C Rod, Vidic, Roony, Nani, Chacharito, Van Der Sar, Evra & rest he ‘ll mostly fill with youth ranks.
I honestly don’t think that the players you listed are of that quality. Of course they are good to very good players, but not better than what we already have or the academy can deliver in few years. English players are highly over hyped & throughout my life only once I had a loss of respect for SteveG, when he compared J Cole with Messi & already 35mn looks to be a bit risky investment instead of Dzeko, Benzama or Kuno, though I think eventually Andy ‘ll come good
If possible, I would like have a left back either from Coterao, Cissokho or Santon, a centre back from Shakho, Subtic or Hummels, a central medio, either Ma’Villa or only English i am interested Wilshire, a pair of wingers in Bale, Marin or Mata for left & Hazard or Shanches for right. We badly need creativity just behind the forwards to replace SG in few years & would love to see Kuno or Nasri. Only other English lad I am interested is Wickham as backup striker.
I’m sorry, you say you’d rather have Dzeko than Carroll?! Have you watched any of City’s games when he’s played. He’s awful! No pace, doesn’t win it in the air despite being tall, and can’t beat defenders.
Also, you seriously think we can sign Wilshere, Bale, Nasri and Sanchez? If so then you obviously know nothing about football.
Time to get out of this over-hyping of absolutely poor to average English players. We have sufficient “grown” talent to satisfy the coming regs so it is time for QUALITY to be brought in. I am quite fond of Perotto myself for a start!
Downing all the way, we was looking at N.Zogbia ourselves to replace Young but most Villa fans wouldn’t welcome him as a signing, Downing won 3 club awards this season and has been the most consistant performer. We brought him for 12m when he had a broken foot from the championship, he is now so much more improved and risen his game another level, he still has 2 years left on his contract, and if Milner was valued at 26-30m Downing matches that price tag as well. At the moment the more realistic price is around 20-25m for a player and if you gave Villa fans a choice to cash in on him at 20-25m 95% would say no.
He has been fantastic, Young has under performed in the last couple of seasons and a lot of the games went missing, he also got a lot of his goals from penalties. Young is a good player no doubt and will probably rise his game another level when moved on but ask Villa fans would we cash in on 15-20m most will say yes.
Easy! Charles N’Zogbia! People talk about his attitude…Hold on, didn’t ManU win all these trophies on “ATTITUDE”! LFC was never known as being soft and Downing is just that! SOFT! Zoggs runs defenses amuck as he did with LFC this last term. Just look at the goal he set up for Wigan to clinch a spot in the Prem for next season! Not only that, he’s had a fantastic term and he did it playing for Wigan!!!, not like Downing who played for a talented, but underperforming Villa Squad! (Add Turan and Park Chu Young–>Depth) Zoggs is better and will cost less, because he’s not English, but as far as I see, we have the English quota of 8 Home Grown with Stevie, Carra, Spearing, Carroll, G.Johnson, Dann (hopefully brought in to replace the outgoing Agger and Soto), Cole (may be not for long) and a few youth players added to the 25 man squad!..We all know that Kenny & Co. is not going to go through the summer not signing a couple of English players, so Zoggs is the best bet to have a winger who can operate ON BOTH FLANKS! Agree to disagree?? hmmm, you probably can’t!
You are spot on mate. And actually N’Zogbia is counted as a homegrown player, having been affiliated with an English club since he was 17. The argument that Downing is the preferred option because he is homegrown is therefore invalid.
obviously downing
You must be stupid to choose Downing over N’Zogbia. Just look at what N’Zogbia had done at Wigan, single handedly saving a poor Wigan side from relegation. N’Zogbia is a fantastic dribbler, has pace, creates chances and chips in with a fair amount of goals. This guy can play as an attacking midfielder and on both wings and is everything you can ask for. At his age he can only improve at a top club and there’s no doubt that he will add some much needed width and creativity to the team. Kenny and Comolli should do everything they can to sign this player.
Downing, in contrast, is way over hyped by the British media, largely because he is English. If you actually watch him play you will find out that he doesn’t possess that much pace. He’s a good crosser of the ball but he’s not the sort of out and out winger who can run down the wings and beat defenders. On top of that, he can’t even get into a poor England side. This player is overpriced and overrated as usual for British players and Liverpool should forget about signing him.
I’ll keep it simple…but too all the Downing supporters (don’t know why?)…agree mate!..Said it as said could be Eric!
@ Shaunymo: There is so much wrong in your post mate. Downing was Villa’s player of the season and he was the best left winger in the Premierleague this season, he’s been destroying full backs all season, google Downing vs Man Utd and see what he did to Man U. Also N’zogbia can’t play on both sides since he’s VERY one footed, whereas Downing has played half the season on the right and even scores goals with his right foot. Downing wasn’t playing in a talented Villa team, it was weaker than it’s been the last few years,he is just their best player at the moment, look at the stats 9 assists and 7 goals in the league compared to the overrated Bale with 7 goals and 1 assist. Ashley Young has 7 goals and 11 assists but most of those goals came from penalties and he’s been playing “in the hole” or the free role all season so it’s easier to get goals/assists. Downing has been consistant all season and was also this good a few years ago at Middlesborough, remember when they were a 1 man team with Downing? A bit like N’Zogbia is at Wigan. A lot of Villa fans value Downing more than Young and say he’s their best player, they want £20-25m for him whereas N’Zogbia is about half the price. Downing is the better player, if we can get him for £15m that would be great.
If you actually watch N’Zogbia play you would see that he is often deployed as a right winger where his dribbling ability allows him to cut in and shoot. Just watch Wigan’s game against West Ham and you will know what I’m talking about.
Downing, in contrast, has been playing in a quality but underperforming Villa team. The fact that Downing was Villa’s player of the season really doesn’t say much since Villa have been rubbish all season. Unlike N’Zogbia, Downing doesn’t possess the pace and dribbling ability and is way overrated and over hyped by the media. To say that Downing is currently worth 20-25m is just ridiculous.
Nice try mate but not quite. Downing has been performing in a struggling Villa side with no manager. N’Zogbia may have performed against the likes of West Ham but Downing destroyed Man Utd and to some extent even us. Downing has outperformed N’Zogbia this season, the stats prove it, the player of the season vote proves it etc. Downing possesses PLENTY of pace and the £20m is actually quite fair considering he’s English and look at what we paid for Carroll. Also, if Young is worth £15m in his final year of contract then Downing is worth £20m. Watch the video of Downing vs Man Utd and watch the 2010/11 video too to see how well he performed this season.
I told you to watch Wigan’s game against West Ham but that doesn’t imply that he only performs against the likes of West Ham you idiot. N’Zogbia has destroyed us every time he’s played against us and is a much better all round player than Downing. The rubbish player of the season vote doesn’t prove anything. And why should the fact that he’s English mean that he should cost more? The fact that we paid 35m for Carroll doesn’t mean that we are going to pay over the odds for overrated English players every time you retard.
He IS rubbish! Be told..
Mate offer us 25m and i still wouldn’t accept it for Downing, he is by far Aston Villa’s best player, he has got us so many points it’s unreal this season. He was player of the season, fans players of the season and overall club player of the season, He won three awards, he has been fantastic on the right, fantastic on the left and has been Villa’s leading man. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets the captains armband next season now Reo Coker has gone and Young is on his way out.
No one will be offering you 25m for Downing anyway so what are you on about mate. The fact that he is by far Aston Villa’s best player isn’t saying much really since Villa have been rubbish all season.
Lewis…I’d rather Chris Brunt! Downing is SOFT! YOU KNOW IT! KENNY KNOWS IT AND LFC KNOWS IT! We’re used to players on the wings like Berger, Barnes etc…You say Villa isn’t a talented team!!! ARE YOU MAD!…Whats Young, Agbonlahor (super over-rated), Bent, Albrighton, Petrov, Delfeunso, Warnock, Ireland, Makoun…It’s no one’s fault they didn’t perform!…However, now I go to Wigan; Rodallega, McCarthy, Figueroa………yup..thats it! and really only Hugo was a force besides N’Zogbia! Looks like you need to watch more Wigan games or just look at the game he tore us apart to understand that Zoggs is a much more of an impact player than the “SOFT” Downing! (Don’t get me wrong, Downing is good, but not “bullish” enough for the evolution at Liverpool)
Eric you need to watch more footy and play less video games. Downing is VERY pacy and has been destroying full backs all season. Pace is one of his biggest attributes, he’s quicker than Ashley Young.
I think you have been watching his sister play!
Alexi Sanchez.
he wants to stay in Italy probly move to Inter, and we cnt afford him 30 mill is out of our price range on 1 player, no doubt a top world class talent mind……YNWA
NEITHER!! AND THE SAME GOES FOR THE LIKES OF ADAM and most of the others we get associated with! Kenny/Comolli should pick from Hazard, Mata, Affellay or Sanchez for the wings, and others the like of Aguero, Aly Sissokho, Sakho, etc if they are serious about bringing in top quality players, NOT more overhyped squad players just because they are counted as “home” players.Really, Liverpool’s credability as becoming a top table European club is on the line and it is better to buy fewer top class than more squad players.
It is very easy, n’zogbia. Dream team 4 1 2 3, reina, carragher,phil jones,johnson,enrique, lucas, gerrad,diego of wolfsburg,suarez,ashley young,n’zogbia. Sub kelly,witsel axel,carroll, dirk kuyt,adam,james mccarthy,agger.i want attacking football.
Neither because Mata has agreed to come because of Pepe Reina will be announced next week along with the Enrique signing, but as a back up i would get Nzogbia, but Downings British and we will have to pay alot, but he shares the same agents as Gerrard, but wouldn’t wna be a back up to Mata.
Nzogbia is a player i like but his mood swings are the only problem i have with him, if he was at LFC last season he would be the first player wanting to leave when your having a poor run.
Now that Mata will sign i still hope we can get Hazard aswell……YNWA
(BELEIVE ME WHEN I SAY MATA IS GOING TO SIGN, NO HE ISNT MY SON, BROTHER, NEIGHBOUR ETC BUT IM 99.9% SURE HE IS ABOUT TO SIGN)
On another matter Jovanovich being on £120k a week is a total joke, i mean hes getting paid more then J.Cole whose on 100k and neither played much of the season the sooner the wage bill decreases the better, i think we could get rid of J.COle there will be someone out there like Harry Redknapp who will take a risk on him, but Jovanovich might be hard to get rid of now everyone knows what hes been earning, more to hate the previous owners about……YNWA……JFT96
Mood swings! If I played for Wigan week in and week out, I’d have mood swings as well! Don’t get me wrong..I’ve been saying Mata over Silva when that rumour was on 2 years ago, but he decided to stay in Spain! N’Zogbia’s been playing in the EPL for years and is still young, plus that “Mood swing” will only get better, under the tuteledge of Kenny and Co.! He could be a 10 goal 10 assist man for the next few years until “The Sterling One” is ready for the jump and Zoggs will be mature by then playing for LFC to help the lad along! GO ZOGGS and pLEASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSE Nooo DOWNing!
Fair point, do you think hed be happy tho because Mata is signing so he will have to play 2nd fiddle, and i agree with you NO DOWNING!!!!!!
When is Mata signing??? It’s not even on Valencia’s website…rumours my brother Zahid! Only until they are confirmed will I believe, and I still can’t believe we tried to waste that type of money on Henderson, when we have a great youth system that WILL produce a few stars in the next few years!
Why would you want these fellows when the likes of Mata Griezmann and Marin who represent value and are pure class.
You could throw in Perotti and Muniain as well.
Mata and Hazard, if we have to go cheap I wouldn’t mind Elia or Jarvis but not these two.
Cheaper PL options if all goes to piss:
Brunt – WBA
Jarvis – Wolves
Ethrington – Stoke
Guttierez – NUFC
Adel Tarrabt – QPR
Albrighton – Villa
Larsson – Bham
don’t shoot me for these names just giving another option
Would take Brunt, Albrighton, Larsson and may be even Tarrabt..but my mind is made up with N’Zogbia, Turan, Park Chu Young (fantastic sub), and Mata (if he decides..which…may be never!)