Downing: Stop the Excuses!

KENNY Dalglish will always be remembered fondly for many things but whether or not signing Stewart Downing for £20 million last summer will be one of them is still uncertain. After a stunning season performance with Aston Villa prior to his big-money move that saw him bag 8 goals (7 in the EPL), including a winner against Liverpool in the last match of the season, and 7 Premier League assists, Downing has failed to hit the heights many projected for him at Anfield with just 2 goals and 2 assists all season kind courtesy of the FA Cup.

With our watchful gaze unrelentingly fixed on relatively the two most expensive and promising signings Kenny Dalglish made: Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson, much of Stewart Downing’s ineptness this season has been overlooked and the criticism the winger has had to bear has been quite insubstantial in comparison to that of his team mates despite being much older and more experienced.

Though the 27-year-old has been far from lively and un-industrious in most of his appearances for Liverpool; the end product of many of his moves has usually been tame and sometimes just downright poor. His shooting has also been quite dismal with just 19 on target out of a possible 72 in the league. His 26.38% shot accuracy is a step back from his 28.84% last season and is quite laughable when you are as highly rated as Downing is. Admittedly, sometimes he has been rather unlucky to not get on the score sheet but when you wear the red of Liverpool the expectation is always very high and the “Unlucky” train rarely gets you very far.

Granted, it was his first season at Anfield but it was certainly not his first season in the English top flight and for a player of Downing’s talent – 9 years of Premier League football must definitely count for something. Adapting quickly to a different style and system of play should be in any top class midfielder’s repertoire. Sadly though, Downing has sometimes seemed out of sync with the rest of our offence and has failed to create any consistent and noteworthy partnerships.
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Only playing for two previous clubs means that he has done very little moving around and his growth as a player has been rather uninterrupted. Also, when compared to players like Chelsea’s Juan Mata and Newcastle’s Yohan Cabaye or Hatem Ben Arfa who have all managed to find their stride in their respective teams, Downing has had to deal with very little impedance (no language or weather issues), surely he should have found his rhythm by now. Funnily enough however, Downing does manage to put up really decent performances in national colours.

The only unexplored option that remains is a training regime that is incompatible with his of style of play. If that is the case then I’m sure that Mr. Rodgers and his team will work hard to find one that helps us get the most out of this current under-performer.

Every player ultimately needs time, though after a full season at Anfield and with all the change that’s going on in the club, time is a premium commodity for players like Downing. A good Euro tournament will definitely be a boost for him. I’d hate to see him leave but I really believe that if his fruitless and uninspiring performances persist next season they will be inexcusable and the price to pay will undoubtedly be a hefty one.

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