KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum Can I just Ask?

Why do some people think that buying Downing means the end of Mata and that Downing is a bad signing.

I have to disagree as I think Downing will be a great signing, not just cause he is premier proven but because he is coming in to the best form of his career.
The stats prove that over the last couple of seasons he ahs got better and better. His delivery is up there with the best in the prem at times, he is composed, can play either wing or left of midfield (which to be honest seems to be the position that best suits him).


Okay he isn't Turan or Hazard. But the fact is we are a project that is just being really started. we have no european football to offer the big stars. the only top class winger i think we have a chance bringing in is Mata.

what we are trying to do this season is bridge the gap that has developed and put us back in the top four. FSG and Kenny are being realistic a title challenge is still to far off but getting back into the top four is a very realsitic position and goal to aim for.
Downing will need no time to gel he will kick off from the start, same with henderson 9even though he is more long term than for now).

Kenny wantsa pass and move team, players that can control the pace of the game and keep hold of the ball. Downing and adam are these types of players that can do this.

I think the club and manager are being realistic with their targets. targets that have proved they can play in the premiership and be succesful with it (as in terms of playign at the highest level).

Have faith people.

If the players has ability, work rate, effort et etc, he can play in any league, its all bllx wen people say ie player x looks good in league z, but he will not be able to play in the EPl cuzz it is too fast, physical etc etc.

yes their are certain players who can only play in certain leagues/countries, thats life.

downing is a good player, but spending 14/16m+ on him, i think can be used towards signing far better quality players ie hazard, sanchez, a johnson, turan, etc etc.

good point you raise liddell - the fact we may not attact the bigger names this summer, the only worry i have about downing is the valuation. 12 is the max id pay

Menace is right about the price. That is most peoples gripe with this transfer and would be mine too. He went to Villa for a little obver £10m I think and I don't see that he is much better now than when he joined to justify the quoted price. I think he is a good player and would be a good addition. But it looks like we'll have to pay a silly price to get him.

As for using the money on Hazard, Mata, Turan etc. i'm not too convinced. They are all very good players but will they work in the EPL?

The fact is we cannot afford to gamble anymore. Hazard,sanchez,turan.mata are by their foreign nature big gambles having not played in the prem. Downing and Adam are proven to be able to compete at a good/reasonable level. No longer can we afford the jovanovic's,Babels or Aquiliani's. We need players who can perform week in week out. At the moment we have 5/6 capable and consistent, by the end of the summer i expect that to be 10. Henderson, Downing, Adam, Clichy are where my money lies. All the rest are gambles. This how you build a team - your best teams always have a core of dependables, the last league team is remembered for Barnes, Beardlsey, Aldo. but they were nothing without the ever dependable Nichol,Whelan,McMahon,Houghton,Hansen,Grobs and even Ablett.

the flair in our play will come from good techniques not amazing individuals. This has been our forgotten secret, KD is returning this to the club. by increasing our possesion 5% and being solid next season will give us 10points extra alone next season. The return of Gerrard, Agger, Carroll will push us into the top 4. Good solid professonals like Downing COULD push us for a title.

Agree with the price I don't think any Liverpool fan would be happy with the price. but sadly we shot oursleves in teh foot with the Carroll transfer and the Henderson fee. 16.5M for a young english international is absured.

But he is there afor the long term, where hopefully his value will go up.

so ur saying have 8/9 players with average ability, who give 150% week in week out, with EPl xperiance, added with the quality players ie 2/3, who can make the differance from gaining 1 point or taking all 3.

what happens when ur team comes up against 8/9 quality players, with 2/3 average players in the team.

i believe if better players can be signed , than the ones already at the club, so be it and if they are not happy sitting on the bench becuzz the new signings have more ability, then they can move.

The stats prove that Downing is an above average player so i think that is a very unfair assestment of him. But if you want to put him in that level then look what Kenny manageed to do last season with a squad mostly of average players.
World class players doesn't mean success at a club, any united fan would say that.
veron, Forlan. we had Morientes which at the time was still a force and failed at us. Kewell was pure class before we signed him and overall he failed.

buying top class doesn't alway mean success.
we are buying smart, our main goal next season is to get back in the top four. We have a 35M striker that needs service to get the best out fo him Downing has proven to be a good player when it comes to supplying service.

This ain't FM, this is the club shopping smart.

Yes we will over spend, but if we get into the top four next season then next summer we will shop for the world class stars as we will seem a more attractive prospect for them.

a team needs at least 3/4 match winning players that can make the differance in making the top 4 or not or turning a drab nil nil, into a last min win.

we at the moment only have sg, saurez, who can single handly turn a game, win a game or make the differance.

carroll, i will judge, when he has played 10/12 games on the bounce, and when quality wingers have been signed.

downing would be a cracking addition to the team. I do feel that some fans get disapointed when we buy home talent.there's little evidence to suggest that any other players we've been looking at would be any better.