If Liverpool’s American owners really want to send a powerful statement without sacking Dalglish, then transfer listing Downing is surely the next best thing.
Kenny Dalglish remains under real pressure at Liverpool, after failing to win the FA Cup at the weekend.
Rumours persist that John Henry and the Fenway Sports Group are considering the future of their manager, but will likely be reluctant to dismiss him if they can avoid it.
One sacrificial lamb has already faced the slaughter, director of football Damien Comolli, fired last month for purchasing a number of ‘flops’, which firmly includes Stewart Downing.
A viral tweet doing the rounds over the weekend read; ‘Without Stewart Downing’s goals and assists in the league this season… Liverpool would be in exactly the same position.’
Funny? Not if you are a Liverpool fan. £20 million down the drain on a winger who has provided 0 goals and 0 assists in 34 league games, and he turned in another underwhelming performance in the cup final to boot.
He is, considering the amount he was brought in for, Liverpool’s worst signing since Paul Konchesky.
Konchesky turned out to be a shocker, a left-back who never settled and now plays for Leicester City in the Championship, one of many failed signings brought in by new England boss Roy Hodgson.
Liverpool got tough with Konchesky. They saw he was not up to the required standard and moved him on.
That decision was taken by Dalglish, who may be more reluctant to give up on a player he bought for £20 million 12 months earlier, but FSG should insist on it.
Liverpool would not get anywhere near as much for the player, his true value is in the £5-8 million bracket, but they should cut their losses, and send a message.
Very few Liverpool fans believe he is ever going to be of the required standard, and he represents the least likely of Carroll, Henderson and Adam to prove a success, which says something in itself.
The club can decide to stick with him, but surely he has proven already he is not up to it. He enjoyed a very mixed career before being bought last summer on the back of a few ‘decent’ months for Aston Villa, but at 27 is unlikely to improve dramatically into the player Liverpool need.
Time for Liverpool’s owners to continue their ruthless streak.
Sacking the legend that is Dalglish could ultimately backfire on the owners, and is a gamble they may well have to take, but clearly they would prefer to put it off if possible.
There are many including us that feel the Scotsman should be afforded another season, to rectify his mistakes and move the club forward.
If he fails to take that leap, then – it will be time up.
To buy him time, Downing should be sacrificed. The section of fans who are disgruntled with Dalglish and his tactics/purchases will welcome the tough action, and be happy their most under-performing player will leave the club.
It will be a sure sign that the failure of this season will not be tolerated, and the standards the club aspires to remain higher than ever. It could just be the right ‘play’ at the right time.
image: © dannymol
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