Derided for a tally of 0 goals and 0 assists in the league in his debut season, Liverpool winger Stewart Downing has everything to prove.
What does he need to be a success? Hopefully new manager Brendan Rodgers will have an impact, and he should- Downing can’t possibly be any less productive.
Downing needs two things, luck and less pressure.
But before we address these points, it’s important to discuss whether Downing should even be part of Liverpool’s future.
Many observers and fans agree he is not good enough for Liverpool. They are partly right. He is not good enough to have the responsibility he has, and that has shown.
He was signed for almost £20 million last summer, a staggering fee for a player who had shown little to merit such an investment, and then 26 is unlikely to improve dramatically beyond his current level.
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On this site, we even suggested FSG sell him, as an alternative to sacking Dalglish – to show failure would not be tolerated and make him the scapegoat instead, but that ship looks to have sailed.
The truth is Liverpool would be lucky to get £10 million for him in the transfer market, more like £7 million would be appropriate – many would feel that overpriced – so they may as well keep him and see if they can get any value out of him on the pitch.
He may even restore his reputation enough for them to sell him on for a decent price next summer on in January, but a sale now would not offer much to the club.
With a new manager, this is a time for a fresh start for everybody, and Rodgers – while not a miracle worker – may yet be able to get some productivity out of him.
Liverpool will hope he comes back from the Euros with confidence, and the number of Liverpool players in the England squad will only help them all have extra time together gelling on and off the pitch.
So going back to the two things Stewart Downing needs to win over the Anfield crowd, and some may view him as a lost cause and disregard this view, again are luck, and less pressure.
Downing hit the post and bar a number of times last season, including a missed penalty and hitting a rasping shot off the bar in the season’s first game against Sunderland. How different his Liverpool career could have turned out had that gone in, it would have filled him with confidence.
As the season went on and his lack of goals and assists continued, his rut will have got him down. He needs one to go in off his shin and lift the gloom and negativity surrounding his performances.
As for less pressure, Downing presently has too much responsibility. He started the majority of Liverpool’s games last season and the club have little to no alternative wingers. Raheem Sterling is only young and not part of the first team set up, and Dirk Kuyt – often played out wide has been sold on. There are calls from some quarters for Suarez to play wide but many maintain his best position is as a striker.
What the reds need is to sign at least two wingers, ideally who can play on either flank, who can share the workload and provide Downing with competition for his place.
With less pressure on him, and allowing him to surprise people from the shadows may just allow him to play his best football. Right now he can feel the eyes of 40,000 plus people burning into his back when he is on the pitch.
When things are going well the crowd can help him, but Downing has shown he is not coping with the pressure, and needs support from other more talented wingers to carry the burden of expectation.
Just then, might Liverpool begin to see and improved player. Don’t get us wrong, we’re not expecting him to win the footballer of the year award, but a solid improvement with actual league goals and assists would be nice.
Do you agree, can Liverpool get Downing contributing next season or is he a lost cause?
image: © dannymol
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