Stewart Downing to Boro

[Duracell]

Anyone trying to play down this signing is bitter and jealous, we'd all be buzzing if we signed Stuart Downing too. And rightly so.

Boro look strong now. The main thing they have to manage is expectation, which I'm grateful for, as it takes a bit of pressure off us. Other thing I would say, is that they look a little too good - too certain for promotion. How often do fans correctly predict who's going to win the Championship in July correctly? It's almost too obvious to go with them, and the obvious ones rarely seem to actually win it.

[Bris Vegas]

We'll see. Ince got 11 goals in 18 games for us last season. He had 1 goal incorrectly disallowed, won 2 penalties and got 2 assists. Also hit the woodwork like 5 times. Ince will be the player of the season for me. Downing may be dropping down a league but he is also going to be playing with lesser players. Why should we expect Boro players to finish off more chances created by downing than the West Ham players? I am not saying he will be useless. But he won't be blowing away lists like this: http://www.statbunker.com/competitions/MostAssists?comp_id=488

Russell of all people got 8 assists for us last season. Christie even got 6. Yet people are now saying Christie is useless. As I have already highlighted, he had a great start to last season but outside that in his last 2 seasons his return has been poor. 

My point of view is that Boro have not made a net gain and that their defensive record last season was a peak. Yet they did not make the automatics then. There is no reason for people to assume that they are nailed on this time. If they sign another 15+ a season forward then I will agree. But until then I don't see Boro as having a better squad. 

 

You shouldn't look into assists too much. Firstly, the player has to score for an assist to be awarded, and secondly an assist can come via a heavy touch or even a simple pass on the half-way line.

But like you say, we'll see. It's not all about goals and assists anyway, team play is far more important. Blackburn had two strikers who netted over 20 goals last season, but I'd take Martin over both of those all day long.

Boro may have got quite lucky with injuries last season, but their squad has more balance than ours and while more defensively, their style of play made them much more likely to gain points on the road.

We all saw how Boro completely nullified us. They also did the double over Brentford (plus the playoffs too) and Norwich in the league. They're like Chelsea, ruthless against the division's weaker teams and solid against the top teams.

Also, they've signed Stuani. I'm not sure if you've not realised this yet, but he's a very classy signing and was in Uruguay's World Cup squad last summer!

 

[Uptherams]

Anyone trying to play down this signing is bitter and jealous, we'd all be buzzing if we signed Stuart Downing too. And rightly so.

Boro look strong now. The main thing they have to manage is expectation, which I'm grateful for, as it takes a bit of pressure off us. Other thing I would say, is that they look a little too good - too certain for promotion. How often do fans correctly predict who's going to win the Championship in July correctly? It's almost too obvious to go with them, and the obvious ones rarely seem to actually win it.

They look exactly the same as they did last season until they sign another 15+ goal a season player. I am personally not jealous of this signing. I am jealous of their back 5 though. 

[Derbados]

Let's face it Downing is an incredible signing at this level, no two ways about it. 

For or me now with the signings they have made, Boro will go one of two ways this season imo. They'll either smash the league or do a Wigan, not that I mean that in the sense of them getting relegated, not a chance of that but the disappointment of losing at Wembley disjoints the squad and they just underperform massively.

[Uptherams]

You shouldn't look into assists too much. Firstly, the player has to score for an assist to be awarded, and secondly an assist can come via a heavy touch or even a simple pass on the half-way line.

But like you say, we'll see. It's not all about goals and assists anyway, team play is far more important. Blackburn had two strikers who netted over 20 goals last season, but I'd take Martin over both of those all day long.

Boro may have got quite lucky with injuries last season, but their squad has more balance than ours and while more defensively, their style of play made them much more likely to gain points on the road.

We all saw how Boro completely nullified us. They also did the double over Brentford (plus the playoffs too) and Norwich in the league. They're like Chelsea, ruthless against the division's weaker teams and solid against the top teams.

Also, they've signed Stuani. I'm not sure if you've not realised this yet, but he's a very classy signing and was in Uruguay's World Cup squad last summer!

 

I am more than fine with doing that so long as people such as yourself also stop looking into chances created and nothing else. I know about Stuani. But they have also lost Vossen and Bamford. That is the point I keep making. There has been no net gain. Ince and Bent for us are better signings than Downing and Stuani for Boro. 

[Day]

Ince and Bent for us are better signings than Downing and Stuani for Boro. 

We won't really know that until next May, both clubs have made decent signings with no net gain. Almost time to sit back with the popcorn and see what happens. 

[Bris Vegas]

I am more than fine with doing that so long as people such as yourself also stop looking into chances created and nothing else. I know about Stuani. But they have also lost Vossen and Bamford. That is the point I keep making. There has been no net gain. Ince and Bent for us are better signings than Downing and Stuani for Boro. 

But at least chances created indicate they are doing something positive in the final third. 

Also, how can you say that Bent and Ince are better than Stuani and Downing? You can't be serious? Bent and Ince were part of a team that won just twice in 12 matches. They may have scored goals, but our team suffered.

Downing is a better player than them both, in his own position. Moreover, Stuani is an excellent all-round centre-forward, perfect foil for Kike and Downing to play off.

Vossen started 23 matches last season, he wasn't anywhere near as big a player as you're making out. You say Bamford is a loss, I'm saying Downing and Stuani have improved them - they're better than Vossen/Bamford.

Getting Kalas back and having him for the whole season is a massive signing for them too.

You talk about net gains. Boro have improved their XI. Have Derby improved their XI from the side that won twice in 12 games? Will Pearce, Carson and Baird make our XI better? 

I'm not knocking us, but Boro look better equiped than us all round and some could go as far as saying they have a better manager too - after all, Clement is unproven.

[Uptherams]

We won't really know that until next May, both clubs have made decent signings with no net gain. Almost time to sit back with the popcorn and see what happens. 

The thing is they are spending £8m on two signings in replacement for two that were free last season and Downing's wage is ridiculous. I just feel as though Boro have put all their eggs into one basket so to speak. I am not saying or implying Boro don't stand a chance. They are still in my top 4 teams for next season. I know right. 3 weeks. I was dreading this summer with no tournament. The women's WC helped a bit. Was probably more into that than I have been the last 2 major tournaments the men were in. 

[Uptherams]

But at least chances created indicate they are doing something positive in the final third. 

Also, how can you say that Bent and Ince are better than Stuani and Downing? You can't be serious? Bent and Ince were part of a team that won just twice in 12 matches. They may have scored goals, but our team suffered.

Downing is a better player than them both, in his own position. Moreover, Stuani is an excellent all-round centre-forward, perfect foil for Kike and Downing to play off.

Vossen started 23 matches last season, he wasn't anywhere near as big a player as you're making out. You say Bamford is a loss, I'm saying Downing and Stuani have improved them - they're better than Vossen/Bamford.

Getting Kalas back and having him for the whole season is a massive signing for them too.

You talk about net gains. Boro have improved their XI. Have Derby improved their XI from the side that won twice in 12 games? Will Pearce, Carson and Baird make our XI better? 

I'm not knocking us, but Boro look better equiped than us all round and some could go as far as saying they have a better manager too - after all, Clement is unproven.

We are one solid CB off automatic promotion as they are one 15+ forward. This time round we get Ince and Bent for the season. While we also have Weimann too. Thorne is back. That's the thing. We had a lot of key injuries last season. Boro went almost entirely unscathed. 

[Day]

The thing is they are spending £8m on two signings in replacement for two that were free last season and Downing's wage is ridiculous. I just feel as though Boro have put all their eggs into one basket so to speak. I am not saying or implying Boro don't stand a chance. They are still in my top 4 teams for next season. I know right. 3 weeks. I was dreading this summer with no tournament. The women's WC helped a bit. Was probably more into that than I have been the last 2 major tournaments the men were in. 

We spent almost £5m on Ince and £2.5m on Weimann to replace Ince on loan and Ward

We also don't know what Downings wages are, you will find different figures all over the place, just depends who you believe, it was reported he was getting a 5 year deal before he signed, ended up with a 4 year deal

[Bris Vegas]

We are one solid CB off automatic promotion as they are one 15+ forward. This time round we get Ince and Bent for the season. While we also have Weimann too. Thorne is back. That's the thing. We had a lot of key injuries last season. Boro went almost entirely unscathed. 

Football doesn't work like that. We are not one solid CB off automatic promotion. By that logic, Southampton are a Charlie Austin away from challenging for the title as their defence conceded less than Arsenal, City, United etc.

It's a team game. Defending starts from the front, attacks start from the back. The fact that our front players and midfielders didn't defend properly for the last 12 matches left us far more exposed than Keogh's apparent 'soft defending'.

We were extremely weak out of possession towards the end of last season, as a team we failed to defend. And I include the likes of Hughes, Bryson, Hendrick, Ince and Bent in that - not just the back five.

Also, the reason Boro didn't score so may goals was largely down to their style of play. They're not the sort of team to blast someone 5-0 like Derby, but they're far more likely to grind out 1-0 away wins than we are.

Give me Arsenal's attacking play over Chelsea anyday. But I know which 'team' is better.

 

 

[Uptherams]

For saying Bilic still wanted Downing they wasted no time in replacing him before he left... West Ham fans are already saying Downing who. #Payet

[Day]

Did Downing eat your hamster or something?