Downing is one of the best players at boro, looking through the team with the exception of Jonathan Woodgate there isn't anyone else that stands out. Downing does have his critics and I ain't one of them. The lad is lacking confidence and I put the blame on the critics but also on Gareth Southgate. Why put your best crosser of the ball upfront? its absolute ludacruis. Downings main attributes are his crosses and his dribbling, the attributes of a winger not a forward. The team as a whole is playing really bad and I don't believe Southgate is the right man for boro, he doesn't seemed to be able to motivate the players, yes we do have injury problems but losing Viduka and selling Yakubu(Keith Lambs fault not Southgates) and bringing in Aliadiere and Mido is shooting yourself in the head. Tuncay Sanli the same player who scored a hat-trick against Man Utd in the Champions League needs to start playing, Downing was chosen ahead of him upfront against Villa which is stupid. Southgate needs to give Tuncay an extended run in the team upfront seen as Mido is injured, put Downing left wing and tell Downing to prove these critics wrong which he can do.
Also Southgate needs to go