Johnson gone. Downing back as player coach on reduced wages.

parmoboy said:
How old was he when he re-signed, 29? Legs shouldn't have gone at 29 and that first season back was probably his most underwhelming. The season before he had arguably his best season in the Premier League with West Ham, so we were all expecting him to stand out in the Championship.
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He was 31, and no way was that his best prem season, probably one of his first seasons with us, or his first with Villa. Some players just drop of a cliff, he didn't gel with the style of the team. it was his last 2 years where his legs had clearly gone at 33
 
BoroMart said:
He was 31, and no way was that his best prem season, probably one of his first seasons with us, or his first with Villa. Some players just drop of a cliff, he didn't gel with the style of the team. it was his last 2 years where his legs had clearly gone at 33
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Marty you make some really good points on this thread re Downing but this phrase 'his legs have gone' I hear all the time and I think it's just nonsense re Downing. What does it even mean ? Where did his legs go ? He was reputably just about the fittest at the club when here, he went to Blackburn and played another 60 games for them.
 
Nobby_Barnes said:
Marty you make some really good points on this thread re Downing but this phrase 'his legs have gone' I hear all the time and I think it's just nonsense re Downing. What does it even mean ? Where did his legs go ? He was reputably just about the fittest at the club when here, he went to Blackburn and played another 60 games for them.
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There is a difference between aerobic fitness tests and being able to apply it in a match. His pace started to go, his dynamicism dropped, and eventually his fitness didn't seem what it was. If he truly was the fittest and I think that was spin, then he wasn't used right
 
BoroMart said:
There is a difference between aerobic fitness tests and being able to apply it in a match. His pace started to go, his dynamicism dropped, and eventually his fitness didn't seem what it was. If he truly was the fittest and I think that was spin, then he wasn't used right
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He was used in a different role, he was never going to be taking full backs on and going past them. His ball retention passing and distribution is still better than anything we currently have, even at his age.
'His legs have gone' is just a lazy term that doesn't mean anything.
 
Nobby_Barnes said:
He was used in a different role, he was never going to be taking full backs on and going past them. His ball retention passing and distribution is still better than anything we currently have, even at his age.
'His legs have gone' is just a lazy term that doesn't mean anything.
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I agree his ball retention was decent, but if you don't have the physical capability to get into space and exploit if before being closed down then your impact will be limited. Legs have gone means that his strengths in the physical quadrant has reduced. Like I said he was never a liability, in that second spell, and he probably wasn't utilised tactically well, but it's pretty clear he was unable to influence games as hoped.
 
BoroMart said:
I agree his ball retention was decent, but if you don't have the physical capability to get into space and exploit if before being closed down then your impact will be limited. Legs have gone means that his strengths in the physical quadrant has reduced. Like I said he was never a liability, in that second spell, and he probably wasn't utilised tactically well, but it's pretty clear he was unable to influence games as hoped.
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Yeah good post👍I'll give you the benefit of the doubt 😃
 
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