Cal... my "first instinct is to punch holes in whatever you post."... that is simply not true... in fact... what you don't seem to understand is that I agree with you on most things... and have always valued your opinion... even when I don't agree with you, at least I know that your opinion is based on an informed and intelligent perspective, unlike some who just talk shite
The problem is, on the few things we DON'T agree on, we both fight tooth and nail to defend our positions... which is fair enough... but sometimes it goes too far... and for my part in that, and I know that I'm one of the worst for getting unneccessarily vicious... I truly apologise... you are one of the few Ranters who's posts I always read...
Anyway... this is one of those things that we obviously don't agree on... Downing is at the right club for his ability... he is not a patch on Nani, and that is the level of player that a club of our supposed ambitions should be after... we are supposed to have a world class scouting network... we are supposed to be one of the worlds biggest clubs... we are supposed to have all this cash sitting in the bank... why then can we not find, attract and sign a "Nani" for the left? Why can't we get a "Sneijder", a "Schweinsteiger", an "Essien", etc for our midfield...? These are among the best players in their positions... players that the best clubs in the world are fighting for... why aren't we? and why are you so willing to settle for less?