Downing: I'm ready to deliver
Stewart Downing has stated his intention to build upon his man-of-the-match performance for England in midweek and demonstrate exactly what he's capable of to Liverpool fans over the coming weeks.
The winger was the Three Lions' star man in Tuesday's 1-0 victory over Sweden at Wembley, supplying the cross which led to Daniel Majstorovic's own goal.
Downing feels he's not been in peak form for the Reds recently, but insists his lively England performance has supplied him with a boost in confidence - and he is aiming to make his mark on Kenny Dalglish's side's forthcoming fixtures.
He told Liverpoolfc.tv: "I'm feeling full of confidence. England got two wins with two good performances, and it was nice to be very much a part of the two games.
"I think the Sweden game I did quite well - we did as a team, so that helped. In the Spain game it was difficult coming on at half-time, but we defended quite well and counter-attacked when we could. It was different to the Sweden game, but overall I think I did well.
"It's my aim to carry that form on. I've been a bit quiet in the past few weeks at Liverpool, I'm the first to admit that, after a good start.
"Hopefully we can kick on now. We've got some good games coming up and all the players will be needed to be at their top form. I'm feeling confident at the moment."
Since completing his transfer from Aston Villa in July, Downing has tallied 12 appearances for Liverpool so far.
The Reds have made a highly-encouraging start to the 2011-12 campaign, with their attack-minded style of football helping them to sixth in the Barclays Premier League table and into the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.
Still, just as he does from himself, Downing feels there is more to come from Kenny Dalglish's side.
"It's probably been a bit up and down," he reflected. "We started very well and we're still in and around the mix.
"As I said, we've got some good games coming up - games we can go out to win. I think we can go to Chelsea to win the game.
"I've come back off international duty full of confidence and I'm ready to kick-on and play well again."
Earlier this week, Steven Gerrard spoke in glowing terms about Downing's move to Liverpool, with the Liverpool captain claiming the transfer had arrived at the 'perfect time' in his career.
Does the man himself concur?
"I would probably agree, yes. I'm 27 and in what people say are your peak years in football," said Downing. "It was a great move for me at the time and a great football club to be at. If I can really start to produce the form I did for Aston Villa last year, I should be fine. Hopefully I can do that over the next couple of years."
Downing is still awaiting his first Liverpool goal, though he could not have come much closer on his debut when a surge from deep resulted in the No.19 thumping a drive against the crossbar, while he also recently struck the base of the post against West Bromwich Albion.
While eager to find the back of the net for the Reds, the winger isn't troubled by the statistic and admits as long as he continues to carve out chances for his teammates, he'll be content.
"I think you do get as much satisfaction from setting a goal up as you do from scoring one yourself," said Downing. "It's what I am in the team to do - to create and chip in with a few goals.
"I have probably been a little bit unlucky in hitting the bar and the post, but you've just got to keep plugging away and it will go in sometime.
"It would be great to get a goal on Sunday at Chelsea. It would be a good start, but if not I'll just keep carrying on, trying to create and play well. That's the main thing."
Downing has predominantly been deployed on the left-wing thus far in his fledgling Liverpool career, though it has not been an uncommon sight to see the 27-year-old popping up on the right.
Indeed, the England wide-man claims he sometimes even prefers to play on the opposite flank.
"When I did it at Middlesbrough, I didn't tend to like it," admitted Downing. "But now I think I have played there quite a lot and would probably even prefer to play on the right.
"Some people might find that a bit odd, but I have become accustomed to playing there and feel quite comfortable. I can play left and right and that's probably good for the manager and good for me because it gives the team and myself options."
He added: "I don't know what it is that I like about playing on the right. At Aston Villa I played with Kyle Walker. We linked up quite well and that probably helped - playing well and being comfortable in the position.
"You can come inside and play just off the frontman, whereas if you play on the left you tend to go outside quite a lot. You can add different things to your game, which I think I've done over the last couple of years.
"I'm quite comfortable playing either side the manager asks me to play."
Like all of Liverpool's summer acquisitions, Downing has settled comfortably into life at Anfield.
He was joined at the club in pre-season by a fellow north-east native in Jordan Henderson, while Geordie Andy Carroll was already at the club - though it is the spirit and camaraderie throughout the entire squad that has impressed Downing.
He said: "I think I've settled in very well. It's a great place to live. I think it helped I knew a few of the lads here, who showed me about.
"I went for something to eat with a couple of them and that helps. It can be a bit daunting coming to a place where you don't know anyone, so it was a massive boost for me to settle in straight away.
"It has helped there are a few north east lads here. Jordan is from there, so is Andy. It was the same for them - it's daunting coming here to a big club with big players, but I can't fault the lads.
"They've been absolutely spot on. They're a great set of lads, really good to be around, and I'm really enjoying it here."
By his own admission, Downing's transfer to Liverpool represented the biggest move of his career.
But how does playing for a club of the Reds stature compare to some of the other sides he's turned out for since breaking into Middlesbrough's first team back in 2002?
"The expectations," is his reply. "You need to win every game, whereas at lesser clubs sometimes if you lose a couple or draw a couple it's okay.
"Here there is an expectation to win every game, which I like. It puts pressure on you to perform, which brings out the best in people.
"I'm really enjoying it. We're a good team and a good football club with a great set of lads. It's been really good for me up to now."
