Downing: Dilemma shows progress
Stewart Downing believes the fact that Kenny Dalglish faces a dilemma each time he goes to name a starting 11 is testament to how far Liverpool have progressed in the last year.
Dalglish made Downing his sixth signing after returning for a second spell in the Anfield hot seat in January 2011.
After just nine months on Merseyside the winger has a Carling Cup winners' medal and Downing insists success at Wembley shows just how far the team has improved under Dalglish's stewardship.
"Obviously he'd been out of management for a while but he still knew his stuff," Downing told the official LFC magazine. "He must have done because he got the club to a final and he's got a great squad here.
"It must be tough for him with the players that he's got. When people are performing and he's got to pick an 11, it's difficult but that's part and parcel of being a manager and I think he's handled it really well.
"By getting a trophy on board the club has done well and his status had gone up even more.
"I've enjoyed playing for him. Once I heard of the interest here, I wanted to come and play for him because of his reputation and what I'd heard of him.
"I'm enjoying it here and I'm sure he's enjoying it and winning a trophy will have given him a lift as well. Winning any trophy is good and once you get one, it gives you something to build on, and I'm sure the gaffer and the staff will be stressing that to us."
Downing will return to one of his old stomping grounds this weekend when he travels to the Stadium of Light for Saturday's Barclays Premier League clash against Sunderland.
The No.19 made seven appearances and scored three goals for the Wearsiders during a loan spell in 2003. After that he returned to his hometown club Middlesbrough where he remained until Martin O'Neill and Aston Villa came calling in 2009.
And Downing was full of praise for the Northern Irish boss, who took him under his wing and kept ultimate faith in him despite severe injury during his time at Villa.
"He was out of management longer than I expected him to be," said Downing.
"I've not seen him since he left Villa but I've got massive respect for him. He bought me at Villa as an injured player and I was out for seven months from the day he bought me.
"So he had massive confidence in me to buy a player in that situation and I'll always respect him for that.
"I thought he was a top manager, one of the best I've played for. He was a massive motivator and I think you can see that he's just a winner."