Nothing against Flynn Downes. He's a promising young midfielder and can do a job as a ball-winner deputising for Soucek or Rice. But Moyes seems to have a bizarre penchant for starting him in big away matches. Downes has only started in four matches this season and three of those were Man United away, Liverpool away and Tottenham away. His other start was at home to Bournemouth. If you want to give him experience then why not try some easier games?
When Downes does come in it's as part of three holding midfielders, which negates the scoring chances of the team as a whole. Downes was a decent tackler and passer at Swansea, but has no goals and no assists this season and has never been known as a goalscorer. He prefers to keep possession rather than try a through ball. Against Spurs only Antonio and Bowen were out and out attackers. Nor has the tactic worked, in all three of these big away matches the team has lost.
Moyes brings in Downes when he wants to keep things tight, but a team that has spent £160 million in the summer should be better than just trying to keep the score down and nick a late goal. Benrahma, Fornals or Lanzini (and Paqueta when fit) have to return to the side to offer some much-needed creativity.
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