Villa have blown hot and cold since the Frenchman took the reins of the club, and currently sit 13th in the Premier League table.
Midfielder Downing is the Midlanders' top scorer this season with five goals to his name, as Villa have been hit with a string of injuries.
Houllier has had to turn to youth this term and Gabriel Agbonlahor is the only fully-fit senior striker, although John Carew played for the reserves in midweek.
On the forwards at the club, Downing told Sky Sports: "We've got one (experienced) striker at the moment in Gabby and he has just come back from injury.
"It would be unfair to put a lot of pressure on young Nathan (Delfouneso) to manage right through the season.
"If you look at things, as they are at the moment, I would say we probably do need a striker.
"But we probably need four or five players, not just a striker."
Villa host Arsenal at the weekend, and Downing wants the team to put in a performance similar to the one against Manchester United earlier in the month.
He added: "I think we need to play as we did against Manchester United and with a bit of luck, we will get results.
"The lads are still confident. It is not as if we have been playing poorly and losing.
"We have been playing well. We just need to kill teams off.
"We know what we are going to get from Arsenal. They pass it around and make it difficult for you.
"But we have got to concentrate on our own game and, on our day, we can beat anyone."
Transfer Specials. Click here to bet.
View the original article here
No comments:
Post a Comment