While above the FCU selected altitude (FL320), surely the FD would be commanding nose down. The bottom picture on p57 of the final report certainly indicates this. Of course as soon as they descended below FL320 it would be commanding nose up, but they were well down the road by that time.
However I agree that FD has no business showing such a disastrously incorrect command. And I also think the airbus FDs do reduce our awareness of the aircraft state. Which brings me to ask the question why do we leave them on at all? The plane works fine without them. I gave it a go today, FDs off, but left the AP on. Flew the whole descent and approach with normal inputs to the AP, but I watched carefully what the plane was doing, rather than watching 2 nicely centred FD bars.
So why do we fly routinly with FDs on? Why not keep them on as an aid to hand flying as and when required?