kick it off

Thanks wings, Sorry Canarino! I havent checked Redzone out yet - I just watch the streams of the games online atm. The thing with our sacks is most were recorded before injuries started to really bite so although our stats might look good, they''re distorted. To be honest, a large part of me just wants Shanny to tank the season now. We''re not going to make playoffs or win anything and it''s better to be awful than mediocre in the NFL (even more importantly this year given our draft needs). If by some miracle the Dolphins can win a few more we might even have a shot in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes, but we have so many holes we cant afford to trade any picks to take him, and we have got no value veteran players to offer either - meaning we''d have to REALLY tank it and rely on a few others picking up a couple more wins. It''s abundantly clear though that we NEED a franchise QB, no more tading for veterans like Mcnabb, we need to be picking up a player for the next 10 years.

I thought Smith looked OK tonight to be honest, although we got more sacks than we normally do this year. I like Beck, I really feel for the guy because he is finally THE man, but he has nobody to throw to and nobody to protect him as half the team is injured!! I Actually think he''s doing a half decent job but our lack of depth is the real problem and is distorting Beck''s figures negatively. Your defence was good tonight - I havent seen much of the 9ers but I was quite impressed with what I saw tonight, can see why you have such a good record so far. Watching the Packers Chargers game atm, Aaron Rodgers is just incredible and Chargers are half decent - great game. Grossman is enigmatic as ever, brilliant 15% of the time, shocking 85% of the time. Was really pleased with our TD drive tonight though, we finally looked competent and dangerous with Beck under centre, albeit for only the last 5 minutes when the game was already gone.

Just wondering what your thoughts on tonight''s game are? I''m expecting your 49ers to destroy my ''Skins if I''m being honest. We''re injury hit and woeful and didn''t get a single point on the board last week whilst you''re on a fine run.

Actually GJP I''ve not been waiting to have a pop at Wes at all, I used to think he was a luxury we could ill afford but since Lambo came in he has become a far more complete player, and completely changed my mind on him since the beginning of League 1. I''ll happily praise him when he does well as Wes on form is a great sight to see; but realistically he was awful yesterday and many of Villa''s attacks came from him losing the ball as he was determined to dribble until he lost it rather than keep possession which is something we do well under Lambo. I retracted the call to drop him but I think Sir Paul needs to have a word after yesterday as I thought the only player that had a worse game was Bennett. I agree Fox''s set pieces were woeful yesterday but I thought he ran the game for the period he was on and we looked a lot more composed with him pinging the balls about than with Hooly running down blind alleys til he got tackled. Yes Villa countered after a poor Fox delivery but they countered about 10 times after Wes ran into tackles or just wasn''t aware that he had a man coming in and let himself get tackled. In fairness to Wes - Lambert should have subbed him at half time as he was clearly flogging a dead horse and it wasn''t going to be his day but I was disappointed Wes didn''t seem to have his usual energy defensively and didn''t seem interested in playing the team game yesterday... That chance he had to put either striker clean through one on one when we were attacking in a 3 on 1 situation when he elected to just try and dribble in circles until not only had Villa got players back to cover but he also got tackled was suicidal attacking and imo had he played either one in we may well have a point to show for our efforts yday... I''m not sure if they showed it on MOTD but those in the ground should know the one i mean.

Don''t insult Anthony by comparing him to that over-rated tosser!! Pilks has pace and a lot more to his general game than one dimensional Beckham who can only cross and hit 40yard passes, he struggles with short passing, is slow as anything and could only get on the scoresheet from set-pieces.

CityLegends - I have no problem with a player having an off day - but everytime Holt got tackled and lost the ball vs WBA he chased it and looked annoyed he''d lost it, Wes didn''t yesterday and he normally does, he was woeful yesterday but instead of fighting like the rest of the team, he looked like he''d accepted our fate - take your fanboy glasses off and look at it objectively... Holt was dropped after WBA so I don''t see your argument there anyway btw...

** severE.

** correctly read lol. I''m not saying Hoolahan doesn''t give a s**t about NCFC - just that he refused to show he was committed yesterday by not tracking back, and playing the team game and retaining possession when we needed to.

Ummm Cantiaci - I said yesterday he didn''t look interested, if you were there you would have seen the exact same thing. I haven''t questioned his loyalty, or ability merely said that yesterday he looked like he couldn''t be bothered. The inability to correctly word simply worded posts betrays sever ignorance on your part...

I do agree with Smooth on the the basis of performances yesterday - Crofts deserves a place in the team as does Fox. Could Crofts fill the Wes role? Who knows but he was decent there last year when playing as the attacking mid, might be worth giving him a shot.

I agree that it''s the defence really costing us at the moment, that was the problem with Wes giving it away yesterday - I don''t usually care if he gives it away but yesterday he did it in bloody stupid situations that let Villa break at us with pace time and again... You''re right I guess, maybe he was carrying a knock or similar which made him appear disinterested with not tracking back etc but it didnt seem to affect him too much when he kept trying to skin the Villa team!! I seem to have been outvoted on consensus of dropping him though, so Il retract it, but Lambo does need to give him a rocket if he wasn''t carrying a knock.

LOL - Unfairly picking on Wes? Yeah right. Everybody else tried yesterday, he didnt - that makes him fair game in my book - he is not immune to criticism just because he CAN BE our best player.

Yeah maybe you''re right GRD - but he was not only ineffective yesterday, he was actually detrimental to the team! He lost it countless times and made a decent pass twice in the game by my estimation! And Nutty, if you have been watching him recently, should he lose the ball he always tries to win it back, and often he tracks back - thats what Lambo has added to his game, and why he fits in the team - yesterday he did nothing, except run into tackles, there was one on halfway line where he got tackled, Villa had basically a 4 vs 4 situation and Hooly literally just jogged after the tackler, making no attempt to catch up etc. It is no coincidence that when Hooly went off for Fox we immediately became a far better team and played the best football we had all game. Fox was superb yesterday btw. Maybe GRD is right and dropping him is too severe but Lambert needs to give him a rocket in that case cuz he was the worst player on the park imo yesterday (even Naughton who got run ragged was actually trying!)

Surprised no-one else has mentioned this...Yesterday he was absolutely shocking. That boy has come so far under Lambert, and developed into a really complete player... Yesterday though, he reverted to type and consistently lost the ball through trying to take on the entire villa time, decided to try and skin the same player twice despite having the option to play others clean through and lost it, and then he could not be bothered to defend - even when he''d just got tackled he was ambling back barely above walking pace. Say what you like about his creativity, or it being the fact he played CM instead of the free role, but it had nothing to do with position, he just didn''t care and couldn''t be bothered yesterday, his attitude was terrible and his performance even worse. For the first time in a few years I can see exactly why Trappatoni doesn''t bother with him - on his day he is a game-changer, when it''s not his day he is a liability. Maybe a few games on the sidelines would get him interested again (maybe Houdini Martin can fill in that position)...

Grantroeder - he was skinned by Victor Moses who would give Usain Bolt a run for his money - Naughton was skinned just as often by Agbonlahor, a player of similar ilk yesterday.

I like Barnett and don''t think he should be dropped for his error, but seriously you''re trying to defend the indefensible on that backpass which ultimately was the difference between us getting beat and us coming away with a creditable point.

I thought Villa fans were pathetic today, absolutely silent except 5mins after their 3rd, and as soon as the clock ticked over onto 85 minutes MOST of their fans left. It was like total exodus, pathetic.

Missed most of Hucks but his appearance alone is surely an omen for today! Just about to leave for Villa park. COYY

Can''t help with ticket situation I''m afraid Tim, but REALLY hope you manage to get hold of that extra one.... I just wanted to give this thread a bump back up and also echo the sentiments of those above in saying that I hope you get better soon...

Probably on the stream CDMullins - this being the 21st century and all...

I''ve never been but I would say out of those St James'' park is supposed to be the best - Big ground. Good atmosphere as the Newc fans are v passionate too, and to be fair the Geordies are some of the nicest people I''ve ever come across so Id imagine it to be a pleasant place to spend a weekend.

You''re welcome mate, I''m supermember too so you''re in the same boat as me. To give you an idea of how likely you are to get tickets, Category 4 was successful for Chelsea away and Villa away, not sure about the others that went to ballot (Man U/Liverpool) but I''d guess if it''s written application then based on current evidence you''ll likely be successful. Everton away is too long a trip to go to written applications Id''ve thought... WBA might, but in Cat 4 you will likely get a couple!

If you book your tickets together then you should be sat together. Dunno how popular Everton will be, nor WBA/Wolves for that matter so whether you can just phone up and book or whether it''s written applications will mean your chances of getting the tickets varies game by game! But if you apply/book together then you are highly unlikely to be seperated! We seem to be going to ballot fairly regularly so it depends on whether you are ST holder/Member etc as to what category you''re in and therefore your priority level for tickets as to your chances in that scenario, if it''s general sale then keep an eye on the official website ticket news page and they will inform on there when the tickets go on sale.. I''ve managed to get a ticket for Villa and Bolton so far so it''s certainly not impossible! Good luck!

IMPORTANT ADVICE: Wolves is a Tues night just before Christmas. Birm city centre will be HORRENDOUSLY rammed with last minute shoppers, honestly it gets so packed you physically can''t move. So on that basis of your missus enjoying the shopping part I would go for WBA - ur missus might even catch the end of the sales as it''s on Jan 14th. I''ll be going to Wolves and West Brom away, atmosphere with our fans is always top notch though! Hawthornes is literally just off the motorway and there is OK parking around the ground but a train from Bham New St is probably easier, leaving your car at the hotel or whatever. Bham New street is a 5minute walk from the Bullring too so probably works out for you logistically. As an exile, it''s mainly away games I get to, and as I grew up about an hour from Birmingham - Wolves and WBA are 2 away games I usually get to as they''re quite local for me. I don''t think there is much in it in terms of atmosphere, Wolves fans tend to be bigger tossers than WBA fans but the baggies have their fair share of tw@ts too!! If you''re looking to see an impressive ground then you''ll be disappointed - they are both pretty standard. I will happily confirm that the Bullring and Birmingham City Centre are great for shopping. If you want to have a nice chilled evening I would suggest The Glee club - a stand up comedy venue in the City centre, very laid back, no dress code and a very pleasant atmosphere and they have top quality comedians too. Hope that helps mate!!

I think by the way, that this thread nicely illustrates the family nature of our beloved club - almost every reply says they were introduced by their dad or other family members!