QBG

VI, what's this Nolito guy we've been linked with like? Any good?

Enrique will be off, we'll replace him and sign Elmander, Bothroyd and Larsson all on frees and that will be us done. Routledge will be gone as well, Alan Smith will continue to be our 'backup' to Tiote.

:lol:

Agreed, despite the fact we're probably going to be safe the club needs to take a long hard look at its business in January. Allowing an out and out winger to go on loan and selling our best striker with no plan B was a ludicrous decision. You would think those in charge would look back and learn from the lessons of the past when we were midtable constantly with a threadbare squad. We have some good, talented youngsters coming through no doubt about that, but we need significant investment in not only quality players for the starting XI but also some decent backups. Therefore we can then allow the likes of Richardson, Ferguson, Vuckic etc. to go and get some game time instead of sitting on our bench only to be used in an emergency.

Wasn't that Guthrie? If not I stand corrected.

Overreaction central on here like with lots of bollocks being spouted. The team didn't play particularly well, but weren't awful either, to say there was no fight is rubbish. Villa deserved the win, but away from home without Nolan, Tiote and Shola I was never confident. It goes without saying that Tiote is massive for us in midfield, our ball retention is of another level when he is on the pitch and his absence is the key reason as to why we conceded late goals against Spurs and Sunderland. Shola, while taking a boat load of stick on here, is a decent footballer and his physical presence causes centre halves problems plus he is able to hold the ball up much more effectively than Ranger. Nolan, as we all know is our main source of goals and his leadership was missed today. Coloccini and Guthrie did ok in the centre, but their passing got worse as the game went on and thus we spent a lot of the time on the back foot. Barton was starved of possession and the lack of attacking threat through the centre meant that he was denied the time and space that he needs to be effective. You can never really have excuses for a defeat but I'm fairly sure that with Nolan and Tiote on the pitch today we'd have at least taken a point. Villa, as many have said already were also poor today, better teams would have beat us by 3 or 4 today. Young and Agbonlahor in particular look completely different players to what they were a few years ago, and Stuart Downing is unsurprisingly still shit. Harper 7 - Some good saves Simpson 5.5 - Shaky at times but fairly good overall. Williamson 6 - Solid enough S.Taylor 4.5 - Will need to see it again but think it was him who lost his man for the goal, poor if so. Enrique 7.5 - Our best player, I honestly cannot believe the poor ratings he's been getting on here, decent going forward in the first half and never gave anyone sniff down his side. Barton 5 - Never really in the game. Guthrie 5 - Started well, but was sloppy in possession. Coloccini 5.5 - Did ok to begin with at CM but as we know he's not a holding midfielder. Looked fine when moved back to CB. Jonas 5.5 - Linked up well with Jose at times, but no final ball. Ranger 4.5 - Sorry Nile, but really wasn't impressed. Showed glimpses in the first half but never troubled them in the second. Needs to loaned out for experience. Somewhere like Leeds ideally, big club where he can get games and score. Lovenkrands 6 - Created some good chances late on when Kuqi came on. Subs: R.Taylor 4.5 - Disappointing delivery when he came on. Kuqi 5.5 - I can't believe I'm saying this, but god forbid if Shola isn't fit for the Man U game, then he needs to start. Hold up play far better than Ranger's which allowed Lovenkrands to forge a chance late on. This weekend could have been a lot better, but as it is its turned out to be damage limitation, we're still 9th with a positive goal difference and a 7 point gap to the bottom three. Tough game next up but with Nolan and Tiote back and hopefully a full house you never know we might get something.

Could be worse, they don't really deserve to be in front. But we need to be that little bit sharper, there is definitely a goal in it for us.

Doing the double over Liverpool

Parker in there but no Barton

Nah not with his current hairdo.

Cattermole

We're on last on Match of the Day apparently. Two 0-0s and Birmingham Bolton on before us, what a joke.

Think it has to be Colo for me at the minute, Enrique while generally being amazing has had a few off games, as have Tiote and Barton. Nolan would have to be up there for his goals, but our defence has improved massively on what it was and that for me is largely down to Colo, his positioning is top class, he's improved the physical side of his game big time and he is absolutely fantastic on the ball. He's had a couple of off games himself but he's been by far our most consistent player. I rate Williamson, but if we had another Centre Back like Coloccini our defence would be top class.

yep 4pm sky sports

This is on telly isn't it?

Also loved Taylor's part in the celebration for the 4th, sprinting the other way arms aloft like he was some kind of god

Harper 6 - Not much to do Simpson 6 - Solid for most of the game but was poor for the Wolves goal. Williamson 7 - Growing in confidence at this level. Coloccini 8 - Top, top player. Composed in defence and can handle the physical side now. One of the best attacking CBs I've seen. Ferguson 7 - Shame about the injury, but was doing well till then. Barton 8 - Great game, deserved a goal. Nolan 7 - Led by example, got in good positions and took his goal well. Guthrie 6 - Seemed to patrol the midfield well enough, but offered little going forward. Jonas 7 - Aside from some poor crosses he had a good game. Beautiful finish for his goal. Lovenkrands 7 - I still don't rate him at this level, but can't argue he had a good game today an assist and a goal, can't ask for much more. Shola 9 - Love this guy, absolute destroyed their centre backs and got himself a goal. My MOTM definitely. Subs Perch 6 - Iffy at times, scares the shit out of me on occasion but redeemed himself with the clearance off the line. Obviously booked Ranger 6 - Causes teams all sorts of problems when he comes on, but what the fuck was that attempt from far out when the keeper was way off his line? Taylor 7 - Extra point for his part in the 4th goal, which proved once and for all imo, that he is best as a full back. Should start at LB next week if Jose and Ferguson aren't fit.

Guthrie and Richardson central midfield? Can Ireland play against Villa? Where the fuck is Dan Gosling?

Stream down again.

Even before my feed went down Shola had been murdering their centre backs. Class work from the big man!

Lost my stream

Why does he continue to persist with fucking Lovenkrands. Gash man, utter gash.

Agreed, plenty of very good players in the non-league, a bit higher up the pyramid there is a lad called Jamie Vardy playing for FC Halifax Town (on the verge of gaining promotion to Blue Square North) who plays on the wing and is an absolute goal machine. They played Nantwich Town on tuesday and apparently loads of scouts present watching him, naturally he scored twice in a 3-1 win, don't think they'll hang on to him.

Good on them