City v Newcastle - Player Ratings

So, as promised in the last blog, here are my player ratings from the Newcastle game.

They are the same ratings I gave in Imagine FM's Bluemoon Show on Sunday. The show goes out every Sunday at 9pm on 104.9 Imagine FM, and Chris Prince will see over the return of David Mooney and the ever-present Dan Burns. You can also listen here - Listen Live. And if you really want, you can see more about the show, enter the competition, and listen to Sunday's show here - Imagine FM's Bluemoon.

Anyway, here we are with my thoughts - agree or disagree? Feel free to comment.

http://twitter.com/RichardTheBurns

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Hart - 7 - So little to do it's quite hard to rate him, but the world class save from Coloccini in the first half tips him onto a 7.

Boateng - 6 - Not a bad first league start, but he wasn't brilliant. He was adequate though and I really do expect big things from him.

Lescott - 6 - Possibly a generous six too. Average probably covers it. He so nearly cost us the points as well with a ridiculous foul on Ameobi, that should've been a penalty. Fortunately it wasn't given but any other day it would've been. He does not look comfortable at left-back, but with Kolo and Kompany looking so good in the centre, it's hard to see where Lescott might fit in this year.

Kompany - 8.5 - I couldn't choose between an eight or a nine so I've sat on the fence. When there is a ball into the box, I always expect Vinnie to be there. I never fear an opposition attack with Kompany and Toure in the form they are. Kompany was my Man Of The Match.

K. Toure - 7 - A fairly solid performance, very few mistakes as ever. He loses a point though for picking up a ridiculous booking in the first half. I'm not sure why he tripped his opponent but it was ridiculous and meant he had to really had to watch his step for the rest of the game. Still, he did nothing else to worry us and as above, I feel confident with Toure at the back. Having said that, he was at fault for the Newcastle goal as he failed to follow Gutierrez into the box after his initial cross.

Y. Toure - 6 - Not his best game. He looked tired to me, that's perhaps forgivable given that he has barely been rotated so far. I like the guy and I think he's been excellent so far this season, but the introduction of Adebayor in Yaya's place gave us an optiont that we didn't have in the first half. Anybody can have an off day, but better required next time out please.

De Jong - 8 - Didn't let the tackle phase him too much. It was the usual De Jong performance, he won't give up a tackle (as Hatem Ben Arfa now knows) and he's the perfect foil between defence and midfield.

Barry - 6 - Average. For the most part the game passed him by. Missed a glorious chance in the first half when indecision seemed to get the better of him. Very little to say for him on this one.

Milner - 7 - From reading messageboards and the like, I think people will disagree here, and maybe I've called it wrong. I thought he had a woeful first ten minutes and since his debut against Liverpool we've definitely not seen the best of him. However, he didn't let his head drop and worked his backside off for the team. Not his best day but I always appreciate a tryer, and there is no doubt he is just that.

Silva - 7 - Not as influential as he was against Chelsea last week but I was still impressed. There were several glimpses of his wonderful passing ability and vision. He's going to be very important I think.

Tevez - 8 - Did not look happy all game to me, but continued to work his socks off. He battles and grafts to the point of excess. As long as we fail to support him up front (and that is a big concern to me) his work rate is going to be crucial.