Wasim's Sport Blog

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Aston Villa (H)

2012-02-05T12:58:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (8) - Composed in goal and made some good saves when needed.

Danny Simpson (6.5) - Don't think he was too comfortable dealing with N'Zogbia but worked hard and did some good things defensively as well.

Mike Williamson (7) - Was guilty of playing some Villa attackers on side when getting the off side trap wrong but defended well overall. Gave Bent very little chance of winning anything in the air.

Fabricio Coloccini (8) - Yet again superb at the back. May have been guilty of following the ball in the build up to their goal but I thought he was quality for the most part.

Davide Santon (7.5) - Never afraid to bomb forward and linked up nicely with Jonas. Did what was required of him defensively. A small fault in his game at the moment is his final ball but as a left back that is not is primary role.

Ryan Taylor (7) - Did particularly well in the build up to our opener, albeit he had to then go off injured with what looked like a nasty injury.

James Perch (8)- Making his first real start in this position, I thought he excelled. Made one or two crunching tackles and went about his work quietly otherwise. Deserves credit for his role in today's win.

Danny Guthrie (8.5) - Another splendid performance from our central midfielder. Was an integral part in our game, going forward and looks to be at the top of his game at the moment. Played a lovely cross into the box which led to our goal in the first half and deserved the same when he put in another superb cross in the second half.

Jonas Gutierrez (7.5) - Worked really hard and did many good things in today's game. Firstly it was his early cross which resulted in our winner, secondly he linked up well with Santon and lastly he kept hold of the ball really well particularly in the second half. Also heard he has ran the most out of all the players in the league so far this season which emphasizes his great work rate.

Leon Best (6) - Went off injured early on.

Demba Ba (8) - Took his goal really well and formed a good partnership with Cisse. Just glad to have him back for the team seems to be better going forward when he is there.

Substitutes
Papiss Demba Cisse (9) - An impressive debut and probably allows him to edge the man of the match award from our two central midfielders. Scored a wonderful goal but it was his work rate and all round game which also caught the eye, especially as it was his first game in this league. Long may it continue.

Gabriel Obertan (7.5) - Caused Villa some problems once he was introduced and seems to have benefited from the time out of the team as well as from scoring in midweek. Deserves a start next week.

Shola Ameobi (6.5) - Kept the ball in the corner towards the end which helped a bit to see us home.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Papiss Demba Cisse

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Blackburn (A)

2012-02-02T09:17:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (9) - Did everything asked of him and saved the penalty, which probably won us the game.

Danny Simpson (8) - Made a great goal line clearance and defended well for the most part. I thought the penalty was harsh but justice prevailed when Krul saved it.

Mike Williamson (7.5) - Won quite a bit in the air and did his job well. Four clean sheets in our last six says something about his partnership with Coloccini.

Fabricio Coloccini (8.5) - Cool and calm at the back, organised the defence and apart from a slip and one or two errors which he soon rectified, he continued his good form for this season.

Davide Santon (8) - A solid performance, winning a few headers, bursting forward and winning some challenges, he too can be pleased with his performance.

Hatem Ben Arfa (5) - Disappointing half from the Frenchman. Did one or two good things but then followed it up by giving it away or over running the ball. He may lose his place in the team for the next match, especially as he was taken off at half time despite us being in the lead.

Danny Guthrie (7) - Did fairly well overall but there were moments in the match where our central midfield seemed to be over run. We survived it and with his ball skills he won us a few free kicks towards the end which helped keep us on top.

Ryan Taylor (6.5) - Took the shot which helped us get the opening goal but apart from that, he struggled in the first half. It was no surprise to see him perform better in the second half, after he was shifted to the right.

Jonas Gutierrez (6.5) - Was not that influential in the game but still did a job for us, both defensively and attacking wise, albeit not that much for the latter.

Shola Ameobi (6) - Worked hard but gave several free kicks away and should really be replaced in the next game.

Leon Best (6) - Helped out defensively, despite almost scoring an own goal but it is in the final third where he will feel he did not do enough.

Substitutes
James Perch (8) - I thought he did very well coming on at half time and playing as a defensive midfielder. Won tackles, put his body on the line towards the end and hardly gave the ball away.

Peter Lovenkrands (7) - Played a lovely through ball for our second goal minutes after coming on.

Gabriel Obertan (8) - The open game suited him and when clean through he finished calmly. Should be used more even if not from the start.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Tim Krul

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs QPR (H)

2012-01-15T13:19:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (7.5) - Made a couple of decent saves but did not have that much work to do overall.

Dnny Simpson (7.5) - Had another good game at right back. Went forward nicely a few times and did his job at the back.

Mike Williamson (7.5) - Won several headers and did everything that was required of him. Really has done well since he returned to the team.

Fabricio Coloccini (8) - A few years ago, I said Jonathan Woodgate was the best centre back at Newcastle for quite a few seasons but Coloccini has surpassed him. Hardly gets beaten, deals with situations calmly and has bags of skill.

Davide Santon (7.5) - Made a couple of defensive mistakes in the first half but apart from that gave another encouraging performance.

Ryan Taylor (7) - Started the game on the right and then moved into the centre when Cabaye went off but was efficient in both positions. Did a job for the team.

Danny Guthrie (8.5) - Really stepped up to the plate in Tiote's absence. We started slowly but once we gained control Guthrie started showing his quality. Never afraid to go into the tackle, intercepted a few balls and was good on the ball. Solid all round display from a man who really should get a new contract soon.

Yohan Cabaye (6.5) - Went off injured just after the half way point in the first half.

Jonas Gutierrez (8) - Was forced to play in a drifting role when Ben Arfa came on and did that with great effect. I thought he was dangerous as he seemed willing to take on players. I'd like to see more of him in such a role.

Leon Best (8) - Worked hard and took his goal brilliantly. I must admit I was questioning his inclusion as I thought Ben Arfa did more to warrant a start. I was happy to eat my words.

Shola Ameobi (6.5) - Did a good job of holding up play but I don't think he had a shot at goal all game if I'm not mistaken which is disappointing for a striker.

Substitutes
Hatem Ben Arfa (8) - Another very encouraging display from the French Magician. Changed the game for us when he came on, as he injected some pace and flair which was lacking in our game at that point. Did a good job of tracking back which was good to see. Hope he gets to start the next game.

James Perch (7.5) - Did a good job as a defensive midfielder when he came on.

Dan Gosling (N/A) - Don't think he had too many touches in the brief period he was on.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Danny Guthrie

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Man Utd (H)

2012-01-07T00:17:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (7.5) - Did not have that much to do but handled whatever came his way.

Danny Simpson (8) - Defended really well for the most part. Made one goal line clearance and made one or two other notable clearances and tackles as well.

Mike Williamson (8.5) - Was really solid at the back, winning several headers and putting in some fine tackles when needed.

Fabricio Coloccini (9) - Read the game superbly and was just as solid in defence. Hardly put a foot wrong and the clean sheet against the champions was fully deserved.

Davide Santon (8.5) - His best performance in a toon shirt thus far. Made some important challenges and kept going until the end, proof of which was a great run towards the Man Utd box in the final minutes, after winning the ball close to the half way line.

Ryan Taylor (7.5) - Switched to right midfield for this match and the versatile player showed his worth to the team with a decent outing in that position.

Cheik Tiote (8.5) - Really seemed up for this. Won several tackles, ventured forward a bit when he could but really protected the defence well which of course is his primary role in the team.

Yohan Cabaye (9) - Scored a sublime free kick which will be played over and over again I'm sure. Apart from that, he played some lovely balls for the attackers to run onto and also put in a few good tackles. Also one of his better games for Newcastle.

Jonas Gutierrez (7.5) - Another who worked hard and played his part in us scoring three and keeping the clean sheet.

Shola Ameobi (7.5) - Was slightly off the pace at times but certainly contributed to us winning the game. It was his flick on which allowed Ba to open the scoring and it was also his physical presence at the top which caused Man Utd endless problems. May not have scored, or had a shot on target but he did a job for us none the less.

Demba Ba (9.5) - For those who watched the game, the applause he received when taken off towards the end was enough evidence to show what a great game and season his had thus far. Scored the opening goal with a well taken half volley but also looked dangerous throughout. Will be a huge miss but I'm so glad he got the premier league player of the month for December for he has been immense for us this season.

Substitutes
James Perch (7) - Came on during the latter stages as we tried to keep the clean sheet. Did make one or two clearances.

Leon Best (6) - Did not really do much in the 15 minutes he was on for.

Gabriel Obertan (N/A) - Do not recall him touching the ball when he came on in stoppage time.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Demba Ba

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Liverpool (A)

2011-12-31T01:45:00.001-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (6.5) - Did not have a lot to do but was still beaten thrice so he won't be too happy.

Danny Simpson (5) - Had a poor game at right back. Clearly at fault for their second goal, whilst he allowed too many crosses to come into the box.

Mike Williamson (7) - Had a fairly good game marking Carroll and seems to have settled into the team very quickly after being out for four months.

Fabricio Coloccini (7.5) - Won several tackles, read the game well and us conceding three was an injustice to him for he was quite good.

Ryan Taylor (5) - Had a poor game and was taken off at half time. By that stage he was already booked and looked vulnerable.

Gabriel Obertan (6.5) -A fairly quiet game from him but showed some neat touches and was involved in some of our best moves in the match. Did not have that much space to work with unfortunately.

Cheik Tiote (7) -I thought he was good overall despite giving away some silly fouls, one which led to their second goal. Mind you he won the ball in that challenge but he should perhaps have not been that forceful in the challange.

Yohan Cabaye (5.5) - I thought apart from two moments in the match, where he was involved in our goal and where he set up Ba with a superb pass, he was quite poor. Could have been sent off for a stupid tackle on Spearing, whilst he gave the ball away quite a lot which is unlike his usual self. Mind you after playing 53 matches in a year, you are expected to have an off day thrown in there.

Jonas Gutierrez (6) - Made to defend quite a bit and unfortunately didn't have many chances to go forward.

Haris Vuckic (6) - The gamble to start with him kind of worked as he went off with the score at 1 all, but he wasn't involved in the game as much as we'd hope for. Did show some nice touches but needs more game time before we see his true potential start coming through.

Demba Ba (7) -Had one chance in the entire game and still found the target. Unfortuantely it was cleared off the line but he kept going right until the end.

Substitutes
Davide Santon (6)- Did slightly better than Taylor but still had a hard time dealing with the attackers downhis flank.

Hatem Ben Arfa (5) - Disappointing since coming on but he needs more game time. Wasted on the bench at the moment.

Sammy Ameobi (5) - Did nothing when coming on. Was dumb struck when he tweeted "5minutes here 5 minutes there". For someone so young he should be happy to be apart of the squad and shouldn't even think of complaining.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Fabricio Coloccini

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Swansea (H)

2011-12-18T02:53:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (7) - Statistics show he did not have a save to make all game.

Danny Simpson (6.5) - Did okay without really impressing. Defended well for the most part and put a few balls into the box. Did not go forward as much as Santon though.

James Perch (7.5) - I thought he did well alongside Coloccini. Hardly put a foot wrong and deserves some credit.

Fabricio Coloccini (8) - Came back into the team and it showed. He was his brilliant usual self, defended well and was unlucky not to score with a header which hit the post in the first half.

Davide Santon (8) - A fantastic performance from the young Italian. Kept bombing forward and still did his defensive duties as well. Looks a quality player and this after only his 2nd start in the league.

Gabriel Obertan (6) - I thought he did well to be involved as much as he was in the first half. However his delivery was poor. He gets into good positions without really taking the right options after that.

Cheik Tiote (6.5) - Good to see him back although there was a few occasions where he lost the ball and looked rusty. That was expected although he did have some good moments as well.

Yohan Cabaye (7) - Played some lovely cross field balls and was impressive although his corners could have been better. Got his fifth booking of the season which means he misses the next game.

Jonas Gutierrez (6.5) Was slightly better than Obertan without really getting enough quality crosses into the box. Linked up well with Santon in an attacking sense which bodes well for the future.

Leon Best (6) - Looked a bit rusty and off the pace a little which again was expected. Did win a few flick ons but was rightfully taken off in the second half.

Demba Ba (7.5) - Impressed yet again. Looks very lively and perhaps should have scored at least one goal. The shot he took towards the end of the first half was just awesome.

Substitutes
Shola Ameobi (6.5) - Did not have the impact one would have hoped for but did put himself about.

Haris Vuckic (6.5) - Came on towards the end and showed some neat touches.

Sammy Ameobi (6) - Did very little in the few minutes he was on for.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Davide Santon

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Norwich City (A)

2011-12-11T02:52:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (7) - Conceded four goals although he wasn't really at fault for any of them. Needed more protection from his defence.

Ryan Taylor (7) - I thought he did well at right back. Went forward a bit and held his own in the air.

Danny Simpson (7) - Made one or two blocks in the first half and marshalled the backline nicely for the first 40 minutes but then was unlucky to see the ball deflect off him for their first and he struggled from there on in.

James Perch (6) - Did not have a bad game, conceding four was a disservice for his performance but ultimately he could not handle Holt in the air and that's where two of their goals came from.

Davide Santon (6.5) - I was very impressed with him when on the ball. He looks very comfortable and has a fair bit of pace. Had a difficult day on the defensive side of things but gave a good account of himself nonthe less, considering it was his first start in the league.

Gabriel Obertan (5) - I was very disappointed with his performance. Needs to look up a bit more for sometimes theres a player open and he'll just look down and take on the two defenders in front of him instead of passing. Provided very little service to our strikers.

Dan Gosling (5) - Had a decent first half, in which he popped up in their box a few times, making some good runs. Then had a nightmare second half, firstly giving the ball away needlessly which led to their third goal and then minutes later getting sent off for a stupid challenge when already on a yellow. Blew his chance to stake a claim for more first team football.

Yohan Cabaye (7.5) - Played a delightful ball forward for Ba to run onto for our first goal and worked hard throughout. Just misses Tiote to protect him so that he can use his passing ability to greater effect.

Jonas Gutierrez (6.5) - Another who disappointed a bit. Not as bad as Obertan but he too provided very little for the strikers. Did seem to form a nice partnership with Santon down that flank though which was encouraging.

Shola Ameobi (7) - Had a quiet first half but a much better second half. Won the ball for us which led to our second goal and linked up nicely with Ba a few times.

Demba Ba (9) - Scored two quality goals, the first with great control and the second with a clinical finish. Apart from that he was good on the ball and always looked a threat.

Substitutes
Sammy Ameobi (6) - Had very little impact but does deserve more time especially with Obertan playing below par.

Alan Smith (N/A) - Was only on a few minutes.

Shane Ferguson (N/A) - Don't think he had a touch after coming on in injury time.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Demba Ba

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Chelsea (H)

2011-12-04T03:02:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (9) - Carrying on from his performance last week, he showed why he is fast becoming the best keeper in the league. Saved the penalty and really deserved to keep a clean sheet. The problem was that Chelsea had far too many shots at goal and obviously he was going to be beaten eventually.

Danny Simpson (6) - Not one of his best games of the season. Allowed Chelsea to get in behind him and gave the ball away needlessly at times.

Steven Taylor (7.5) - I thought he was our best defender on the day. Covered for Perch a few times and did his job. Will be missed if reports are true that his season is over.

Fabricio Coloccini (6) - Unfortunately struggled and was forced off in the first half with a thigh injury. I sincerely hope he's fit for next week.

Ryan Taylor (5) - Allowed Sturridge far too much room and showed that he needs Jonas in front of him for him to do well. Luckily Jonas should be back next week.

Gabriel Obertan (5) - Seems to lack confidence at the moment. Rarely took Cole on and only put about one or two decent balls into the box. He really needs to use his pace and take people on.

Yohan Cabaye (6.5) - Fought hard and didn't do too badly in midfield but was at fault for giving the penalty away. His passing was good and the set pieces weren't bad either.

Danny Guthrie (7) - Our best midfielder on the day. Worked hard and was again very good on the ball. Lacks the pace sometimes but one can't fault him too much.

Peter Lovenkrands (6.5) - I was surprised to see him start but was pleasantly surprised with his display. Now he hardly did the defensive work of Jonas, which cost us, as Chelsea really found a lot of space down his flank but what he did do was run at their defense and he played some clever balls to the front line. He looked dangerous and seemed to be heavily involved in the first half. Faded as the game went on the though and was then substituted.

Hatem Ben Arfa (6) - Not as effective as I thought he would be. Had some good moments without really penetrating the Chelsea defence. Was therefore replaced at half time.

Demba Ba (7.5) - Caused Luiz all sorts of problems. Was unlucky not to score twice as he hit the post and saw Cech make a good save with the other chance. Also showed some really good ball control and seems to be one of our most important players now.

Substitutes
James Perch (6.5) - At fault for their first goal but grew into the game and didn't too badly overall.

Sammy Ameobi (6.5) - Saw a shot cleared off the line but was otherwise not that effective. Does have some good skill though, proof of which was one great run late in the game where he beat a few Chelsea players.

Shola Ameobi (7) - Did well when coming on and he too was unlucky to see a great shot canon off the woodwork. Enjoyed his battle with John Terry in the second half.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Tim Krul

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Man Utd (A)

2011-11-26T09:42:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (9) - A superb display of goalkeeping by our young Dutch international. Made some terrific saves and was worthy of walking away with the man of the match in my opinion, for he only made one mistake all game.

Danny Simpson (8.5) – Made that goal saving block on the line at the end and defended with great heart and quality. Although Evra did well going forward I credit Simmo with keeping Ashley Young so quiet and ineffective.

Steven Taylor (8.5) – Was unlucky to be involved in their goal but apart from that he was superb in the air and made one goal saving tackle himself. Another impressive display by a man who cannot be far from the England squad.

Fabricio Coloccini (8.5) – Passed a late fitness test to play in the game and its great that he did for he was a rock at the back. Formed a solid partnership with Taylor throughout despite Hernandez making good runs and led by example.

Ryan Taylor (7.5) – A better performance from the left back. Made some good challenges when needed and deserves a lot of credit especially after his nightmare last week.

Gabriel Obertan (7) – He certainly was very involved in the first half, although his final ball could have been better. For a player who missed the last few games though he did not do too badly.

Yohan Cabaye (7.5) – Put in a good shift and helped us control some good portions of the game. Made some good tackles and showed why the fans have taken too him.

Danny Guthrie (7.5) – Put in a really good shift, considering he hardly trained this week. Broke up a few attacks and looked good in possession. Was unlucky to be taken off as it was purely for fitness reasons and not for the way he played.

Jonas Gutierrez (7) – Worked hard without really getting into many attacking positions. The sending off was possibly more to do with tiredness and not through stupidity.

Hatem Ben Arfa (7) – Kept possession well for us at times when it was needed and of course won us the penalty with a decent run. I’d like him to continue starting as he seems to be getting better with each game.

Demba Ba (7.5) – Had a difficult afternoon playing as the one striker but kept going until the end and took his penalty superbly.

Substitutes

Sammy Ameobi (6) – Was hardly in the game as an attacking sense but tried to help out defensively where he could.

James Perch (6.5) – A small impact by him as he came on for Guthrie and helped us hang on at the end.

Peter Lovenkrands (6) – Do not recall him doing much when coming on towards the end.

Newcastle United Man of the Match – Tim Krul

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Man City (A)

2011-11-19T09:38:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (6) - Never looked like stopping either penalty and won't be happy about conceding three. Did make the odd neat save though.

Danny Simpson (6) - A difficult day for him although he did not do much wrong either.

Steven Taylor (7) - Defended bravely and made some excellent challenges in the first half. It became hard for him once we conceded those two quick goals though.

Fabricio Coloccini (6.5) - Like his partner, defended well at times but had a difficult day marking the likes of Balotelli and Aguero.

Ryan Taylor (4) - He's worst performance of the season. Gave away the penalty, caught out for the second goal and allowed Richards far too much space down his flank.

Sammy Ameobi (7) - For someone starting his first game, he was decent today. Made some good runs and won us some corners although his decision making and passing was lacking a bit. That comes with someone so young but an encouraging performance from him none the less.

Danny Guthrie (6) - Struggled to win us possession and although he fought hard, we missed Tiote massively in our midfield. Seemed to lack fitness towards the end for some reason.

Yohan Cabaye (6) - Another who worked hard but failed to provide us with dominance in central midfield. Will hopefully be better next week.

Jonas Gutierrez (5.5) - Hardly got to the chance to attack and struggled to handle the City players down his flank.

Hatem Ben Arfa (7) - Looked good on the ball and showed more glimpses of his undoubted talent. Was unlucky not to score after a superb run when he hit the post and also showed his vision with a ball that found Ba in space from which he should have scored in the first half. Gave away the 2nd penalty with a clumsy challenge but the game was lost by then in my opinion.

Demba Ba (6) - Had a difficult afternoon but he still had chances to had to his goals tally. Missed a great chance in the first half and could have done better with one or two other chances but he fought right until the end and that showed when he was involved in our goal late on.

Substitutions
Peter Lovenkrands (5) - Was fairly anonymous after coming on.

Dan Gosling (7) - Scored his first goal for the club with a late tap in.

James Perch (7) - Never thought I'd say this but Perch did well in the build up to our goal, as it was a deflection off his pass which saw Ba with a chance which was then parried by the keeper and put in by Gosling.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Steven Taylor

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Everton (H)

2011-11-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (7) - Hardly had that much to do in all honesty although his handling was top draw.

Danny Simpson (7) - Allowed Rodwell to beat him to the ball for their goal but apart from that he contributed to the win today with some good defending. He also provided the cross which led to the opener.

Steven Taylor (7.5) - Played Saha onside in one moment of poor decision making but won a lot in the air and did well generally.

Fabricio Coloccini (8.5) - Outstanding display by our skipper. He won some vital challenges, dealt calmly with some situations when calmness was required and looked our best player today.

Ryan Taylor (8) - Had a difficult time marking Drenthe although there were times he defended well too. Scored what turned out to be the winner with a superb strike worthy of winning the match.

Sylvain Marveaux (7) - Wasn't in the game that much although he did show some glimpses of what we can expect when he gets a chance in the team. Worked hard and won the ball a few times although unfortunately for him he picked up an injury which could be serious considering he has a history of having groin problems.

Danny Guthrie (8) - I thought he was outstanding in the middle of the park. Kept possession well, got stuck in and kept going right up until the end. Seems to be relishing his chance in the team.

Yohan Cabaye (6.5) - Formed a nice partnership with Guthrie before having to go off injured just after we made it 2-0.

Jonas Gutierrez (7) - In terms of work rate he was excellent again. Helped out the back line on quite a few occasions. Hardly attacked today but I think what today showed is that he should always play on the left.

Demba Ba (7) - Worked hard without really getting many opportunities today. Came deep a few times and again was more effective than Best.

Leon Best (7) - Put in a good shift without getting any opportunities to have a shot at goal. Played his part in unsettling Everton which led to us winning the game in the first half.

Substitutes
Dan Gosling (7) - Did fairly well when coming on considering he has hardly featured at this level for the last 18 months. Made some good challenges although he was fortunate not to be penalised for handling the ball in the box. Will no doubt get better if given more game time.

Sammy Ameobi (7.5) - I enjoyed his cameo. Made some decent runs, helped out defensively and held up the ball with his unique style. Does seem a bit raw still but that's expected of someone his age.

Hatem Ben Arfa (7.5) - Did his job nicely when coming on. Held up the ball, won fouls and played the clock down which was what we needed to clinch the victory.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Fabricio Coloccini

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Stoke City (A)

2011-11-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (7.5) - Was put under a lot of pressure but handled everything well. Came out to punch some balls, claimed a few corners and stood up to the challenges put to him.

Danny Simpson (7.5) - A performance with lots of passion and commitment from the rightback. Prevented Etherington from putting many balls into the box.

Steven Taylor (8) - Considering he was playing with a mask after his broken nose, he came through the game with flying colours. A really courageous performance.

Fabricio Coloccini (8.5) - Kept Crouch quiet and led from the front. Assured and intelligent defending from our captain for virtually the entire game.

Ryan Taylor (8) - Dealt with the the threat of Pennant and did not allow him to provide any sort of cross which could harm our defence. He also took some blows but carried on which is a sign of the spirit within the team.

Gabriel Obertan (7.5) - Provided Ba with a cross of a true quality in the opener and always looked dangerous, particularly in the first half. Wasn't in the game as much in the second half but a promising performance from our speedy winger.

Yohan Cabaye (7) - Put himself about without really stealing any headlines. Did play some good long balls for Ba and Obertan to run onto, which Stoke at times were unable to handle.

Danny Guthrie (8) - For someone who was starting his first Premier League game of the season he was quite impressive. Kept the ball nicely and won some tackles in midfield. I'd tie him down to a new contract as he seems willing and able to come into our central midfield if needed.

Jonas Gutierrez (8) - The amount of defensive work Jonas did yesterday was unbelievable. He helped Ryan Taylor quite a bit and played a big part in our win last night, without really attacking that much.

Leon Best (7.5) - Caused Stoke quite a bit of trouble and its no wonder as he was involved in the build up to all three of our goals. Just needs to find the net himself now as that's the only thing lacking.

Demba Ba (9.5) - There's not much I need to say about his performance last night. The performance spoke for itself. What I will say though is he silenced the Britannia Stadium with clinical finishing and he always looked a threat. Deserved the hat trick and the match ball which came with it.

Substitutes
James Perch (6) - Made one decent tackle but otherwise I really did not see the need to give him game time ahead of Santon.

Dan Gosling (N/A) - Don't think he touched the ball in the few minutes he was on for.

Sammy Ameobi (N/A) - Only had a few touches in his brief cameo.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Demba Ba

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Wigan (H)

2011-10-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (8) - Made a stunning save to deny Moses early on and deserved his clean sheet today.

Danny Simpson (7.5) - Did not offer us much going forward but certainly defended well. Made some solid challenges when needed.

Steven Taylor (7.5) - Made one solid block which stood out and like his fellow defenders, handled what came his way.

Fabricio Coloccini (7) - Not his best game for us but still did well. Was often caught in a two on two battle but stood up to the challenge.

Ryan Taylor (7) - Had a difficult day with Moses running at him but we came through with a clean sheet so he can certainly take some credit for that.

Gabriel Obertan (6) - Beat his man smartly early on with pure pace and put a decent ball into the box but that was as good as it got for him. Tried putting a few other balls into the box as well but his delivery let him down on almost each occasion. Taken off after 75 minutes and rightly so.

Yohan Cabaye (8) - May not have controlled the game but it was his moment of magic which won us the game. Scored with a beauty of a finish and it was worthy of winning any match. He certainly does work hard so it was wonderful seeing him score his first goal for the club.

Cheik Tiote (8) - Another solid performance by the Ivorian. He was all over the pitch and despite Wigan having three players in the centre of the park he still stood up and allowed us to have more possession than them. That is a credit to him for it was not easy today.

Jonas Gutierrez (8) - Put numerous balls into the box most of which were very good. Did his defensive duties too and kept running, often beating his man.

Leon Best (7) - Was good but just not that effective today. Beat Caldwell twice with neat skill but missed a great chance and he was the unfortunate man to make way for Ben Arfa who needed to come on, in an attempt to win the game.

Demba Ba (6) - Had a good headed chance in the second half but unfortunately his good run ends as he couldn't get on the score sheet. Was just not as involved as his previous three games.

Substitutes
Hatem Ben Arfa (7) - Made a difference without looking his best. Did some good things but also lost the ball sometimes when he kept the ball for too long. Needs more game time in order for him to show his true worth.

Shola Ameobi (6) - Hardly made a difference in terms of a goal threat but helped us win freekicks towards the end.

Sylvain Marveaux (7.5) - Set up the goal with neat control and never looked like losing the ball. Made a difference and he too deserves more game time.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Jonas Gutierrez

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Tottenham (H)

2011-10-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (7.5) - I thought he did well. There was very little he could do about their goals and everything else he did well.

Danny Simpson (6.5) - Had a sound game without doing anything major.

Steven Taylor (6.5) - Gave the penalty away with a poor challenge. Defended fairly well for the most part though.

Fabricio Coloccini (8) - Our best defender on the day. Had a chance to win it for us late on but it was not to be. His passing, control and skill is just great to watch though.

Ryan Taylor (7.5) - Had a reasonably good day at left back. Thought Bale might trouble him but he stood up to the challenge until Bale eventually moved across to the other flank.

Grabriel Obertan (6.5) - Was involved quite a bit without really having anything to show for it. Did have a shot which went narrowly wide. Needs to work on his crossing.

Yohan Cabaye (6.5) - Gave the ball away, in the build up to Spurs getting their penalty and did not control the game as much but still played his part in a good team performance. Generally his corners weren't that great today.

Cheik Tiote (8.5) - Outstanding performance from him. He broke up numerous attacks and helped us control the game for large periods. Almost scored with a delightful shot and it would have been no more than he deserved.

Jonas Guiterrez (7.5) - As usual, he had a much better second half in comparison to the first. Went on a superb run and cross which led to our first goal and worked hard as always.

Leon Best (6) - I thought he worked very hard without getting the service to test the keeper. Was eventually taken off after 70 minutes.

Demba Ba (8) - Another player who worked hard and put in a good shift. Scored our first goal with a well taken finish, especially as the ball bounced just before reaching him. Thought he was unfortunate to also be taken off after 70 minutes.

Substitutes
Hatem Ben Arfa (6.5) - Looked good on the ball although he was selfish at times. Who can blame him though, as he has been out for some time and probably wants to be in the spotlight again, especially with the team doing well.

Shola Ameobi (8) - Took a few minutes to get into the game but once he did he was quite a hand full. Scored the late equaliser with a clinical finish too.

Davide Santon (7) - Came on for a small cameo at right back and did fairly well for the few minutes he was on for. Nice to see him make his debut though.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Cheik Tiote

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Blackburn Rovers(H)

2011-09-25T11:31:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (7) - Had very little work to do.

Danny Simpson (7) - Made about two defensive errors. One led to their goal as he gave Olssen too much room to cross and the other as Olssen hit the cross bar when he was on the wrong side of his man. Other than that he was fairly sound but it just shows how important concentration is at this level.

Steven Taylor (7.5) – A pretty solid display, although he wasn’t quite as busy as I expected.

Fabricio Coloccini (8.5) – I thought he was brilliant. Read the game so well and defended superbly all game. Did it with style too.

Ryan Taylor (7) – Made two or three important challenges and blocks and also put in the odd good ball into the box. Gave the ball away carelessly which led to them scoring so needs to be more careful.

Gabriel Obertan (8.5) – His best performance in a toon shirt thus far. Caused problems all afternoon and was a constant threat. Seems to be growing in confidence which bodes well for the future.

Cheik Tiote (8) – Another solid performance from Tiote following on from last week’s impressive display. Barely gave the ball away and won many challenges for us. His partnership with Cabaye seems to be flourishing as well.

Yohan Cabaye (8) – I thought his passing was superb. He fed Obertan and Jonas with so many balls to run onto and went about his work quietly yet very effectively.

Jonas Gutierrez (7.5) – Had yet another better second half performance and deserved his standing ovation he got towards the end.

Demba Ba (9.5) – A fantastic performance from our number 19. He looked dangerous from the first minute and finished all his goals clinically. Perhaps deserves a ten but I’ll reserve that for when he bags four goals in one match later in the season.

Leon Best (7) – Worked really hard and played well but his finishing let him down. Does get himself into good positions and if he keeps doing that he’ll score goals in games more often than not.

Substitutes

Hatem Ben Arfa (7.5) – Looked good when he came on and nearly set up two goals in his brief cameo.

Sylvain Marveaux (7) – He too did well when coming on and deserves more time on the pitch I feel.

Newcastle United Man of the Match – Demba Ba

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Aston Villa (Away)

2011-09-17T10:18:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings
Tim Krul (7.5) - Did not really have a busy afternoon, surprisingly. Dealt easily with what came his way, except for the goal which was a good finish from very close range.

Danny Simpson (7.5) - Kept N'Zogbia quiet for most of the match and defended well. Did not go forward as much though, despite all our possession today.

Steven Taylor (7) - Almost made one huge error but was fortunate to see Villa waste it. Other than that, he had a decent game.

Fabricio Coloccini (7) - Potentially at fault for their goal, as he fell over. It was a bit fortuitous though as the ball fell kindly for Agbonlahor too. Coloccini did keep Bent quiet before he was eventually taken off.

Ryan Taylor (7) - A better performance from Ryan Taylor today. He did his job for the most part and tried to support Jonas on attack too so no complaints about his performance this time around.

Gabriel Obertan (6.5) - Showed a few times that he had the beating of Warnock but unfortunately he couldn't find the cross to match his good work. His pace is nice to have in the team though, especially away from home as he carried the ball forward a lot on the break.

Cheik Tiote (8) - A much better performance from our central midfielder today. Despite giving the ball away in crucial areas a few times, which luckily came to nothing, he was more like his old self, winning the ball, turning and finding space to help us build another attack and upsetting their momentum. Also provided the cross in the build up to our goal. He now needs to build on this performance.

Yohan Cabaye (8.5) - Superb performance from Cabaye today. He really deserved a goal as he hit the post with a sublime first time effort and forced a world class save from Given, when it was goal written all over it. Apart from that, he dominated the middle of the park along with Tiote and put in a really good hard working performance.

Jonas Gutierrez (6) - I thought he was disappointing today. Did do his defensive work but could have done more on attack.

Demba Ba (7.5) - A very sharp looking performance from him and one that can hopefully cut him sum slack for the time being. He beat his man a few times and also showed good inter play with some of his colleagues. Looked like the striker I saw at West Ham, now he just needs a goal.

Leon best (7.5) - At the right place at the right time, to score his third goal of the season, at the second attempt. A fairly decent showing from him and I must say it's surprising to hear he has never played the full 90 minutes for us yet in the premier league.

Substitutes
Shola Ameobi (5) - Offered very little when he came on. I'd much rather have kept Best on the field.

Sylvain Marveaux (7.5) - A very decent cameo from the former Rennes man. Played Cabaye in superbly at the end, which could have resulted in a goal while he barely lost the ball and helped us finish the game the stronger.

Sammy Ameobi (N/A) - Was only on the field for a few minutes.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Yohan Cabaye

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs QPR (A)

2011-09-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (7.5) - Dealt comfortably with everything which came his way.

Danny Simpson (8) - A very good defensive display from the right back. He made a crucial goal line clearance which helped us earn a point. Apart from that the rest of his game was also fairly impressive, as he made some good tackles and looked decent when with the ball.

Steven Taylor (8) - Another player who defended well. He too made a good goal line clearance while he also made a good last ditch tackle in the first half. Had a more comfortable second half, as QPR seemed to run out of steam.

Fabricio Coloccini (7.5) - Overall yet another solid performance by our skipper, although he had a hard time trying to do his work and covering for Ryan Taylor, who had a difficult first half. Showed his class at times, yet never seems to get the recognition from the media and commentators which I think he deserves.

Ryan Taylor (6) - He tried hard but had a tough time marking Shaun Wright Phillips. I think it was a good thing that SWP was moved to a different position in the second half, as Taylor wasn't as troubled after the half time break. I'd expect Santon to come into the team soon.

Gabriel Obertan (6.5) - He had a fairly good first half, tracking back and seeing a fair bit of the ball. The second half was a bit different, although he did have two half chances albeit with headers.

Cheik Tiote (6) - He did some good things but also a fair bit of ordinary things. The amount of times he lost the ball against QPR was so unlike Tiote and one wonders why his performances have dropped so dramatically this season. It's still early days though, so let's give him time.

Yohan Cabaye (6.5) - A sound performance from Cabaye. He was a bit quiet but yet what he did do he did well. Wasn't able to go into their third of the field much though which affected us, as the lack of creativity proved.

Jonas Gutierrez (6) - Another player who wasn't quite his dangerous self. Had one or two runs which unfortunately came to nothing, whilst he had a lot of defensive work to do in the first half and seemed to pick up a knock too.

Shola Ameobi (6) - Didn't offer us enough movement up front, particularly as Best was having a good game. I don't think he was 100% fit also.

Leon Best (8) - Perhaps our best player on the day. Looked sharp on the ball and almost scored with a lovely solo effort. Ben Arfa's potential return may see Best benefit most as he needs support up front.

Substitutes
Sylvain Marveaux (6.5) - Looked good on the ball when he came on and deserves a start soon, I feel.

Demba Ba (6.5) - Looked more lively than Shola and just needs some chances in front of goal, which he isn't getting.

Sammy Ameobi (7) - Seemed fearless when he came on and I'd have loved for him to come on earlier. Seems a real confident player, who is good on the ball and not afraid to take on his man.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Leon Best

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Fulham (H)

2011-08-28T08:15:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (8.5) - Outstanding today, the young Dutchman showed why he is our number one. Made some superb saves, which kept us with a two goal cushion for long enough to help us hold on for the win. His positioning for their goal was poor but after the saves his made, one can’t really fault him.

Danny Simpson (7.5) – Apart from a poor period in the first half when he gave the ball away needlessly, he was very good today. Made some key tackles and clearances and also put the odd good ball into the box.

Steven Taylor (8) – Another one who was outstanding today. Won many tackles and kept Fulham at bay for much of the game. He seems to be growing in confidence as he defended really well today.

Fabricio Coloccini (8) – Led the team well and again put in a solid performance. Read the game superbly and showed why he is our most important player at the moment.

Ryan Taylor (6.5) – Struggled quite a bit today. Had a difficult time handling Damien Duff. With that said, he did go forward a lot more today than in the previous games and so it helped us on attack. It was also his quick thinking which got us to open the scoring.

Gabriel Obertan (7.5) – Had a bit of a mixed game. He seems to lack a quality ball into the box although he did look dangerous when attacking the defender. He needs to do that more. He was however involved in the build up to our second goal with a good ball to Ba, after a neat run.

Yohan Cabaye (8) – I thought he too had a good game. He got stuck in, wasn’t afraid to shoot at goal and as we know it was his shot that led to our opener. Seemed to grow in confidence with that and also played some fine balls today.

Cheik Tiote (7.5) – Today was by far his best performance of the season. Broke up many Fulham attacks and won some tackles without losing the ball in dangerous areas. Seems to be getting rid of that rustiness which was evident in the previous games.

Jonas Gutierrez (7.5) – Another who grew in confidence as the game went on. His work rate was immense and recovered well after a rather quiet first half.

Peter Lovenkrands (4) – After 30 minutes, it felt as though we were playing with ten men as the Dane was largely anonymous. He was rightfully substituted after contributing very little.

Leon Best (9) – In contrast to his striker partner, he scored two very good goals. The one was a pure striker’s finish and the other was a touch of class, as he took one touch before turning the ball home. His work rate was very good too.

Substitutes

Demba Ba (8) – An impressive cameo from Ba, who showed more in the 30 minutes today than he did in all of his other outings. Set up our second with a dangerous early ball into the box and was also unlucky not to score when he hit the cross bar late on.

Haris Vuckic (N/A) – Looked good in the five minutes he was on for before going off with a hand injury.

Alan Smith (N/A) – Hardly did anything noteworthy when replacing Vuckic.

Newcastle United Man of the Match – Leon Best

Newcastle United Goals Thread 2011/2012

2011-08-21T01:31:00.000-07:00

Premier League Goals

Sunderland (A)
Goal: R.Taylor (1-0)

Credit to Siralicdman for providing the goals.

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Sunderland (A)

2011-08-20T06:26:00.001-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (8.5) - Was terrific in goal today. Made some top quality saves, kicked well for the most part and handled crosses well. Two clean sheets in a row, can't ask for anything more from a keeper.

Danny Simpson (7) - Certainly got stuck in, although he was lucky not to be booked today. He put quite a few balls into the box, although he lacked decent delivery at that key time.

Steven Taylor (7.5) - Won a fair bit in the air and again combined well with Coloccini.

Fabricio Coloccini (8) - Another top quality performance from captain colossal. Read the game well, as always and saved our back line on a few occasions. Did start off being beaten early on, but showed his class, as we kept a clean sheet.

Ryan Taylor (8.5) - For someone for may not start the next game, he put in a decent performance. Got beat once or twice but that's understandable for someone played out of position. Scored an absolute beauty of a free kick, worthy of winning any game.

Joey Barton (6.5) - Was unlucky not to score with a good header, when it was illegally cleared off the line. Did not quite stamp his authority on the game the way I expected, although that was not due to lack of commitment that's for sure.

Cheik Tiote (6.5) - Lost the ball in some critical areas and does not look the same Tiote of last season. That will come with games. He did put himself about though and we have two clean sheets so can't be too hard on him.

Yohan Cabaye (7.5) - Made one foolish tackle but other than that got stuck in. Won the ball a few times, through pressing well and he almost scored with a shot from 25 yards out. A better performance than last week I'll say.

Jonas Gutierrez (8) - Won us the free kick which led to the goal and was outstanding in the second half. Took players on and showed his worth to the team. Did a lot of defensive duties too.

Gabriel Obertan (7.5) - Another player who had a better second half. Looked dangerous on the break and linked up nicely with Ameobi at times. An encouraging performance.

Shola Ameobi (8) - I thought he lead the line superbly today. May not have scored but he troubled Sunderland and won several free kicks for us. His flick on for Gosling late on, summed up his performance. Strong, won key headers and played with pride.

Substitutions
Mike Williamson (7) - Won a few important headers late on.

Dan Gosling (6.5) - Could have scored late on and got involved in the few minutes he was on.

Man of the Match - Tim Krul

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Arsenal (H)

2011-08-14T00:53:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (7.5) - Did not have too much to do but did well when called upon.

Danny Simpson (7) - I thought he gave a good performance. Got stuck in at times. Did leave some gaps at the back when he ventured forward a few times.

Fabricio Coloccini (8) - Our best player on the day. Lead by example. Read the game well. Was able to cover his fellow defenders and even tried to go forward when he could.

Steven Taylor (7.5) - Put in a solid performance although the biggest concern with Steven is the fact that he puts in some unnecessary challenges, which could see him get into trouble on another day. Other than that justified his selection ahead of Mike Williamson.

Ryan Taylor (6.5) - Despite being a make shift left back, he actually had a quiet evening, even though I had my concern that Arsenal were going to attack his channel. They did that a few times but we handled it and still managed a clean sheet. Hopefully he will be replaced with a proper left back ahead of our next game though.

Joey Barton (7) - I thought he had a mixed game. There were moments where he was outstanding, showing his commitment to the cause, whilst there were other moments where he gave the ball away unnecessarily. Having said that, Song should have been sent off for the stamp on Joey, whilst I can understand why he went down after the slap from Gervinho. It wasn't necessary for him to pick Gervinho up the way he did but I suppose that's Joey.

Cheik Tiote (6.5) - Seemed a bit off the pace. That will most probably be due to his visa problems. Hopefully the 90 minutes and a full weeks training will see him sharper next week. Still a very important player to us.

Yohan Cabaye (6.5) - Took a while to get into the game but showed glimpses of the player he can be for us this season. Put in a good shift and was taken off towards the end.

Jonas Gutierrez (6) - Failed to stamp his mark on the game. May be dropped for our next game. He did win us some free kicks which stopped Arsenal from getting a head of steam but that was about it for him.

Demba Ba (5.5) - Taken off at half time. That tells you he wasn't really in the game as he failed to link up well with his strike partner. It will take him some time to settle in and let's not forget Arsenal had most of the possession which will not always be the case at home this season.

Shola Ameobi (6) - Put in a good shift although he too failed to test their keeper.

Substitutes
Gabriel Obertan (7) - Showed some real pace when given the chance and looked good on the ball. Hopefully he starts next week, so that we can see more of him.

Leon Best (6.5) - Showed one good turn but other than that, never really made an impact.

Peter Lovenkrands (5.5) - Had very little time to make an impact.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Fabricio Coloccini

Newcastle United Goals Thread 2010/2011

2011-05-20T08:05:00.000-07:00

Premier League Goals

Aston Villa (H)
Goal: Barton (1-0)
Goal: Nolan (2-0)
Goal: Carroll (3-0)
Goal: Carroll (4-0)
Goal: Nolan (5-0)
Goal: Carroll (6-0)

Wolves (A)
Goal: Carroll (1-1)
Everton (A)
Goal: Ben Arfa (1-0)

Stoke City (H)
Goal: Nolan (1-0)

Man City (A)
Goal: Gutierrez (1-1)

Wigan Athletic (H)
Goal: Ameobi (2-1)
Goal: Coloccini (2-2)

West Ham (A)
Goal: Nolan (1-1)
Goal: Carroll (2-1)

Sunderland (H)
Goal: Nolan (1-0)
Goal: Nolan (2-0)
Goal: Ameobi (3-0)
Goal: Ameobi (4-0)
Goal: Nolan (5-0)

Arsenal (A)
Goal: Carroll (1-0)

Blackburn (H)
Goal: Carroll (1-1)

Bolton (A)
Goal: Carroll (1-3)

Chelsea (H)
Goal: Carroll (1-0)

West Brom (A)
Goal: Lovenkrands (1-3)

Liverpool (H)
Goal: Nolan (1-0)
Goal: Barton (2-1)
Goal: Carroll (3-1)

Man City (H)
Goal: Carroll (1-2)

Wigan (A)
Goal: Ameobi (1-0)

West Ham
Goal: Best (1-0)
Goal: Best (2-0)
Goal: Nolan (3-0)
Goal: Best (4-0)
Goal: Lovenkrands (5-0)

Sunderland (A)
Goal: Nolan (1-0)

Tottenham Hotspur (H)
Goal: Coloccini (1-0)

Arsenal (H)
Goal: Barton (1-4)
Goal: Best(2-4)
Goal: Barton (3-4)
Goal: Tiote (4-4)

Birmingham City (A)
Goal: Lovenkrands (1-0)
Goal: Best (2-0)

Bolton (H)
Goal: Nolan (1-0)

Everton (H)
Goal: Best (1-0)

Wolves (H)
Goal: Nolan (1-0)
Goal: Ameobi (2-0)
Goal: Lovenkrands (3-0)
Goal: Gutierrez (4-1)

Blackpool (A)
Goal: Lovenkrands (1-0)

Birmingham City (H)
Goal: Ameobi (1-0)
Goal: S.Taylor (2-0)

Chelsea (A)
Goal: Gutierrez (1-1)
Goal: S.Taylor (2-2)

Carling Cup

Accrington Stanley
Goal: R.Taylor (1-0)
Goal: Ameobi (2-1)
Goal: Lovenkrands (3-1)

Chelsea
Goal: Ranger (1-1)
Goal: R.Taylor (2-1)
Goal: Ameobi (3-1)
Goal: Ameobi (4-3)

FA Cup
Stevenage
Goal: Barton (1-2)

Credit to KO, the prodctz and Siralicdman for providing the goals.

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Chelsea (A)

2011-05-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (6.5) - Had a good game bar one mistake. The problem is though that, that mistake led to their second goal. He came for something he couldn't reach and the ball ended up in the net. You do feel sorry for keepers sometimes.

Danny Simpson (7) - Did his job for the most part. Showed some good touches and can't be blamed for any of their goals. Does need some competition though.

Steven Taylor (8.5) - I thought he was outstanding and fully deserved getting the late equaliser. Won a lot in the air, read the game well and showed many today why he was so highly rated by many before losing his way a bit over the last 2 years.

Fabricio Coloccini (8) - Another player who played well today. Despite allowing Ivanovic to win the header in the build up to their first goal, he did not allow Chelsea to have too many opportunities after that and his partnership with Taylor was impressive.

Jose Enrique (8) - Came close to being my man of the match as he gave a very good performance today. Many question whether he'll be with us next season but he played very well. Won many challenges, went forward quite a bit and linked up fairly well with young Ferguson. He will definitely be missed should he choose to leave.

Peter Lovenkrands (6.5) - Played in an unfamiliar role but worked very hard and made some good runs. Can't say he stood out but he was involved in getting us the free kick which led to our first goal and he certainly contributed to us getting a point.

Joey Barton (7.5) - Despite giving the ball away quite a bit today, he was very committed and got stuck in, which we needed since Tiote wasn't there. Good captains performance probably describes his performance best.

Ryan Taylor (6.5) - For someone filling in, he did reasonably well. He broke up a few of Chelsea's attacks and set up both goals. One being from a rather poor free kick whilst the other was from a good corner.

Shane Ferguson (7.5) - Another promising performance from him. Linked up nicely with Enrique and went forward with real enthusiasm. Went off with an injury but not before putting in a solid shift.

Jonas Gutierrez (7.5) - For someone who's played in all our league games this season he showed little signs of fatigue. He worked hard and scored our first goal, even if he knew very little thereof. Has had some good form of late so its nice that he scored, no matter how fortuitous it was.

Shola Ameobi (6) - Today was another mixed bag from Shola. Did some good things but some awful things too. I'd start Ranger in the next game if it were up to me.

Substitutes
Kazenga Lua Lua (6.5) - Failed to have a big impact but did do well on one occasion when he took on Ivanovic.

Nile Ranger (7) - Won a superb header to assist the late equaliser. Perhaps deserves a start next week.

Sammy Ameobi (7.5) - I was very impressed with the younger Ameobi. Certainly showed no fear and put himself about in the few minutes he was on for.

Man of the Match - Steven Taylor

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Blackpool (A)

2011-04-23T10:44:00.001-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (7.5) - Another very good display from the young Dutch keeper. Was kept busy today and took everything in his stride. Made some decent stops, most notably when Campbell was through on goal. He did well to get a piece of the ball and not the man and showed he is a keeper high on confidence.

Danny Simpson (7) - He had a very good second half, with his positional play outstanding. He made some pretty good interceptions and tackles although he was lucky not to concede a penalty when he lost his footing and handled the ball in the first half. Did not get the opportunity to attack too much today.

Mike Williamson (7) - Put under heavy pressure today but handled it well. We rode our luck at times but Mike did well in the air and did what was required of him for the most part.

Fabricio Coloccini (7) - A calming influence at the back and survived what was a busy day for him at the back. Formed a good partnership with Mike and was one of the more consistent performers on the day.

Jose Enrique (5.5) - Had a very poor first half in which he made numerous errors. One almost led to a goal when he played a horrendous pass to Tim Krul and was lucky we got away with it. Had a bit of a better second half but still had a bitter sweet afternoon especially as he was behind the line for their goal and cleared the ball off the ball on another occasion.

Joey Barton (6) - I thought Joey was poor today. Lost the ball a few times and his delivery was not at his usual high standards. Did put in a good shift but we needed more from him today.

Cheik Tiote (6.5) - Was unable to control the game like he normally does. Gave away some freekicks in dangerous areas too. Still had moments though where he showed off his talent.

Kevin Nolan (6) - Put in a typical shift but was unable to have much influence on the game be it with his passing or his ability to get onto crosses.

Jonas Gutierrez (6) - Another player who had a mixed afternoon. Did one or two good things but was also unable to play that final pass or cross for the strikers to get on the end of.

Peter Lovenkrands (7) - Scored our goal today with a well taken shot from just outside the box. Did have a decent first half but seemed to fade, the longer the game went on and was susbtituted after the hour mark.
Shola Ameobi (6) - Wasted many fine chances today. Lost his footing numerous times and was often frustrating to watch. Still put himself about but we just can't afford to waste so many good chances if we want to be a force again.

Substitutions
Stephen Ireland (6) - Showed some more glimpses of promise without really testing the keeper. Needs to start a game soon if we are to see his true ability.

James Perch (N/A) - Only touched the ball once in his few minutes on the field.

Shefki Kuqi (N/A) - Only got to play about 30 seconds

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Tim Krul

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Man Utd (H)

2011-04-19T14:39:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (8) - For someone coming into the side for such a big game and after three months out of the team he did particularly well. Made two top draw saves in the first half and came off his line well most times. His kicking from goal kicks was poor but overall he showed why he should be our number one in years to come.

Danny Simpson (6.5) - Had a fairly quiet game but did his job. Almost gave away a penalty late on but the right decision was made so he can go home having done what was required of him.

Mike Williamson (8) - I thought he defended very well tonight. Won a lot in the air and put in some crucial challenges just when it was required.

Fabricio Coloccini (8) - I thought he read the game superbly and made some good interceptions. Also showed his experience when Krul came late out to collect a through pass. He prevented the attacker from getting near the ball and the danger passed. One of our players of the season.

Jose Enrique (7.5) - Had a very good first half although his second half wasn't as good. Thought he was certainly up for it after some fans questioned his performance in the last game. Made to defend more in the second half and he was up to it.

Joey Barton (7.5) - He put in a really good shift and led from the front tonight. Took the ball from Rooney a few times which showed how much defensive work he did during the game.

Cheik Tiote (7.5) - Back for this one and it showed. Good on the ball, passed it well and allowed us to have a go at them. Did give one or two unnecessary challenges away but we got the clean sheet so I can't complain.

Danny Guthrie (7) - Played his part tonight. Worked hard and distributed the ball nicely. Linked up well with his fellow midfielders whilst he wasn't afraid to do his defensive duties as well.

Jonas Gutierrez (8) - I thought he was sensational in the first twenty minutes. Really ran at them and had the beating of O'Shea a few times. Got tired as the game wore on but still did his defensive work. Did not get as much opportunity in the second half as he did in the first but showed that when on his game, he can trouble the top teams.

Peter Lovenkrands (6.5) - Not as involved as I'd like him to be but he worked hard and could and probably should have won us a penalty. It wasn't to be and he was substituted just after the hour mark.
Shola Ameobi (7.5) - Another player who had a very good first half and really looked up for it. Caused Man Utd many problems but then got tired and was eventually taken off after seventy minutes.

Substitutes
Stephen Ireland (6.5) - Looked decent when coming on and it was a pity we did not have more of the ball at that stage to utilise him properly.

Nile Ranger (5) - Made very little impact which was very disappointing despite only getting twenty minutes.

Man of the Match - Tim Krul

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Aston Villa (A)

2011-04-10T10:17:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Steve Harper (7) - Had a fairly good game. Made no mistakes and could do nothing for their goal.

Danny Simpson (6) - Had a difficult afternoon but managed to give a decent enough showing.

Steven Taylor (5.5) - I thought he struggled today. Got away with a clumsy challenge in the box while he also gave the ball away in some potentially dangerous positions. Was rightfully substituted.

Mike Williamson (7.5) - I thought he was excellent today. Won a lot in the air and did not allow the Villa attackers to get the better of him too often. Apart from a body check once he can be pleased with his showing.

Jose Enrique (7.5) - Although he gave the ball away a few times, he was solid in defence and showed his worth to the team yet again. Did look at times as though he was not 100% fit but still had a good game.

Joey Barton (5) - A thoroughly disappointing performance from the "best Engish midfielder" in the league. Hardly got on the ball and gave the ball away several times when he did. The fact that he was constantly complaining did not seem to help us at all either.

Fabricio Coloccini (7) - For someone who seldom plays in midfield I thought he did a good job. Went about his business quietly although it will be great to have Tiote back for the next game as the team will be stronger with Coloccini in defence and Tiote in midfield.

Danny Guthrie (6) - Not a particularly bad game from Danny although his passing let him down on several occasions. Seems to go for "the pass" to many times and gives the ball away instead of building things patiently.

Jonas Gutierrez (6) - Had a decent first half and did his fair share of defensive work but failed to do the same in the second half. Yet again his link up play with Enrique was our strongest weapon going forward during the game though.

Peter Lovenkrands (6.5) - Had two decent chances in the final minutes of the game but could not put one away. He at least made the keeper work which was the least he could do I suppose. Other than that he worked hard but lacked any real service to help get himself on the score sheet.

Nile Ranger (6.5) - Showed glimpses of why so many people have been calling for him to start a game whilst funny enough he also showed why he was kept on the bench so much. He started the game well, had one or two chances and then just faded. His decision making at crucial times let him down but as a striker I suppose he needs to be greedy too.

Substitutes

Ryan Taylor (6) - Had a slight impact but not enough in the end.

Shefki Kuqi (N/A) - Not on long enough.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Mike Williamson

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Stoke City (A)

2011-03-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Steve Harper (4) - What was he doing for their second goal? I'm afraid for all his loyalty, he should be replaced by one of the two youngsters next season. Just does not fill me with confidence and I'd be disappointed if we sold one of the youngsters in the summer.

Danny Simpson (6) - Put some good balls into the box particularly in the first half but needs to be playing in his natural position.

Mike Williamson (6.5) - I thought he did fairly well defensively. Could not be blamed for any of their goals and won a fair bit in the air.

Fabrcio Coloccini (5) - A disappointing performance from the usually reliable centre back. Made a few errors and seemed to lose concentration at crucial times.

Sol Campbell (4.5) - At fault for their first goal, perhaps the second too and was rightfully taken off in the second half. Why he was given a start is beyond me.

Jose Enrique (7) - Looked good until he went off injured. One always got the feeling it was going to be hard to get something from today after he went off.

Cheik Tiote (5.5) - He did not have a bad game but made some unnecessary challenges and played into Stoke's hands. Also got a yellow card which means he misses the next two games.

Joey Barton (6) - In terms of commitment and effort one can't fault him but he did look rusty and his balls into the box were nowhere near what he is capable of.

Kevin Nolan (6) - Put in a good shift but was one of only a few who could come away from today with any credit be it only a little.

Peter Lovenkrands (4) - He seems to do nothing for most of the game but still manages to start the next game. Can't say I remember him doing anything worth mentioning today.

Shola Ameobi (7) - Really put himself about and deserved more support especially in terms of supply to him.

Substitutes
Shane Ferguson (8) - What a superb performance from one so inexperienced. Took players on, showed great skill and got the ball into the box a few times. Looks a real prospect and deserves a run in the team now, with Enrique's injury.

Nile Ranger (5) - Hardly did anything since coming off the bench.

Jonas Gutierrez (6) - Earned a few free kicks but was brought on when the game was over as a contest unfortunately.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Shane Ferguson

My Player Ratings vs Everton (H)

2011-03-05T14:23:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Steve Harper (8) - Made some really good saves and was not really helped by his defence at times. We'd have conceded more had it not been for him today.

Steven Taylor (6) - Did fairly well in the right back role, although his positioning was poor at times. Went forward nicely but lacked a good cross that could lead to something. Along with Simpson, should take some blame for giving Arteta far too much space during the game.

Mike Williamson (6) - Made some solid tackles but cannot be happy about the space Osman and Jagielka had for their goals.

Fabricio Coloccini (6) - Thought he did certain things well but again, Osman and Jagielka were virtually not marked which cannot happen in the penalty area. Especially as he was just ball watching for their first goal.

Jose Enrique (5) - Unable to have any real impact on the game and was unfortunately withdrawn due to injury late in the first half.

Danny Simpson (6) - He defended well but was not able to adapt to playing right midfield. It came as no surprise when he ended the game in his familiar position. Arteta was allowed too much space during the game and as stated some of the blame should go to him.

Cheik Tiote (7.5) - I thought he was once again very good today. Controlled the ball well, won challenges and tried to get us on the front foot. His set pieces weren't bad too.

Kevin Nolan (7) - Lots of effort from the captain as always and he looked dangerous in the first half. It came as no surprise that he took the shot which led to our goal for Everton were unable to mark him properly in that half. Put in a good shift for the team despite the result although he was less effective in the second half.

Jonas Gutierrez (7.5) - Looked good today and played some really good through balls, one of which opened their defence up for the goal. Has been on good form as of the last month or so in my opinion.

Peter Lovenkrands (4.5) - I thought he was really poor today. Hardly had a shot on goal and never looked like creating an opening. The fact that he got to finish the game shows how few options we have at the moment.

Leon Best (7.5) - Really put himself about, took his goal easily and could have had more. 6 goals in about 9 starts is excellent and well done to the lad. Never expected him to do as well but long may it continue.

Substitutes
Shola Ameobi (6.5) - Had some good moments and troubled Everton's defence without being able to put the ball in the net though.

Shane Ferguson (6) - Showed glimpses of why he is highly thought of at the club but should have been given more time.

Shefki Kuqi (4) - Made no impact in the few minutes he was on for.

Man of the Match - Steve Harper

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Arsenal (H)

2011-02-05T14:28:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Steve Harper (5) - Hardly had many saves to make but conceded four and can't be happy with that.

Danny Simpson (6) - I thought he struggled in the first half but was our best defender in the second half. Made at least two important last ditch tackles in the second half and was good going forward throughout the match.

Mike Williamson (4.5) - Really struggled to deal with Van Persie and had a poor first half but he was always dangerous on set pieces and earned us the second penalty.

Fabricio Coloccini (4) - It was a poor showing from usually our best centre back. He simply could not handle Walcott's pace but got better as the game went on though.

Jose Enrique (5.5) - Could not handle Walcott in the first half but he started to have a bigger influence on the game in the second half and picked up an assist for our second goal. Went forward a lot in the second half.

Joey Barton (7.5) - After a horrible first half he scored two superb penalties and controlled things for us in the second half with his ability to deliver quality set pieces and to get our attacks going.

Cheik Tiote (8) - I thought he was our stand out player today. Won several challenges, passed the ball well and scored an absolute stunner to level things at 4-4. Took a while to get going but by the end of the game he wrote his name into Newcastle United folklore.

Kevin Nolan (5) - Unable to add to his goals tally today but he led from the front and along with Barton, he managed to lift the team with his in your face style.

Jonas Gutierrez (6) - Put in a good shift and linked up very nicely with Enrique in the second half. I think he sometimes gets unfair criticism as he does do some good things for us down the left.

Peter Lovenkrands (4) - A really disappointing performance from the Dane. Think he'll be dropped for the next game as he was unable to do anything of note.

Leon Best (7) - Does look poor at times but few could argue against his work rate. Scored the crucial second goal and won the all important first penalty which means that he can be effective at this level if given the chance.

Substitutes
Nile Ranger (6.5)- Did very well when coming on and certainly made an impact.

Danny Guthrie (N/A) - Came on in injury time.

Man of the Match - Cheik Tiote

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Tottenham (H)

2011-01-22T10:23:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Steve Harper (7.5) - Made some important saves today. Probably deserved a clean sheet with his performance.

Danny Simpson (6.5) - Allowed Lennon to cut in onto his right foot which was poor on his side and it ultimately led to their goal. Did not have a bad game though overall.

Mike Williamson (7) - He was very solid in the air, even beating Peter Crouch at times. Formed a good partnership with Coloccini but should have done better for their goal.

Fabricio Coloccini (8.5) - Another classy performance by the Argentine centre half on his 29th Birthday. Took his goal very well as he took it down on his chest before hammering it home. Did not give Defoe too many chances too.
Jose Enrique (6.5) - A rather uncharacteristically quiet game from Enrique. Only made a few runs going forward although he was relatively solid in defence. Got beat by Lennon once in the first half which almost led to a goal. He still had some of his usual good moments though.

Joey Barton (8) - Another good display from Joey. Played some very good through balls and worked hard for the team. Could see he was running on empty towards the end but it was a sign of all his commitment during the match.

Kevin Nolan (7) - Put in a good shift considering he had a throat infection. Made one superb interception when Spurs looked like scoring and led from the front with his off the ball pressing.

Danny Guthrie (7.5) - I thought he had a very good game. Did some defensive work while majority of his passes were spot on including a superb assist. 24 of his 30 passes were successful and considering the amount of long passes he played that was very impressive. Its a pity he had to go off injured towards the end.

Jonas Gutierrez (8.5) - I think this was one of his best games in a toon shirt. He gave Spurs all sorts of problems and not only that he put in some excellent crosses which deserved to lead to a goal. Did some good defensive work too to top off his impressive display.

Leon Best (6.5) - Worked hard for the team and was unlucky too hit the crossbar but the introduction of Ranger showed that Best needs to do better to keep hold of his place.

Shola Ameobi (7) - Guilty of again missing some great chances. Should have been on the score sheet today. Did win quite a bit in the air though and held the ball up nicely which helped us in the second half in particular.

Substitutes

Peter Lovenkrands (6.5) - Looked lively when coming on but should have done better when through on goal.

Nile Ranger (7) - Made quite an impact despite only being on for a few minutes. Deserves more minutes if today was anything to go by.

James Perch (6.5) - Put in some tackles whilst filling in for Guthrie in midfield.

Man of the Match - Fabricio Coloccini

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Sunderland (A)

2011-01-16T14:51:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Steve Harper (6.5) - Made some very good saves but can possibly be at fault for their goal too.

Danny Simpson (6.5) - Defended well and was part of a solid back four. Was unable to attack too much though and was guilty of giving the ball away a few times too many.

Mike Williamson (7.5) - Looked very shaky early on but got better as the game progressed and won quite a bit in the air. Should be happy with his performance.

Fabricio Coloccini (9) - The man was incredible today. Defended superbly with some fine cover tackles as well as being good in the air and being a calming influence at the back. Read the game well and showed what a classy centre back he is.

Jose Enrique (8) - Another typical Enrique performance. Solid at the back and excellent going forward. Made some brilliant runs and put in some good balls into the box.

Joey Barton (7.5) - Continued his good form today. Played some intelligent balls over the top for the strikers to run onto and provided the corner from which we scored from.

Alan Smith (6) - Went off with an injury but didn't do as bad as I thought he would do.

Kevin Nolan (7.5) - Scored yet another goal against our rivals and took it well with an intelligent flick. Also did some defensive work and yet again showed his worth to the team.

Jonas Gutierrez (7.5) - It was a good display from Jonas in that he continuously ran at the Sunderland defence and never made it easy for their right back. Worked hard for the team and it was another energetic performance from him.

Leon Best (7) - Proved to be a decent outlet up front and showed some neat touches. I liked his back heel and the way he kept working hard up front. Certainly did not let the team down.

Shola Ameobi (7) - Missed two really good opportunities but did win a lot in the air and allowed the other players to run onto those flick ons. Played his part in the goal and had a pretty good game overall.

Substitutes
Danny Guthrie (6.5) - Got better after a poor first half of about 15 minutes. Seemed to gain more confidence as the game went on which was good to see.

Dan Gosling (6.5) - Looked impressive in the few minutes he was on for.

Peter Lovenkrands (N/A) - Barely got involved in the few minutes he was on.

Man of the Match - Fabricio Coloccini

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Stevenage

2011-01-09T01:25:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (5.5) - Not at fault for any of their goals and made some good saves but his kicking was very poor and did not fill me with confidence. Needs to work on that for it is the one weakness preventing him from being our number one I feel.

Danny Simpson (6) Should never have allowed the first goal to happen. Allowed his opponent to turn and have a clear shot and goal which was disappointing. Apart from one good cross he was not at his best in this game.

Mike Williamson (5.5) - Had a chance to impress but did not take it. Was unlucky to deflect their first goal goal wards but looked very shaky at times.

Fabricio Coloccini (6.5)- Our best defender on the day but even he did not impress too much. Has played 5 games in 13 days so could perhaps be forgiven for a rather tired looking performance.

James Perch (5)- Offered very little going forward, gave the ball away too much and wasn't good enough for me. He was played out of position but I still think he was a waste of transfer funds by the club.

Wayne Routledge (6) - At times he looked good on the ball, while he seemed to also be our only player capable of creating something. The problem is though that he never created anything despite all his efforts.

Alan Smith (3) - A player earning such great wages but does absolutely nothing. It was as though we played with ten men as he did nothing to protect the defence. Can see why Tiote was brought on.

Kevin Nolan (6) -Fought hard to get us to create something but failed to inspire the team when they looked so poor.

Joey Barton (7) - Scored with a stunning strike but other than that he was not as influential as he has been this season. Played out on the left which was a big mistake, despite young Shane Ferguson being on the bench.

Peter Lovenkrands (6) -Was very much anonymous although he got very little service.

Leon Best (6) -Did virtually nothing although again, he too got little service for the half that he was on for.

Substitutes
Nile Ranger (6) - Failed to make any real impact on the game after coming on at half time.

Cheik Tiote (4) - Tried to make an instant impact and to stamp his authority on the game but he was sent off for a some what wild tackle. Did seem to win the ball but his sending off was the last thing we needed.

Phil Airey (6) - Had a shot at goal which is the only thing I remember him doing. Not the greatest of debut's for him.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Joey Barton

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs West Ham (H)

2011-01-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Steve Harper (7.5) - Made a few good saves on a night in which he did not have a lot to do.

Danny Simpson (7.5) - Very solid at right back. Really has been excellent since he's come back into the team.

Steven Taylor (7) - Picked up an injury which only allowed him to play until half time but hardly looked troubled when on the field.

Fabricio Coloccini (8) - Put in some fine tackles, even when the score was already 5-0 and just looked so assured at the back.

Jose Enrique (8.5) - Barely gave West Ham the chance to attack down his flank and was very good going forward. Linked up well with both Jonas and Ferguson as well. I wouldn't swap him for any other left back in the league.

Joey Barton (8.5) - Fast becoming one of my favourite toon players, he was once again very impressive. Controlled things for us in midfield and it came as no surprise to see him involved in the build up for three of our goals. He is bang on form at the moment and long may it continue.

Cheik Tiote (8.5) - Magnificent in midfield, the Ivory Coast international did well to protect the back four as well as getting us onto the front foot regularly with his passing and drive from the centre of the park. Went off with an injury but hopefully he'll be fine for the mackems game.

Kevin Nolan (7.5) - Took his goal very nicely indeed and really does lead from the front.

Jonas Guierrez (7) - Played his part in the build up to our third goal and certainly worked hard for the team when he was on. Considering he played with an injury for much of his 60 minutes some credit should go to him.

Peter Lovenkrands (8) - Made some excellent runs, as seen by his movement for the first two goals. Took his goal nicely to get on the score sheet and kept the West Ham defence busy all evening.

Leon Best (9) - What a performance! Many thought he did not warrant a starting berth but he proved all those doubters wrong. Took all his goals well and was excellent in the air, winning numerous flick ons and linked up nicely with Lovenkrands up front.

Substitutes
Mike Williamson (7) -Would have relished being given another opportunity after half time and defended fairly well during his time on the field.

Nile Ranger (5) - Missed a real sitter and still seems to be very raw at the moment. Needs to be sent out on loan.

Shane Ferguson (7.5) - It was a nice cameo from the youngster who seems to be a real good prospect.

Man of the Match - Leon Best

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Wigan (A)

2011-01-02T13:33:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Steve Harper (7) - Did not have a lot to do but did well when called upon.

Danny Simpson (7) - Provided a superb cross from which Shola should have scored. Despite an early booking he defended well and linked up nicely with Barton.

Steven Taylor (7) - Was unlucky not to score with a header which hit the crossbar but will be happy with the clean sheet for our defence defended well with him winning many balls in the air.

Fabricio Coloccini (8) - Really steady and calm at the back. Can hardly remember him making a mistake today and he too was unlucky not to score after his header hit the post in the first half.

Jose Enrique (7) - Made one or two mistakes early on, losing the ball or miss controlling it but recovered well thereafter even though he's had better games before.

Joey Barton (8) - It was his hard work which lead to the goal. He pressurised the defender and eventually got a good shot in which the keeper could only see end up in the back of the net moments later. Controlled things for us and most of our best moves had him involved somewhere in the build up. Provided some good set pieces too.

Cheik Tiote (8) - Superb in the centre of the park. Won many tackles, lost the ball very few times and helped us win the midfield battle which lead to us winning the game. On top of all that, he never got booked today which doesn't happen very often!

Kevin Nolan (7) - Not as influential as the previous two but still played his part in today's win. Proved to be a good link man between the midfielders and strikers.

Jonas Gutierrez (7.5) - He lost the ball twice in the first three minutes and I thought to myself how does he start every game but he picked up his game and did well especially when he ran at the Wigan defence. Had a pretty decent game and showed he does add value to this team when he plays well.

Peter Lovenkrands (7) - Should probably have scored at least one goal today but despite that he ran into space well and played his part in the goal. Put in a good shift overall.

Shola Ameobi (7.5) - We saw the good and the not so good from him today. Scored the only goal of the game but missed the easiest chance of the game as well. Won plenty in the air though and did well in the absence of Andy Carroll.

Substitutes
Wayne Routledge (7.5) - Despite the lack of a good final ball he did very well when coming on. Beat his man at least three times and showed that he can be a danger when coming on through his skill and pace.

Leon Best (6) - Looked pretty average when he came on although he did go on one good run despite failing to hit the target with his shot.

Alan Smith (N/A) - Came on with a few minutes to play.

Man of the Match - Joey Barton

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Tottenham (A)

2010-12-28T10:02:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (7.5) - The only player to come away from today with some credibility. He made some good saves, one of which was terrific to deny Spurs late in the first half. Repaid the manager's faith in him and was not to blame for their goals in my opinion.

Danny Simpson (6) - Had a difficult time marking Gareth Bale and came out second best today. Few can stop the Welsh winger though so his focus should just go onto the next game and try and learn from today.

Steven Taylor (6) - Looked shaky at times and should have done better for Bale's goal. Could perhaps have closed him down and stopped his shot from coming in. Other than that he did relatively well.
Fabricio Coloccini (6.5) - Made a few good tackles to deny the Spurs attackers and seemed to form a better partnership with Taylor today than in the previous game. Our best defender on the day.

James Perch (6) - Had a decent first half and put in some good challenges but then all that was undone by allowing Lennon too much space for him to open the scoring. Just hope Enrique is fit for Sunday for he offers much more in both defence and attack.
Wayne Routledge (6) - He was full of energy but unfortunately did nothing of note. It's disappointing for he can be dangerous with all his speed.

Alan Smith (6) - He did fairly well defensively for us. He made one excellent block in the first half but it was his passing and offence which just wasn't good enough. For someone coming in for Nolan, it is evident we lack depth in our squad.

Cheik Tiote (6.5) - Had a pretty decent game but he needs to stop making some unnecessary challenges. Could easily have been sent off today and with our squad being as thin as it is, we just can't afford that right now.

Jonas Gutierrez (5.5) - For someone of his ability he has really been disappointing in the last few weeks. Fails to bring anything good to the team's attack in terms of getting balls into the box or playing a dangerous pass to open up the defence. Was taken off after the hour mark and rightly so.

Joey Barton (5) - Had a decent game in terms of his commitment and ball skills but his passing was pathetic. His free kicks offered the team very little and for someone capable of such accuracy when it comes to his passing he was just not good enough today. Played far too many long balls which were over hit.

Andy Carroll (6) - His commitment was there but he failed to get any decent service and was visibly frustrated by it. Needs more support up front.

Substitutes

Nile Ranger (5.5) - Was unable to make any impact today.

Peter Lovenkrands (5) - Should have done better in the build up to the second goal for it was clearly a decent chance for us to create something and we got punished for it.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Tim Krul

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Man City (H)

2010-12-26T15:08:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (5) - His terrible mistake cost us the first goal and that gave us a mountain to climb thereafter. Hopefully he'll get another opportunity for I'm sure he'll learn from today's mistake.

Danny Simpson (6) - Put in some good tackles although his crossing left a lot to be desired.

Steven Taylor (6) - Did not have a bad game but needs to do more if he is to keep Mike Williamson out of the team in my opinion. Did not close some of the City attackers quickly enough at times which could have made the scoreline worse.

Fabricio Coloccini (6.5) - Good to have the centre half back in the team today but it was not enough to stop City from scoring thrice. Was the unlucky guy to have the shot deflect off him which ended our hopes of getting something from today. Should not have turned his back on the ball! Had a decent game overall though.

Jose Enrique (6.5) - Worked hard for the team and tried to go forward as much as he could he could although Milner kept him busy throughout.

Wayne Routledge (6) - Started brightly but soon faded and was replaced after the hour mark.

Joey Barton (6.5) - Was not afraid to get stuck in. City though made sure he was not able to influence the game for us the way he has done of late. Did manage to create an assist for our only goal today.

Cheik Tiote (6) - Failed to protect the back four today at times and was guilty of lazily giving the ball away for their second goal. Did have a much better second half though which was a good recovery.

Kevin Nolan (6) - The move to play him up top with Carroll did not pay off. He had one or two chances but other than that starting Ranger might have been the better option in hindsight.

Jonas Gutierrez (6) - He too worked really hard but was unable to find that quality ball in the last third that allowed us to score from. Can't fault his effort though.

Andy Carroll (7) - Scored our only goal and fought really hard for the team. Wasn't afraid to shoot from outside the box either. Seems to play better with a partner up front though.

Substitute
Nile Ranger (6.5) - Did not quite have the same impact as the last game but did well enough to perhaps warrant a start in place of Nolan in the next game.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Andy Carroll

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Liverpool (H)

2010-12-11T13:15:00.001-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (7.5) - Made a terrific save from Torres in the second half and had a pretty decent game overall despite one or two heart in mouth moments.

Danny Simpson (6.5) - He wasn't able to go forward too much but defended well.

Sol Campbell (6) - Made one or two telling tackles but was very much to blame for their goal. Should never have turned his back on the ball and it almost cost us. Won a fair amount in the air though which was important.

Steven Taylor (7) - Looked far more assured than Campbell today. Did not give the Liverpool attackers too much space bar one or two opportunities.

Jose Enrique (7.5) - He really got stuck in today. Was always willing to go forward and defended well too. He really seemed up for it and was our best defender on the day.

Joey Barton (8.5) - Joey was outstanding today. His commitment was second to none and he of course scored the all important second goal for us with a gutsy finish. Played his part in the other goals too and showed why he was so badly missed in the previous games.

Cheik Tiote (8) - Won several challenges and looked very good on the ball without giving it away too much. Certainly a big part in why we won today.

Kevin Nolan (8) - In terms of leadership he was excellent today and really led from the front. Scored the first goal, which was crucial and hopefully he'll be okay for the next game after he was substituted.

Jonas Gutierrez (5.5) - Not a good performance from Jonas today it has to be said. Apart from the last 15-20 minutes, he lacked confidence to take the ball up and was just not able to influence the game in any way. Should may be have been taken off but never stopped trying to his credit.

Shola Ameobi (6.5) - Went off with an injury and although he worked hard in the first half, he wasn't able to influence the game as much as his strike partner. Did to his bit though and showed signs of linking up with Carroll very nicely. Do hope his injury is not too bad.

Andy Carroll (8.5) - Another top class performance from our number nine. Set up the first goal, was part of the build up for the second goal and wrapped the game up with the third goal with a sublime finish. Really did cause Liverpool all sorts of problems.

Substitutes

Nile Ranger (7.5) - Many will feel his introduction changed the game and to me it did. He brought real energy to the team, chased various flick ons and showed that he really is a good prospect.

Alan Smith (N/A) - Only on for a few minutes.

Wayne Routledge (N/A) - Barely on for a minute.

Man of the Match - Andy Carroll

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs West Brom (A)

2010-12-05T08:21:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (6) - Hardly to blame for any of their goals but he cannot be happy conceding three goals today.

Danny Simpson (6.5) - He put in some decent crosses going forward but was really tested by Thomas in defence. Beaten a few times with Thomas' blistering pace exposing him occasionally.

Steven Taylor (5.5) - Caught playing the attacker on side for their third goal and failed to close down the goalscorer in the lead up to the second goal. Won't be happy with his display today, although he did manage one good attempt on goal in the second half.

Sol Campbell (5) - He was very much off the pace of the game today. Caught holding up his hands in the hope that the attacker was offside for their third goal but it was clear that, it was more in hope than actually him being offside. Should also have closed down the goalscorer for their other goals. On today's showing, one has to worry about our centre backs coping with Fernando Torres next week.

Jose Enrique (5.5) - Arguably one of his worst games in a long time. Had his hands full with Tchoyi, who got the better of him a few times, which is something we don't say too often. Was not able to go forward too often as a result.

Wayne Routledge (6) - He worked hard and got one really good ball into the box but other than that it was a frustrating day for him, getting few chances to run at the Albion defence.

Danny Guthrie (5) - Went off injured with what looked like a serious injury but gave the ball away for their second goal which seemed to kill off any hopes we had of getting something from the game. As for his overall performance, he failed to get any foothold on the game and his set pieces were poor most of the time. Just not a good day for him, but let's hope he recovers quickly as we could do with his creativity even if its from the bench when Barton and Nolan return..

Cheik Tiote (6.5) - He had his moments where he showed real quality on the ball and won back the ball for us but he too was unable to get us on top in terms of possession for large enough periods in the game. Does give away some silly fouls though.

Jonas Gutierrez (5.5) - Very ineffective today. Apart from one good run which saw the ball some how cleared off the line, and one excellent cross which could have resulted in Lovenkrands scoring, he did not offer us much and was lucky to play the full 90 minutes in my opinion as I would have substituted him, if we had someone good enough to bring on in his place.

Shola Ameobi (6) - Wasn't able to get into the game and was taken off at half time. Not his fault though as we allowed WBA to have most of the possession in the first half.

Andy Carroll (6) - Similar to Ameobi, he was rarely in the game although he did have a better second half. Was involved in the build up to our goal but it was far too late then.

Substitutes
Peter Lovenkrands (7) - Made some really good runs and managed to break his duck for this season. Still needs more game time to get his sharpness back.

Alan Smith (5) - It's frustrating seeing him come on, when a player like Vuckic can't even make the bench.

Nile Ranger (5.5) - Failed to have any impact after coming on towards the end.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Peter Lovenkrands

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Chelsea (H)

2010-11-28T08:06:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (7) - Had one or two anxious moments but overall I thought he dealt well with the crosses coming in.

Danny Simpson (7) - He kept Malouda quiet for much of the game and was unlucky to see their equaliser come as a result of his deflection. Pushed forward nicely as well.

Steven Taylor (7.5) - Considering it was his first official game since January, I thought he did really well. It will give him some confidence to build on for the next game.

Sol Campbell (7.5) - He made one superb block in the first half and showed a real calm head at the back.

Jose Enrique (8) - Again showed why he is such an important player for us. He did not allow anyone to pass him. Went forward when he could but more importantly his defending was excellent. Made one or two key challenges and cleared one off the line as well.

Wayne Routledge (8) - I thought Routledge was excellent today. He put a few good balls into the box and kept Ashley Cole honest. Made some good runs and was unlucky not to score with a goal bound volley. Would be unlucky if he does not start the next game.

Cheik Tiote (7) - It was good to have him back today. He really made some solid tackles and hardly lost the ball.

Danny Guthrie (6.5) - He had a decent game but failed to deliver enough quality from our set pieces. After a good first half he started to fade in the second half but a performance full of commitment none the less.

Jonas Gutierrez (6.5) - Guilty of giving the ball away which ultimately led to them scoring but he ran until the very end and if he had a little more support we could have done better on the counter attack.

Shola Ameobi (7) - Showed glimpses of the old Shola Ameobi where he was sloppy, miss controlling the ball and making one or two errors but overall he was good especially in the first half. I wish we played more balls into the box as he looked as though he had a goal in him if he was just given the correct service.

Andy Carroll (6.5) - Started the game well and managed to score through putting the Chelsea defenders under pressure but unfortunately for him today, he became more and more anonymous the longer the game went on. Became a frustrated figure but credit should go to him for still managing to get on the score sheet.

Substitutions
Nile Ranger (N/A) - A late substitute today.

Man of the Match - Wayne Routledge

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Bolton (A)

2010-11-20T09:28:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (6.5) - Did not deserve to concede five. He was better than the scoreline suggests as he made a few quality saves.

Danny Simpson (5) - Useful going forward but should have cleared the ball for their second goal which really ended our hopes of staying in the game.

Mike Williamson (4) - Could not handle Bolton's two strikers. Guilty of a horrific headbutt which should have seen him sent off.

Fabricio Coloccini (4) - The same applies to the usually calm defender. He allowed Davies to win virtually every header and was at fault for the second and fourth goals. Got himself sent off when the game was lost which was very disappointing to see.

Jose Enrique (5.5) - He was vey useful going forward and looked dangerous but he did not get in enough crosses and gave the ball away far too many times at this level. I counted at least six times while Lee seemed to have the better of him for periods of the game.

Danny Guthrie (6.5) - I thought he had a decent game. He was good on the ball but due to him being played out of position he hardly got a chance to show his creativity.

Alan Smith (5) - He failed to protect the defence and should really be sold in the transfer window. On far too high wages and doesn't do his defensive midfield duties, which made the defence look even worse today.

Kevin Nolan (5.5) - Gave away a needless penalty with his handball. Seemed to try too hard on his return to Bolton. Expected so much more from him.

Jonas Gutierrez (6.5) - He did not have a bad game. Just couldn't get into the game enough at times but it was hard as he was forced to defend for large parts of the game.

Shola Ameobi (7) - Worked hard for the team and showed some neat footwork at times. If only he was given more service we could have stayed in the game for longer than we did.

Andy Carroll (7.5) - Took his goal really well and almost scored a second with a cracking shot which hit the woodwork. Worked hard and felt sorry for him towards the end.

Substitutes
Sol Campbell (6) - Did reasonably well when he came on. Will probably start against Chelsea.

Wayne Routledge (6.5) - Looked fairly bright when he came on. Played in some good balls to Carroll and I think he should get another chance especially while Barton is out.

Peter Lovenkrands (5.5) - Failed to make any impact but then again the game was long gone when he came on.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Andy Carroll

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Fulham (H)

2010-11-15T08:19:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings
Tim Krul (7.5) - Made a string of good saves to deny Fulham and deserved a clean sheet. He seems to be growing in confidence, with every game he plays.

Danny Simpson (7) - Didn't get a chance to attack as much as Enrique but did manage to put in one or two fine crosses. Dealt well with his defensive duties when called upon.

Mike Williamson (7) - He recovered well after initially being caught out for pace at times in the first half. Hardly gave Johnson a chance in the second half.

Fabricio Coloccini (7.5) - He defended really well and was our rock at the back. Did make one or two errors but overall had a really good game at the back.

Jose Enrique (8) - Our best player on the day. Strong in the challenge, good on the ball and linked up well with Gutierrez he takes the man of the match award for me from a Newcastle United point of view.

Danny Guthrie (7) - Was forced to cut in a few times but I thought he delivered some fine crosses into the box. He looked good on the ball and should play in the centre for him to have more of the ball in the next few games.

Cheik Tiote (7) - Gets a suspension after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season. Went about his business nicely though and marshaled the defence well.

Kevin Nolan (6) - Not involved as much as he would have liked and was less effective. I thought his passing was good although he wasn't in the box getting on the end of things and that is really one of his biggest strengths which meant he was a bit quieter than usual.

Jonas Gutierrez (7) - After a slow start, he got more and more into the game and made some excellent runs. Put in a few good crosses just like Guthrie on the other flank. Worked really hard and almost set Ranger up with a fine run into the box towards the end.

Andy Carroll (7) - I was disappointed to see him get a groin injury. Will have to wait and see what the extent of that injury is. As for his performance, he was denied by a great save from Schwarzer after a thumping volley was sent goal wards. Showed some good skills and also glimpses of promise in his partnership with Lovenkrands.

Peter Lovenkrands (6.5) - Made some excellent runs but should have scored after having three really good chances. It was his first game back in the team so one cannot be too harsh on him. Good to see him get a chance though.

Substitutes
Nile Ranger (5.5) - Hardly got involved when coming on which was disappointing.

Wayne Routledge (6) - Put in one excellent cross when coming on but did nothing else.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Jose Enrique

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Arsenal (A)

2010-11-07T09:37:00.000-08:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (8) - A really good performance from our young keeper. He did very well in handling the crosses which came into the box and made some really good saves. On a performance like this I wonder whether he should become our number one.

Danny Simpson (8) - I thought he too had a really good game. He defended well and offered a little going forward although he did not always get the chance. What I liked about his performance today was the fact that he got stuck in and put in some good tackles as well as a fine block in the second half.

Mike Williamson (7.5) - Solid in the air, he gave Chamakh no room to be effective. Together with Coloccini he marshaled the back line superbly.

Fabricio Coloccini (8) - A very calming influence at the back once more it must be said. He made numerous interceptions and read the game superbly, the hallmark of any top defender. His partnership with Williamson at centre back has been one of the highlights of our year and it was very evident in this game.

Jose Enrique (7.5) - Apart from seeing Walcott hit the post when coming in on his inside in the second half , Enrique dealt really well with the pacy winger and generally looked assured in defence.

Joey Barton (7.5) - He kept the ball really nicely for us and worked very hard. He's set pieces were not to his standards of the last few weeks but he did set up the goal so don't think I can be too harsh on him. Has continued his good form thus far.

Cheik Tiote (8) - Overall he was outstanding in his defensive midfield role. He kept the ball superbly at times, while other times he lost the ball, but he did his job and very well at that.

Kevin Nolan (7) - He wasn't in the game as much but he went about his business quietly and played some neat balls for us to counter attack from.

Jonas Gutierrez (6) - This wasn't one of his better games but what he did do, was work really hard for the team. He was guilty of giving the ball away too often in this match but it was his run that earned us the free kick which led to the goal so his contribution should not go unnoticed.

Shola Ameobi (6.5) - I remember him making a block in the first half, from an Arsenal set piece and that is a sign of the improvement in his work rate in the last few weeks. He worked hard for the team and it's a side of his game which was questioned in previous seasons but shouldn't be judging by his recent performances.

Andy Carroll (8) - He earns the Man of the Match for three reasons. Firstly, he scored the only goal of the match and took it really nicely even though some may blame the goalkeeper. As far as I'm concerned he still had a bit to do and he should take credit for that. Secondly his work rate was exceptional and lastly I lost count of the number of defensive headers he won so he deserves it for me. Barring injury, I can't not see him in the next England squad.

Substitute
Nile Ranger (7) - Came on and did well to help us secure the win.

Man of the Match - Andy Carroll

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Sunderland (H)

2010-10-31T11:47:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (6.5) - Didn't really have much to do but did look assured when called upon. Credit must go to Darren Bent for their goal.

Danny Simpson (7.5) - I thought he had a much better game than he did last week. Made some good strong challenges and went forward as well. He needs to work on his crossing though but defensively he was fairly solid.

Mike Williamson (7) - Another assured performance at the back from the big centre back. He will come under a bit of pressure now that Steven Taylor is fit again, but he doesn't deserve to lose his place at the moment.

Fabricio Coloccini (8) - An excellent game at the back and our best defender on the day. A calming influence in defence and dealt with Bent fairly well. Will be disappointed to see Bent get on the score sheet though and was lucky not to get a booking for his elbow early on.

Jose Enrique (7.5) - Very good going forward, the Spaniard was rarely tested in defence. He was able to handle Al-Muhammadi before the Egyptian went off and had a comfortable second half thereafter.

Joey Barton (9) - Undoubtedly this was one of his best games in a Newcastle shirt. Although played out of position, he controlled things in midfield and put in a real good shift. Provided some excellent crosses as well.

Cheik Tiote (7.5) - He got me scared when he was booked inside the first ten minutes and gifted them possession early on but did well after that and helped us stay on the front foot. Does tend to take an extra touch when its not necessary but he'll learn and other than that one can't question his performances thus far.

Kevin Nolan (9.5) - What can I say? The captain led by example and took his hat trick superbly. The way he scored his first goal was excellent, while his second was coolly taken and his third was pure instinct. He is now equal top scorer in the League, from midfield and so much for people calling him "fat". The man is captain fantastic as far as I'm concerned.

Jonas Gutierrez (8) - Earned the penalty and linked up very nicely with Enrique. He was heavily involved in our best moves and deserves a lot of credit for that.

Andy Carroll (8) - Unlucky not to get on the score sheet but he did his England chances no harm whatsoever. Sunderland couldn't handle him and it was no surprise to see both their centre backs get booked. He really has grown in stature since taking the number nine shirt.

Shola Ameobi (9) - Two superbly taken goals from our number 23. The first a wonderful penalty that few keepers would save and the second was a finish from the top drawer. Would have loved to see him get a hat trick as well but he fully deserved the standing ovation he got when taken off towards the end.

Substitutes
Nile Ranger (N/A) - Nice to see him get a taste of the derby in the last five minutes.

Man of the Match - Kevin Nolan

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs West Ham (A)

2010-10-23T12:15:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings
Tim Krul (7.5) - I thought the young Dutch keeper had a good game between the posts. Dealt superbly with corners and crosses and looked assured in goal.

Danny Simpson (7) - He was seriously troubled by Obinna in the first half but he came back and had a good second half, with Obinna being kept quiet. Due to it being his first Premier League match for us and coming off a long injury lay off, he gets a 7 rating.

Mike Williamson (7) - Should not have allowed the cross to come in for their goal, but was a towering presence thereafter and kept the West Ham attackers quiet in the second half.

Fabricio Coloccini (7) - The man who was at fault for their goal, playing the West Ham players on side, came back and like his fellow teammates had a much more solid game once we fell behind. He's calm influence seems to have rubbed off on the team.

Jose Enrique (8) - Another excellent display by Wor Jose. Heard the fans chanting his name a few times in this match and if I were there I'd be joining them.

Joey Barton (7) - I had my concerns about him playing on the right but after a poor first half he came into his own in the second half. He superbly set up the winning goal and helped us control things for the most part. Despite that poor first half, he still managed to put in the cross that led to Nolan's goal as well.

Cheik Tiote (8) - What a performance by the defensive midfielder. He won the central midfield battle and was simply like a rock. Excellent in possession, solid in the tackle and powerful as always he fully deserves the man of the match award for me.

Kevin Nolan (7.5) - I will admit I was one of the first to question the manager's decision to play Nolan in central midfield but he somehow silenced me and many others by getting the equaliser and ultimately had a good game.

Jonas Gutierrez (7) - With us playing only one natural winger, Jonas helped us go forward and was very direct. He put in another good shift.

Shola Ameobi (6) - Not his best game of the season but he did his job. He troubled West Ham at times and worked hard for the team.

Andy Carroll (7.5) - A much improved game by Carroll, who took a while to get into the match but when he did, he managed to get an assist as well as the winning goal. Made one or two great runs with the ball and looked like the Carroll at the beginning of the season again, with his confidence flowing.

Man of the Match - Cheik Tiote

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Wigan (H)

2010-10-17T10:58:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (6) - Partially to blame for their goals if one wants to be harsh but otherwise had a decent game.

James Perch (4) - At fault for their goals and allowed N'Zogbia far too much freedom during the game. I think Danny Simpson's return may prove to be a timely one.

Mike Williamson (6) - Should not have allowed N'Zogbia to score the first goal but came close with scoring one of his own.

Fabricio Coloccini (7) - Popped up with the crucial equaliser. Did not allow Di Santo too much room to work in and it was good to see him handed the captain's armband.

Jose Enrique (7) - He worked well down the left, always looking to get forward and put in some good crosses. Yet again his link up play with Jonas was one of the highlights of our game.

Danny Guthrie (5.5) - Failed to stamp his authority on the game. Was played out of position and it was his first game back after a long period on the sidelines so hopefully getting 66 minutes under his belt would have done him the world of good. He's not a right winger though and Chris Houghton needs to realise this as it was predictable that he would cut inside almost everytime.

Joey Barton (5.5) - Played one or two superb passes but other than that he had one of his worse games this season. He gave away the ball far too much and seemed to not be able to control things the way we know he can.

Cheick Tiote (6) - Not as outstanding as he has been so far but a decent enough performance from him.

Jonas Gutierrez (7) - Looked sharp and helped set up our fight back with a superb cross for our first goal. Also took the corner from which we scored the equaliser from and he linked up nicely with Enrique.

Andy Carroll (6) - He seems to be lacking that clinical instinct at the moment but he did manage to assist the second goal with a well won header. You get the feeling he just needs a goal to spark him again.

Peter Lovenkrands (6) - He may not have had a good game in terms of his impact on the game and was taken off after 60 minutes but he did make some good runs and on another day those runs may have resulted in goals.

Substitutes
Shola Ameobi (7) - Made an impact when coming on and he scored the vital first goal which got us back in the game.

Wayne Routledge (5.5) - Failed to really make an impact when he came on.

Nile Ranger (N/A) - Came on after 89 minutes.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Fabricio Coloccini

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Stoke City (H)

2010-09-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

Tim Krul (6.5) - After a slightly shaky start he looked comfortable and dealt well with one or two crosses and corners.

James Perch (6) - Unfortunately he conceded the goal that cost us the game but apart from that he actually had a good game.

Fabricio Coloccini (6) - He certainly looked good in possession as always but had one or two moments where Kenwyne Jones had the better of him.

Mike Williamson (6) - Another good display although it was difficult coping with Stoke's aerial assualt in the second half.

Jose Enrique (7) - One of our better players on the day. Always looking to get forward and almost set up a goal with a great run in the first half.

Wayne Routledge (6.5) - He struggled to get a hold of the game, although he did have a few good moments too, where his pace caused Stoke a few problems.

Cheick Tiote (7.5) - A thoroughly impressive display from the defensive midfielder. He showed he had the pace, skill and strength to be a quality player in this league and it was a surprise to see him substituted in the second half.

Joey Barton (7) - After a very good first half, he dropped a lot deeper in the second half as we struggled to maintain our first half dominance. Wasn't as effective then but still his form is looking very good thus far.

Hatem Ben Arfa (6.5) - He showed glimpses of his talent but was not in the game enough for my liking. He was substituted after the hour mark which to me was one of the mistakes Chris Houghton made today.

Kevin Nolan (6.5) - Took his penalty very well and he had a good game overall. He worked very hard and nearly scored an equaliser towards the end as well.

Andy Carroll (5.5) - It wasn't his best day at the office. He did manage to win the penalty and almost scored with a well struck half volley but other than that he struggled to dominate in the air and was well below par today. He'll learn from the game though but what it did prove is that his not ready for an England call up at the moment.

Substitutes
Jonas Gutierrez (7) - Looked lively when coming on and even got one or two decent crosses into the box as well.

Shola Ameobi (6) - Failed to make an impact today.

Newcastle United Man of the Match: Cheick Tiote

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Chelsea (A) League Cup

2010-09-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Tim Krul (6.5) - A mixed night for Tim. He made one or two good saves but could perhaps have done better for their first goal, in terms of communicating with his defence and with the shot that led to the goal.

Ryan Taylor (7.5) - Scored an amazing free kick and seemed to have been missed when he went off the field. Chelsea were a lot stronger down the left after he went off and it was surprising to see him taken off in the first place.

Sol Campbell (6) - He wasn't particularly sharp as he normally is although that of course was expected. Started shakily but got better as the game went on and his experience counted towards the end.

Fabricio Coloccini (7) - He looked good again. A calming influence throughout when on the field. Was happy to see him taken off after a good shift with us leading by two goals as there are big league games ahead for our number one centre back.

Shane Ferguson (7.5) - An impressive outing by the young left back. I now feel a lot better knowing he is the back up to Enrique as he looks to be quite a good prospect. Provided the crucial assist for the first goal with a great cross.

Nile Ranger (7.5) - Also a mixed night for him, as he scored the equaliser that got us going but he also missed a real sitter and was guilty of giving the ball away for their first goal. Overall though he was good and he did cause Chelsea problems.

Alan Smith (7) - Despite giving the ball away on a few occasions he did well, particularly in the first half.

Haris Vuckic (7) - Despite being guilty of giving the ball away a few times as well, it was a better performance from the young Slovenian starlet in comparison to his last outing for us. Assured when on the ball, he showed glimpses of some the talent that has made him one of our best prospects for the future.

Jonas Gutierrez (7.5) - He took a while to get into the game but he was one of our better players today. His direct approach caused Chelsea some problems and I think he may have forced his way into our starting eleven for Sunday's match against Stoke. Provided the superb corner kick which led to the winner.

Peter Lovenkrands (6) - He missed a great chance to put us 4-1 up, but although he was quiet for most parts of the game, he did still manage to play his part in the win by working hard for the team. Winning the corner which led to the winning goal was evidence of that.

Shola Ameobi (8) - I may not be his biggest fan but he took his goals rather brilliantly tonight. He held the ball up well on occasions and he showed that he still has a lot to offer the team.

Substitutes
Mike Williamson (6.5) - Came on and won some key headers for us.

Cheick Tiote (6) - Played out of position, one can't fault him much for struggling to cope with Van Aanholt and Anelka at times. Thought he didn't do much wrong for their penalty but hopefully he'll learn from tonight.

Joey Barton (N/A) - Was only on for about 30 seconds.

Man of the Match: Shola Ameobi

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Everton (A)

2010-09-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

Steve Harper (6) - Went off in what looked like a serious injury. Didn't have much to do before he went off though.

James Perch (7) - A much more composed game from the young right back. I think his starting to settle in this league now but unfortunately for his sake, he got yet another booking and he'll miss the next game.

Mike Williamson (7) - There were a few moments where he looked a bit guilty of committing a foul in the box but other than that he was solid in the air and had a good game.

Fabricio Coloccini (7.5) - Another outstanding and composed performance by the centre back. Was very elegant on the ball and really has become very consistent as of late.

Jose Enrique (8) - Just like his teammate, he was very reliable and was very much involved in both defending and attacks. He put in a few fine crosses and linked up nicely with Ben Arfa.

Wayne Routledge (6.5) - He wasn't as involved as he normally is but he certainly contributed to the win. Nothing spectacular from him but he did his job.

Cheick Tiote (8) - What a debut from the man from the Ivory Coast. He looked solid, good on the ball and as if his been playing at Newcastle for many years. Formed a good partnership with Joey Barton.

Joey Barton (7.5) - He certainly seems to be getting back to the form that once made him an England international. He played some good balls on attack, particularly in the second half and was prepared to take some heavy tackles. His set pieces were a bit of a mixed bag though.

Hatem Ben Arfa (8.5) - This lad is quite special. He scored an absolute beauty, and looked so good on the ball. Always willing to take on his man and beat a player or three. He worked hard on defence also so although he comes with some baggage, on this display, he's the best player we've had for some time.

Kevin Nolan (7.5) - Initially I was thinking he should be dropped but after today I feel he still has a big role to play for us and as skipper too. He linked up nicely with the midfield and striker and just like the others he played his part in the win.

Andy Carroll (6.5) - Today wasn't his best day at the office but he worked hard and helped us out on defence a few times. Made one great block of note as well.

Substitutes
Tim Krul (7) - Considering it was his first real taste of Premier League football he did well. Never looked out of place at all.

Jonas Gutierrez (N/A) - Only had a few minutes in which it was hard for him to make an impact.

Man of the Match : Hatem Ben Arfa

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Wolves (A)

2010-09-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Steve Harper (6) - There was little he could do about their goal although all in all it wasn't a day in which Harper had a lot to do.

James Perch (7) - He seemed to have a decent game at right back. Nearly cost us a penalty with a clumsy challenge but other than that it was pretty efficient performance at right back for him as he still gets use to football at this level.

Mike Williamson (7) - Another solid display by the centre back. Perhaps could have been closer to Ebanks-Blake for their goal but it was a good finish so I don't think we can be too critical with him. Won a lot in the air again which was good.

Fabricio Coloccini (7.5) - Just as his centre back partner, Fabricio gave a solid display at the back. He seems to be extremely confident at the moment which is important and if Nolan were to get dropped in the next game I'd make him captain.

Jose Enrique (6.5) - There were moments when Jose looked a bit sloppy giving the ball away and conceding a corner when trying to be too fancy at the back but apart from that he gave a decent account of himself. Watching his link play with Jonas is still very good on the eye.

Wayne Routledge (7) - A slightly mixed display from the winger. There were times where he made some good runs and also got the ball into the box and then there were other times where his first touch let him down. Just needs to be more consistent but he remains a threat on attack.

Alan Smith (7.5) - I thought Smithy was impressive in the middle of the park. He countered Wolves dirty tactics by putting in a few solid tackles himself, not that they were bad in comparison to Wolves. I wouldn't be prepared to drop him just yet.

Joey Barton (7) - He seemed to take a lot of hits and credit must go to him for not reacting to their tactics. It was clear they targeted him but he just carried on with his game and didn't have a bad game. Provided the assist to the goal and generally his free kicks into the box weren't half bad today.

Jonas Gutierrez (7.5) - Spiderman provided one or two delightful through balls that on another day would have led to goals. He also seemed to get a few decent balls into the box which was good to see.

Kevin Nolan (6) - It wasn't his best game but he did link up well with Carroll at times. Played a good ball that should have resulted in us taking the lead at the end of the first half.

Andy Carroll (7.5) - Another well taken goal by our number nine. I must admit I was surprised to see him go off but he worked hard, caused Wolves problems and at the rate his going an England call up can't be too far away.

Substitutes

Shola Ameobi (6) - Nearly set up a goal with his first touch but he failed to really make an impact after that.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Andy Carroll

View player ratings vs Aston Villa (h)

View player ratings vs Man Utd (a)

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Aston Villa (H)

2010-08-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Steve Harper (5.5) - Although he had very little to do in the match (Villa only had one shot on target), he did concede the penalty and miss kicked a clearance which could have been dangerous.

James Perch (7) - A much more solid display from the young right back. He was composed on defence and even got a decent cross or two into the box. This game was a big confidence booster for him.

Mike Williamson (7.5) - Another outstanding display from Mike. He formed a good partnership with Colo at the back and what was good to see as well was their continuous communication when the ball was out of play. You'd never say it was only his second game at this level because apart from perhaps a shaky first few minutes he was outstanding thereafter.

Fabricio Coloccini (7.5) - There were times he seemed to have Carew in his back pocket. He won quite a bit in the air and he made some easy looking tackles as well. Very promising display from the Argentine.

Jose Enrique (8) - After a shaky opening day display against Man Utd, the Enrique we know came back and proved why he was considered our best player last season. His link up play with Jonas was a joy to behold and poor Albrighton didn't get an inch out of him. Brilliant!

Wayne Routledge (7) - He was heavily involved in the first half and gave Villa all sorts of problems. There were times when he seemed unsure of what to do though when in the final third as he was in some good shooting positions only to continue dribbling before losing the ball. Apart from that it was a good display from the winger.

Alan Smith (7.5) - Many doubt his ability to perform well in this league, but after today's display I'd be sad if we chose to sell him now. Passion, commitment and dominance in midfield and a key factor in why we won today.

Joey Barton (8) - What a stunner it was. Gave us the start we needed and along with Smith dominated things in midfield. He showed glimpses of the player we know he can be which is very encouraging indeed.

Jonas Gutierrez (7) - As mentioned above his link up play with Enrique was outstanding and he worked hard as always. He got some good balls into the box as well which is something his usually criticized for not doing.

Kevin Nolan (7.5) - Two good goals taken and a performance that would have silenced many of his critics (I was one of them). He worked hard and led by example today.

Andy Carroll (9) - It's been a while since I've given a player a 9 rating but it's fully deserved this time. A fantastic hat-trick along with an assist and few could argue that he is starting to step up to the responsibility that comes with wearing the famous number nine shirt.

Substitutes
Ryan Taylor (N/A)

Shola Ameobi (6) - Had some neat touches when coming on.

Xisco (7) - A fine assist and I'm starting to think he's a good option to bring on from the bench. Could still play a part for us this season.

Newcastle United Man of the Match - Andy Carroll

View Player ratings vs Man Utd (A)

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Man Utd (A)

2010-08-22T04:58:00.000-07:00

Player Ratings

Steve Harper (6) - A busy day at the office for Steve. Made some good saves but worries me at times as well. Can't particularly blame him for any of the goals though.

James Perch (5.5) - At times in the first half he looked out of his depth. It must be remebered though that it was his first game at this level, so can't be too harsh on him. He did have a slightly better second half.

Mike Wiliiamson (6) - He did well but gave the ball away once or twice too many. Can't afford that in this league. Certainly gave a good account of himself otherwise.

Fabricio Coloccini (6.5) - He was our best defender on the night, in that he made some good challenges and won quite a bit in the air. He did make one or two mistakes though that he needs to learn from, one of which is to clear the ball when under pressure instead of trying to work the ball to other defenders who in turn give the ball away in dangerous areas.

Jose Enrique (5) - It was a really bad day at the office for Jose. Despite being one of our better players last season, you get the feeling he hasn't recovered 100% from the injury that forced him off against Rangers last week. Hopefully he'll find the form we know his capable of.

Wayne Routledge (6.5) - Outstanding in the first half with his direct approach, he showed he can be a dangerous player for us in this league. He needs to work on his final ball but it was clear that he had the beating of the Man Utd defence a few times. Faded in the second half though.

Joey Barton (5.5) - I can't say he impressed me tonight. He got into one or two good positions but wasted the ball when a good pass was needed. I also don't think Barton and Smith in the same side is a good idea, but I'm hearing Guthrie has a minor injury so perhaps it was enforced.

Alan Smith (6) - I was surprsied to see him start but he did quite a decent job tonight. He put in some strong challenges as expected but the centre of the park did lack creativity which remains a concern.

Jonas Gutierrez (6) - He was forced to defend for much of the match but did show one or two glimpses of being dangerous on attack. Can't fault his work rate and he was one of only three players who looked as if they could create something.

Kevin Nolan (5.5) - I thought he didn't help Carroll enough playing as the man behind Carroll. His lack of pace is also not something you'd want when playing a striker like Carroll who flicks the ball on a lot and if we do get a pacey midfielder, I'd be interested in dropping Nolan.

Andy Carroll (7) - I thought he was outstanding tonight. He should have done better with that header but apart from that, he made the keeper work quite a bit and he also impressed me with his immense work rate. The amount of times he came back to challenge for the ball was good to see and after tonight I'm a little more optimistic about him being our number nine.

Substitutes

Shola Ameobi (5.5) - Didn't really have an impact although at this stage the game was already over.

Xisco (6) - Looked sharp in the few minutes that he was on for. I'd be keen to see a bit more of him in the next few games.

Newcastle United Man of the Match : Andy Carroll

Team of the 2010 Fifa world cup

2010-07-15T03:20:00.000-07:00

So having got 13 out of my 23 predictions correct during the world cup I'll now look back and say who I feel were the team of the tournament. Playing a 4-5-1 formation here goes:

Goalkeeper - Iker Casillas
The Real Madrid goalkeeper and Spain captain showed in the final, when it mattered most, why he is the best goalkeeper on the planet. From his penalty save against Chile, his clean sheet against the dangerous Germany and to his string of match-winning saves in the final he is an easy choice for the goalkeeping position.

Right Back - Sergio Ramos
The Real Madrid defender had a great world cup and was a constant threat going forward while he also proved dangerous in the air. Spain only conceded two goals in the tournament and he certainly contributed to that.

Centre Backs - Carlos Puyol and Diego Lugano
These two stalwards helped their team to achieve great things in the world cup. Puyol scored a fine goal against Germany to put them through while Lugano's presence at the back was one of the reason's Uruguay made it to the semi finals.

Left Back - Phillip Lahm
Although Phillip Lahm didn't really play at left back, he gets the nod for some outstanding displays and for great leadership. Many questioned the decision to make him captain before the first game but few will be questioning it now.

Right Midfield - Thomas Mueller
What can you say about this 20 year old that's not been said already. He scored 5 goals and had 3 assists which helped him claim the golden boot and best young player award at the world cup. He also works very hard for the team and it was no coincidence that Germany looked a lot less potent on attack when he missed the semi final against Spain.

Centre Midfield - Bastian Schweinsteiger and Wesley Sneijder
Xavi always dictated the tempo for Spain, but I think the two players I picked had phenomenal tournaments and deserve credit for that. Schweini was always considered a wide man, but he ran things from the centre and totally dismantled Argentina's midfield. He was good on the ball, solid defensively and energetic as always and for that he had to be selected. Sneijder on the other hand scored crucial goals for Holland and one could not imagine the Dutch being in the final had it not been for him.

Left Midfield - Andres Iniesta
The man who scored the winning goal in the final deserves to be in the team simply because of that finish. But he did so much more than that and ultimately he enhanced his reputation even further with some fine displays.

Attacking Midfield - Mesut Ozil
The young German superstar announced himself to the world at this tournament with some outstanding displays. He was able to make great runs, pick a pass and score a winner in the crucial match against Ghana. Many have said what a joy he is to watch and I certainly can't disagree with that. A player with good technique who is sure to join a top club in the near future.

Striker - Diego Forlan
The worthy winner of the golden ball. Forlan scored 5 fantastic goals and showed why he is such a top marksmen. He proved to the world that there wasn't anything wrong with the Jabulani ball when he scored four of his five goals from outside the box.

Casillas
Ramos Lugano Puyol Lahm
Mueller Schweinsteiger Sneijder Iniesta
Ozil
Forlan

World Cup 2010 Review

2010-07-12T02:53:00.000-07:00

So the world cup has come and gone and now its my time to look back on what was a spectacular world cup. From security, to atmosphere, to transport, to the vibe and football it was a very well organised event that as a South African one can only be proud of. Speaking from experience, having gone to four world cup games, it was an absolutely awesome experience. Yes the football itself could have been better but what we did see was that the smaller nations held their own against the so called bigger names. Apart from one or two results, few matches turned out the way many expected. Certain teams enhanced their reputation such as Germany, Ghana, Uruguay while other teams went from so called world cup contenders to being sent home early. Those sides included Italy, England and of course France. The vuvuzela's, the ball and the lack of full stadiums for certain matches were big talking points but ultimately when you see people like Alan Hansen say this world cup in terms of atmosphere was the best ever, and you see goals such as Giovanni Van Bronkhorst and Carlos Tevez from long range then surely those former mentioned things are not as big of a concern as made out to be. As for the ticketing, FIFA got it wrong. They deliberately kept tickets back in the hope of selling the more expensive tickets first and that ended seeing people who waited in queues not to get tickets even though they wanted to, so hence it was not empty due to lack of demand but rather because FIFA tried to sell tickets when they wanted to and eventually people either could not afford the tickets or they went to watch it at the fan parks. Trust me, I have never seen as many females and youngsters into the World Cup as I did this year. The whole country embraced the world cup and for that it will always be one of, if not the greatest FIFA world cups ever!

My World Cup quarter final predictions

2010-07-02T06:11:00.000-07:00

With the World Cup reaching the quarter final stages today I thought I'd give my predictions for the four matches. Having got 11 of the 16 2nd round teams correct, lets hope I can keep up a good ratio.
Brazil - Netherlands. This has to go to Brazil. They have looked in good form throughout the tournament and seem to have the most complete team in the tournament. Holland are a good side, don't get me wrong, but I just cannot see them beating the mighty Brazil today. For Holland to win, they will need Robben, Van Persie and Sneijder to dictate things, but with the Brazilian defence having kept two clean sheets recently I think the guys dictating things are going to be Kaka, Felipe Melo and Gilberto Silva.

Ghana - Uruguay. For me this may prove the tightest of matches and may even go to penalties, but I think the pressure will tell for Ghana and that Uruguay will go through from this match. They have defended well this tournament and Luis Suarez seems to be hitting form at the right time. I'd like to be proven wrong though, for I'll be supporting Ghana in this match.

Germany - Argentina. What a match in prospect. Ozil vs Messi. Klose vs Higuan. Khedira vs Mascherano. Mueller vs Tevez. Its going to be a fascinating match. Matches like this are usually defined but one moment and just like Diego Maradona in 1986, I think this will be the defining moment for Lionel Messi. He has yet to score in the tournament so I'm going for him to break his duck and for Argentina to go through.

Paraguay - Spain. This will prove to be straight forward for the silky Spanish. They'll have too much quality and ultimately a mouth watering match in the semi's with Argentina may await.

My World Cup Group Stage Predictions

2010-06-11T00:37:00.000-07:00

As World Cup fever has hit the country let me give a few predictions as to who I predict will make it to the second round.

Group A: France and Mexico
As a South African I'd like to say we will make it through, but for now I'll go with the experience of the French and the youthful exuberance of the Mexicans to come through this tough group. Its a tight group to call and a lot will depend on the outcomes of the first two games in this group. I'd love to be proven wrong though.

Group B: Argentina and Nigeria
For this group Argentina will have too much quality for the others and as Nigeria will have a lot of support, I can see them edging South Korea for the runners up spot.

Group C: England and USA
This is another group similar to group B, in that England will have too much quality for the others and as a survey has suggested, the Americans have bought the most tickets of the overseas nations. That support coupled with their good run in the Confederations Cup last year, should see them finish at least 2nd.

Group D: Germany and Ghana
This group may prove to be a lot tighter than many think but when it comes to World Cups Germany never disappoint. That being said I think Ghana will give them a good go for top spot but with Serbia losing recently in a warm up game and Australia too, I can't see them getting the better of the Germans or Ghanaians in getting to the next round.

Group E: The Netherlands and Denmark
The Dutch have had an impressive run in the lead up to the World Cup and while the battle for second spot may be a tight one, I can't see Cameroon and Japan being consistent enough to qualify for the next round. With Denmark finishing top of a group consisting of Portugal and Sweden in the qualifiers, I'll give them my vote to finish in second spot, but only just.

Group F: Italy and Paraguay
I think this group will be one of the easier to call. Italy although by no means convincing will progress alongside Paraguay as the other remaining teams in this group, New Zealand and Slovakia, I think have had their moments already when they qualified and may just be overawed on the biggest stage of them all.

Group G: Brazil and Ivory Coast
The Brazilians go into this World Cup as my favourites. Its going to be interesting seeing who joins them in the next round, and as much as I want Portugal to go far, I can't see them doing well now that Nani is injured. With Drogba now fit, the Ivory Coast are going to be dangerous.

Group H: Spain and Chile
The Spanish have got a strong team and should find this group easy. Chile though are a good team and should be able to overcome both Honduras and Switzerland for the runners up spot.

I'll reassess things after the first round before making any more predictions but for now My predictions for the golden boot and best young player are as follows:

Golden Boot winner: David Villa and
Best young player: Mesut Ozil.

Review and Preview of Super 14 Final

2010-06-02T01:55:00.000-07:00

Final Review - So the Super 14 final has come and gone and although I would have liked the Stormers to have won the competition, I must admit the team that beat them, The Bulls, are in a class of their own. They really dominated up front, kept possession superbly and in Fourie Du Preez they had the best scrumhalf in world rugby dominating the whole game.

Yes the final result showed the Stormers losing by not so many but ultimately the game was won and lost in the first half. Francois Hougaard scored a rather easy looking but brilliant try and once that ball was dotted down, there was only going to be one winner.

Hopefully the Stormers will learn from the experience of a first super rugby final, and with the additions of Jean De Villiers and CJ Van Der Linde who knows next year might be the Stormers year. If not I can only see the Bulls continuing their remarkable run of being the best team in the southern hemisphere.

Final Preview - What a day to be at Newlands. The atmosphere was simply electric as the Stormers hosted the Waratahs in their first home semi final in 11 years. The game started off slowly as is expected with matches of this significance but it took a moment of magic to swing the game ultimately in his teams direction. Juan De Jongh beat up to four defenders with firstly a beautiful step before secondly showing great speed and ability to finish off a move that left Newlands rocking! From there on it was virtually one way traffic and we all now look forward to the final this week against the Bulls at the Orlando stadium.

As for the Bulls, they were impressive against the Crusaders in their semi final. The likes of Fourie Du Preez and Pierre Spies looked in good form and the Crusaders were just no match for them on the day.

As for the final, Its a difficult one to call. The Bulls are the current champions and have shown to be the best team in this competition for the past few seasons. They boast players with experience of having won the Super 14 before and also Currie Cups, Tri Nations and a World Cup for good measure. They will be at home too, although the 36500 capacity of the Orlando stadium is not exactly as daunting as going to 50000 screaming fans at Loftus, their usual home. That is where the Stormers will feel they have a chance. Their defence this year as been by far the best in the competition and they will need to live up to that billing to swing things in their favour. The Stormers might not boast the type of experience with which the Bulls can call on, but they to have a young team on an upward curve. Many of this team will go on to represent the Springboks, as is evidence with the call ups of Gio Aplon, Francois Louw, Andries Bekker and De Jongh. Add to that the experience of Bryan Habana and Jaque Fourie and it really does set things up for a fantastic final hopefully. Habana of course only recently joined the Stormers from the Bulls so that adds another factor to build up of this game. Whatever happens, expect Schalk Burger and Victor Matfield to lead by example though.

Where will the battle be won or lost? Personally I feel its going to come down to Bekker vs Matfield, Devenage vs Du Preez, Pietersen vs Kirschner and Spies vs Vermeulen. I feel the Bulls will edge it slightly, but I'll be over the moon if I was proved wrong!

Newcastle United Goals Thread 2009/2010

2010-05-22T03:35:00.000-07:00

Bale and Messi get my April votes

2010-05-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

April certainly was a big month and turning point in many peoples season. When it comes to the individual performance of the month, only one night comes to mind. That night being the night Lionel Messi scored FOUR goals to eliminate Arsenal from the champions league. He was clinical, calm, composed, skillful, the difference and quite simply world class and it made people realise that we are in fact blessed to be watching a true footballing genius on display. Unfortunately Barcelona were later to be eliminated from the champions league by Inter Milan but Lionel Messi gets my vote for Best Individual Performance of the Month, for April.

Individual Performance of the month - March - Frank Lampard
Individual Performance of the month - February - Sachin Tendulkar

The award for the player of the month, in my opinion goes to none other than Gareth Bale. He was the main reason in Spurs resurgence towards the end of the season which culminated in them winning a champions league position for next season (provided they win the qualifying matches of course). He manged to score a goal in each of the home wins against fierce rivals Arsenal and Chelsea whilst his performance against Man Utd was top class too. He set up their goal in that match and his running and attacking style was a pleasure on the eye. He was always tipped to be a quality player and its no surprise to see him starting to mature as a player now that he is playing in an attacking position. Well done to Harry Redknapp for giving him the freedom to express himself rather than playing him at left back and if he stays fit, Spurs could well be a team fighting for better things next season.

Player of the Month - March - Lionel Messi
Player of the Month - Febraury - Wayne Rooney

What an experience it was!

2010-05-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

What an experience it was! The previous day a family member told me about how they got see the world cup trophy. It made me realise how much I needed to make an effort to enjoy the pleasures of hosting the world cup. I've got tickets to some matches, but I did two things that have made me wish the world cup started tomorrow! Firstly, I bought the Panini world cup sticker book and secondly I went to go see the world cup trophy. I managed to see it live and what a piece of art it is. 6.5 kg of pure gold, it really is an amazing trophy. I must say well done to Fifa and Coca Cola for doing the tour of the trophy and bringing it to us fans. Whilst waiting in the queue we also got to see a fantastic 3D video and the excitement is really building amongst sport lovers here in South Africa.

We are the champions!

2010-04-27T03:06:00.000-07:00

Chennai Come Out On Top When It Matters

2010-04-27T02:14:00.000-07:00

So with the IPL now having been completed I'll look back on what was another successful tournament. Firstly, I'm delighted to see that I got my IPL Prediction right, regarding the four semi finalists. I was slightly out with their final standings but never the less its always nice to get the prediction correct. Secondly, Well done to the Chennai Super Kings for winning the tournament despite almost being eliminated before the knockout stage. They were led by a great captain in MS Dhoni whilst also showing that they do not rely on only one or two players. The likes of Vijay, Raina, Murali, Bollinger, Ashwin and all played a key role in guiding them to their first IPL triumph.

As for their finalists, the Mumbai Indians, what on earth were they doing not bringing in the likes of Pollard and Tiwary earlier? They were by far the best team in the tournament but such is sport that one wrong decision and you could be facing defeat. A special mention has to go to Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis for superb batting displays during the tournament and well done to Ojha for finishing with the most wickets in the tournament. The biggest disappointments for me were the Kolkata Knight Riders, who promised so much but failed to deliver. As for individual players who disappointed, Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden failed to light up the competition while I was expecting a little more from the likes of Lee and Yuvraj from the Kings XI Punjab and Morgan and Taylor of the Royal Challengers. I'm glad they still managed to make the champions league though which will be staged in South Africa. With the expanded IPL next year its promises to continue to build on what is the games biggest domestic tournament in 2011 hopefully.

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Sheffield United (H)

2010-04-07T00:32:00.000-07:00

Steve Harper (6) - I felt he was troubled with a few of their corners and did not command the six yard area the way a keeper should. He did well elsewhere though.

Danny Simpson (7) - A very good performance from Danny. He may have given away the corner which led to their goal unnecessarily but he had a solid game. Involved in the second goal while he contributed to our main attacks and he defended well. I feel a lot more positive about him now.

Mike Williamson (7) - Another good performance from Mike. He made a stunning defensive block in the first half and his defensive partnership with Colo is looking really positive.

Fabricio Coloccini (7.5) - Like Williamson, Coloccini too had a good game. He made a great tackle to prevent a dangerous United attack in the 2nd half, while there were a few other notable challenges from the Argentinian.

Jose Enrique (7) - He sure looks another class in this division. He was good down our left even though today was not his best game of the season. His strength and ability to keep the ball despite being in tough situations is quite admirable.

Wayne Routledge (7) - He seemed to be our main spark in the 1st half but should have bagged at least one goal tonight. He still looks a good buy and I'll be looking to him to have a big season in the premier league for us next season.

Kevin Nolan (7.5) - He gets an extra rating point just for that brilliant finish. A goal worthy of winning any game. He also thread through a delightful ball for Routledge in the 1st half and he seemed to be up for it tonight.

Danny Guthrie (7) - A decent night for Danny even if not spectacular. His creativity in the middle is something that gets us going. Hope the injury is not too bad.

Jonas Gutierrez (6.5) - He was again up and down tonight. He gave the ball away at times but on other occasions he went on some excellent runs. Almost scored with a beauty too.

Andy Carroll (6) - I remember thinking after about 25 minutes, Is Carroll playing tonight. If it wasn't for two fouls he gave away I wouldn't have known. He got us the penalty and had a better 2nd half but I'd like to see him become more involved.

Peter Lovenkrands (6.5) - He scored the penalty with a neat finish but he too didn't have the busiest 1st half. He does run good angles though and almost scored in the 2nd half too with a few shots.

Substitutes

Shola Ameobi (6) - Not the same impact as the last time but then again he didn't have many minutes to play with.

Joey Barton (N/A)

Ryan Taylor (N/A)

Man of the Match: Kevin Nolan

Player Ratings vs Preston North End
Player Ratings vs Nottingham Forest

Messi, Lampard march ahead in March!

2010-04-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

From one footballer to the next, my award to the best sportman in the month of March goes to Lionel Messi. The magical Messi, scored an astonishing ten goals in the seven matches he played in, including two hat-tricks. He guided Barcelona to the quarter finals of the champions league while they also head the table in La Liga. When on the ball, few can argue that he is simply breathtaking to watch. The way he simply glides past defenders, with skill and speed its a joy to behold. What makes him stand out more, is that he plays with a smile and tends to just want to get on with the football when fouled and diving is not part of his game, as is for many other footballers these days. He has always been compared to Diego Maradona since he started his playing career but to me, he is fast becoming the best player of this millennium thus far. His attitude is very admirable and with performances like this past month, the world player of the year might be keeping that crown for a few years to come.

My award for outstanding individual performance of the month of March, goes to Frank Lampard. The midfielder scored four goals against Aston Villa in Chelsea's massive 7-1 win over the Midlands club. Albeit two of those goals were penalties, he was still simply outstanding, along with majority of his Chelsea teammates. The fact that it was an Aston Villa side, who reached the League Cup final, are currently still in the semi finals of the FA Cup and are sitting in the top 8 of the league makes the achievement all the more remarkable.
It is also the sixth season in which Lampard has scored 20 goals or more, which for a midfielder is unprecedented. We all know Lampard to be consistent but the display against Villa was fantastic to see. For now, I look forward to hopefully seeing him at the World Cup...

My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Nottingham Forest

2010-03-31T00:53:00.000-07:00

Steve Harper (6) - Didn't have much to do really.

Danny Simpson (7) - I thought he had a fairly good game. Was efficient on both defence and attack.

Mike Williamson (7.5) - Made one outstanding last ditch tackle while the score was still 0-0 and was solid overall. Great to see him back after injury.

Fabricio Coloccini (7.5) - Formed a good partnership with Williamson and despite Forest having one or two chances at goal, he generally marshaled the defence well. He was also cool and calm as always.

Jose Enrique (8) - He started the game slowly but got into the game as it went on. Finished superbly to score our second and his first for the club. I've not been this happy to see a Newcastle player score for a very long time. Fully deserved though for it was his first game back and he seems to have picked up where he left off.

Wayne Routledge (8) - A few things stood out from his performance. Firstly he played a delightful cross into the box from which Carroll almost scored in the first half while his directness was excellent. He caused problems for the Forest defence on a number of occasions and he was down to be my man of the match before Enrique scored. Our best moves seemed to involve him most of the time.

Kevin Nolan (7) - He wasn't in the game enough in the first half for my liking but he sure got more involved in the second half. Nearly scored with a well taken shot and he can claim an assist for the first goal. His experience seemed to show in the second half as well.

Danny Guthrie (7) - Apart from some poor tackles which he could have been punished for on another day, he had a good game. Took one or two good free kicks while he seemed to tick things along in midfield. He does look so much more dangerous from the centre.

Jonas Gutierrez (6.5) - Not his most effective game but all credit to him for showing the work rate and commitment which has made him such a key player for us. His link up play with Enrique was excellent as always although he did over do things on occasions. That's part of his game though and to realise how dangerous he is, just watch how three players surround him in the build up to our second goal.

Peter Lovenkrands (6) - It wasn't his day today. Never really got into the game enough and his link up play with Carroll wasn't working too well either. He kept plugging away though so good on him.

Andy Carroll (6) - He wasted a couple of opportunities before going off just after half time. Hope the ankles not to bad but he needs to work on learning when to take an extra touch and when to shoot first time.

Substitutes

Shola Ameobi (7) - He got the vital break through with a good shot and set up Enrique with a neat back heel. Good to see him back and hopefully he can stake a claim for next season before the season closes.

Joey Barton (N/A)

Man of the Match: Jose Enrique

Player Ratings vs Preston North End

My IPL Prediction

2010-03-22T03:57:00.000-07:00

So the IPL has once again started and this season its promised to be better than the previous two editions. Having been to last years event I can only feel that is good news for any cricket lover. What I'll do is give a brief strength, weakness and prediction for each team. Here goes:

Deccan Chargers
Strength: The reigning champions have a top order capable of putting any bowling attack to the sword. In Gilchrist, Gibbs and Symonds they can set or chase massive scores. They also do not have any other real superstars but rather have experience in abundance with the likes of Vaas, Laxman and Styris joining the aforementioned players.

Weakness: The pressure of being the reigning champions might get to them whilst the middle order is not as strong and could falter if the top order fails.

Prediction: 3rd

Bangalore Royal Challengers
Strength: Last year's runners up have a quality batting line up which boasts the variety of Kallis, Morgan, Pandey, Uthappa, Kohli, Boucher, White, Dravid and later on Pietersen and Taylor. With three wins already, a balance with all this talent looks to have been found.

Weakness: With so many quality internationals, its going to be difficult fitting four of Kallis, Pietersen, Boucher, Van Der Merwe, Steyn, Morgan, Taylor and White into one team.

Prediction: 1st

Delhi Daredevils
Strength: A top four of Gambhir, Sehwag, Dilshan and De Villiers is enough to scare any opponent whilst the dangerous Warner is also is the background waiting to get his chance. If the batting does click, they'll definately get into the semi's. Whether that happens, remains to be seen.

Weakness: The bowling is a big concern. With Parnell now injured, you get the feeling Dirk Nannes is the only real bowling threat for them.

Prediction: 6th

Chennai Super Kings
Strength: A lot will depend on Matthew Hayden, MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina. Having made the semi's in both previous seasons, a lot will be expected of them. Experience is also something in their favour, with the likes of Murali, Morkel, Oram and Kemp on their side.

Weakness: The injury to MS Dhoni is a massive loss, but you get the feeling that Matthew Hayden carries this team very often and if teams can contain him while Dhoni is injured, they'll have a very good chance of beating the superkings.

Prediction: 4th

Kolkata Knight Riders
Strength: They have many match winners in Shane Bond, Chris Gayle, Angelo Matthews and Brendon McCullum. Any of these guys can turn a match on its head, just like Matthews showed in the first game.

Weakness: Having failed to deliver in the previous editions and a popular onwer, the team will have to deliver. That pressure alone could count against them.

Prediction: 5th

Mumbai Indians
Strength: A team filled with stars, from both home and abroad, almost their entire team is capable of doing something special. From the experience of Tendulkar and Jayasuriya, to the power of Pollard and Tiwary, and the skill of Harbajan and Zaheer Khan, add to that Dwayne Bravo and Lasith Malinga and you realise why they are amongst the favourites.

Weakness: I don't see them having any real weakness except may be the pressure of doing well with so many good players.

Prediction: 2nd
Kings XI Punjab
Strength: Quality international stars such as Sangakkara, Jayawardene, Bopara and the talented Rusty Theron hold the key for this team. Theron showed in his debut why he is so highly regarded in SA, while Yuvraj Singth and Irfan Pathan are two good allrounders in this format.

Weakness: Apart from the six players mentioned, they do not have a balanced team in my opinion and this will count against them.

Prediction: 7th

Rajastan Royals
Strength: A team not filled with many stars apart from Warne and Yusuf Pathan, and with Graeme Smith injured, the pressure may be off this team. This may help the younger ones, as there are talented players like Faiz Fazal and Abhishek Jhunjhunwala who could start to flourish.

Weakness: Both the batting and the bowling is a bit short of winning enough games in my opinion. Not enough quality in the squad and the purchases of certain players deserves to be questioned.

Prediction: 8th

Sachin Tendulkar... Earns Individual performance of the month for Febraury

2010-03-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

I've also decided to name a single performance of every month by a sportsman, which is out of the ordinary or changed the result of a match single handledly. The month of Febraury's honour can only go to one man and very few would deserve it more than Sachin Tendulkar. The "Little Master" at 36, produced a performance few would ever eclipse against my very own South Africa. He scored 200 not out off just 147 balls in the 2nd ODI in February and showed us that he has by far been the greatest batsmen of our generation. It was his 46th ODI century, and he is showing no signs of slowing down, especially as this innings came off the back of four Test centuries in his last four Test innings. It came as no surprise that India won the game and ultimately the series and for those who have not seen the innings be sure to search for the highlights on the internet. The innings contained elegance, aggression, eventiveness, skill and class and it rightfully deserves my Individual performance of the month for February.

Rooney my performer of the month for February

2010-03-07T11:21:00.000-08:00

I've decided that starting with the month of February I'll be naming a performer of the month for each month as we go along in the world of sport. This month's winner was an easy choice. Wayne Rooney...Mr. Man Utd... The man who many say holds the key to Englands World Cup challenge. To me he's been simply outstanding. Scoring six golas in six games, he has helped maintain Man Utd's title challenge as well as virtually cement their quarter final position in the champions league. During that six games, he scored two excellently taken goals against AC Milan at the San Siro and also the winner against Aston Villa in the League Cup Final. He's enthusiasm and commitment can be bettered by no one and at this rate accolades are surely going to continue to go towards arguably the best striker in the World.

The Beauty of Sport

2010-02-13T10:11:00.000-08:00

Whilst keeping my eye on the various sporting events taking place this weekend two things stood out above the rest which demonstrated the true beauty of sport.
Firstly, it was the fairy-tail story of Afghanistan cricket. Many of you might never expected the words Afghanistan and cricket in the same sentence but such has been the rise of the game their that within the space of a few years they have now qualified for an ICC World Cup. They narrowly missed out on qualifying for the 50 over event late last year, but many of the neutrals were well pleased when they beat UAE today to book their place at the Twenty 20 world cup in May. It just shows that despite all the troubles a country may face, sport can bring smiles to their faces and as a major sports fan that pleases me to no end. So well done to the Afghanistan cricket team I look forward to following your progress at the world cup in the the West Indies.

The second thing which caught my attention was the fantastic rugby match which took place a few hours ago between Wales and Scotland. Wales won by 31-24 but with 7 minutes to go they were behind by a whopping 10 points. Scotland fought bravely but eventually Wales pressure counted and they won by scoring a try with the last touch of the game. What was extra pleasing was that the tries in this game were good on the eye but also those tries were scored through skill and pace. It shows that although rugby these days is said to be for the big guys, there's still a place in the game for the smaller guy who has the pace and skill to wow the crowds. That to me is pleasing again, as sport showed today that it is for everyone.

Important notice

2010-02-05T13:51:00.000-08:00

Due to study commitments I have not been able to write regular blogs but I'll continue to write some when I get the chance. In the mean time I'll be watching the test series between India and South Africa, The start of the Super 14 and Newcastle United's progress in the championship very closely. I'll also be updating the goals thread as normal and thanks for visiting my blog!

Review of SA-England test series

2010-01-17T03:58:00.000-08:00

So the dust has settled and the test series between South Africa and England has concluded. In one of my earlier blogs, I wrote about how the teams compared going into the series and at that stage I could not separate the sides. And so its proved! The series ending one all may not have been a fair reflection for some but I feel both teams showed qualities deserving of not losing the series. South Africa showed a lot of dominance while England never gave up and fought back from almost impossible situations. That to me meant one all is a fair reflection.

What I'll do now though, is do a review of my comparison of the teams and see how things actually turned out.

Openers: Both sides struggled a bit with building a good opening partnership but in the end it was England who won this duel as South Africa could not build an opening stand of higher than 36 in the entire series. Ashwell Prince was in poor form throughout so that mainly contributed to Engalnd doing better, however Andrew Strauss should be disappointed with a series average of under 25. Its some how ironic that Graeme Smith ended up the leading run scorer though despite the poor opening stands SA had.

No. 3: Hashim Amla vs Jonathan Trott. Trott promoted to number three for this series ended on the losing end of this battle. Amla was in sparkling form however, with scores of 100, 95 and 75 showing the consistent performer that he has become. Trott only managed one 50 in the series and serious thought should go into whether number three is the best spot for him.

No. 4: Jacques Kallis vs Kevin Pietersen. This duel promised to be the best of the series but it was easily won by Kallis in the end. Ending up as the 2nd leading run scorer in the series, Kallis showed his class and KP could just not match him. Only one innings of note, and its been a nightmare tour for the SA born superstar. Form is temporary though and so I'm sure his class too will shine through in the series to come for England.

No. 5: AB De Villiers vs Paul Collingwood. Despite both players getting three fifties in the series its Collingwood who wins this one. A match saving innings in Cape Town, a match winning innings in Durban and a free scoring innings in Jo'burg, the Durham man has showed why he is the respected cricketer he is, with sheer quality and ability to adapt to the different situations.

No. 6: JP Duminy vs Ian Bell: Despie Duminy starting the series with a fifty, and Bell having a poor first test, Bell won this duel with his superb century in Durban and a match saving innings in Cape Town, which I saw live. Bell seemed to thrive under pressure while Duminy showed weakness when faced with pressure. His off spin may help him keep his place in the team though as he took one or two key wickets through the series.

No.7: Mark Boucher vs Matt Prior. To my surprise this duel ended up not the way I expected. Boucher winning the man of the series and being key behind the stumps shows that his experience should not be overlooked. Prior however just failed when in tough situations with the bat. Boucher answered his critics, me included and full credit to him.

No. 8: Morne Morkel vs Stuart Broad. To me this ended up all square. Both helped their team win a test with fantastic spells in Jo'burg and Durban respectively, while they showed their worth to the respective teams. Both have had the reputations enhanced with this series.

No.9: Paul Harris vs Graeme Swann. This contest is where SA lost the chance of winning the series. Harris failed to to get enough wickets while Swann ended up with a joint man of the series award. Contributing with both the bat and ball, Swann has made the test spot his own while it was no surprise to see that SA won a test when Harris was not in the side.

No.10: Dale Steyn vs James Anderson. This battle also ended up all square for me. Anderson took one wicket more but Styen played one game less and both showed reasons why they are regarded the best bowlers for their respective countries.

No.11: Makhaya Ntini vs Graham Onions. It was somehow surprising to see Onions not selected for the last test match but his contribution to this series will be remebered for many years to come. Twice helping England draw the the test match, he also took 8 wickets, although he deserved more wickets than he actually got. Ntini on the other hand was poor, and one wonders whether he will ever play another test again.

All in all, its been a thrilling series. A series which shows what makes test cricket so special. Ups and downs, a win a piece for each team with two fantastic drawn tests which went down to the last ball. Special praise to Graeme Smith, Paul Collingwood, Mark Boucher, Graeme Swann, Morne Morkel, Ian Bell and Dale Steyn for their parts in a series that could have been so different had they not contributed be it with bat or ball while I feel a star of test cricket could have been born in Wayne Parnell. Lastly, well done to SA for retaining the Basil D'Oliveira trophy!

Here are some more pics of the Newlands test match:

Newcastle United team of the Noughties

2010-01-02T00:56:00.000-08:00

With the so called Noughties having just passed, it came to my mind to come up with a team of the decade. Of course being a massive Newcastle United supporter, I've chosen to do one with a team of the decade for Newcastle United. So here goes:

Goalkeeper: Shay Given
I don't think Newcastle have ever had a more consistent goalkeeper than Shay Given. Capable of making outrageous saves, saving penalties and the ultimate professional he deserves every honour that comes his way! Some may call him a traitor, but to me, we have never had better, not in my time at least.

Right Back: Habib Beye
He may not have been at the club for as long as Given, but he managed to become a toon favourite almost instantly. The passion, commitment and class he possessed when playing for the club was clearly visible so he gets the right back slot for me.

Centre Backs: Steven Taylor & Jonathan Woodgate
During the decade centre back was never really our strongest position, but in Woodgate we had a player who was simply outstanding. He unfortunately had many injuries but when he played, he was amongst the very best. It came as no surprise when Real Madrid came knocking on the door, but for me he was an easy pick for this team. I've chosen Steven Taylor as his partner, I may be forgetting some players but no one else really stood out. Taylor has always played for the shirt and many see him an England international in the future so he just about makes it into my team.

Left Back: Aaron Hughes
I struggled finding an appropriate left back, so instead I've gone for the versatility of Aaron Hughes. Always willing to play in different positions when needed and many supporters only realised his value when he left the club. Consistent and a very good professional I feel he deserves to be in the team ahead of players such as Bernard and Enrique who may have been natural left sided players but lacked the consistency to excel in the premier league.

Right Midfield: Nolberto Solano
The Peruvian was very much a fans favourite in his two spells at the clubs. Scoring something like 47 goals in 315 appearances all in all shows that he was capable on finding the net fairly regularly, while also he provided many assists with his quality set piece delivery.

Centre Midfield: Gary Speed and Kieron Dyer
It was difficult to find two players for this position, but in the end I went for the consistency of Gary Speed and the controversial but talented Kieron Dyer. Speed was very much an unsung hero in getting us 5th, 3rd and 4th finishes in consecutive premier league seasons. He also chipped in with crucial goals otherwise did an outstanding job in midfield. Dyer on the other hand, had an injury plagued career with Newcastle but he still managed some 251 appearances and 36 goals so his contribution should not be overlooked.

Left Midfield: Laurent Robert
The Frenchman claims the left midfield slot simply for his ability to do something out of the ordinary. He scored some absolute crackers in his time at Newcastle and his set pieces were also note worthy. Perhaps not the most hard working of players but few could deny his talent.

Strikers: Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy
Shearer picks himself. Goals, passion, commitment and strong leadership are only some of the many qualities he possessed. Arguably the greatest striker to pull on the black and white shirt but his selection in this team no one can argue with. I've chosen Craig Bellamy as his partner, simply for his pace, skill and ability to combine excellently with Shearer. He was instrumental in getting us into the champions league and few fans will ever forget his last minute winner against Feyenoord. Another controversial selection some may say but another whose talent can not go unnoticed.

Its a pretty easy choice to make the late Sir Bobby Robson our manager of the decade. His service to the club will never be forgotten and so its only fair that he makes it as the manager of the decade and that's without even looking at what a great job he did in getting us champions league football.

So there you go, that's my team Newcastle United team of the Noughties. Be sure to comment and add your own team if you can. Here's to hoping for a better decade with more success than decades past!

Are the West Indies back?

2009-12-20T04:22:00.000-08:00

I was watching the recently concluded series between Australia and the West Indies and I apart from the one sided first test it was thrilling stuff. The way Chris Gayle played in the second test was fantastic, but it was the 3rd test that really had me watching the series with great interest.

Everyone knows what a great team the West Indies once were, particularly in the 80’s, but there were signs in this test, just like in the 2nd test, that the West Indies may be starting an upward curve, after years of mediocrity. From the century of young Adrian Barath in the 1st test, to the hard earned century by Gayle in the 2nd and the emergence of fast bowler Kemar Roach, the Caribbean’s have shown that they are building a team capable of doing well again. Take Barath for example, whilst batting in the nets as an 11 year old, he was touted by none other than Brian Lara, as being a star for the future. Scoring that century on debut showed that Lara was certainly right. Then the there is the way Chris Gayle has lead the side. He has lead the team from the front, first scoring an almost match winning century against his normal aggressive instincts and then secondly hitting the 5th fastest test century in test history. He has the team believing in themselves again, shown by how they came close to winning the 2nd test and also by how they fought back after the Aussies scored 520/7 dec. in the first innings. They went on to bowl the Australians out for just 150 in the 2nd innings and came within 35 runs of levelling the series.

So although they may have lost the series 2-0, but it could have been so much different had they won that second test, or had Chanderpaul, Barath and Fidel Edwards been available. The talent is certainly there, with the experience of Gayle, Chanderpaul, Bravo and Sarwan, and quality youngsters like Roach, Barath, Dowlin, Deonarine, Nash it is certainly looking brighter for West Indies cricket and that can only be good for cricket!

How the teams compare ahead of series

2009-12-14T14:29:00.000-08:00

So seeing that the much anticipated test series between South Africa and England is almost upon us, I think its an ideal time to write about how I rate the two teams in comparison to each other. England have come off a massive Ashes series victory this year while SA were as close as last month ranked as the number 1 team in test cricket. It promises to be a close affair but who has the edge? Here’s how the two lineups compare.

Openers : Graeme Smith and Ashwell Prince are fairly new when it comes to opening batsmen combinations. Despite the wealth of experience I think England have the edge here as Strauss and Cook are solid openers capable of giving England good starts. Strauss also did well the last time he was here on tour so expect England to be lead well by their skipper.

No. 3: Hashim Amla vs Ian Bell. This one I feel Amla will win. The elegant right hander has been consistent in recent seasons while Bell will have lots of pressure on him. I think Amla will also be looking to do well after making his debut against the English last time around when he was still the raw talent. He’ll be looking to show them the mature batsmen he is today.

No 4: Jacques Kallis vs Kevin Pietersen. The two premier batsmen will be looking to have a big series for their respective teams. With both having come back from injury though, this one may be hard to call. Pietersen to edge it for me though, as he tends to have that extra motivation against the Proteas.

No. 5: AB De Villiers vs Jonathan Trott. AB has been in good form this past year while Trott seems to have adjusted well to international level. De Villiers will be playing on his home ground in the first test and one gets the feeling a big score there might set him up for a good series. Trott may well be targeted by the Protea pacemen so I’ll give De Villers the edge.

No.6: JP Duminy vs Paul Collingwood. The young star against the experienced campaigner. This should be interesting. Many have doubted Duminy’s ability against the bouncer, but I say it won’t be as effective as it was in the ODI’s. He’ll flourish, as form is temporary and class is permanent. JP certainly oozes class, so despite Collingwood doing well against SA recently, I feel JP will win this battle.

No.7: Mark Boucher vs Matt Prior. I think the pressure on Boucher will prove to be too much. Critics have been calling for him to be axed from the squad, and I think Boucher will not contribute as much as his counter part would, particularly with the bat. Prior can be dangerous when in for a long time and I can picture some valuable contributions from the wicket keeper come this series.

No. 8: Morne Morkel vs Stuart Broad. Two young players looking to have a big impact on this series. Morkel might just edge the bowling but I fear Broad’s batting in the lower order might make him a valuable player for the tourists. Two players for the future no doubt but the performance of them in this series might be what swings the series in the countries favour.

No. 9: Paul Harris vs Graeme Swann. The two spinners will have great responsibility on their shoulders. Harris can tend to get in the face of his opponents while Swann is capable of wrapping up the opposition tail pretty quickly. The last time round though England seemed to underestimate Haris. Will they make the same mistake twice? I feel they might just, so Harris to win this duel for me.

No. 10: Dale Steyn vs James Anderson. The two men primed with being their team’s top bowler. Steyn is capable of blowing over any batting order but I feel its Anderson’s form which will give him the edge. They both will be even more dangerous if it swings but trust them to be the leading wicket takers in the series either way.

No. 11: Makhaya Ntini vs Ryan Sidebottom. Two players who have peaked in my opinion, will struggle to set the series on light. Ntini though still has some pace at his age, so with this being his last series possibly I’d give him the edge as he’d be eager to keep his place. Sidebottom on the other hand lacks pace and may be fighting for his place come the 2nd and 3rd tests.

That’s ended up 5 all. It shows that this series has the making to be a quality series showing the beauty that is test cricket when played amongst two competitive teams. Will England surprise SA as they did in the ODI’s? Or will SA bounce back and claim back the top spot in test cricket. I wish I knew the answers but I’ll sure be watching to see how things unfold.

Draw of mixed emotions

2009-12-06T03:21:00.000-08:00

So after all that wait, we now know who each of the 32 teams will be playing against in the first round of the Fifa World Cup. What I’ll do is run the groups and give my opinion on each group as I go along.

Starting with group A it brought hosts South Africa with the tough task of having to get through a group with France, Mexico and Uruguay. Its certainly not the group I wished for! France have done well in recent world cups and have quality players despite under performing in the qualifiers while Mexico have qualified for something like 14 world cups so their pedigree is there for all to see. Uruguay also have some quality players in Diego Forlan for example so its going to be hard for SA to get out of this group. Having said that the opening game against Mexico will prove to be crucial and I feel should SA get something out of that game we could very well get through to the next round. My favourites are France and Mexico for the group.

Group B sees Argentina grouped with South Korea, Nigeria and Greece. Argentina should be favourites but I see Nigeria being a dark horse to win this group. South Korea will be organised and so to will Greece but I think the Argentinians and Nigerians should have too much quality for them.

England were in my opinion the most fortunate of all the seeded teams as they were grouped with USA, Algeria and Slovenia. They should win all 3 group games and I see the USA beating the other two teams so England first and USA second should be how this group finishes.

One of Africa’s best teams found themselves in Group D with Germany, Serbia and Australia. That team being Ghana and this is a group that can go anyway. I think Germany will get through as group winners and I’ll assume that Ghana will just about have enough to out do the remaining two teams. Tough group though.

Group E is another difficult group to call with the likes of the Netherlands, Japan, Cameroon and Denmark. Holland performed well in the qualifiers and have the quality to go far in the tournament so I’ll mark them as the group winners and I think Denmark are a very good team, for many are overlooking, but not me though. I think they’ll beat the other two for second place although I’ll be hoping Cameroon do well. I’ve managed to get tickets for the Netherlands and Cameroon match so that should be interesting.

Italy also got a favourable draw as they were grouped with New Zealand, Paraguay and Slovakia. This group is fairly easy to predict as Italy should win the group with Paraguay in second. Like England the Azzuri won’t have any complaints with this group.

Now for what is the group of death. Group G puts the giants of Brazil against Portugal and the Ivory Coast. North Korea complete the group but it is the three fancied teams mentioned before them who will make this group so interesting. Brazil should win this group, but its anybody’s guess who will join them. The match between Portugal and Ivory Coast will be like a virtual knock out match and for me that should be the match of the first round. There will however be some interesting group matches coming from this group though.

Spain were the last of the seeded teams to be drawn, but they too won’t be complaining. First spot should be assured to the European champions but it is the fight for second place between Chile, Honduras and Switzerland that should be a good scrap. Personally I see Chile surprising a few and finishing second.

I must say I enjoyed the draw as far as its presentation was concerned so well done to the LOC for that. With just over 6 months to the world cup, its going to be another anxious wait until that mouth watering clash between the South Africa and Mexico. It’s a good thing there's lots of sport to keep us busy!

Lots of Excitement Ahead of Draw

2009-12-04T00:54:00.000-08:00

The excitement and anticipation ahead of the world cup draw is certainly taking over our country. Being a South African, I must say there is a real buzz around the place and we all can't wait for the world cup draw.

As for the draw, I'm relieved to find that South Africa are amongst the seeded teams, which is good although teams like France and Portugal are still floating around and I sure wouldn't want to get one of them. I fully agree with the way Fifa have seeded the teams, for the seeded teams, bar SA, are certainly top teams and capable of winning the world cup. Pot two looks "easy" but I wouldn't be too thrilled with South Korea, USA or Mexico in my group. Pot three may also be tough as the African teams will be tough to beat, but luckliy SA avoid one of them in the first round at least. Pot Four is the pot I'm most scared of, as the European teams are usually well orgainsed and tend to do well in big tournaments. Teams like Greece, France, Portugal and Denmnark spring to mind.

The 32 teams are as follows:
Pot 1 (seeds): South Africa, Brazil, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Argentina, England

Pot 2 (Asia, Oceania and North/Central America): Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia, New Zealand, United States, Mexico, Honduras

Pot 3 (Africa and South America): Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Algeria, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay

Pot 4 (Europe): France, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, Greece, Serbia, Denmark, Slovakia

All in all I cannot wait for the draw, and I'm sure that most football fans will be just as excited as me, as the day goes on. Will be looking forward to blogging about the aftermath of the draw. For now here are some photo's ahead of the draw.

McCaw grabs 2009 player of the year!

2009-11-30T04:49:00.001-08:00

So McCaw it is. Richie McCaw was named the 2009 IRB Player of the Year. In one of my earlier blogs, I said how it had to be between Brian O'Driscoll and Fourie Du preez for the coveted award, so it has come as a bit of a surprise to see him walk away with the award. Yes McCaw has been outstanding, but the All Blacks did not win anything, whereas the other two main contenders led their country to Six Nations and Tri Nations success respectively. Nevertheless, Richie McCaw is the ultimate Flanker in world rugby, and few can match the work rate of the New Zealand captain. He became the first player to win the award twice after winning it in 2006 also. Well done Richie, although I think the two previously mentioned international stars can count themselves very unlucky.

My Newcastle Player Ratings vs Preston North End

2009-11-24T05:57:00.000-08:00

Steve Harper (6.5) - Didn't have too many saves to make but dealt with everything competently, when called upon.

Danny Simpson (6) - Hardly got into the game enough, compared to Enrique, but was decent on defence none the less.

Steven Taylor (7) - Great to have him back in the side. Made some important tackles,while also making the odd burst forward.

Fabricio Coloccini (7) - Solid at the back, while he's calming influence is starting to show. Coloccini and Taylor are arguably the best centre backs in the league.

Jose Enrique (6) - Excellent on defence, but it was his crossing, particularly in the 2nd half that let him down. He's understanding with Gutierrez is a great asset for us though.

Danny Guthrie (6) - His Set pieces were poor, while he gave the ball away on a couple of occasions, in critical areas of the field. Nonetheless seems to be one of our sparks on attack, and was playing out of position lets not forget.

Alan Smith (6.5) - I thought his defensive work was outstanding. He won possession on many occasions, but as skipper he nearly let us down and some may say he was lucky not to get sent off. Personally I didn't think he was, but still as captain he shouldn't take chances like that.

Kevin Nolan (7.5) - Took his goal brilliantly, while his allround play was also excellent. Showed good control, a cool head and was at the right place at the right time and I really hope we do keep hold of him come January.

Jonas Gutierrez (6.5) - There was the good and the bad in his game tonight. Firstly the good was his tracking back and the direct approach he had, especially as the game wore on in the 2nd half. The bad however, was his crossing, shots and trying to be fancy too much. For sheer effort though, he shouldn't get below a 6.5 in my opinion.

Marlon Harewood (6) - He worked hard, but for some reason I felt he was lucky not to be taken off. He lacks confidence and does not pose the same threat that Carroll does, in my opinion. What worries me, is that in a month or two's time, he'll go back to Villa, and Ranger would have lost out on a few starts, which could have helped in his development.

Andy Carroll (6) - Wasn't in the game as much as he would have liked, but was unlucky to be taken off. Showed glimpses of his talent, but unfortunately goal mouth opportunities were few and far between.

Substitutes

Nile Ranger (6.5) - Looked lively when on, and I'd be happy if he got a start in the next match, ahead of Harewood.

Tamas Kadar (7) - Started off shaky, when Mellor almost scored, but from there on, he did not put a foot wrong. Good to see him getting some game time.

Peter Lovenkrands (N/A) - Wasn't on long enough.

Man of the Match: Kevin Nolan

Manny Pacquiao, the best boxer in the world!

2009-11-21T00:22:00.000-08:00

I may not be the biggest boxing fan in the world, but the performance of Manny Pacquiao was something definately worth writing about. He beat Miguel Cotto in the 12th round, and many felt he should have won long before that, as his speed, accuracy and persistance was too much for the champion Cotto to handle.

I did some boxing training a while back, and it is in my opinion the hardest sport to train for, so seeing someone as good as the "Pacman" definately is something amazing. Many people felt Cotto was the stronger of the two, but there are reasons why Pacquiao is rated the best pound for pound boxer in the world.

His last three opponents include the former golden boy of boxing Oscar De La Hoya, Britains then, highly rated Ricky Hatton and now Cotto. Furthermore, he is also the first man, to hold seven world titles in seven different weight divisions. He is an incredible fighter, and has already obtained legendary status despite only being 30.

If you are not a fan of the "Pacman", I urge you to watch the highlights of those last three bouts, because his in ring ability is something very few in the world can match. There are rumours flieing around now that Floyd Mayweather may be his next opponent. If that proves to be true, its a match a can't wait to see, but whatever happens, Manny Pacquiao deserves a mention as the best boxer in the world today!

Du Preez or O'Driscoll for top award?

2009-11-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

So the list of nominations for the IRB Player of the year was announced yesterday and although some names were expected, a few came as surprise. Firstly Fourie Du Preez, Richie McCaw, Matt Giteau and Brian O'Driscoll are all well deserved nominations and its expected that the award would go to one of those players. All of them have been named their respective country's player of the year already and few can doubt their quality. The surprise nominations however were Jamie Heaslip, Francois Steyn and Tom Croft. Heaslip played an intrsumental role in helping Ireland win the Six Nations but for me he didn't set the world alight when touring South Africa with the British & Irish Lions. Francois Steyn, although predigiously talented for still lacked the consistency to be nominated this year, although I do feel he has the potential to win this award in years to come. That leaves Tom Croft, the flanker who was overlooked by the Lions selctors iniatially, but ultimately ended palying in all three tests and went back with his reputation enhanced. Although Croft's name was a surrise in sum respects, it is the names that were not there that perhaps makes his nomination a talking point. Heinrich Brussouw had an amazing year, and helped South Africa dominate the Lions and the Tri Nations, while Morne Steyn, Rob Kearney, Berrick Barnes and Lee Byrne can all count themselves unlucky in their own way for not making the list.

From the list though Fourie Du Preez to me stands out as the most deserved winner while few would argue if the ever popular Brian O'Driscoll was to win the award. The awards are to be announced the final weekend of November...

Tennis prepares to bid farewell to Legend

2009-11-10T03:59:00.000-08:00

This week the tennis world prepares to bid farewell to one of its most colourful characters, in Marat Safin. Since 2000 he has been my favourite tennis player and his decision to retire leaves many fans, including myself looking back on what was a successful career. His highlights include winning the US Open in 2000, being world number one for 9 weeks, winning the Australian Open in 2005 and two Davis Cup triumps with Russia in 2002 and 2006.

The Australian Open victory was probably my favourite Safin highlight, as he beat Roger Federer in a thrilling semi final before ousting the home favourite Lleyton Hewitt in the final.

What made him a special player was the fact that he had so much natural talent. Being big, powerful, with speed and flair to do the unexpected, few could match him on his day. Victories over Federer, Pete Sampras, Novak Djokovic certainly prove that.

He also had great personality on the court, often getting upset when things weren't going his way but it was that passion and will to win that made him such a favourite. With this week being his last tournament before retiring, tennis thanks the always entertaining Marat Safin for his contribution to the sport.

Star flyhalves return to their best

2009-11-09T02:36:00.000-08:00

Whilst watching the rugby union internationals between Wales and New Zealand and England and Australia, two world class flyhalves returned to the level that once made them IRB World Player of the Year in 2003 and 2005 respectively. I am of course talking about Jonny Wilkinson and Dan Carter.

Firstly, it was the returning Wilkinson playing in his first autumn international for almost 7 years, who took just a few minutes to stamp his mark on proceedings with a trademark drop goal. He was simply outstanding from then on, and despite England coming out second best against the Aussies, Wilkinson did enough to make the Rugby World sit up and take notice.

He was solid on attack, while his kicking game was effective as always. Whether it was a short kick and chase for himself, the high balls for Banahan, or simply attacking the game line he was a joy to watch for any neutral. What impressed me most was none of the previously mentioned attributes but instead it was his defensive work that stood out. For someone whose had the injuries he's had, to show such trust in his body and making the tackles he made, it was a clear sign that Jonny Wilkinson is back!

Moving along to the other reason for this post, that being none other than Dan Carter. He was the catalyst behind the All Blacks victory and was deservedly named man of the match. He dictated proceedings and despite being jeered for a late high tackle on Martin Roberts, it was clear to everyone that Dan Carter was back to his best.

Kicking over four penalties as well as converting the only try of the match, he fell one short of breaking the All Blacks points record of 967 points held by Andrew Mehrtens. That however is only a matter of time. Despite the All Blacks kicking far more than usual, he was certainly at ease with that tactic and he was the playmaker whenever New Zealand wanted to spread the ball with his slick passing skills. Described by the Observer as "sublime" few could say otherwise of the golden boy of New Zealand rugby.

The fascinating part of everything though, is that these two great flyhalves are likely to go head to head in two weeks time, provided Carter is not banned after being cited for his challenge on Roberts. For the neutral fans out there, like myself, it would be terrific if Carter was available for that clash, so that rugby can once again enjoy the battle of two of the games most gifted pivots going head to head one more time!

2009 Fifa World Player of the Year?

2009-11-08T14:02:00.000-08:00

Who will be honoured with the title of FIFA World Player of the Year for 2009?

A shortlist of 23 was recently released by Fifa:
Michael Ballack (Germany), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Diego (Brazil), Didier Drogba (Côte d'Ivoire), Michael Essien (Ghana), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Steven Gerrard (England), Thierry Henry (France), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Kaká (Brazil), Frank Lampard (England), Luis Fabiano (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Carles Puyol (Spain), Franck Ribéry (France), Wayne Rooney (England), John Terry (England), Fernando Torres (Spain), David Villa (Spain) and Xavi (Spain)

For me the main contenders though are Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres. Of those four who deserves to win it? Here's how I would break it down...

Cristiano Ronaldo: The 2008 winner has had another great year scoring 16 goals in 31 appearances for Man Utd before scoring 9 goals in his 11 apperances for Real Madrid. He's instant impact at Real Madrid speaks volumes despite the huge pressures of being the world's most expensive player. Injuries have caused him to be out for the last month or two, of the year so that may cause him to finish as 2nd best this year, while not scoring in Portugal's entire world cup qualifying rounds may not help his chances.

Lionel Messi : The diminitive Barcelona hitman, has had a sensational year. Scoring in the champions League final and helping Barcelona win the treble, he stands out to me as the favourite. He has scored 35 goals in 57 appearances for club and country this claender year while he is still only 22 years old. Skillful, Prolific and consistent throghout, its hard to see anyone beating him to the award!

Didier Drogba: The powerful Ivorian has had a phenomenal year, considering he was rumoured to looking to leave Chelsea and was second choice at the end of 2008. He however helped the Ivory Coast reach the 2010 World Cup, while scoring 27 goals in 47 appearances for club and country while not only ending 2009 as Chelsea's best player but also as one of the best in the world!

Fernando Torres: The charismatic striker, has been lethal in front of goal in an otherwise underperforming Liverpool team. He managed to score 27 goals in 48 apperances during the calender year and looks set to star at the 2010 soccer World Cup.

My Top 3 Prediction:
1. Lionel Messi
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
3. Didier Drogba

There's a poll running regarding this very topic, so do vote if you get the chance!