My Newcastle United Player Ratings vs Wigan (H)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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

Premier League Goals

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


Credit to Siralicdman for providing the goals.