More accurate than usual. I normally look forward to RLGB's ratings because he appears to watch the match in an entirely different way to everyone else.
I have! Turns out, when he lets somebody else watch it for him (the commentators), he doesn't have such crazy opinions.
I was succinct earlier, but I've decided I'll go for some full ratings, so prepare your scroll-wheel for more long winded rambling. Gazzaniga - 7 - Could be a big game for him. He still looked a little bit nervy at times, but made a great save to keep his sheet clean and had a good game overall. Nice seeing him show passion and celebrate the goals. Hopefully this will give him the confidence to kick on and release his potential. Clyne - 8 - This is what is becoming your average Clyne performance, solid and comfortable at the back, helps out going forward and contributes at both ends of the pitch. His only issue is his height and stature, when the ball is on the deck he looks unbeatable, when players challenge him in the air he has trouble. Newcastle had a clear plan to isolate our full-backs and send balls to the far post, they didn't make use of this in the end but it was a threat. Fonte - 9 - Since the West Ham game, barring a slip against Spurs, Jose has been playing very well for me. Today was fantastic, won the aerial battle almost single-handedly. I have to say, I think he may have been slightly lucky to stay on the pitch, Cisse went into the challenge half-heartedly, and Fonte won the ball, but his studs connected with Cisse a foot off the turf in the follow through. These days I think you would often be sent off for that. Maybe seeing it crystal-clear on MotD2 will show more than a couple of views on a grainy stream. Unlucky not to score! Yoshida - 8 - Good game, nothing spectacular but was solid and that's all I will ask! Shaw - 8 - He just makes it look so easy doesn't he? Like Clyne he was solid at both ends, his passing could have been a bit better but that's nit-picking. He even won a few headers. He also in the first half showed a little bit of his attacking ability, burst down the line a few times and showed some danger, unfortunately for him a couple of the times he was too quick for the rest of his team, and there was no-one in the box yet when he looked up to cross! Schneiderlin - 9 - Back to his dominant best defensively for me, some fantastic work today. Good going forwards too and if it wasn't for a great bit of work from Steven Taylor he might have bagged another goal! Cork - 8 - What can you say? 3 appearances, 2 wins, 1 draw. Nothing spectacular but he just keeps everything ticking over nicely at both ends. Puncheon - 9 - Direct, dangerous, incisive, neat short passing. Played a vital part once again, post denied him from a great goal. Form of his life! Ramirez - 9 - Got a goal, very selfless assist, loved him pumping up the crowd. He looks like he has it all, he's quick if not lightning-fast, strong when he wants to be, can run with the ball, can pick a pass when he has his head up and can score goals. How did we get this chap? Lallana - 9 - Linked so much together, beautiful interplay, grabbed a goal. Are you watching Mr. Hodgson? Lambert - 8 - Says so much about him as a player and a man that he is willing to take a backseat and help those around him ahead of himself. A lot of players in his position would be only looking to increase their goal count and get the headlines, the big money, the England call-ups etc. But Rickie is happy to just work hard and bring people in around him whilst always looking for the teams opportunity to score and not his opportunity to score. So unlucky not to convert a beauty of a free-kick. Rodriguez - 7 - Great impact off the bench even if it was against a side that had mostly given up. He looks like he can contribute when playing centrally up top, unfortunate for him there's a big man ahead of him in the pecking order. Should have gotten a goal and a big boost to his confidence but ah well. Davis - 7 - Don't think he was looking to be a super sub when he signed up, but I like him as one! When part of a central midfield three he is good at contributing at both ends, solidifies us whilst maintaining attacking threat. Hooiveld - 7 - Did bugger all but I'm feeling generous and don't want to rate anyone a 6, so a 7 for Jos! Nigel - 10 - Fans - 10 - Great support Referee - -5 - I don't often moan about referees or their assistants, they have one of the hardest jobs out there, but that was genuinely one of the worst all-round officiating performances I have ever seen. Truly shockingly bad.
I gave him a 7 because he didn't really have a lot to do. He made one very good save, and one rather dodgy mistake. 7 is a decent score.
Might well be mate! For me I count 6 as average. So rating 7 is him performing well and having a solid above-average game. I thought he still had his nervy, dodgy moments, but made one very good save, one decent save, and one good punch. Overall, good outweighs bad so... 7!
Gazzaniga made a ridiculously terrible mistake once again, and had Newcastle scored that might have changed the entire match. But they didn't. And he played well from then on. That's more of what you hope to see. You know you'll get some bad mistakes out of a young GK, you just don't want them looking shaking and making bad judgments the entire game (which is what happened last week). I would give him a 6 just because that mistake was SO bad, otherwise I would have said an 8. But he should start next game, as he's earned it and looks to be the best choice right now and definitely for the future. He shows signs of learning in many areas and I have to imagine NA and possibly SKD will be working with him A LOT on his decision making and being a bit more conservative on passing vs clearing the lines. Especially as his ball distribution is good and Saints midfield was dominant today he really doesn't have to try and be so clever. Premier League players are faster than he thinks! Puncheon was massive yet again. I now withdraw my previous objections to him as well. Should start every game for the near future. He stood out to me as better than Lallana and Lambert, both of whom played fine games. So.. 6 for Gazza with the caveat he was in many ways much better. 9 for Puncheon. 8 for the rest of the players. Everyone played very well today. Couldn't be happier with the result. The officiating was unbelievably awful. It ended up hurting Saints much more because they had the ball more and had more scoring chances but the linesmen and referee pretty much got everything wrong at all times. There were several calls/non-calls that went in our favor as well. So not biased as much as just completely incompetent.
I'd say 2 saves were extremely good. I didn't mark him down for the charged down clearance though as he recovered the situation himself my point is almost every keeper is letting in that header. that was an amazing save. one on ones aren't easy to save either. even if he'd conceded both I wouldn't be blaming the him so he should be getting much more credit for those saves and a clean sheet than he seems to be getting
Ha ha...that had me laughing. I was almost getting bored during that time wasting routine. Not sure it was worthwhile, the ref added that, and more to the injury time!
He did recover it himself, but the ball could have gone anywhere, it could very easily have flown straight into the net. One of the rare occasions this season where we weren't punished for a mistake, and instead the ball kindly looped up into Gazza's arms. His save was a very good one, but that alone with a couple of other decent moments doesn't warrant an outstanding rating for me. Good game, not a great one in my opinion.
In fairness, Mikey, I think "kindly looped into his arms" is harsh - Ba or Cisse (whichever it was) was challenging him very physically for it, he did well to recover it.
This. That save was world class. There has to be a reason he is getting picked, and he's showing why, his shot stopping is exceptional. There was a shot I saw on the extended highlights on sky that went right of the post, Gazza took off so early it was unreal, if it had been inside the post I think there was a real chance of him stopping it, when he would have had no right to have done.
It was a great claim for me. Especially since he'd had known he'd just ****ed up and it was pissing it down almost all game. Plus like you said one of the two was challenging him
