City v Sheffield United: Player ratings

Chris Bailey

October 16, 2006

HART: Precious little for him to do on his debut. Fluffed one cross but caught a couple under the bar 6

RICHARDS: Did well to be as fresh as he was after his exertions for England's Lion cubs and one tackle saved the day 7

DUNNE: Only Hulse to patrol until late on but played with his normal calmness and authority 7

DISTIN: Dunne has already pleaded with him to stay next season and on this form losing him would be major blow 7

JORDAN: Looked off the pace in the first half when he made a couple of uncharacteristic mistakes. Was taken off at half time 4

SINCLAIR: Effort never diminishes even if the high speed is not there any more 5

BARTON: His free kicks were spot on and were easily Blues' most potent attacking weapon 7

HAMANN: Still some way from looking the player he was at Liverpool and no surprise when he was taken off 5

TRABELSI: Confirmed the promise that he showed at Blackburn. Ran his socks off and was City's most creative player 7

CORRADI: Too busy looking to be physical and not offering midfielders many options. Missed three clear-cut chances 4

SAMARAS: Looked tired after his international tour of duty and ballooned his only real opening way over the bar 5

SUBS:

Miller: (Jordan 46) - Livened things up considerably and ought to have scored with header 6

Reyna: (Hamann 58) - Outnumbered three to two in midfield but was neat and tidy 5

Dickov: (Corradi 70) - won a couple of free kicks but needs longer 5

Not used: Schmeichel and Johnson

SHEFF UTD: Kenny, Bromby, Davis, Jagielka, Hulse, Quinn, Tonge, Gillespie, Armstrong, Leigertwood, Kazim-Richards (Webber 72). Not used: Morgan, Kabba, Kozluk, and Nade.

GOALS: none

BOOKING: Blades - Jagielka (87)

ATTENDANCE: 42,192

REFEREE: Mike Dean (Merseyside) - was very over fussy 6

Agree with the ratings? Have your say.

Articles

City 0 Sheffield United 0

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steve, kippax (16/10/2006 at 10:29)

hamann, more like half man, half paced ..absolutly pants I'd give him a big fat zero...he crashed around that pitch like a drunk ..no idea!!! sinclair... 2 only because no one could be as bad as Half mann.. this has got to be my last year of a season ticket... something is not right at this club and it's not us the fans...

Pigeon scarer, Kippax roof (16/10/2006 at 10:30)

Yeah Joey Bartons free kicks were spot on, but mostly spot on Claude Davis's head.

ninja, eccles (16/10/2006 at 10:30)

You've got the ratings and comments about right however man of match for me was utd's Davis,Distin replacement maybe?Tonge,who incidentally is a blue,looked decent as well.Sinclair and Reyna,sorry but your time is up.

Keepthebluefaith, Manchester (16/10/2006 at 10:51)

Whoever does these ratings can't keep giving Sincair decent marks just for effort! He's paid to be an attacking winger which he is totally ineffective at and it appears that he is beyond being subbed let alone dropped!

timmy, withington (16/10/2006 at 11:04)

Rather generous with the rating, I think. City are in steep decline and there is precious little quality in the team. The team as a whole NEVER plays well any longer. Sinclair is always a 5, always gives effort but cannot exert influence on games any more. Miller - not a gifted footballer - only has pace and power and is not good enough yet - 4. Dickov - not good enough at this level despite effort - a 3 from me. Corradi - no influence at all - a 2. Hamman - incredibly slow, always beaten to the ball, should retire forthwith - 1. Distin the best player for City but he will be gone soon. Then the saving grace of a decent defence - the only attribute the team now has - will be under threat. Sack Pearce NOW!!!

Ben Brierley, Moston (16/10/2006 at 11:56)

This was an appalling display and we are heading for relegation. Player ratings too high. We can't score, midfield lacks invention and once Distin goes we have major problems. It appears we have run out of cash.

Shaun, At My Desk (16/10/2006 at 11:59)

The frightening lack of creativity in a ponderous, sluggish midfield,the inability to find a team mate with the ball, the constant loss of posession, a shot shy forward line fighting for 50-50 hospital balls,with precious few exceptions a team of players who would be much better suited to the championship or below. If we are still in the top flight come May,it won't be because of anything the board or Pearce have done,it will be because their are three teams worse than City.

Colin, Always Blue, Hollingworth, Hyde (16/10/2006 at 12:08)

The game was dire, and we lost it in midfield. We never took a hold of the game and all 6 midfielders used should not get more than a rating of 4. Trabelsi looked more like the player I saw at the world cup overlapping Sinclair - which isn't very difficult when he is stood still. Sinclair is fast becoming a liability and needs to take some responsibility on the pitch but seems incapable. Corradi holds the ball up well and when we played it on the floor to him and Big Sam Harris they linked quite well, however none of the forwards are going to score more than 8 per season. We all agree that we need a creative midfielder and a cnetre forward that are going to score goals and I think that we should look to within. Michael Johnson - who was on the bench on Saturday and should have come on instead of the crab Reyna - can pass the ball, and can tackle and should be given a chance. We all now what Sturridge can do in the ressrves and he should be given a chance in the first 11. The defence is sound - as 0 goals conceded in 360 minutes of football at home shows, but the midfield and forward line needs some impetus. My midfield 4 for Saturday would be Beasley, Barton, Johnson, Richards (Trabelsi at RB), and my forward line would be Corradi and Sturridge, with a view to bringing on Samaras early in the ssecond half. Keep the Faith. CTID

Bertie Blue Nose, Eastlands (16/10/2006 at 12:10)

Once more the moaners and whingers have crawled out of the woodwork. I'm not glossing over our problems (we cannot recruit because Clueless Kevin was allowed to spend it all, but there's more to it than that), and I am hardly complacement, but to say we're going down is plain barmy. The clocks haven't even gone back yet! From what I've seen, there are far more than three sides in this division worse than us (Charlton, Watford, West Ham, Sheffield United, and Wigan to name just five), and on that basis, we should steer well clear of the drop zone.

Simon, Chorlton (16/10/2006 at 12:21)

My major worry is Hart - looks absolutely terrified of the ball to me. Apart from that, and being a little too wasteful in front of goal, sheff u were always coming for the draw (or lucky punt up field - think WBA) and CITY will not be the only team to 'drop' a couple of points at home against them I'm sure. 9 points = so, so (no suprises there then).

Phil, exiled in Sheffield (16/10/2006 at 12:34)

These ratings are too high. No one outside the back 4 warranted a 7, as they did not show the desire to grab hold of the game. Barton and Hamann did not boss the game and do not warrant more than a 5.
I think Hamann will get better as he plays more matches as he is a good pro - he certainly has to improve.

We need to give youngsters like Ireland, Johnson and Sturridge more of a chance. Johnson's passing and tackling ability deserve a chance.

At Wigan I would like to see
Weaver; Richards, Dunne, Distin, Jordan, Trabelsi, Johnson, Hamman, Miller, Corradi, Samaras;
with Hart, Sturridge, Ireland, Beasley and Barton waiting in the wings. Sturridge's chance cannot be far away, and Etuhu can't be far behind him.

blue moon, at the computer (16/10/2006 at 14:28)

whoever thinks corradi should be playing must be blind!! hes one of the worst so called strikers iv ever had the displeasure of seeing! complete waste of space!! pearce needs to play beasley and trabelsi on the wings can he not see that!?? sinclair is so far past it its laughable, dont think much of jordan, miller or hamann either! bolton are laughing all the way to the bank with hamann!!! PEARCE OUT!!!!!!

Geoff, Middlewich (16/10/2006 at 16:05)

Did anyone hear Pearce's comments about Jordan on Radio manchester? When asked why he had taken Jordan off, was it tactical or for injury? His respones was "he was awful" How can he say that about a good young lad when he has never said that about deadbeats like Reyna Sun Et al. There were players on that pitch on Saturday playing much worse than Jordan and why oh why didn't he bring on Johnson instead of Reyna? Creative quick and full of heart. This is what dissapoints me about Pearce, goes on about giving the youngsters a chance, but then doesn't use them in the right way and at the right time.

Karl, Manchester (16/10/2006 at 16:55)

Blue moon wot planet are you on. Beesley was injured! Yes Corradi missed an easy chance, but had 2 assists in the previous 2 games. It's hard for any striker to impress with no service. Bu wot do you want SP to do? He's got a small squad, injuries and no money. Do you think a new manager will have a magic wand??. I'm sure he'd love to drop Sinclair, Hamaan and Jordan, but he can't. The squad is 5 players light. Only money to spend will change that.

Fred Flintstone, Bedrock (16/10/2006 at 17:13)

Blue Moon.... you don't have a clue! So if Pearce does go, who comes in? and once your top manager is in place, how does he improve the team with NO MONEY! We have the right man in charge with Pearce, we just need investment! Come on, lets get behind the team! Were still unbeaten at home this year, ok it's not pretty but we do have potential! However i do agree Corradi is garbage!!

Neil Allen, Manchester (17/10/2006 at 08:20)

I cannot believe that someone has come on here having a go at Joe Hart, he does his job, keeps a clean sheet in his debut, in a game what can only have been a banana skin for City and still some people will have a go, fine if he was 30+ and had been around the block a bit, but a kid, if that is what it is getting to now in the game I am glad I am losing intrest.

Sheila, Eccles (17/10/2006 at 11:07)

Geoff of Middlewich I heard that and have exactly the same feeling as you. Jordan plays his heart out and although Stuart Pearce is my hero I just couldn't understand that, unless he and Jordan had some sort of a bust up in the dressing room.

I think a few of the player ratings were a bit high but I also think that some were a bit low. Dunne and Distin for example. Dunne should have had at least a 9 for his display and Distin an 8. Apart from that the ratings were fine. I just wish that most of the squad weren't colour blind!! We need to learn to pass on the ground because our overhead passes are not reaching their targets and anyway other teams are now expecting them and running in for them.
Sheila from Eccles

Bradley, London (17/10/2006 at 12:05)

Corradi is a joke... thats all i can say..hold on LUMP.

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