Ratings Review

A 6-0 rout at Eastlands provides this week's winners and losers

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 23rd September 2008

Ratings Review

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The 2008/09 season continues to throw the odd curve ball at unsuspecting skysports.com reporters, while those of you who take the time out to offer up ratings at the end of each top-flight contest waver between the outrageously favourable and the ridiculously harsh.

I'll admit that at times performances come along that leave you with no other option but to stand and applaud, dishing out star ratings like confetti.

For every majestic high, though, there must of course be appalling lows, when so-called international footballers do little to suggest that they are worth the minimum wage, never mind the ludicrous salaries they pocket each month.

With that in mind, it comes as no surprise to learn that the latest batch of top-flight fixtures once again sees superheroes take to our skies, while the inevitable batch of villains also continue to infiltrate dressing rooms the length and breadth of the country.

Before I had even taken the time to trawl through the latest round of ratings offerings dished out by the skysports.com team and your good selves, it did not take a mathematical genius to fathom where this week's star turns could be found.

With the Portsmouth defence seemingly deciding to have a day off when rolling up at Eastlands on Sunday, Manchester City were able to usher in the dawn of a new era in spectacular style.

Six goals for, and none against tends to result in top-heavy ratings once the dust has settled, and so it proved.

With the City of Manchester Stadium rocking to the Samba beat, Brazilian trio Robinho, Elano and Jo put in the kind of performances which will have had the Blues' new owners rubbing their hands together at the prospect of utilising the feel-good factor currently surrounding the club to further line their already rich pockets.

Marks of nine out of 10 were commonplace among Mark Hughes' men, although it was an Englishman and an Irishman who stole the show.

Virtuoso

Shaun Wright-Phillips is enjoying a new lease of life upon his return to his spiritual home and bags an average score of 9.1 after a display which included a bit of everything, while Stephen Ireland (who also got 9.1) put in a virtuoso performance in the middle of the park as he dictated proceedings in a manner usually reserved for our South American friends.

I'm sure nobody is surprised to hear that the aforementioned duo emerged as this week's top dogs, while the news that Portsmouth produced the timid kittens is also unlikely to leave you aghast.

John Utaka, Noe Pamarot and Sean Davis share the 'honour' of bringing up the rear, racking up a less than impressive average rating of 3.2 apiece.

While we are on the topic of those who fall into the 'must do better' category, dishonourable mentions must also go to Bolton's Gavin McCann (3.5), Newcastle's David Edgar (3.6) and the majority of the increasingly frustrating Tottenham squad.

Meanwhile, I cannot allow Cristiano Ronaldo to escape the indignity of a 4.5 rating for the 35 minutes work he put in at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

But Let us not dwell on those who are not worthy to grace these pages and instead switch our attention back to those who enjoyed stellar weekends of which they should be proud.

Denilson's continued development into a competent top-flight performer saw him pick up eight and 8.4 from reporter and supporters respectively, while his Arsenal team-mate Theo Walcott appears to still be flavour of the month.

The flying winger only got a 17-minute run-out at Bolton on Saturday, but still managed to secure mightily impressive scores of eight and 8.3.

Moving on, and Aston Villa's derby day success over West Brom saw John Carew and Martin Laursen showered with the kind of scores which will turn their Baggies counterparts green with envy.

Giant Norwegian striker Carew can celebrate ratings of nine and 8.6, while the ever-reliable Laursen also topped eight on both accounts.

Another side to claim local bragging rights this weekend was Sunderland, as they saw off Middlesbrough, and Steed Malbranque and Craig Gordon can bask in the glory of 8.8 and nine averages, respectively.

It was also a good weekend to make your debut, be it an opening performance on home turf or a first outing in new colours.

Respectable

West Ham's David Di Michele provides the most obvious example, as a match-winning double on his Upton Park bow saw him scale the heights of nine and 8.6.

Elsewhere, Daniel Cousin and Louis Saha were awarded respectable scores after they pulled on the shirts of Hull and Everton for the first time.

With praise and scorn dished out in equal measure to those who took to the field this weekend, it is only right that we conclude by doing likewise to those who ran the rule over said action.

I will refrain from shaming those concerned by revealing names, but they know who they are.

Firstly, Steven Gerrard may be a hero to millions, England international and all round top chap, but that does not mean he has the right to earn top marks if he lets his standards slip.

With red-tinted spectacles firmly in place our reporter proceeded to give Mr Liverpool a debatable score of eight after he toiled to no avail against Stoke, only to then see his smoke-screen lifted as the public dished out a more realistic average rating of 6.6.

That was by no means the worst example of short-sightedness this weekend, though, as everyone's favourite centre-half, Titus Bramble, was another to see a severe discrepancy between his two marks.

A skysports.com rating of eight hints at a commanding performance from a man prone to the odd high-profile mistake, although an average of five from elsewhere would appear to suggest otherwise.

It is at Bolton, however, where we find the strangest set of results.

Jussi Jaaskelainen's scores of eight and 6.1 point towards a dodgy day at the office for someone, while Kevin Davies' marks are simply laughable.

It is hard to justify how the two weekly scores can end up with a difference of 4.1, but that is precisely what happened when the Bolton striker received eight and 3.9!

On that note, I think it is best to call it day.

It is possible to interact with skysports.com throughout the entire Premier League season and you can analyse performances via the Player Rating tab of every fixture.

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