MAN CITY Season Ratings: Midfielders

With the title-winning 2011/12 season now over, what better time than now to analyse the performances of each inidividual throughout the campaign. The reviews and ratings for the strikers will be posted in the coming days, whilst the analysis of our goalkeepers is here and the review of our defenders here. 

Nigel de Jong: 35 games, 1 goal – Missed a number of games at the start of the season through injury and it seemed to take the Dutchman a while to regain his best form. Was one of the first names on the teamsheet last campaign but spent much of this one on the bench, only making eleven starts in the Premier League. When fit, he was a useful protective shield in front of the defence but still needs to work on moving the ball along quicker. A very handy squad player – Season Rating: 6.5

Gareth Barry: 43 games, 1 goal – Featured in all but four Premier League games and was a magnificent presence in the centre of midfield throughout. Never receives the praise his more creative colleagues do but he’s an absolutely integral part of the side and was one of my players of the season. Provides the balance in midfield, mopping up every loose ball and his positional play is superb. The incisiveness in his passing improved markedly and he ought to be proud of his consistently wonderful performances – Season Rating: 9

Owen Hargreaves: 4 games, 1 goal – Signed as cover for when others were absent but he himself never reached the desired level of fitness. Aroused hopes with a goalscoring debut in the Carling Cup but only featured a handful of times and it has been confirmed that he will be departing in the summer – Season Rating: N/A

David Pizarro: 7 games, 1 goal – Arrived in January and although he wasn’t involved too frequently, his quality was evident. Has a terrific range of passing and despite lacking a yard of pace, he’s superb in possession. His cameo against Sunderland, coming on as a sub when we were 3-1 down at home, was one of the turning points of the season. Added vision and creativity from deep and sparked our recovery to draw the game. It was announced to he will be returning to Italy now but his contribution should be remembered – Season Rating: 6.5

James Milner: 37 games, 3 goals – Suffers at times as a result of his versatility which means he struggles to nail down a place in the side but he’s fantastic to have in the squad. His performance at Old Trafford in the 6-1 was exceptional, his movement electric and he has linked well throughout the season with those around him. Didn’t feature too regularly in the closing stages but he more than played his part over the course of the campaign - Season Rating: 7

Yaya Touré: 42 games, 9 goals – Finished the season in a rich vein of form, scoring the two vital goals against Newcastle and impressing against Manchester United. Operated from a deeper role this campaign, controlling the tempo of a game rather than just behind the striker and he’s not quite as influential there. When he’s in the mood, he’s unstoppable but does have a knack of coasting through games without making too much impact. Missed a large chunk of January and February whilst at the African Cup of Nations but returned fitter and leaner and made a difference – Season Rating: 8.5

Samir Nasri: 44 games, 6 goals – For the first half of the season, I was really disappointed with Nasri. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but he was underwhelming, seemed to shirk responsibility and never dominated a game. However, he improved as the season wore on, making valuable contributions, not least the winner against Chelsea. Added nine assists to his six goals, a number of which came on his sensational debut away to Spurs, and with a full pre-season under his belt, he will only get better – Season Rating: 7

Adam Johnson: 37 games, 7 goals – Only made ten league starts as he, once again, failed to convince when given the opportunity to play 90 minutes. Whether it is down to fitness issues or just a lack of application, Johnson always disappoints from the start and still remains best used as an impact substitute. Often appeared against the sides at the bottom of the table but rarely gets a game in big matches and regularly doesn’t even make the bench when everyone is fit – Season Rating: 5.5

David Silva: 48 games, 8 goals – Was an absolute joy to watch for the first few months of the season, his breathtaking displays making him a near-certainty for player of the year. His eighteen assists highlighted how he made the team tick with his vision, movement and creativity and it was a honour to see him produce his magic every week. However, due to a mixture of fitness and injury, his form dropped after the New Year and he struggled to reach his high standards again. Looked brighter in the last month of the season, always looking to be involved and he will benefit hugely from a rest – Season Rating: 9

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