Player Ratings vs Stoke City

Gomes (7) – Little to do, coped well with the deep crosses and long throws.

Corluka (6) – Kept Etherington out of the game, skilful as ever but a game where more zip was needed going forward.

Assou-Ekotto (5) – Not his best game, his crossing should be so much better. Looked weary when beaten by Fuller for the goal.

Woodgate (7) – A quarter of an hour on his comeback, ten minutes of it with concussion. Nice to see him back.

Dawson (7) – Came on for Woodgate and gave his all as ever. His distribution skills could still do with a polish.

Bassong (7) – Coped much better than expected with the big blokes. Composed when in possession

Lennon (8) – Skilful and dangerous, many good crosses, most of them towards where the aberrant and absent Defoe would’ve been. Starved of service in second half.

Huddlestone (6) – Over ambitious with his passing sometimes.

Palacios (8) – Excellent disciplined tackling and careful when in possession.

Kranjcar (7) – Another good skilful performance, unlucky with shot that hit post.

Keane (5) – Had some good patches in first half but as happens too often these days he was no goal threat.

Crouch (7) – Kept going until the end, was the main victim of the man of the match display from chubster Simonsen.

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By MF

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