Timişoara player ratings

Hart A much quieter game for him than Spurs on Saturday. Timişoara's caution and our defensive efficiency meant he barely had a save to make. 6

Zabaleta Just two games into the season and he has already played in two positions. Saw a lot of the ball, as a result of our narrow 4-3-2-1, but he never quite had the pace to get down to the by-line. Swung in a decent cross or two. Lucky not to concede penalties for a first half trip and a second half push. 6

Kolo Touré An easy game: he did not have much defending to do, nor much to do on the ball either. 6

Kompany Had to hold off Mircea Axente when the lone striker broke through the middle, but did his job well. Grabbed Balotelli's face when he scored. 6

Lescott We'd been hearing for years how Lescott could play left-back but this was the first time we'd actually seen it (I thought it was all just a myth.) He did fairly well, showing off just how strong in the tackle he is and quick along the ground. If I have one complaint it is that - like Zabaleta - he was always open down the flank but didn't put a single good cross in. I suppose it's not surprising though. 6

Yaya Touré Has a welcome ability to force the pace of the game when necessary. His passing was good and late in the first half he went on a jinking run reminiscent of Georgi Kinkladze (remarkable, when you consider the differences in their frames.) In the second half he was breaking into the box more, and hit the post twice from close range. 7

de Jong Sitting deepest of our midfield three, he still had a destructive job to do when Timişoara broke, and he did it well enough. But when James Milner is available I'm not sure he'll always be needed for this job. 6

Barry Needed to be doing more to support the front three. We much improved when he was withdrawn for Mario Balotelli on 55 minutes. It's just a surprise the change didn't come until the break. 5

Tévez Our liveliest player of a dire first half, his free-kick from distance was our best shot on goal. Came deep for the ball but just found himself with ten purple shirts between him and their goal. Moved into a No. 10 role in the second half, but never really influenced things. 6

Adebayor Surprisingly hard-working in his first start of the season. He ran the channels eagerly, although we struggled to create in the first half. It was his spinning off the defender that created Balotelli's goal, and he could have had one for himself in a much improved second half. 7

Silva Similar to his performance against Spurs. Still needs to pick up the pace of the game, despite showing his obvious ability and intelligence. Pushed onto the right of a 4-2-3-1 in the second half. The second leg, in comfortable surroundings, should be a better stage for him. 5

Subs:

Balotelli A perfect start. He came on early in the second half, on the left of a 4-2-3-1 and immediately troubled the defence with his powerful runs from wide into the box. The first time he did this he shot into the side netting, the second he nearly knocked out their right-back, and the third he tapped in Adebayor's cross to score. Then got booked and got injured. 7

Johnson Came on for Silva but didn't really change the game - it was width we were looking for. 5

Jô Came on for his first competitive appearance since 20 minutes at the end of the infamous 3-0 FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest in January 2009. Hard to take seriously as a City player. n/a

Season ratings: forwards

Emmanuel Adebayor (29 starts, 14 goals)

Another player for whom it is difficult to focus on the football. His stamp and his slide against Arsenal, the horrors he faced in Cabinda, and his later four match ban not only distracted attention from his performances but also broke up any momentum or consistency he might have generated. To look at the statistics alone, 14 goals from 25 Premier League goals looks good, a ratio (0.56 goals/game) not too far away from what we had expected from him. But how many City fans will say that they have been genuinely impressed by him? He puts in more bad performances than good ones, certainly, and when he is bad he is useless: lazy and distracted, listless and diffident. And he is no partner for Carlos Tévez, which should really be the first priority of a centre forward of ours. I think he'll stay, but I'd be surprised if the Player Acquisition Group isn't seeking out an upgrade. B

Craig Bellamy (31 starts, 11 goals)

The surprise story of the season. After knee problems last spring, and the acquisition of new forwards in the summer I thought he would be a perennial backup this year. But that was to underestimate Mark Hughes' faith in him. He made the left hand side of the 4-2-4 his own, at the expense of Robinho and Martin Petrov. He started the season at a compelling pace: quick, fiery, almost embarrassingly competitive. Before Tévez got fit it was Bellamy who was carrying the side; scoring our second and making our fourth in the 4-2 with Arsenal before scoring two huge goals in the 4-3 derby at Old Trafford - performances that won him the TLDORC Player of September. That capacity for big game performances was further shown by his two goals at Stamford Bridge, to go with his pair at O.T. But the key fact about Bellamy was that he was Mark Hughes' man, his favourite, his protégé, his enforcer, his ambassador. And so when Hughes left so did much of Bellamy's connection with the club. There was a continued pattern of stories coming from the club of Bellamy's discontent with Roberto Mancini, and while he continued to work hard on the pitch he did seem to revel in his triumphs a bit less than before. Everything that made him such an effective performer under a manager he believed him makes him an incongrouous presence now. Do not be surprised by a summer move to Spurs. A-

Robinho (8 starts, 1 g0al)

This season proved what we all knew last season, even if we did not want to say it: that Robinho was the wrong man at the wrong time, not suited to English football, not interested in Manchester City. Once he broke a bone in his ankle on international duty Hughes was pleased with the chance to give Craig Bellamy a run in the side. The inury put him out for three months, and when he came back he reminded us just how frustrating he was with two terrible performances in those painful defeats at White Hart Lane and Goodison Park. Roberto Mancini had as little time for him as Hughes did, and when he was removed at Everton it was clear his time was up. It was nice he could score one last goal, in the last minute at Scunthorpe, before he left for Santos on a loan deal. I don't expect to see him hurrying back to City in August. D

Roque Santa Cruz (7 starts, 4 goals)

Another of Mark Hughes' overspends on established Premier League players, Santa Cruz was a luxury buy - one that we would surely not have made had we known about signing Emmanuel Adebayor. And even aside from Adebayor, spending £17million on someone with a fitness record as bad as Roque's just does not make sense. I don't think Santa Cruz is a bad player - in fact I quite enjoy watching him, he's a clever target man and is a much more natural partner for Tévez than Adebayor. But he just can't string two or three games together. It's not his fault he has these problems, but you can't expect any consistency from a man that prone to injuries. C-

Carlos Tévez (38 starts, 29 goals)

The signing, the story, the star of the season. Carlos Tévez was taken from Manchester United in the summer; it was a sign of our progress that we could take advantage of his dispute with the Old Trafford bosses, and there was a hope that he could drag us to the next level, in a way that Robinho could not. At first it did not seem to be working. He was impaired by an injury and seemed, like Adebayor, to be more keen on embarrassing his former club than on doing well for his new one. When he missed those chances to put us 4-2 up against Burnley I must admit to having doubts. But soon enough it clicked. Starting with his goal against Arsenal Reserves at Eastlands, he went on the most remarkable goal-scoring run in years: 24 goals in 22 games. It was enough to win him the December and January awards, and while he spent much of February back in Buenos Aires he returned to win the March award. He showed that he could lead the line as well as anyone, even if he clearly prefers the freedom of the second striker. His ability to carve opportunities and goals from nowhere allowed us to continue scoring, winning and chasing fourth while playing some fairly lifeless football. He might not like Roberto Mancini but he provided him with the breathing space, delivering goals while Mancini focussed his attention on the back four. Tévez finished the season with 23 league goals, the most in the top flight since Franny Lee's 33 in 1971/72. He might have his faults - I still don't trust his penalties - and his agent is clearly an agitator, but for as long as he's at City he is a compelling player, a marvel to watch and a major protagonist in our story. A, and TLDORC Player of 2009/10

Alex Nimley got on at Turf Moor for a few wet minutes. I hope to see more of him next year.

Season ratings: midfielders

Gareth Barry (42 starts, 3 goals)

Before the arrival of that striker from Manchester United, Barry was set to be the most important signing of last summer. His experience and assurance meant that Hughes trusted him sufficiently to anchor a 4-2-4 formation, initially alongside Stephen Ireland but then with Nigel de Jong. It worked very well: Barry dictated the tempo of play, tasked with moving the ball quickly to our front players, putting out fires where necessary and, well, 'winning' free-kicks. He faded slightly as the season went on, though, presumably from fatigue - as well as showing a frustrating tendency to hide in the biggest games. By the early months of the Mancini reign he was barely worth his place in the team, and there were rumours of much-needed groin surgery being postponed. But he improved towards the end of the year, and looks unfortunate to have his World Cup jeapordised by an ankle knock. B+

Nigel de Jong (37 starts, 0 goals)

After the bedding in period during the second half of last season he pushed on as we hoped he would this year. Didn't get into the side at first, but as soon as Mark Hughes realised the folly of playing Stephen Ireland deep in a 4-2-4 de Jong was in the side and there to stay. When in the side he did what he does best: patrolling and dominating the space in front of our penalty area like a good guard-dog does his owner's front garden; aggressive, territorial, snarling, relying mainly on the threat of violence but certainly not afraid of hurting intruders' ankles. There are concerns that sometimes he is played when we don't need him, his distribution is cautious rather than creative and so there are matches when we would be better off with Ireland there instead. But there are times when we would be lost without him; he was heroic in the 2-1 win over Chelsea in December, and produced a consistent level of performance throughout the season. A

Stephen Ireland (23 starts, 3 goals)

A sad story. It would be easy to blame the managerial change for Ireland's wretched, regressive season but I think that would not be accurate. The problems started with Mark Hughes' decision to switch from a 4-2-3-1 towards a 4-2-4, with Carlos Tévez playing off a front man. This forced 'Superman' back into a deeper midfield role alongside Barry. And for all his many gifts he didn't have the tactical discipline to do it. He was sidelined for Nigel de Jong, brought out occasionally for his preferred role in a 4-2-3-1. But with Tévez just starting to find his voice, we could not justify playing anyone else in that space behind the front man. When Mancini took over Ireland got a few more games, on the right, even in the hole when Tévez was back in Buenos Aires. Ireland is such a confidence player, though, that he needs a run of games rather than the odd start here or there and he never settled. This is a definitive summer for him. C-

Adam Johnson (14 starts, 1 goal)

The success story of the Mancini era. Bought by Brian Marwood in January - a precursor of the 'Boateng plan' perhaps - from Middlesbrough for £6m. He came off the bench at the KC Stadium for his debut, almost swinging the game back in our favour. His first start was the next match against Bolton, where he won us a penalty and tortured Paul Robinson throughout. A left-footer playing from the right, he might not be in the Leo Messi/Arjen Robben bracket but he does have a touch of magic about him, shown by his willingness to run at defenders and ability to dart either side of them, his taste for a trick and that audacity which inspired his equaliser at Sunderland. I do think at times that he is not as good as he looks: in his four games against United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal he did the sum total of nothing, and was quiet in the play-off with Spurs. But a very promising start to his City career. B+

Martin Petrov (11 starts, 5 goals)

More involved than he was last season. He was always going to find it difficult with Craig Bellamy and Robinho in front of him but did carve out a brief spell in the side under Mark Hughes, scoring in three consecutive appearances in September/October. When Hughes was sacked Petrov played more, scoring the first goal of the Mancini era and continuing to play - atoning for the 8-1 by setting up Benjani's goal at the Riverside - before the arrival of Adam Johnson limited his opportunities. He still has the talents which made him such a favourite under Eriksson: pace, fantastic delivery and an eye for goal. His strikes against West Ham and Scunthorpe were as powerful as anything this season, those against Fulham and Wigan as well crafted. Relative to his limited opportunities he produced very well for us this year. But the problem is that he's 31, his knees cannot be trusted and are only going to get worse. He has only started 19 games in the last two seasons and it's just not enough for him. His contract's out this summer and I can't see him staying. B

Patrick Vieira (8 starts, 1 goal)

Signed in January to be for Mancini what Craig Bellamy was for Mark Hughes: his eyes, ears, and voice in a dressing room predominantly loyal to a previous regime. He may have done that job well, he may not. But on the pitch we could see that he is not the player he was. He was just too slow - not across the pitch, that was expected - but sluggish, dulled, second to everything , unable to turn or retain possession. He did play well against Aston Villa, to be fair, but one good performance out of eight isn't enough to deserve retention. He might well stay, for the benefit of his experience, particularly in Europe, but I can only foresee a peripheral role next year. D

Shaun Wright-Phillips (26 starts, 7 goals)

The one man who lost most from the Hughes/Mancini changeover. For the first part of the season, he was integral - playing on the right of our 4-2-4, scoring and providing assists. Those two final high points of the Hughes era - the Eastlands defeats of Chelsea and Arsenal Reserves - when it looked as if Hughes had cracked it, but just weeks before he was dismissed - were personal successes for Shaun, excellent in both games. But Mancini clearly didn't like him so much; preferring Adam Johnson on the right wing and therefore relegating Wright-Phillips to a role from the bench. His run to set up Craig Bellamy against Villa was a thrilling reminder of what he can do, if only Mancini could let him. Another popular home-grown player whose future at MCFC is unclear. B-

The other midfielders to play a part are all Academy graduates. Greg Cunningham and Abdi Ibrahim both snatched a few minutes here and there, primarily in the FA Cup but with some EPL exposure too. Vladimir Weiss played a few League Cup games, and scored his first senior goal at Eastlands in the 3-0 against Arsenal Reserves, before struggling in the rain at the Riverside and then going on loan to Bolton. Michael Johnson did well to recover from his groin and core problems - came on twice, scoring against Scunthorpe - before rupturing his cruciate ligaments in training and missing the rest of the season. A real shame.

Season ratings: defence

Dedryck Boyata (5 starts, 0 goals)

Our Young Player of the Year started his MCFC career with an appropriately wet baptism, starting at a rain-soaked Middlesbrough in what could have been a difficult cup tie. He played well, though, well enough to be trusted with starting both of the League Cup semi-finals - with Kolo Touré on international duty and Joleon Lescott injured. Even in those games he looked assured, such was the influence of his compatriot Vincent Kompany. When Lescott and Touré returned Boyata returned to reserve football but it was certainly a promising start. He must be one of the biggest players at the club physically, and while he clearly has a lot of development left in front of him his new five year contract shows that he could just make it. B

Wayne Bridge (28 starts, 0 goals)

It's too easy to forget about the football. This winter Wayne Bridge was caught up in one of the most distracting off-field stories in football's sordid recent history. The natural instinct is sympathy, and rightly so. But we shouldn't let those feelings cloud our rational judgement. Because there is no way of avoiding the fact that Bridge had a very poor season. The errors that stained his start at City are still here: the worst was letting the ball hit his back for Burnley's third at Eastlands. He is vulnerable defensively, too timid in the tackle too often. He makes clever runs going forward but his crossing is woeful; 47 attempted this season, and none successfully completed. I no longer see him on a big improvement on what we have, and am sure that we will upgrade here this summer. Could anyone honestly argue for his inclusion in the World Cup squad had he been available? C

Javi Garrido (10 starts, 1 goal)

Far down the pecking order at the start of the season, he looked set for a January departure. But like many of the remaining Eriksson buys he benefited from Mancini's blank slate, and came into the side in January. He did what we all knew he could: slow but technically competent left-back play, not keen on physical contact but effective with his left boot. He reminded us of his dead-ball clinicism with a free kick at Molineux, his second goal for the club, just as good as his strike against Liverpool last season. Along with Benjani and Martin Petrov he atoned for the 8-1 with that cup win at the Riverside. It can't have been enough to fully impress Mancini, though, as he was out of the side when Bridge got fit. Staying next season is possible but probably unlikely. B-

Vincent Kompany (27 starts, 2 goals)

For the second consecutive season he misses out on an A, and a real shot at Player of the Season only because of his injury record. He didn't start a league game until November; but once he did he played almost continuously at centre-back. We had always known he could play there, but I never knew he would be quite this good. At times - more often than not, even - he looks like one of the league's most natural centre-backs. His physicality, his authority, his gifts with the ball on the deck or in the air; he is certainly the most talented defender at the club and if not quite of the Rio Ferdinand/Ledley King bracket then not too far away. He would certainly be a better captain than our current incumbent - he's louder and braver, as well as being a better player. If he can stay fit through 2010/11 he must have a good chance. A-

Joleon Lescott (23 starts, 2 goals)

It's unfair to blame players for the money spent on them. £24million was always an inflated sum for Lescott, and I fear it will make his debut season look worse than it was. He certainly struggled at first, forging no sort of partnership with Kolo Touré, and costing those goals that cost those points that cost Mark Hughes his job. Just as his form was starting to improve he over-extended his knee and missed two months, allowing Vincent Kompany to return to the side. Lescott returned in February, quickly rediscovering his form and starting to look like the commanding defender so impressive at Everton. He even won TLDORC Player of February. But another bad injury at Sunderland put him out for the last two months of the season and cost him a World Cup spot. Like many he must fear that City will move on beyond him this summer, especially targeting cheaper foreign-based defenders. B

Nedum Onuoha (7 starts, 2 goals)

For all the club's assurances to the contrary, it looks ever harder fo Academy players to become first team regulars at City. Onuoha had an excellent 2008/09 season, playing centre-back alongside Richard Dunne from Christmas onwards. But we bought two centre-backs last summer and Onuoha went to the back of the queue. Naturally this curtailed his gametime and he made only sporadic appearances this year. He played well enough, filling in at right back and centre back. But the fact is he is further away from being a regular than he was last year, and with Mancini set to bring in more defenders this is only going to get worse. B-

Micah Richards (25 starts, 3 goals)

Unlike Nedum Onuoha, Micah Richards continued to play football this year. As with last season, he continued to rotate the right-back slot with Pablo Zabaleta. He probably improved on last year; there are fewer defensive calamities, fewer moments of ill-discipline. His performance at Old Trafford in the League Cup semi final was very good, and made up for his errors there in the league. The raw materials are still there: he is physically imposing, he is unstoppable while running with the ball, magnetic in the air and so forth. But he is not much better, technically or tactically, than he was when he broke into the side four years ago. And I think this means he's not in our first choice team. He's still only 21, though, so time is on his side. B-

Sylvinho (9 starts, 1 goal)

Brought in to provide cover and experience at left-back. He got his chance in those final games of the Mark Hughes era, where we conceded three goals in three consecutive games. This should not reflect too badly on Sylvinho, but he was painfully exposed up against Aaron Lennon's pace at White Hart Lane. He continued to play under Mancini, demonstrating on his occassional outings in midfield that while his pace has gone the sharpness of his touch and his football remain unblunted. As with Garrido, opportunities were limited once Bridge got fit. A contract for next year remains possible. C+

Kolo Touré (35 starts, 2 goals)

One of Mark Hughes' mis-steps last summer. Not just signing him from Arsenal for £16m, but making him captain, therefore depriving the team of leadership and making it harder to drop him. It's fair to say that Touré is not the player he once was. He is strangely diffident with the ball around him; just when you want someone to fill the Richard Dunne role of throwing himself the ball at any cost, Touré looks unwilling to do so. His positioning is suspect. His clearances are haphazard. To say nothing of the vacuum of leadership represented by his captaincy; such is his silence, his spells of panic, his lack of organisational rigour. That said, he improved in Mancini's final months - and has perhaps saved himself from being moved on in the summer. But more minuses than pluses, certainly. C+

Pablo Zabaleta (30 starts, 0 goals)

A season very similar to last year: solid and committed performances in a range of positions. He started off sharing the right-back role with Micah Richards, and had a fairly poor start to the season. His indiscipline - in terms of positioning and conceding silly free-kicks - let him down, as shown by his eventual ban for ten bookings. But he settled down as the season went on, filling in at defensive midfield - including a fantastic performance in the 4-2 at Stamford Bridge - and even putting a few good shifts in at left-back and right-midfield. He might not be a world class right back but he's capable at a Europa League level and a very useful squad player to have. Consistency, versatility, determination - it's an important combination and I'm sure he will be able to replicate it next season. B+

And let's not forget Richard Dunne - a genuine MCFC legend - who played the first two games of the season before being sold to Aston Villa to make way for Joleon Lescott.

Season ratings: forwards

Craig Bellamy (10 starts, 4 goals)

One of Hughes' 'instant impact' January signings - the first time the manager could pursue his own targets with the new money that came to the club in September. Knowing Bellamy from both Wales and Blackburn Rovers, he took him from cash-strapped West Ham hoping that he would immediately improve the team. And he was right: Bellamy scored on his debut against Newcastle, and then had a fantastic February: scoring the only goal against Middlesbrough, both in the 2-1 win over København, and our one goal in the draw at Anfield - which was ludicrously awarded as an Arbeloa own goal. For this, he won the February Player of the Month award, the only forward to do so. His pace and finishing ability made him, for those weeks, the most potent striker we've had since Nicolas Anelka. But his frail knees soon caught up with him, and he made only two appearances in March, two in April, and none in May. He has spoken of trying to come back fit for next season, but with rumoured moves for Tévez, Santa Cruz, and Eto'o, his contribution may be limited. B+

Benjani (8 starts, 3 goals)

Not one of Eriksson's best buys, his stint in the lone striker role through November and December came only when Jô, Evans, Sturridge and Vassell had failed to prove to Hughes that they were up to the task. He scored on his first appearance of the season - the 3-2 defeat of Twente, but managed goals against only Schalke and Fulham in his remaining games. The old frailties remained - no real movement, no pace, and a very poor record in front of goal. Had he not ruptured his thigh in December (an injury he never fully shook off) he would still surely have been replaced by whichever strikers we were to sign in January. Managed to make two substitute appearances in April and May, but cannot have done enough to save himself from the chop in the summer. C

Valeri Bozhinov (2 starts, 1 goal)

For the second consecutive year, became one of the stories of the season by virtue of his absence. As with 2007/08 an exciting pre-season led to high expectations but a very serious injury in August put him out for the majority of the season. Unlike last year, though, he did manage to make a return within time, coming off the bench at the Boleyn Ground - appropriately enough, where his City career started nineteen months before - and made two more substitute appearances before starting against Sunderland and Fulham. He never looked match fit though, and continued to play reserve games while returning to the bench for the first team. In the season's penultimate game, at White Hart Lane, he came off the bench to score his first competitive goal for City; one of the year's happiest moments. While this is a year in which we did not see anywhere near the best of Boji, his movement, aggression and dynamism did stand him apart from most of the City frontline. Unfortunately for him those attributes are all to be found in a certain Argentine whom we are pursuing this summer. n/a

Felipe Caicedo (13 starts, 7 goals)

One of this season's surprise success stories. Did not get a chance until Racing Santander in December - once Jô, Evans, Sturridge, Vassell and Benjani had all proved themselves unfit for the lone striker's role. But he came off the bench to score in Spain, and did the same at the Hawthorns (via Scott Carson, admittedly) three days later. Two goals in the demolition of Hull followed and Caicedo was showing a better eye for goal than any other centre forward thus far that year. The arrival of Bellamy limited his chances, but he continued to work hard whenever asked. His limitations were always clear: there isn't much to his movement, he struggles to keep hold of the ball, and his footballing brain still needs some work (against Hamburg at home he was offside something like eleven times.) But for all that, he managed another four goals in the season's final months, including two impressive and important strikes at home against Aalborg and HSV. He may not be Denis Bergkamp, but for hard work and an eye for tap ins, he's got more than Benjani and Vassell. Could well have done enough to save his City future. B+

Ched Evans (5 starts, 1 goal)

Had a few first-team opportunities - including a start on opening day at Villa Park after Bozhinov's breakdown minutes before kick-off - but could never quite convince that he could succeed at a level higher than Norwich City. Like other City forwards, his work rate and commitment could not be matched with sufficient technical ability to really make it. Took his goal well against Portsmouth, and could have scored in the return game at Fratton Park were it not for a quality save from David James. But I'm not sure that our rejecting a £1.5m bid from Sheffield United points to a long term career at City for Evans. C+

Jô (12 starts, 3 goals)

Up until September 1, he was the big name attraction, the glamorous big money Brazilian signing who was going to take us to the next level. While the arrival of Robinho did take some of this pressure of Jô, it could not obscure the fact that it was £19m very poorly spent. Having spent much of pre-season representing Brazil in the Olympic games, he never looked fully settled in the Premier League; for a centre-forward he was striking in his sloth around the penalty area, never managing to pop up in the right places or to hold up the ball successfully. In his gangly legs, surprising physical weakness and apparently lazy approach he reminded more of Georgios Samaras than we would have liked. Two goals in Cyprus and one against Portsmouth could not obscure this, and he was soon out of the side, and off to Everton where he did quite well. Surely does not have a future at City. C-

Robinho (40 starts, 15 goals)

The trophy-signing of the new board, he was both the immediate result and the key symbol of City's exciting future. Even on the morning of 1 September 2008 the prospect of our buying a Brazil regular from Real Madrid from under the noses of Chelsea would have been ludicrous, but Abramovich wouldn't pay £32.5m and the rest is history. Having arrived in such dramatic circumstances, it's hard to focus dispassionately on the football. I think it's fair to say that he did well, but not exceptionally. An early spurt of goals was certainly impressive, and his quality lit up games in a way many City fans have not seen before. The chip against Arsenal, the volley against West Brom - we had not seen the like of this before. But he was infuriatingly inconsistent, almost never playing well away from home. His performance at Fratton Park was a disgrace. And when he's not playing well, we'd be better off with Vassell out on the left, for the tracking back if nothing else. I don't know whether a strong pre-season and his year of experience will significantly improve him next season, or whether his inconsistency is instead due to insufficient commitment. If he plays like this next season, we could probably push for sixth. But if he turns into the player he has the potential to become, and gets new forwards to play with, he could spearhead our charge for the Champions League. A-

Danny Sturridge (8 starts, 4 goals)

Another player for whom off the field issues have predominated this year. He did manage to have his best ever season for the first team, scoring more goals than ever before. He has a capacity to produce the unexpected matched only by the Brazilians and Stephen Ireland, and natural gifts beyond those bestowed on any of our centre forwards. His goals against Blackburn and West Ham, and his assists against Blackburn and Stoke show us this. But he could not free himself from the injuries which have held back his development so far, and as the season progressed his contract situation loomed larger and larger. He will probably leave, and may well turn out to be a very good player for another team. Which is a shame. B-

Darius Vassell (12 starts, 1 goal)

Started the season well in the EB/Streymur games before sustaining a serious knee injury which put him out for months. Like Benjani, played almost all of his games in November and December, stationed on the right wing - with SWP moved into central midfield. So dependant on his pace in his pomp, he is half the player he was having lost a yard or two. Persistent running could never make up for a lack of quality or incisiveness and he never looked like regaining his form from the Pearce era. One of the four players to make his final appearance in the catharsis of the 3-0 Forest defeat. Will never play for City again. C

Season ratings: midfielders

Nigel de Jong (16 starts, 0 goals)

Bought at great expense in the January window, to add some experience and steel to midfield. As was the case with our buying Shay Given, fans managed to gloss over just how lucky we were to get a player of his quality; Holland's first choice holding midfielder, previously of Ajax and HSV. If you want to see how far we've come since Gillingham, just look at the relative quality of our Dutch holding players. Twelve years ago we bought Gerard Wiekens, never-capped by the Oranje, from BV Veendam in the Dutch second tier. Six years ago we got Paul Bosvelt, a thirty-three year old on the down slope of his career, with a handful of international caps to his name. And now our takeover allows us to buy twenty four year old Dutch international regulars from Hamburg. Anyway, it was always going to be difficult for him this season: he'd spent much of autumn 2008 out injured, was dropped straight into the City team but could not play half of our games - due to UEFA rules. His energy, tough tackling and efficient passing did improve the team, but we'll have to wait until 2009/10 to see him really at his best. B

Elano (31 starts, 8 goals)

Splits opinion between City fans like no other. Had a wonderful start to his City career in the opening months of the Eriksson regime but then faded as last season ground to a halt. Suffered from the outset this season with the arrival of Robinho - which forced Mark Hughes to abandon the 4-4-1-1 which he had deployed in the opening games, adopting instead a 4-3-3 system. With no trequartista position, Elano could only play in central midfield, where he was consistently outshone by Stephen Ireland. Faltering performances led to a bust-up with Hughes, and he was not included in the squad of eighteen for the trip to West Brom in December. Returned to the side regularly in April and put in some performances which recalled his glory days of 2007; his two woodwork-hitting freekicks against Hamburg, his assist for Robinho at Goodison Park and all of those penalties (only Lampard is better in the Premier League) reminded us what he can do. But once the season ended, he demanded a new contract and now looks set for a move to Serie A. A shame, but not as much as some City fans think. B

Gelson Fernandes (9 starts, 2 goals)

I quite liked Fernandes last year - he wasn't the finished product but he ran around alot and wasn't afraid to put his foot in. But he's had a poor season, and is surely set for a summer exit. He played a bit in the season's opening months, but after a stupid red card cost us the game against Spurs he was always out of favour. In the last few months he became a useful time-wasting substitute, although it was alway a shame when his introduction was booed by the fans. C-

Dietmar Hamann (8 starts, 1 goal)

Another midfielder who could not replicate his performances under Eriksson for the Hughes regime. As his legs started to give way, he was asked to do more and more and with them - no longer allowed the luxury of having the team built around him as was the case under Sven. Once Kompany and then de Jong arrived, his chances were always going to be limited. One of the four players whose last game for City was the 3-0 FA Cup loss to Forest in January. C-

Stephen Ireland (48 starts, 13 goals)

In strictly football terms, the story of the season: after three faltering, inconsistent years, Ireland gloriously found his voice as a footballer in 2008/09. It was arguably the best season had by a City player since Ali Benarbia's miraculous 2001/02, and at times his vision and craft were reminiscent of the Maghreb magician. But that doesn't tell us half of it. In fact, the crucial point is that this was the year when Ireland married the technical gifts he's always had to a new-found strength, consistency and will to win. And in synthesising the best elements of his two boyhood heroes - Eric Cantona and Roy Keane - he can become a distinctly City hero himself.

All this, and he wasn't even in the team on opening day. He came on at Villa Park with fifteen minutes left, and sparked City into action. He was selected for the next game against West Ham, and never looked back. He won the Player of the Month awards in August, September, October and November - but that does not indicate his failing to maintain his standards into the new year, but rather his teammates finally catching up; it was Ireland's season-long consistency that made the PFA's award of Young Player of the Year to Ashley Young all the more ludicrous. It's hard to pick out the best moments: his second goal at the KC Stadium, his three assissts and one goal against Hull at home, his pass, sprint and finish in the first minute at the Nordbank Arena, a similar goal at Goodison Park, his chip to Robinho to score against WBA. But the happiest he's made us this year was when he signed a new contract last month, committing his long-term future to the club. A (and TLDORC Player of the Season)

Vincent Kompany (44 starts, 1 goal)

As good a piece of business as City have done in years: costing as much as Georgios Samaras or just £1m more than Jon Macken. Like his fellow August import Pablo Zabaleta, has excelled in both defence and midfield; as he demonstrated in his debut against West Ham when he had fifty brilliant minutes in holding midfield, before Ben Haim knocked out Richards and Kompany had forty immaculate minutes at centre-half. With his size, strength and bravery he recalls Sylvain Distin, but Kompany's much more comfortable in possession than he ever was. Had he played all year he would have been in competition for Player of the Season - he won the January award, but he barely looked fit from January onwards, thanks to a toe injury he could never really shake off. One of the reasons that Hamburg let him go so cheaply was his dreadful injury record there, and as he struggled to regain fitness I worried he may face the same problems here. And with the arrival of Gareth Barry his positions in central midfield and as captain-in-waiting are both threatened; could Hughes unite him with Onuoha at centre-back next season? A-

Shaun Wright-Phillips (37 starts, 8 goals)

In any other year this could have been the main story: the return of the prodigal son, arguably the best player ever produced by the City Academy, who assured his role as a City legend with the goals and running we all remember. When he scored twice on his re-debut at the Stadium of the Light it seemed like this would be the case. But days later ADUG bought City and City bought Robinho, and the SWP return story was pushed to the margins of our attention. I'm not sure, though, that this distraction was entirely a bad thing for Wright-Phillips. Because I don't think he went on to have a particularly good season. He had some very good games and scored a few very good goals, but he was just as inconsistent as Robinho or Elano: two good games would be followed by three poor ones, he went missing against bigger and better defenders, and he would not always produce in away games. Of course, I still love him - but I wouldn't be shocked if Hughes invests in a better right winger over the summer. B

Finally, then, two midfielders whose seasons were ruined by injury: Martin Petrov and Michael Johnson. They were both regulars in August and September before suffering long term knee and abdominal problems respectively. Petrov returned for a few games in April/May and while Johnson managed a reserve game then he never made it back to the first team. I can't really award either of them marks, suffice to say that we missed them both and will be much better off in 2009/10 with them both playing.

Season ratings: Defenders

Michael Ball (13 starts, 0 goals)

One of the last relics of the Stuart Pearce era, he looked out of place in a side that is trying to leave the dismal memories of 2005-2007 behind. Spent the first few months of the season resurrecting last year's game of competing with Garrido for title of 'Premier League's slowest left-back.' His effort is there for all to see, and he was quite an effective performer when he was quicker, but he just doesn't have it anymore. One of four players to play their last game for the club in the cathartic nadir of the 3-0 FA Cup loss to Forest in January. C

Tal Ben Haim (14 starts, 0 goals)

Not Mark Hughes' best bit of business. I thought that he represented a good deal at £5m but his spell at the club represented a real failure. He forged an unconvincing partnership with Richards - whom he knocked out against West Ham. Individual errors cost goals against Aston Villa, Brighton and Hull. And to top it off he went to Garry Cook to complain about Mark Hughes. Will not be seen in a City shirt again, I imagine. D

Wayne Bridge (22 starts, 0 goals)

The first buy of the January window, and signalled Hughes' policy of pursuing experienced Premier League campaigners rather than any sort of galactico or wunderkind strategy. At first he did not look much an improvement on Ball and Garrido - making errors that led to goals against Newcastle, Stoke and Portsmouth. He settled into the team as time went on, cutting out most of the errors and showing a quality in attacking play that we haven't seen in a City left-back for some time. There were some fitness problems later on in the season which saw Zabaleta moved across to fill in a few times. A good pre-season, though, and he should be able to justify his fee next year. B-

Richard Dunne (47 starts, 1 goals)

The big question is whether it was an anomalous off-year, or the start of a decline. Because this was not the Richard Dunne we've known and loved for the past nine years. He was slower and clumsier than he's been before, and failed to produce for Hughes the reliability on which Eriksson, Pearce, Keegan and Royle all depended. The dismissal for kicking Amr Zaki was the low point, and he did improve after his four match ban, but there were too many errors to ignore. By the spring, he was consistently overshadowed by Nedum Onuoha, who finally blossomed into the defender some (not me, to my shame) said he would become. And with Hughes said to be on the lookout for a new centre half - and with a ready made captain's replacement in Barry - Dunne may well be at the end of his long journey with City. B-

Javi Garrido (17 starts, 1 goal)

Better than last season, but still not good enough. A clear beneficiary of the Hughes fitness regime, looking quicker and stronger than he did under Eriksson and putting in some pretty good performances in the autumn. Scored a brilliant freekick against Liverpool in October. But, like Joe Hart, he could not do enough to dissuade Hughes from buying a top of the range Premier League experienced model in January. And when Garrido came on away against Aalborg we were reminded exactly why we pay Bridge £90,000 per week. C+

Nedum Onuoha (27 starts, 2 goals)

One of the season's success stories. Finally fulfilled his potential and became a very good, very consistent centre half. Spent the first few months on the bench, filling in at right or centre back when required. But our defensive frailty in 2008 saw Hughes adopt a new approach for 2009: moving Zabaleta into midfield, Richards at right-back and Onuoha alongside Dunne or Kompany in front of Given. It was one of Hughes' best decisions this season, transforming our defence from one of the league's weakest to an acceptably solid one. And at the centre of it was a finally injury free Onuoha. He no longer looks like a promising athlete and occassional footballer but a genuinely composed and commanding defender, with credible international prospects, and was rewarded with the March and May Player of the Month awards. Like Stephen Ireland, he gave a lesson to some of his fellow Academy graduates as to how patience and commitment are the only real means to fulfilling potential. A-

Micah Richards (49 starts, 1 goal)

One of the season's disappointments. So much was expected after last season's heroics, but after a bad knee injury in the spring of 2008 he never seemed to recover his form or confidence. The early suspension to Richard Dunne forced Richards to form with Tal Ben Haim one of the worst centre-back pairings in recent memory. They were mauled by Gabriel Agbonlahor on opening day at Villa Park, and the next weekend they went for the same ball and Richards was knocked out. He struggled on at centre half until Christmas, when he was moved to his preferred right-back position. He was better there, able to impress with his galloping runs down the right, if not always with his defensive positioning. A good performance and his first goal for years against Sunderland in March was a certain highlight. But there was always a sense that when Zabaleta was no longer needed in midfield he would return, and a training-ground spat with Hughes rounded off a rather unsatisfactory year. If he wants to make the 2010 World Cup he needs a big improvement next season. B-

Pablo Zabaleta (39 starts, 1 goal)

I was distraught when we sold Corluka to Spurs, but I should have known not to doubt Hughes - because his replacement is even better. Given that he arrived from La Liga in the last week of August and was thrown straight in to a Premier League game with Chelsea, he settled in quickly and had a very good season, peaking with the December Player of the Month gong. Split his time between playing right back and holding midfield with equal competence and commitment and even did a job at left back when asked; and became a crowd favourite very quickly. For his work-rate, his versatility and 'robust' tackles, he's already immensely popular; he's like Danny Tiatto but he can play. Another good season next year and we may well see him lining up alongside Messi at next year's World Cup. A-

Let's not forget three other defenders: Corluka made six pretty impressive starts before Hughes replaced him with Zabaleta, making a profit in the process. Shaleum Logan filled in at Fratton Park in the absence of Micah Richards, reminding us all how quick he is, and of course the legendary Glauber Berti who got ten minutes against Bolton to rapturous applause.

Season ratings: Goalkeepers

Shay Given (21 starts, 0 goals)

If you ever want to remind yourself how far we've come in the last ten years, draw up a 'best City players since I've been supporting' team. If you're under fifty - and I imagine that most of my readers are - the likelihood is that quite a few of the names on the teamsheet will be from the Eriksson and Hughes era. In terms of talented players, we're as lucky as we've ever been at the moment, even if it doesn't always seem that way. No player represents that better than Shay Given; he may have only played twenty-one games for us, but he is surely the best goalkeeper we have had for thirty years. Of all the players we've bought since the takeover, he is the only one I almost feel guilty over - he's just too good. Some of the saves he's made since joining have been breathtaking - a few from Afonso Alves, the Aalborg penalty shoot-out and one from Marouane Fellaini - which helped him to my April Player of the Month award - stand out but there have been many more. Probably the best move Hughes has made, if one of the easier too. If we ever win anything, it will largely be down to this man. A

Joe Hart (33 starts, 0 goals)

Given's arrival made Hart one of the few real losers from the ADUG takeover, in what was ultimately a season of frustration for him. He had a good start to the season, recalling the form that had made him such a good prospect last season. His heroics in the shoot-out in Midtjylland brought back memories of another young English goalkeeper making a name for himself nine years before. But he could never quite do enough to dissuade Hughes from deploying our new found wealth at the top end of the market. When he conceded two soft goals at the Hawthorns on Boxing Day, his fate was sealed. Hart has not had another touch since, and a loan deal to Birmingham City suits all parties. I'd be surprised if we see him again in a City shirt. B

Kasper Schmeichel (2 starts, 0 goals)

Unplacing Joe Hart was always going to be difficult for Kasper; unplacing Hart and Shay Given is impossible. Chances were limited this season to just two games, but even when he did play he never excelled. At the Withdean Stadium he conceded two soft goals and became the only City goalkeeper to lose a penalty shoot-out this season. Surely has no long term prospects at City and will move in the summer. C-