Newcastle 3-4 Portland Timbers 2 – NUFC Match Ratings

6. Yoan Gouffran (Replaced By Siem De Jong) - 3/10

Yoan Gouffran pulled on the captain's armband in the second-half... Let that sink in for a monent. It was another terrible display by the Frenchman as Steve McClaren pulled a John Carver by picking him in central-midfield. THE ATTACKER (used in the loosest sense of the term but one that the new head coach should pay attention to, he never was and never will be a central-midfielder) was anonymous for almost the entire game apart from when he was giving the ball away or toe-poking a horrible effort wide from a central position just inside the box. If McClaren persists with the former Bordeaux man then questions need to be asked. That'll be a third manager that sees something in the player that absolutely no one sat in the terraces does. What's he doing behind the scenes to deserve his place in the team?

Siem De Jong - 5.5/10

Not given too much time to do anything to McClaren, but still showed his class with a couple of intricate through-balls and a sweetly struck free-kick which was turned over the bar by the Portland keeper. The former Ajax man also proved his fitness levels are getting back to their best as he sprinted back pretty much the full length of the pitch to become the last line of Newcastle's defence and clear the ball from danger. More shoots of hope from the Dutchman - hopefully there's a lot more to come this season.