Without a doubt, one of my favourite post match reads is howt people rate our players. It gives me an idea if people know what they are on about or if their just muppets.
There is plenty of negativity on here about JAR and Arbers but that's understandable considering the stakes involved.
Instead of castigating players for one howler decision lets try to go through the teams performances in general.
I was worried that failing to score a second goal would ultimately cost us and in the end it did. Torres has been brilliant this year but it was hardly his best game was it. And what about Stevie, was he up to par tonight?
Anyway, try to add your ratings objectively when we've all settled down a bit.
Liverpool
Pepe Reina 6
Owes Skrtel and Carragher large drinks for protecting him so well against Drogba. He was underemployed for long periods
Alvaro Arbeloa 5
Mostly sound but gave possession away too cheaply on occasions and struggled to second-guess Malouda at times
Jamie Carragher 8
Excellent throughout. Detailed to mind Drogba, their duel was to a key subplot. Survived penalty claim but seemed to win ball
Martin Skrtel 7
Not always sure whom to pick up but, on the plus side, often combined well with Carragher to keep Drogba in check.
Fabio Aurelio 6
Kept Joe Cole on the fringes of the action. Not much of an overlapping threat. Taken off on a stretcher just after the hour mark
Dirk Kuyt 8
Used his strength to outmuscle all-comers and scored Liverpool's goal. Involved in most of their best openings
Xabi Alonso 7
Nearly made a goal for Kuyt with an intelligent pass, and his cute backheel provided a vital link in the preamble to Liverpool's goal
Javier Mascherano 7
Slowed the tempo and locked down central midfield when Chelsea started looking lively
Ryan Babel 6
Boasts pace and talent but found Ferreira a stubborn first-half obstacle. Was much improved in the second period
Steven Gerrard 6
Got a lot of attention from Makelele. A rare escape and a volleyed pass made a great chance for Torres. Not at his best
Fernando Torres 6
Contained by Carvalho for long periods. With Gerrard often tied up, lacked customary service but showed flashes of brilliance
Chelsea
Petr Cech 6
Made a great late save from Gerrard. Earlier came out to block a Torres strike. The busier of the keepers, he could do little about the goal
Paulo Ferreira 5
Not overly troubled by Babel during the first period but was given a thorough work-out by the winger after the interval
Ricardo Carvalho 7
Assigned as Torres's principal shadow but made a vital early challenge on Kuyt. Lost the Spaniard more than once
John Terry 6
Announced himself with a sliding tackle on Torres but was troubled by Kuyt's incursions and when Gerrard escaped from Makelele
Ashley Cole 5
Looked uneasy during aerial duels and was turned by Kuyt to costly effect. Totally lost him in the build-up to the goal
Claude Makelele 6
Tasked to keep close to Gerrard and succeeded in subduing him for long periods. Failed in last-ditch attempt to prevent Kuyt's strike
Michael Ballack 5
Contributed too many slack passes and struggled to carve out space for himself. Not the German's most effective evening
Frank Lampard 6
Lost the ball in the build-up to Kuyt's goal. Found Alonso a tough opponent and Joe Cole was rarely on his wavelength
Joe Cole 4
Often seemed on the game's periphery. Froze when Lampard presented him with an inviting opening. Replaced by Kalou
Florent Malouda 4
Frequently forced to forage extremely deep for possession behind Drogba and often ran around to limited effect
Didier Drogba 5
Eclipsed by Carragher. Wasted an inviting early free-kick and saw soft penalty appeal rejected. Betrayed by a heavy touch
That gives us a total of 72 and the Chavs 59, but "they deserved a draw" according to lampshade
There is plenty of negativity on here about JAR and Arbers but that's understandable considering the stakes involved.
Instead of castigating players for one howler decision
lets try to go through the teams performances in general. I was worried that failing to score a second goal would ultimately cost us and in the end it did. Torres has been brilliant this year but it was hardly his best game was it. And what about Stevie, was he up to par tonight?
Anyway, try to add your ratings objectively when we've all settled down a bit.
Liverpool
Pepe Reina 6
Owes Skrtel and Carragher large drinks for protecting him so well against Drogba. He was underemployed for long periods
Alvaro Arbeloa 5
Mostly sound but gave possession away too cheaply on occasions and struggled to second-guess Malouda at times
Jamie Carragher 8
Excellent throughout. Detailed to mind Drogba, their duel was to a key subplot. Survived penalty claim but seemed to win ball
Martin Skrtel 7
Not always sure whom to pick up but, on the plus side, often combined well with Carragher to keep Drogba in check.
Fabio Aurelio 6
Kept Joe Cole on the fringes of the action. Not much of an overlapping threat. Taken off on a stretcher just after the hour mark
Dirk Kuyt 8
Used his strength to outmuscle all-comers and scored Liverpool's goal. Involved in most of their best openings
Xabi Alonso 7
Nearly made a goal for Kuyt with an intelligent pass, and his cute backheel provided a vital link in the preamble to Liverpool's goal
Javier Mascherano 7
Slowed the tempo and locked down central midfield when Chelsea started looking lively
Ryan Babel 6
Boasts pace and talent but found Ferreira a stubborn first-half obstacle. Was much improved in the second period
Steven Gerrard 6
Got a lot of attention from Makelele. A rare escape and a volleyed pass made a great chance for Torres. Not at his best
Fernando Torres 6
Contained by Carvalho for long periods. With Gerrard often tied up, lacked customary service but showed flashes of brilliance
Chelsea
Petr Cech 6
Made a great late save from Gerrard. Earlier came out to block a Torres strike. The busier of the keepers, he could do little about the goal
Paulo Ferreira 5
Not overly troubled by Babel during the first period but was given a thorough work-out by the winger after the interval
Ricardo Carvalho 7
Assigned as Torres's principal shadow but made a vital early challenge on Kuyt. Lost the Spaniard more than once
John Terry 6
Announced himself with a sliding tackle on Torres but was troubled by Kuyt's incursions and when Gerrard escaped from Makelele
Ashley Cole 5
Looked uneasy during aerial duels and was turned by Kuyt to costly effect. Totally lost him in the build-up to the goal
Claude Makelele 6
Tasked to keep close to Gerrard and succeeded in subduing him for long periods. Failed in last-ditch attempt to prevent Kuyt's strike
Michael Ballack 5
Contributed too many slack passes and struggled to carve out space for himself. Not the German's most effective evening
Frank Lampard 6
Lost the ball in the build-up to Kuyt's goal. Found Alonso a tough opponent and Joe Cole was rarely on his wavelength
Joe Cole 4
Often seemed on the game's periphery. Froze when Lampard presented him with an inviting opening. Replaced by Kalou
Florent Malouda 4
Frequently forced to forage extremely deep for possession behind Drogba and often ran around to limited effect
Didier Drogba 5
Eclipsed by Carragher. Wasted an inviting early free-kick and saw soft penalty appeal rejected. Betrayed by a heavy touch
That gives us a total of 72 and the Chavs 59, but "they deserved a draw" according to lampshade
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