NOt sure how you could pick one from that display but try your best!

A day where defenders won hands down. Alex for me.

Alex for me.

Riley.

Alex, the only player out there who looked like they tried. Cech never tested, but at least looked bothered

Scott

Alex gets my vote, did all that was asked off him.

Woooo my 1000th post!

I've gone with Alex - hardly put a foot wrong. Cashley did well after making a bad mistake early on, and Riccy did OK too.

Alex, by a mile.

Pizarro belongs in rugby league, he has no skills with his feet.

Malouda -- another total disappontment.

I went with Alex today. Even if he wasn't great he atleast seemed to want to go forward and win this one.

Btw. Has anyone ever seen him talk on the pitch?

Ballack showed class so has to be him but ashley nd belleti wer strong contenders

Alex for me too

Ashley Cole looked up for it and fought hard all game, MOTM hands down.

My team ratings:

CECH - 7 - Never really troubled all that much. Did what he had to do, the way he had to do it. More than fine by me.

ALEX - 9 - His only fault was not scoring one of those set-up crosses we always directed to him. Never put a foot wrong, can't remember a single mistake he made. A solid rock in defence. My MOTM

CARV - 6 - A generally sound performance. Made a couple of mistakes that could have cost us, but none was blatantly off the mark; also, as far as I can think, lost 90% of all air challanges against Crouch. I know Spaghetti man is 2m-something, but Carv had to do better IMO.

BELLETTI - 6 - Good job at the right side of defence, although he obviously struggled against a very motivated and full of tricks Babel. He looks like those full-backs who are much more confident with dribbling and crossing, rather than spending a whole match tiptoeing around a winger. Was caught off on a couple of occasions, but again, none too blatant.

A.COLE - 8 - It seems to me that Grant has finally made the left-back position something to fight for and that competition proves very, very healthy for Cashley. He really looked up for it 110% and if you noticed, he was really fuming when someone put in a wrong pass for him or when our attack ended because of somebody else's mistake and he had to sprint backwards to cover up. If he improves his crossing and dribbling, he might be a worthy competitor of Bridgey, but I doubt it

MAKELELE - 8 - I begin to understand why Grant agreed to play him only in the big matches. Very solid and composed, a couple of tiny mistakes, but a tremendous effort and class. Can't be blamed for the impotency we showed up front.

LAMPARD - 6 - He obviously lacks match fitness and I hope he regains it fast, as we all know how important he is for the team. His game today was too slow and cautious and he never really showed what he is capable of. I honestly didn't expect anything more from him, fresh back after 2 months on the sidelines, so I don't blame him.

BALLACK - 8.5 - My runner-up for MOTM. Extremely influential and no sign of his former self back from last season. Continues to impress with every match gone. Great creativity, good passing, got himself in positions and what a cracker that goal would have been well into the second half. Keep it up

SWP - 6 - His strengths are speed, dribbling and shooting. Was deprived of chances to show any of the three. Never looked dangerous, but to his credit, the Bin-dippers neutralised him very well.

J.COLE - 7 - Full of tricks and imagination. Luck had it that none of his tricks would work tonight, but he put in another decent performance. Always looked dangerous on the ball and yes, Mr Riley, you c*nt, that WAS a penalty.

ANELKA - 7 - Tended to disappear for vast parts of the game due to bad service and being very closely guarded by their defence. Then he had to run deep to get the ball and looked like the part when he did. A class act and I think he would make a fantastic partner for Drogba on either flank.

SUBSTITUTES:

MALOUDA - 3 - Was on the pitch nearly half an hour and didn't show ONE thing that can make me think of him as an even decent player. I don't care how much we paid back in the summer and what he was like in Lyon , he doesn't deserve even a place on the bench right now.

MIKEL - 7 - Tried to change things, but only managed to get a few passes together. Methinks his natural position is the Maka role and not one of an attacking midfielder. Didn't get sent off, which brought him 1 extra point from me.

PIZZA - 3 - One word : Why, oh, why didn't we accept that offer from Valencia back in the transfer period ?

Alex is the only contender.

Pizzaro, didn't get long but I thought did alright when he came on.

When he was pitched in alongside Anelka, it meant Nic finally had some support and we actually looked capable of holding onto the ball in the final third, getting other players forward and creating a bit of pressure on their back four.

Alex, by a mile.

I thought he was guilty of bad positioning on more than a few occasions.

Ricky had the best positioning in defence.

Belletti did his job well, thought he may be a weak point but he did ok.

Sweepy was hussled out of it.

Mickey was dependable.

Anelka was very quiet.

Bring on the reinforcments because we looked dull and void today !

Thought Benitez was predictable with his gameplan, thus making Avram look the fool, it was so obvious they would hussle the ball in packs, we just didnt keep the ball long enough to combat this.

Was pathetic really, real suprised Clarkey didnt get hem in at half time and demand we keep the ball for 45 minutes in the second half.

I voted Carvalho with Alex a close second. If I was forced to pick a third place it would go to Ashley Cole but it would be a distant third. Surprised to see Belletti get so much credit today, although I thin there was a lot worse players than him today (Maka, Lamps, Joe and SWP all spring to mind) I think Babel (decidedly average player) got the better of him on far too many occasions.

Carvalho for me but would toss a coin between him and Alex, Mikel from when he came on was good too.

Pizzaro, didn't get long but I thought did alright when he came on.

When he was pitched in alongside Anelka, it meant Nic finally had some support and we actually looked capable of holding onto the ball in the final third, getting other players forward and creating a bit of pressure on their back four.

Pizarro wasn't alongside Anelka. He played up on his own and Anelka went out to the right and took Joe's place.

and I voted Ashley Cole. He had an excellent game.

Alex for me.

Oh, and Virosh, after reading your player ratings, I suspect you may have been watching a different game to the rest of us. Either that or you score in Dog years...

Oh, and Virosh, after reading your player ratings, I suspect you may have been watching a different game to the rest of us. Either that or you score in Dog years...

After reading the others' thoughts on the game, I felt the same, Brian

Well, I guess I just saw it a different way.

I don't think we were awful at all , I just felt this was a very thight game between two strong teams. There were very few mistakes from either side, which, paired with no single stroke of a genius from any player, produced a wholly deserved draw.

Also, Maka wasn't that bad IMO. Certainly not his best game, but far better than what I read most make out of it.

Ashley Cole looked up for it and fought hard all game, MOTM hands down.

I'm with Murdoch, Cashley for me (but probably not for Cheryl)