“Lampard lays it off for Essiennnn…What a scorcher…unbelievable! This should win a game.” followed by the huge uproar from the Chelsea fans… It’s been a long time since that has happened. I can still vaguely remember myself shouting and punching in the air – What a wonderful feeling ! It was a game between two of the biggest teams in London – Arsenal and Chelsea. Most of the CFC fans know what I am talking about, but rather than talking about what had happened in that match, I would like to express my opinion on why Essien still has a future at Chelsea. One look at the video below should definitely prove that I have a legit case to put in front of a few fans who seem to have lost faith in him. Admire the quality. Plus you get to see Ashley Cole celebrating against his former club. God I love this guy !
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Bison, as he is nicknamed by his fans, for his tough tackling styles, immeasurable energy and his physical presence on the pitch, is like a battering ram that cannot be stopped. So many times I have seen the opposition trying to grab him and pull him down, but he fights off anyone who comes in his way and unleashes a fierce shot on target or plays a perfect through ball for the striker to go clean through on goal. Not just that, he is a box-to-box player who always comes back to defend and puts in so many vital tackles which prove to be pivotal in breaking down the opponent’s movement and confidence. His calmness and composure on the ball was often envied by so many central midfielders.
He has scored goals like the one against Arsenal several times. Another one which comes to my mind was the one against Barcelona in the Champions league second leg, but for some reason, for me personally, the goal against Arsenal was the best he has scored in his Chelsea career. I can still remember the look on the face of some Arsenal player who was in front of Essien when he shot the ball (I think it was Flamini), his body language was almost as if he wanted to say “please don’t shoot the ball at me”.
A few seasons ago, a Chelsea squad without The Bison never looked complete. He was irreplaceable back then and was deemed by many as the best player a team could have in their midfield. He suffered a horrid knee injury during pre-season training last summer which kept him out for the major part of the season. He made a return late in January this year but did not perform well. He was sluggish, definitely not match-fit and looked like a mere shadow of his old self.
Former Blues manager Andres Villas-Boas signed Oriol Romeu, the Spanish youngster from Barcelona, as a long term replacement and while Essien was injured, he and Obi Mikel were filling in for him in the starting eleven. Mikel did not perform well under our former manager but he really stepped up his game under Roberto Di Matteo. One of his best performances was in the Champions League victory against Bayern Munich. On the other hand, Oriol Romeu has been brilliant for the Blues. He is very calm on the ball and doesn’t lose possession easily. The main feature this kid has offered the Blues is the fluidity he brings in the midfield. He distributes the ball quickly, and with confidence. He still is very young, and has a lot of time to improve.
In my opinion, Mikel has done enough to secure his place in the starting 11 for the Blues. His performances last season have been surprisingly mature and composed. But there is no reason why we should even think that a player like Essien is never going to be challenging for his spot again. Some critics (or should I say many) say he is past his prime after his terrible knee injury but I don’t agree with them. A new season always gives us new promises. Yes, he has negatives. He is injury prone; sometimes his tackles are too rough. But as much as he wants his presence to be discomforting for his opposition, his actions or his tackles are never malicious. Imagine the quality we will have in the midfield with Mikel and Essien competing to claim their spot in the team sheet. The Blues have a tough and grueling season up ahead and if Essien steps up and recovers from this bad patch, he will be a very valuable asset for the team. He has his chance to show whether he still has the quality with which he made a name for himself in the football world, as Chelsea have some very interesting fixtures against top teams in the Pre-season.
Time will tell, whether he is past his best or if he will return stronger than ever. But you’ve just got to love him, not just for the goals he has scored or for his assists, but also for his love of the game. When he shoots an optimistic shot from afar and launches it into the crowd, he smiles when he feels he could have done better and when you see him doing that, you cannot help but smile and say “That’s just Essien!”
