How good was it to see Michael Essien starting a game on Tuesday night?

Our 26 year old midfielder has been a huge miss this season and we’ll never really know how different things might have been with him in the side but even a not match fit Michael Essien, being played wide right, showed us the impact he can have in just one game against Juventus.

It’s not the first time he’s put away a perfectly timed goal in the Champions League either. Who could forget his run down the wing from right-back to beat Valencia’s Santiago Canizares at his near post and send us through to the semi’s in the 2006/07 season? Strangely enough, he’d only just come back after a spell out with a knee injury for that game as well. No great surprise he took the Chelsea vote for both Player of the Season and Goal of the Season that year (just in case anyone forgot his 35 yarder against Arsenal).

Little wonder Guus Hiddink started him in the game after just 25 minutes against Coventry.  The Chelsea boss said after the game “Michael’s contribution was good not just for his goal, which was important, but also overall.   He is fit but not game-fit for this level. We had to watch him carefully as he ran out of fuel and we brought on Juliano Belletti, who was very good and set up our second goal.   It was good to see Essien come back. By playing he’s getting the best practice to get into shape for 90 minutes.”

The Bison is back!

Filed under: Current Players, Rants