Afternoon all , Im an Everton fan but wanted to get Chelsea fans opinions on Essien.

I was shocked to read that a lot of you believe Mikel to be player of the season so far but wondered what your thoughts and opinions are regarding Essien.

Cheers.

Strange thing about Mikel, people tend to either underappreciate him or overemphasise his overall contribution.

Any particular reason you're asking about Essien though? Searching for "Essien to Everton" threw up this solitary result:

Funny Transfers X360

I was having a debat/discussion and have done for a while regarding Essien with friends and wondered what the general impression was from Chelsea fans.

Midfield powerhouse, badly missed last season. Still not back to his best after being out injured for so long. Gets a bad rep from referees because of a couple of dodgy tackles early in his Chelsea career.

He's also filled in at the back in emergencies and is an extremely useful player to have around.

Essien is a shadow of his former self since returning from serious knee injuries. Two knee injuries - ACL and MCL - in two years is not good. They have deprived him of of his energy and pace. His shooting and distribution have markedly deteriorated. My main concern....has he been affected psychologically?

It's difficult to figure out what's ahead of him and I have serious misgivings about his future in football.

I sincerely hope he returns to the Essien of old!

The psychological impact- particularly the success after making an almost-complete recovery- is greatly underestimated by many when recovering from injury. Petr Cech is a good example of this.

I don't think he is physically damaged but he is mentally playing within himself.

Hasnt had a great season really, but i still think he would get in most people's first XIs. Very strong physically which always helps if the game gets scrappy, but he is a decent footballer as well. The goal against Barca couple years ago shows he has great quality. I also remember him for marking gerrard out of the game on a few occasions.

He started the season well, got a few goals. Perhaps the past 2 years on and off the physio table has had its affect and hes burned out now? Maybe a rest is in order.

I'd swap you Denilson for Essien seeing as how some here think he's passed his peak...

Alright, alright we'll throw in Comedy Eboue as well.

By gum, you guys drive a hard bargain!!!

on his day and at his best (which he is way short of at the moment) Essien is the most complete midfielder in our squad if not the premiership.

I'd swap you Denilson for Essien seeing as how some here think he's passed his peak...

Alright, alright we'll throw in Comedy Eboue as well.

By gum, you guys drive a hard bargain!!!

The day Eboue becomes a chelsea player is a sad, sad day in our history

Think hes had a terrible season tbh, should be doing a whole lot better now, had plenty of games back from the injury. Seems to have a cluster of really impressive games, and follows up with a longer spell of seemingly not pulling his weight. Still a valuable member of the squad overall.

Needs resting for 2/3 weeks, I agree with an earlierpost that he looks burnt out after those long lay offs.

Started well, been sh*t for most of the rest of the season though, but the same applies to Mikel.

Ivan, Ash, Cech, & perhaps Ramires are the only players worthy of winning player of the year so far.

defnitely looks burnt out, he hasn't got any zap or bite in his play...........he had good patch 4 matches earlier this season but bonkers foul on dempsey screwed that run up...............if you remember the week after (when suspended) he swanned off the africa to his pet-project - noble yes, but in my book he should've been here and training.

not sure if he has the desire any more and maybe other focuses playing a part

cant remember the last time he changed a game or was MOTM

sad but true

On his day I rate him as one of the best midfielders on the planet. The Essien as of late however appears to be a complete stranger.

Give him time.... and well take Cesc or VPersie plus Denilson..... and only cause he is in a ong slump, other wise we'd want all 3 ;)

Another player who mysteriously went off rail and not coming back. It has to do with motivation, and i don't think the holding role suits his style. Time on the bench will give him the kick in the back side he needs, right now he knows he get picked automatically regardless of what happens.

World class on his day, but seriously off form at the moment and shouldn't be anywhere near the starting 11, sad to say. Ramires is the only midfielder who looks fit for purpose at present, which is why our attack looks so toothless.

Essien is a shadow of his former self since returning from serious knee injuries. Two knee injuries - ACL and MCL - in two years is not good. They have deprived him of of his energy and pace. His shooting and distribution have markedly deteriorated. My main concern....has he been affected psychologically?

It's difficult to figure out what's ahead of him and I have serious misgivings about his future in football.

Agreed. Very difficult for any footballer in any code to reach their former standard on both fronts and complete recoveries are very low statistically.

Absolutely love Essien. But have to say this season he has been pretty poor. As others have said may be a mixture of psychological/physical problems, but it is quite worrying to see him lose the ball as often as he does, without any of the dynamism we've been used to from him. Probably worth benching him just to give him a break for a bit?

I'd swap you Denilson for Essien seeing as how some here think he's passed his peak...

Alright, alright we'll throw in Comedy Eboue as well.

By gum, you guys drive a hard bargain!!!

Give us Cesc plus Wiltshere (as an under study to super Josh) & you've got a deal.

BTW, something very strange happened last night, you could actually hear arsenal fans singing songs (as opposed to booing there own).

BTW, something very strange happened last night, you could actually hear arsenal fans singing songs (as opposed to booing there own).

Hmmm, are you sure you'd like to go down that route, dude? Don't know if you know your fans' own history but as the saying goes:

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. ;)

Hmmm, are you sure you'd like to go down that route, dude? Don't know if you know your fans' own history but as the saying goes:

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. ;)

We talking about recent history? If so, we own a lot more than you bunch of mugs.

His problems have been magnified by recent average performances from Malouda, Lamps and Mikel who all seem to be out of sorts. I simply do not understand why CA didn't give Josh a chance 2nd half against Fulham, there seemed little to lose. off subject but what has happened to Yuri? malouda could do with some competition on the left.

His problems have been magnified by recent average performances from Malouda, Lamps and Mikel who all seem to be out of sorts. I simply do not understand why CA didn't give Josh a chance 2nd half against Fulham, there seemed little to lose. off subject but what has happened to Yuri? malouda could do with some competition on the left.

Started training again this week I read.