Been looking for some news on Essien and missed this;

http://sports.peacefmonline.com/soccer/201206/119237.php

Can't find confirmation of it anywhere else online, but as we have already off-loaded Kalou, Boswinga and Drogba I would have thought we would have heard if The Bison was going. So I am gonna take this piece at face value and assume RDM wants him to stay.

Personally, I think it is a good move to keep hold of him for another season and see how he goes. I know he has had some crippling injuries but he is still only 29 and, if he could stay injury free and get anywhere near his rampaging best, he could still have a major role to play. One thing is for sure, we have missed the awesome physical presence he gave us before the injuries and our midfield has not been as dominant since then.

Edited July 2, 201214 yr by just

He has been a shadow of himself. I'd let him have one more year to see if he can do the job for us.

If not he will surely be offloaded.

Like I said before, there's no downside to keeping him for another season. Only way he should be moved on is if it aided us in the transfer of someone else like Modric/Jovetic. That would make more sense than selling him for next to nothing.

His a decent backup at best. its a shame how he has declined due to these injurys. His future will be decided by the players incoming.

No sense in selling him for nothing, obviously.

He would have been one of the first names on the teamsheet only a couple of years ago and was such a force in midfield, the kind of player who just seems to be everywhere, tackling, blocking, intercepting, pressing and of course giving us that drive forward with such energy when on the ball. Not to even mention he is responsible for 2 of the best goals I have ever seen at the Bridge against Barcelona & Arsenal. He has that in his locker as well, a truly maginifcent player to have in the midfield and well worthy of the Bison nickname.

Unfortunately I do struggle to see how he is going to get back to his best in a team where places in midfield are going to be hard to come by. There is already talk of how we are going to accomodate Ramires, Lampard, Mikel, Mata, Hazard before any potential new players arrive like Hulk & Modric. And of course there are others like Romeu coming thorugh. He had a fair few months at the end of last season and the fact he didn't feature in the Champions League is sadly a bit of an indicator for me, as when at his best there would have been no decision to be made- he would have started.

I certainly wouldn't force him out or sell him for peanuts but at 29, if a decent offer came in I think I would have to listen to it.

If we could get £5m-10m for him, I'd take it.

The animal-instinct he has is gone with the injuries I'm afraid. It is the small thing that made him go into tackles with force and what made him make those powerful runs.

I see him blocking Romeu's way into the team. Romeu is pure class but need those precious minutes. Ess has won all and has experience but we need to get this boy really in the squad.

The animal-instinct he has is gone with the injuries I'm afraid. It is the small thing that made him go into tackles with force and what made him make those powerful runs.

I see him blocking Romeu's way into the team. Romeu is pure class but need those precious minutes. Ess has won all and has experience but we need to get this boy really in the squad.

I'd go along with that, if Essien can accept a reduced role then fine; but it wouldn't be the end of the world if we sold him.

I think the club need to have a look at the squad really and work out if it is worth keeping the likes of Malouda and Essien or is it better to let them leave and either buy new players or replace them with our youngsters.

Other people are already talking about Frank taking a reduced role next season. we cant have too many players like that.

I love Essien as a player and from what I've ever seen of him as a person, even moreso since seeing him get up on Eva at the end of the CL. However, he is a shadow of his former self and I think it would be remiss of us to not consider any decent offer that came in for him.

Scott

I think the club need to have a look at the squad really and work out if it is worth keeping the likes of Malouda and Essien or is it better to let them leave and either buy new players or replace them with our youngsters.

Other people are already talking about Frank taking a reduced role next season. we cant have too many players like that.

I take your point but I'd be keen to make a distinction between a Malouda/Kalou/Boswinga and Essien.

Essien at his peak was one of the top midfield players in the world. A player who could, and did, completely dominate big games with his massive physical presence, work rate and stamina. He provided the platform for the Frank Lampards etc to have the freedom to get forward and their jobs would have been twice as difficult without him. Essien was a vitally important player, Malouda wasn't.

I accept that it may be that Essien, JT and Frank will all have reduced roles this season, but all have been huge players for us and Essien is the youngest of the three, so if there is even the slighest chance that he is completely over the injuries and can return to full match fitness, then it is worth giving him a season to see how it goes.

I'd love to see Essien stay. Last year he didn't get a close season, and when he finally returned to the side he was never going to be fully match fit. Hopefully this summer he'll get a proper close season and remain injury free - if this happens I'm fairly confident he'll be close to getting back to his old self.

And the sooner Malouda goes the better, I'm very uneasy that he's still at the club - surely AVB will get rid?

I think we already got rid of AVB, mate

I'm split on Essien, the heart says stay, the head says go!

He was a great midfielder an absolute beast of a player, if I thought he could be that player for us again it would be fantastic, unfortunately I don't think he can get anywhere near that player again!

I'd like to see him go to France or Italy where he could still be very influential in games, but not cause us any harm!

I think he was finished as a top player well before the most recent injury. it's a great shame because without the injuries he might have gone on to hit a higher level of performance and consistency.

In the cold light of day I think what ess is now is a relatively average midfielder (at the level to which we aspire) who probably commands a wage disproportionate to how often he will play and what he could offer.

if we have a chance to sell him, we should. that's my tip.

I think he was finished as a top player well before the most recent injury. it's a great shame because without the injuries he might have gone on to hit a higher level of performance and consistency.

In the cold light of day I think what ess is now is a relatively average midfielder (at the level to which we aspire) who probably commands a wage disproportionate to how often he will play and what he could offer.

if we have a chance to sell him, we should. that's my tip.

Agree with all of that.

The key statement for me is the 'level to which we aspire'; sadly I don't think, even with a pre-season, he'll reach those heights again. Hope I'm wrong.

Maybe it would suit Mike to play in a league that's easier on the knee injuries he has?.

Would the French League suit him?.

If Josh McEachran were to be given his place in the squad,then as a token of grattitude for all he's done for CFC,I'd be happy to let him go on a free.

I think we already got rid of AVB, mate

heh heh, I've had a lot on my mind this last few days - could have been SOS, PSV or TSB!

Essien should be sold, he is past it!

Edited July 2, 201214 yr by euro34

"29" lol

100% needs to go, post-injury Essien seems like the slowest player in a squad with JT and three keepers! Sad to see, but he has genuinely lost everything, and we have a pretty populated midfield with Mikel Lamps Josh De Bruyne Meireles Ramires Romeu and even Malouda all capable of playing there - like has been said, Romeu needs and deserves to play also

Beware shedding quality for nothing.

For me it depends on how he is used.

Keep him for pre-season, if he can't cut the mustard, let him go. He has to be challenging for a place, not a 'reduced role', his wages would be far to high for that. A pay as you play deal would be perfect, if he signed up for it though. Otherwise he is taking the place of a youngster on the bench, and blocking out vital time. But I trust RDM, he knows Essiens injuries better than any of us, so if he says a good pre-season and some prem games will have the beast back, I am all for it.

But I trust RDM, he knows Essiens injuries better than any of us, so if he says a good pre-season and some prem games will have the beast back, I am all for it.

The only people qualified to make an informed decision regarding Essien's status are the medical staff and the board. RDM is not a doctor nor has he been around long enough to understand the extent of the situation.

The only people qualified to make an informed decision regarding Essien's status are the medical staff and the board. RDM is not a doctor nor has he been around long enough to understand the extent of the situation.

dont forget tthe man himself.

I chose my words carefully. Essien is not qualified to assess his fitness anymore than a car accident victim is qualified to assess their health.