English Premier League: Contenders for Player of the Season award (Part 6)
Michael Essien: The first player that comes to everyone's mind when they think of a box to box midfielder, is Chelsea's very own, Michael Essien. Over the years Essien has proven himself to be the very best at what
he does. In fact he has been so good at what he does, that he has got a position on the pitch named after him, the player doesn't play as an attacking, central or a defensive midfielder, but rather he plays in the Essien position, according to the team's manager
Carlo Ancelotti.
Essien missed out on a major portion of the previous season with Chelsea due to an injury that he picked up, during international duty. That injury also saw the player miss out on the World Cup. When a player like Essien doesn't
play for a good portion of the year, it is fairly obvious that once he is back all h**l is going to break loose.
That has been the case so far this season. Essien started playing as the defensive midfielder, behind the likes of Frank Lampard when the season started, but with Lampard getting a hernia surgery, he has been out of action for a
couple of weeks. This was the cue that Essien needed to go out of his head.
The player has been giving some of the performances of his life so far this season. He has been creating goals and scoring goals for Chelsea as though it was something that he could do in his sleep if required. When Essien isn't
scoring or creating goals, he is busy breaking up almost every attack that the opposition launch on Chelsea.
If the player manages to keep up this superb form, when Lampard makes his comeback, it is quite easy to say, that the African midfielder would take home the player of the season award, once the season ends.
Ashley Cole: Most people assumed that Ashley Cole's career as a footballer, was over following the problems he was facing in his private life. The media had not given the player, a moment's rest and it seemed like
he would not be able to live up to the level, that everyone has come to expect from him.
However as the season has progressed so far, the player has been quite simply, excellent. So far this season he has retained his reputation as being one of Chelsea's most valuable players.
His tackling and defending has been as strong as ever, only this time around it seems like the player has worked on his attacking. He has been a constant threat down the left flank along with Florent Malouda and will be looking
to continue to do so for the rest of the season. His crossing has been great and in the past he has shown that he can score the occasional goal if required to.
Cole might be one of the unlikeliest of players to take home the player of the season award, however if he continues to perform the way he has been, then it wouldn't be surprising if he did just that.
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