Opta Jury: Michael Essien
Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien is the latest subject of the Opta Jury.
Being the record signing at a club with the wealth of Chelsea is a lot of pressure to bear, but Mickael Essien seems to be coping well at Stamford Bridge as he nears the end of his first season in London.
It took a monstrous fee of over £24 million to prise the Ghanaian from Lyon last summer but Jose Mourinho had identified the midfielder as a key signing for the English champions, and the deal was duly done.
Essien's name became increasingly synonymous with quality during the 2004-05 season as he powered Lyon into the UEFA Champions League quarter finals with a series of monstrous performances for the French side. He bagged five goals in the tournament, a total that only six players (all of them strikers) could better, and his price tag rose with every round of fixtures as the European giants circled him with covetous intent.
| Player | Mickael Essien | |
| Team | Lyon | Chelsea |
| Season | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| Competition | Champions League | Premiership |
| Appearances | 10 | 28 |
| Time Played | 930 | 2,184 |
| Goal Attempts | ||
| Goals | 5 | 1 |
| Shots On Target | 11 | 10 |
| Shots Off Target | 10 | 29 |
| Shooting Accuracy | 52% | 26% |
| Chance Conversion | 24% | 3% |
| Passing | ||
| Goal Assists | 0 | 1 |
| Total Passes | 490 | 1,310 |
| Pass Completion % | 82% | 85% |
| Defending | ||
| Tackles Made | 44 | 98 |
| Tackles Won % | 59% | 80% |
| Discipline | ||
| Fouls | 21 | 44 |
| Yellow Cards | 0 | 5 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
Goalscoring duties have largely fallen to other players at Chelsea this season, (Essien's sole Premiership strike coming against Spurs in March) but his accurate passing and fierce
