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When Chelsea conducted the post-mortem into why they failed to mount much of a title challenge last season, most observers assumed beleaguered coach Luiz Felipe Scolari would take the blame.
Talk to the players, however, and they will point towards the lengthy absence of one man - Michael Essien.
The Ghana international spent six months on the sidelines with a knee ligament injury, which kept him out from September until March.
By the time he returned, Chelsea were already effectively out of the race and yet there was still enough time for him to help the team to victory in the FA Cup and almost fire them into the Champions League Final.
The injury was the first major setback of his career at Stamford Bridge but it was the club, and most noticeably Scolari, who suffered most.
Before Scolari was sacked in February, he had spoken of his excitement at the imminent return of the 26-year-old to full fitness because of his ability to play in five different positions.
In the end his recovery came too late to save the Brazilian, but he did rescue Chelsea's season.
Now Scolari's loss is very much new manager Carlo Ancelotti's gain, for the midfielder believes the injury frustration he went through last term has made him better than ever.
He said: "The injury has actually helped me a lot. I had to be strong to cope with the rehab and all the hard work. I have come back stronger than I was before.
"After coming back from an injury like that I am now tougher mentally. You have to be in order to cope with it.
"I don't worry about the injury now because I'm the kind of person that when I'm on the pitch I forget about everything and just get on with my football.
"It was really tough to watch the games from the stands and seeing my team go through difficulties last season. I'm the type of person who wants to be on the pitch so that we win and lose together."
It is on the field that the normally shy Essien becomes a different animal. Anyone attempting to talk to him away from the cut and thrust of the sporting arena will struggle to hear a word he says. Yet the player, who is still affectionately known as 'The Bison', certainly gets his message across loud and career when wearing a blue shirt.
He added: "I think off the pitch I'm a quiet person. I don't really like talking or doing interviews.
"But when I'm on the pitch that's a different thing altogether - the pitch is like my office and when you're in the office you don't mess around, you mean business.
"So when I'm on the pitch, everything switches and I go with my football and do everything to try to win the game."
It seems Ancelotti's biggest problem for the forthcoming season is how to keep his burgeoning band of his midfielders happy.
The Italian is still looking to sign AC Milan's World Cup winning star Andrea Pirlo, but also has Deco now claiming he wants to stay.
That means Chelsea could have as many as six central midfielders at the club, but Essien sees it as a cause for optimism not pessimism.
He explained: "I think we have one of the best midfields in the world. When you look at who we have you can see some good quality. We are strong now, but maybe we will be stronger in the future."
What is motivating him most to perform next season is not the agony of his knee injury, but the memory of the club's latest setback in the Champions League.
His stunning volley against Barcelona looked set to book Chelsea's place in their second successive final only for Andreas Iniesta to score the crucial away goal to send the Spanish side through in the final minute.
Of course the game was more renowned for the controversial refereeing display of Tom Henning Ovrebo after the Norwegian denied Chelsea four penalties.
But Essien insists it is vital Chelsea don't suffer a hangover from the disappointment next season and said: "The game is in the past.
"We have to forget about it and look into the future. The future is more important than the past.
"I scored a good goal that night but at the end it didn't mean anything because we didn't get what we wanted."
Few would bet against him putting all of the wrongs he suffered last season to right over the next 12 months.
Reader views (1)
Essien was a huge loss last season, and he will be sorely missed come Africa's Cup in January. A surplus of midfielders won't be a bad thing with him and Mikel away.
- Westl, London, UK, 29/07/2009 09:54
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