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The two great West Africans won the lot at Stamford Bridge, but who had the most influence in West London?
Chelsea’s dominance of the Premier League in the mid-2000s was certainly significant for the top flight, as they ended Manchester United and Arsenal’s dominance of competition for a decade. Not since Blackburn Rovers in 1994/95 had another side plus the pair finished as the best dog in the division, so it was refreshing to see a change at the top in 2004/05.
José Mourinho’s troops, backed by Roman Abramovich’s funds, had several key players in that first success in 2005, and none was possibly more important than the French water carrier, the protector of the baseline, Claude Makelele.
Without knowing it at the time, the success of the former defensive midfielder of Real Madrid in The whites and Stamford Bridge had a drastic impact on the career of Mikel John Obi, a talented game creator who joined Chelsea in 2006.
However, 12 months before the Nigerians arrived in West London, Mourinho made Michael Essien the club’s most expensive signing at the time, after the Ghanaian was thrilled for two seasons at Olympique Lyonnais.
The effervescent midfielder, two-time Ligue 1 champion, was also the current Player of the Year in France upon joining, and his inclusion in the league’s best XI on 02/03 (his last year at Bastia) and 04/05 meant that it was on the rise and could only improve.
Meanwhile, Mikel starred in the World Youth Championship in 2005 when Nigeria was defeated as a finalist against an Argentina largely led by Lionel Messi to his fifth title. The young man’s talent, the game retained and the decision were fundamental for the Flying Eagles’ career towards the decisive one, and they deservedly awarded him the Silver Ball, while Taye Taiwo finished as the third best player in the competition.
After a lengthy dispute with Manchester United, the wonder boy completed his move to the London side in 2006, but his path changed course for the rest of his career.
At the beginning of the 06/07 campaign, Makelele’s final in the defensive midfield saw that position that bears his name, and with age no longer on his side, there was a desire to develop another player like him.
As the young Nigerians switched clubs, Frank Lampard and Essien took center stage in midfield, with Michael Ballack as a new addition to Mourinho’s team.
Since he was not as dynamic as Ghanaian and German nor did he possess English scoring prowess, Mikel was strangely seen as Makelele’s replacement at midfield base.
However, the Silver Ball 2005 winner suffered for the rest of his Blues career for one reason: He was not a Makelele.
While possessing the pass range and physicality to thrive in that position, Obi lacked the tactical understanding of the role and initially struggled.
In fact, the Nigerian’s career was compromised thereafter and he lost all of the attacking talent and knowledge that made him highly skilled in 2005.
However, it was different for Essien, whose dynamism was held at Stamford Bridge. The former Lyon player’s driving runs from midfield and ball transport drew him to the club’s supporters and his tendency to give it his all was an added bonus.
In his first campaign, Bison formed a formidable partnership with Makelele and Lampard while Chelsea walked the league on 06/05. While the former Real star was the deepest of the trio, Essien’s defensive nous mitigated the English star’s attacking nature.
His absence was seriously felt in the Blues Champions League defeat to Barcelona in the first knockout round, a disappointing campaign in Europe given the quality of that team.
Ghanaian exhibits saw him named the BBC’s African Footballer of the Year for 2006, becoming the first Black Star since Sammy Kuffour in 2001 to claim the honor.
What made Essien special was not just his energetic style or strength, but the fact that he combined that with a high level of tactical intelligence to play multiple roles: midfielder, midfielder and defensive midfielder where his passing range was underestimated.
Their versatility was crucial in the Blues’ European career on 08/07, where finalists were defeated against United. The former Bastia star appeared on the right side in crucial knockout ties against Fenerbahce and Liverpool, before taking up the role in the Red Devils’ final loss.
He also had a penchant for scoring spectacular belters, with notable punches at Stamford Bridge against Arsenal and Barcelona on 07/06 and 09/08 respectively. The former kept Chelsea’s undefeated home run in the league, while UCL’s volley almost put the Blues in the final. Unsurprisingly, both stunners won the club’s goal of the season award.
Before serious knee injuries slowed him down, Bison was arguably one of the best midfielders in Europe, resulting in nominations for the FIFA World Player of the Year Award and the Ballon d’Or Awards for three consecutive years.
Between 2005 and 2009, the Ghanaian also topped the bottom three for Africa’s most prestigious individual award, which came remarkably close in 2007 after an incredible 06/07 campaign, only to fall short before an equally impressive Frederic Kanoute.
While it dropped alarmingly in its later years, and was only a minor player in 2012 when the club claimed its European Holy Grail, fans at the Bridge appreciated Essien’s dedication at its best to form a core of the successful Golden Blues generation.
For Mikel, it was certainly an icy relationship.
Unable to truly step out of Makelele’s shadow, fans constantly beat him up for his performances on the field and his conduct off the field.
With Chelsea not playing with a recognized number 10, the Nigerian was consistently, and perhaps unfairly, reprimanded for his passive and languid style that saw him disappointed as the team’s ‘first offensive midfielder’, while failing to protect the line in the background and his His predecessor saw him underperform as the team’s “first defender”.
This would be Mikel’s perception until he left West London in 2017, a player who divided opinion among followers over a period of 10 and a half years.
Be that as it may, the extraordinary performances of Super Eagle on my way For the success of the 2012 Champions League, his popularity grew somewhat in the following seasons until his eventual departure in January 2017.
Both West Africans won a pair of Premier League titles, multiple FA Cups, the League Cup and the colossal Champions League, while the Nigerian added the Europa League on 12/13.
Despite the fact that Essien’s value to Chelsea in the mid to late 2000s cannot be questioned, Mikel’s position, while appreciated, still seems slightly undervalued among supporters.
However, the situation could have been different if Mourinho hadn’t made him a functional player or if watchers at Stamford Bridge weren’t obsessed with a reincarnation of Makelele and just left him alone. However, we will never know.
