He will be back, and he will be used as a squad player

I'd rather use Chalobah than Essien as a squad player.

I think he's still useful, you just need to stop comparing him to the Essien of old.

Have to agree not a lot of room in football for sentiment for me, doesn't matter how good you were once if your not up to it you've got to go. Sell him while there's some small re sale value and let a youngster like romeu or chalobah have a go. Would have been one of the best ever for me if he could have stayed fit, a beast but time to go

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Romeau Essien Mikel would be the order of DM's next year.

A DM in a 4231 is different to a DM in a 433 system. I don't know how that will affect his fame, it may even suite him now that he is not as dynamic as before.

football these days is not easy, when you are on top you are every body's main man then some lose sentiment for the club and move away for big money, one one stays on and dips in form he is pushed out, then one wounders why didnt i do a Nicola Anelka and got some$$$$$$, i am just thinking out loud

*game

Jose already has friends at Chelsea.

And it's like Roman cares about what players have done for Chelsea in the past

Essien is past it.

Don't care if Essien goes or stays as long as we get another midfielder in.

So you guys wouldn't rather have Chalobah?

Might as well send Chalobah on loan where he would play every week instead of sitting on the Chelsea bench making one five minute appearance every month.

I reckon Essien would get more game time than 5 minutes every month so there's no reason why Chalobah wouldn't get as much game time

CSTP, my line of reckoning is, what if as a manager in the middle of a key game in the run-in or CL ko rounds for example, you're already missing one of your lynchpins through suspension and another limps off with 15 minutes to go. When you turn to the bench, who do you think you'd like to see, an 18-year-old with Watford experience, or a 30 (31, 32?) year old with close to 500 top level matches under his belt?

In a squad you obviously need a blend of both sorts, but doesn't it make perfect sense for a manager like Mourinho to have a guy like Essien as emergency back-up? The guy's just been working with him for the full year too, he's in a better position to judge that than any Chelsea imo. I can't stand the bloke, but I wouldn't really question him on this one.