What a lost.. really hope its not a big deal as it sounds. By the way, I heard alot of people talking about the poor form of Essien last season, I thought he wasn't at his best too, but I saw a post made by a guy from another forum about Essien last season. Wanted to know what you think, I think he has a point. "The departure of Ballack changed Essien's position, and maybe that's why people see him less involved in the attacking game. It's not says somthing about the ability that he produces, because Essien was and remains a great player, and every moment from him on the field is useful to the team. When Ballack was in Chelsea, Essien was free to help the attack and be more involved in our flowing game. When Ballack left, Essien was the only responsible and tough character on midfield, which gave him all the responsibility in the defensive midfield. It probably gave people the feeling Essien was less involved, and gave less to the team".