Essien impresses in Madrid emphatic win
Posted On Thursday, 4th October 2012
Michael Essien had a decent game against Ajax
Michael Essien continued the road to top form as he helped Real Madrid to thump Ajax 4-1 in the Uefa Champions League on Wednesday night.
The 29-year-old lasted 78th minute at the Amsterdam Arena as he continues his recovery to reach top shape.
He was picked ahead of Samir Khedira and combined effectively with Xabi Alonso, who had more space to operate with the Ghanaian super star mopping up well just in front of the Madrid defence.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick and Karim Benzema smashed in a spectacular overhead kick to give the Whites the comfortable victory and sent them top of Group D and left Ajax pointless in its first two European outings this season.
Ronaldo scored his first in the 42nd and added two more in the 79th and 81st minutes to seal the match after Niklas Moisander’s 56th minute header had made it 2-1 and briefly given Ajax hope.
Ronaldo, who also netted a hat trick in the Spanish league on Sunday, took his Champions League career tally to 42 goals in a morale-boosting win for Madrid ahead of this weekend’s league clash with archrival Barcelona.
But it was Benzema’s 48th-minute strike that was the highlight.
The France striker hit a powerful overhead volley that left Ajax goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer clutching at thin air.
The return to form of Essien will surely excite many Ghanaian fans as it could revive his international career.
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“STYLE OF PLAY”
BARCELONA ARE NOTHIG EXTRAORDINARY. ALL THEY DO IS THIS…
EACH PLAYER IS LIMITED TO 2 AT MOST 3 TOUCHES ON THE FIELD. PASS, BREAK AND PASS ETC. THEY DO THIS THROUGHOUT THE GAME. THEY PASS THE BALL TO
WHOEVER IS ON THE LEFT, RIGHT OR INFRONT AS THEY ATTEMPT TO SCORE. THE ONLY TIME U SEE ANY BARCA PLAYER HOLDING THE BALL IS WHEN THEY R IN
THE 18 YARD BOX. WATCH THEM VERY CAREFULLY. THIS IS HOW THEY BEAT OPPONENTS. THE MINUTE AN OPPOSING PLAYER ATTEMPTS TO HOLD UNTO THE BALL, ITS
TAKEN AWAY IMMEDIATELY, AND THE CYCLE CONTINUES ALL OVER. THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO HOLD BALL POSSESSION.
WAT DO MEAN BY “STYLE OF PLAY” IN AFRICA? SPAIN HAS WON 2 EURO CUPS AND REIGNING WCUP CHAMPS WITH THIS STYLE. WOMP3 WEI NA WOP3 WHAT?
IM PROLLY SURE THE SPANIARDS COPIED THIS FROM THE BRASILIANS.
WEAK ATHLETE…..
IF YOU ARE AN ATHLETE,U HAVE TO LIFT METAL. ITS PART OF THE TRAINING EXERCISE OF REMAINING FIT N STRONG TO ENDURE THE PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE
SPORT. EVEN TIGER WOODS WHO PLAYS GOLF DEY LIFT METAL. HOW MUCH MORE SOCCER PLAYERS, GOALIES DEN TINGS. ASMAOIAH GYAN, DANIEL AJEI, INKOOM, AFFUL
…I MEAN THE LIST GOES ON AND ON…ALL THESE PLAYERS DONT LIFT METAL. MOST OF THE GBSTAR PLAYERS DONT LIFT METAL. MEANWHILE, PLAYERS LIKE
ABEYIE, WAKASSO WHO ARE STRONG DONT GET CALL UPS. I MEAN WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?
Dude! This is not a comment for this article. Please be responsible!!
SAY THAT AGAIN
This dude is just noising about with this same Barcelona comment on every Ghanaian soccer website. 1,2 and pass, just shove it son.
KAYGEE, DO U HAVE A BRAIN? IF U HAD WATCHED THE GAME, U WOULD HAVE REALISED THAT THIS WAS HOW REAL MADRID PLAYED IN ORDER TO GET THIS WIN. LESS THAN 3 TOUCHES, AND PASS THE BALL….
Check out goal.com rating of Michael Essien- Who agrees? I do!!
Given the nod ahead of Khedira and Modric, but did nothing to justify his inclusion. Outsmarted by Eriksen a few times, while he could not keep up physically, either. Deservedly hooked.
His rating was higher than those 2… Goal.com is not a perfect site. They don’t understand the game in many aspects. He deserved at least a 3.5 as he managed to help them play possession rather than counter attack int he first half.
GHANAMAN, IM AM CONVINCED THAT UR BRAIN IS UPSIDE DOWN IN UR HEAD. WAT A RETARD….ESSIEN WAS AVERAGE AT BEST IN THIS GAME. INFACT, THE GOAL AGAINST REAL MADRID WAS PARTLY HIS FAULT AND DAT OF THE GOLIE. HE BROKE UP LESS PASSES. HE WAS MORE EFFECTIVE AT READING THE ATTACK OF AJAX, BUT HIS IMPACT WAS NOT MASSIVE.STOP MAKING EMOTIONAL DECISIONS!
i agree. he did nothing exceptional.. he has got to step up his A game
kaygee u are right…Essien was ordinary
Essien needs more time on the field. I wasn’t impressed with his performance. He can do better!
GSN is abusing the word ‘impress’. Essien did ok, nothing spectacular. He didn’t impress me, it was Ronaldo who impressed.
Kaka and Benzema were also impressive.
Really people? Essien did great and impressed. He wasn’t suppose to join Benzema and Ronaldo upfront. He did hiss job v well by being the link btn the midfield and the attackers. It’s his stamina that will catch up later but he is gradually getting there. Mourihno started him and he deserves it.
POW, U ARE AN IDIOT. U DONT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT YOURSELF,LET ALONE SOCCER. U FAGGOT!
Essien was not spectacular but he played the role he was assigned to! Football is not only fine, fine and agro sort of things! There are always players who are assigned particular roles in the game; they are put there to effect certain tactical functions in the game. To the lay observer,such players don’t “shine” but to the “trained eye” its a different picture altogether! “Goal.com”‘s rating is biased! and I believe someone also on this forum, because the two German national players have been sent to the bench since Essien’s arrival! This is not being taken well by the supporters of the German players! The Khedera, Ozil and Essien situation in the Real Madrid team has a very long story and reason behind, to go into that would spring the boundaries of this forum!Mourihno knew what he was about when he brought him to Real Madrid, the middlefield is now more structured and compact!
the performance essien put up against ajax, had it been mikel obi who had put up the same performance on dat day i knw ghanaian would hv said he wasnt a gud player, but becos he is essien we say he was gud. For the 12mins khedira lasted on the pitch he was far beta dan our essien, wit an assist, he was also a beta winner of the bal. We r al fans of essien but wit dis performance he doesnt merit a plax ahead of khedira. Essien we knw u, so prove ur worth.