Michael Essien on pre-season with Chelsea

It was the same old story, except with a different ending.

Fernando Torres played 30 minutes for Chelsea, but unlike the Champions League, Chelsea lost.

AC Milan put the Blues to the sword in the Sun Life Stadium – home of the Miami Dolphins.

Far away from the action was the man who for so many years now has done precisely what was missing in the US.

Michael Essien would have been the one to track Urby Emanuelson and prevent the Milan player’s second half-strike.

Michael Essien is determined to prove he is not the forgotten man of Chelsea and Roberto Di Matteo will be wise not to forget him.

With a midfielder arsenal that will now include Eden Hazard, Oscar and Marko Marin, Di Matteo keeping Essien in the side gives us a hint that his formation may be the one that he ran with Didier Drogba, except that it will be Fernando Torres up front.

A 4-5-1 formation looks more than likely given the attacking intent of the likes of Hazard and Marin and the holding capability of Essien.

That will free Frank Lampard to play a roving role as well.

John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic, David Luiz and Ashley Cole will more than make up for any defensive or attacking needs from the back.

Hazard impressed in the game against Milan easily going past Bakaye Traore and Luca Antonini in the box only to have his strike deflected wide for a corner.

Jon Mikel Obi and Rail Meireles make Chelsea a squad for the long haul and Romelu Lukaku is not quite done as well.