Parlour blasts Chelsea over Essien treatment

By Ameenu Shardow

Arsenal Legend Ray Parlour feels Michael Essien was still good enough to get regular games at Chelsea.

The Ghana international sealed his season’s-long loan move to Real Madrid on transfer deadline day.

Essien’s switch was necessitated by his absolute zero first team opportunities at Stamford Bridge under Roberto Di Matteo this term.

The 29-year-old had fallen down the perking order with hints of a regime change at Chelsea.

But Parlour insists Essien could have still played ahead of Di Matteo’s preferred choice of Nigerian John Mikel Obi in the Blues’ midfield.

“Michael Essien is a very good player, I played against him many times when he was younger then,” he told GHANAsoccernet.com.

“But he has always been a talented player, I have always been amazed that he has not been in this Chelsea team a little bit more.”

The ex Olympique Lyon enforcer now has the opportunity to prove he is still the real do by reliving his glory days under manager Jose Mourinho – under whom Essien thrived most at Chelsea.