Comment: Michael Essien’s last post

It is my last blog of the season and what an eventful campaign it has been. It has been a sweet and sour season and to use a sandwich analogy – sweet bread at the top, sour filling and more sweet bread at the bottom. To expand further, we started the season extremely well, had a sour middle part and are now ending strongly.

We have hit a good run of form lately and have managed to haul ourselves back into the title race. We have to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford this weekend to ensure we are in the driving seat and I can assure you we are up for it. The team is playing well and I have no doubt we will give it everything we have to beat Man United.

We need all the support we can get from you, the fans, and I have no doubt you will be there for us when we need you most.

At the moment all I am concentrating on is winning games for Chelsea, however as the season is coming to an end I have been looking at my overall performance and I think it is fair to say it has been a mixed season for me.

It started very well for me and as the team kept winning my form just got better. But then suddenly my fine form became average for whatever reason.

After my red card against Fulham, I picked up a slight toe injury and struggled to show the good form and performances I had shown at the start of the season. It wasn’t for lack of trying as anyone who knows me will testify, but our beautiful game can do that to even the most experienced players. The team was struggling for form and we were all trying but it just wasn’t coming off.

I was asked by friends many times what I felt the problem was and I couldn’t explain. All I can say is when you hit a bad patch, you think about everything too much. The simplest pass becomes a difficult task because you spend time thinking rather than just letting things flow. When you are on form you receive a pass and just let it go but when you are down you think too much and lose possession. I am glad to say after many weeks working hard on the training pitch it suddenly clicked and now we are in with a chance. Maybe it’s a confidence thing – who knows?

My season has been a sandwich one too and I am hoping the end will be extremely good and when we are back next season I can carry on the good end of season form

Finally, after I have given everything to help Chelsea win the last three games of the Barclays Premier League, I will be taking some of my friends to Accra to play a Peace Game between a select African 11 side and a World 11 side. This is as part of my role as African Union Peace Ambassador.

The game itself will be on May 25 and greats like George Weah, Abedi Pele, Jay Jay Okocha, Kalusha Bwalya and Tony Baffoe will be there.

Ashley Cole, Florent Malouda, Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Branislav Ivanovic are all coming with me from Chelsea. We are still getting more confirmations as I write and we have spoken to Paolo Maldini and many other great players. We just want to raise awareness about Peace and hopefully we can generate funds for African Union projects.

The month of May will be a busy one in the Premier League and in Africa, and I hope you all support us one way or another to bring the good times back.

Ess