Midfield terrier has knackered knees

Forget Lampsie, Ballack, Drog-Drog - the player most likely to drag Chelsea through those stodgy mid-season blues has been Michael Essien, the Chelsea fans player of the season in 2006/2007, a human dynamo. Hence the Londoners (in the broadest sense) will surely suffer as the midfielder looks set to miss the majority of the season with a busted up leg.

On the plus side, does this now mean that Michael Ballack will unpack his suitcase and stay beyond Christmas? The German had been rumoured to be grumbling about his job security, what with Deco, Lampsie, Cole and Essien all really great footballers challenging for a mini-handful of spots, but now it looks like he might have a few months coasting along in the starting line-up.

That’ll put the smile back on his half-sneering face.