Jose Mourinho started to realize that his team's force doesn't lie in the big signings this summer, but in the footballers that he brought to Stanford Bridge one or two years ago. And the man to fit perfectly in that equation is Ghana's midfielder Michael Essien.

"Everything is perfect defensively. Offensively he has more qualities and scored his goal. From a disciplinary point of view, he is completely clean. He has not one single yellow card. This is because everything is about the strength of

his body not about bad fouling or actions in the game", admitted the Portuguese after Chelsea's win over Liverpool.

Although some of the players wanted to leave before the start of the season, because of tough competition inside the squad, Essien kept his cool and continued to work hard. Despite facing an incredible competition from Arjen Robben and Joe Cole - two of World Cup's best player this summer, Essien convinced Mourinho that he's the best man for the job.

"If you play at a club like Chelsea, there will always be competition. For me it's not a problem. I'm very happy here. You have to expect this kind of thing. And it makes you a better player. Last season was my first in the Premiership and I think I've developed a lot since then and gained lots of valuable experience. The more you play, the more you keep developing and improving", said Essien.

The Ghana footballer plays newly signed Michael Ballack on the midfield, but his performances clearly exceeds the German's. According to football specialists in the Premiership, Essien now represents Chelsea's main force in midfield. With Michael Ballack out for the next 2 Premiership matches - due to the red card in Liverpool's clash - Essien has a better chance of securing his place in Chelsea's starting line-up.