Chelsea Football: Players Who Must Impress This Season

As the Chelsea overhaul has continued this summer through the acquisitions of many young talented players, there are a few Chelsea players who are still on the outbound list unless they prove otherwise in the upcoming 2012-13 season.

Roberto Di Matteo knows that there are some senior players who have either struggled due to injuries or form or who have been unsettled since they've signed for Chelsea.

Michael Essien

Michael Essien is not the player that he used to be when he originally signed for Chelsea under Jose Mourinho in 2005. His form has been devastated by reoccurring knee injuries that have kept him from being the player that he was brought to Chelsea to be.

Everyone knows that Chelsea have always been looking for a strong holding midfield player ever since Makélélé left the club in 2008. Essien was the first recruit for the position but hasn't quite been able to fill that hole. He had an impressive run in his first few seasons at Chelsea.

Essien needs a breakout season where he not only finds himself back in the starting lineup but where he can return to the player that was once referred to as "the Bison" because of his strength and endurance. I think Essien had a decent preseason tour in America and looked like he was improving with his play and fitness.

If he fails to recover this season I don't see him sticking around much longer with interest from Juventus already prevalent from earlier this year. I'd love to see him get back to his best, whether at Chelsea or not, however he will have to prove his worth if he wishes to stay at Chelsea.

Mikel

Mikel is in the same boat as Essien. His inconsistency and lack of concentration during matches has proved to be his downfall, and unless he can prove that he can fit into the attacking system that Di Matteo is obviously trying to build, then I don't see him continuing to ply his trade at Chelsea any longer.

Just one year after Essien was brought to Chelsea, Mikel found his way there as well. He had an impressive run in the youth world cups for Nigeria and was playing as more of an attacking midfielder. However, Mourinho decided that he would turn this attacking player into a holding midfield player (probably because of his size).

Mikel seems like he is lost and has been for some time now. I'm not sure if you could say that he is unsettled but it seems as though you're trying to fit a square peg into a round whole, it just doesn't work. I'd like to see Mikel score some goals and get forward a bit more, maybe learn a thing or two from Hazard or Marin. I know he isn't quite like them but he does have decent ball control and he was voted the second-best player of the 2005 youth World Cup tournament, just behind Messi.

The 2012-13 season will hopefully be a turning point in Mikel's career, otherwise he will continue to be a "flop."

Others Who May Be Starting Their Last Season with Chelsea

Malouda has already been subject to a transfer away from Chelsea, hinting at joining a Brazil based club. I see this as Malouda's last season at Chelsea, with the new additions of Marin, Hazard, De Bruyne and the possibility of Victor Moses still to join. Chelsea don't really need a talented winger that is past his prime. Malouda is very skillful, don't get me wrong, but I think we can all agree that his best days are behind him and he has surely helped Chelsea to achieve the highest level of football that they have been aspiring to since Abramovich took over.

Lampard continues to hint at the possibility of this being his last season at Chelsea with earlier reports linking him to the L.A. Galaxy, and he recently spoke out about being in the last season of his current Chelsea contract. Lampard still plays very well at the age of 34 and can still continue to pull the strings for Chelsea. I don't see him leaving Chelsea after this season simply because he still performs well out on the pitch. He could easily be in a position more like Ryan Giggs, someone who is able to stay with his club until he retires, which is what he has stated that he is aiming for.

Benayoun doesn't even show up under the first-team players on the official Chelsea website. After a breakout season at Arsenal, I thought Chelsea would surely give him a go. But the recent acquisitions snuffed the possibility and I believe that if he doesn't leave before the transfer window closes then he will surely be gone in January in search of regular first team football.

Conclusion

Who else do you think could possibly be on their way out at Chelsea or may require a breakout season to earn the right to stay?