Source: SKY_Sports
Essien - All about the team
Michael Essien insists he is willing to do any job asked of him by Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink.
The powerhouse midfielder caught the eye with an exemplary man-marking job on Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard in last week's 3-1 win at Anfield in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final.
Essien reined in his natural box-to-box instincts to keep Gerrard quiet after making an impressive return from a knee injury.
He scored against Juventus in the previous round of the Champions League on his first start back, but Essien insists the team's performance is always the priority.
"Everybody said I must have been very happy with the goal, but for me, it is all about the team work," said Essien.
"We did a good job in Turin and it was a very positive result, so that is what is most important. I don't play for myself, I play for the team.
"I'd describe myself as a box-to-box midfielder, but I'll always respect the manager's decision, wherever I'm picked to play.
"Against Juventus it was a tactical move to put me on the right to try to stop the runs of Pavel Nedved.
"I always listen to the manager and I just go onto the field for every game and do what he asks me to do. So I don't really mind where I play as long as I'm out there doing a job for the team and the manager."
Hiddink is in charge of Chelsea until the end of the season and Essien admits the players are keen to send the Dutchman on his way with a trophy.
"He knows how to talk to his players and he has his own style which is very different to the others I've played for here," revealed Essien.
"Hopefully we can win something for him before he leaves. But we'll see what happens, We've got some really big games coming up that aren't going
to be easy.
"We'll just have to try our best and make sure we win those games."
