'It doesn't matter what we think about Sarriball’ – Essien

The Italian’s approach has been questioned this season but the former Blues midfielder says it’s the players who should take more responsibility

Former Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien has played down concerns about the team’s style of play under Maurizio Sarri, insisting the attitude of the players is more important.

The Blues players have occasionally struggled to successfully deploy the Italian’s ‘Sarriball’ football philosophy this season.

The former Napoli boss wants his side to play a fast-paced, possession-based style of attacking football, featuring short and quick passes designed to move play as far up the pitch as quickly as possible.

Chelsea started their season off strongly, only registering their first defeat of the league campaign in late November against Tottenham. However, the London club have found things much tougher since the turn of the year.

Sarri has often been forced to answer questions about his future at the club in recent weeks as well as defending his style of play, most notably after a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of champions Manchester City and a penalty shootout defeat to the same opponent in the Carabao Cup final.

Essen, though, feels it is the players who should take more responsibility for the club’s patchy form.

Speaking exclusively to Goal, the former Ghana international said: “For me it’s not so much about styles but rather how players apply themselves on the pitch regardless of the style.

“Whatever style you are asked to play, as a very good player you just get on with it and that’s what the players are trying to do.

“The coach is the boss and all the players have to listen to him and carry out his instructions for the good of the team and the club.”

One notable positional switch by Sarri this season has seen N’Golo Kante pushed further forward with summer signing Jorginho – so crucial to Sarri’s success at Napoli – playing as the base midfielder.

That decision has been questioned in some quarters given Kante’s previous effectiveness in defensive midfield – where he played when winning the Premier League with Chelsea and former club Leicester.

Essien has refused to join in with the criticism, again insisting that the coach’s decision needs to be respected.

“That switch is down to the coach and it doesn’t matter what the rest of us think,” he added.

“The coach has his style of playing, he sees the players every day in training and knows their strengths and weaknesses.

“So on that basis if he decides this player has to play here and the other in a different position, there is nothing anyone can do.

“All we can do as Chelsea fans is to support the team to win regardless of who is playing where.”

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