{"id":6592,"date":"2026-10-01T11:08:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T11:08:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/footballars.xyz\/?p=6592"},"modified":"2026-10-01T11:08:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T11:08:18","slug":"deco-gives-underrated-chelsea-star-his-flowers-when-building-his-perfect-midfielder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/footballars.xyz\/?p=6592","title":{"rendered":"Deco gives underrated Chelsea star his flowers when building his perfect midfielder"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Deco\u2019s time at Chelsea lasted just two seasons, however he has plenty of admiration for one of his former teammates who continues to be underrated by the majority of football fans.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Champions League winner with both Porto and Barcelona was at Stamford Bridge between 2008 and 2010, helping them to a Premier League and FA Cup double in his final campaign under Carlo Ancelotti.<\/p>\n

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Deco<\/a> won the August Player of the Month award for his performances in the first few games of the 2008\/09 season, an accolade which was not repeated at Stamford Bridge until Joao Pedro\u2019s excellent start to the current campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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You can have TWO Man City players, who are you picking and why? \ud83d\udc40<\/h3>\n

Imagine if Man City actually get relegated \ud83d\ude33<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Deco gives flowers to former Chelsea teammate Michael Essien<\/h2>\n

His time at Chelsea<\/a> saw him competing with a number of quality players for minutes on the pitch, with Frank Lampard in the prime of his career in terms of finding the net.<\/p>\n

It is perhaps no surprise that the Portugal international chose the Englishman when looking to fill the shooting category of his perfect midfielder, which he was building in a TikTok with The Athletic<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He wasn\u2019t the only Chelsea player mentioned though. Deco picked Michael Essien<\/a> when choosing a player\u2019s tackling ability in his perfect midfielder.<\/p>\n

With the quality of players the Blues have had in the middle of the park, Essien is often a player whose sensational career gets overlooked. He would play 256 games for the club across eight seasons.<\/p>\n

Many will remember the highlight moments such as stunning goals against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final and his long-range strike at Stamford Bridge to rescue a point against Arsenal.<\/p>\n

Essien was Chelsea\u2019s most expensive signing when he joined the club in 2005, and frequently partnered Lampard in their best midfield pairing when he was fit.<\/p>\n

The Ghana international has seen his time at the club constantly overlooked and underappreciated, so it is nice to see one of his former teammates giving him the recognition he deserves.<\/p>\n

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