As far as comparisons go, recent debates weighing up Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey alongside Chelsea icon Michael Essien could appear absurd.
Frankly, beyond the fact both share the same nationality, putting them side by side can only be attributed to recency bias, a common flaw in football-centric debates.
Essien was a box-to-box midfielder in his pomp, while the Atleti star is a measured midfield anchor whose proficiency at initiating attacks from deep has made him indispensable in Diego Simeone’s set-up.
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The former largely played in a midfield three at Olympique Lyonnais and then later Chelsea, whereas Partey’s growth in the last two years or thereabouts has been in a compact 4-4-2 in the Spanish capital.