 Nyorera kuenderera kweiyi ndima - Nekuda kwekushaya chikamu chikuru chehafu yekutanga ye2011 12 Premier League mwaka, Essien akatadza kuwana nyasha nemaneja André Villas-Boas. Musi wa 21 Kukadzi 2012, panguva yeChampions League mutambo wakanangana neNapoli, Villas-Boas akasiya Frank Lampard, Essien naAshley Cole pabhenji revanotsiva. Chelsea yakarasikirwa ne 31 uye mutungamiriri wehunyanzvi wekirabhu akakumbira tsananguro yesarudzo yechikwata pachinzvimbo chemuridzi weChelsea Roman Abramovich. Musi wa 4 Kurume 2012, zvichitevera kukundwa kweligi neWest Brom iyo yakasiya Chelsea nemapoinzi matatu kumashure kweArsenal muhondo yenzvimbo yechina muPremier League, basa raVillas-Boas rakapedzwa neChelsea, nemubatsiri wemaneja Roberto Di Matteo achizogadzwa semaneja wekuchengetedza kwenguva pfupi kusvika kupera kwemwaka. Di Matteo pakarepo akaratidza kufarira vatambi vekare veChelsea vakaita saEssien, Lampard naJohn Terry. Mushure mezvo, Essien akatanga mumutambo wechipiri weChelsea Champions League neNapoli, neChelsea ichikunda 41 uye 54 pahuwandu mumutambo unonakidza uchibvumira Chelsea kuenda kumaquarter-fainari, kwavakasangana naBenfica. Essien akazoenderera mberi asina kushandiswa muChelseas Champions League run, ichiguma nekukunda kwe The Blues pamusoro peBayern Munich mumutambo wekupedzisira., zvichiita kuti Chelsea ive kirabhu yokutanga yokuLondon kukunda mukombe. 