

bleed_blue
MemberEverything posted by bleed_blue
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Let us address this frequent "appeal to authority" and 'belief' that Mikel has been the first choice under so many managers. Mikel was bought when Jose Mourinho was our manager and let us 'assume' that he was a Mourinho signing. Bear in mind, Mourinho was buying a player who had shone in a youth tournament and Mourinho was ultimately betting on that talent to realize its potential.Lets start with the 2006-07 season. Makelele was Mourinho's first choice DM. Mikel made only 10 starts in PL that season and 24 starts overall.Contrast that to Makelele's 26 starts in PL and 42 starts overall or Lampard's 36 starts in PL and 57 starts overall (mostly in CM). or Essien's 33 starts in PL and 53 starts overallor Geremi's 15 starts in PL and 22 starts overallEven Lassana Diarra got 7 starts in PL btw.Overall, 18 players in the Chelsea squad started more PL games than Mikel in the entire season.13 players in the Chelsea squad started more games across all competitions than Mikel in the entire season. That definitely does not sound like Mikel was the first choice that season. Fair enough, because he was a 18-19 year old kid competing with legends of the game like Makelele, Lampard, Essien who had all been bought in for big money and were proven performers. Let us move on to the 2007-08 season. Mourinho left in mid september after we drew against Rosenberg and Avram Grant took temporary charge. Mikel started 21 games in PL, 1 game in CL and 27 games across all competitions.Makelele started 15 games in PL and 29 games across all competitions.Yes Mikel made more starts than Makelele in PL but the 34 year old Makelele was being rested for PL games to conserve his energy for Champions League matches. He started 12 games in Champions League where we lost the final to ManU on penalties. As far as other midfielders are concerned, Essien started 23 games in PL, 11 in CL and 38 games across all competitions.Lampard started 23 games in PL, 10 in CL and 37 games across all competitions.Ballack started 16 games in PL, 7 in CL and 25 games across all competitions.Clearly Avram Grant's first choice midfield (as evident from starts in CL) was Makelele, Essien, Lampard and Ballack.Overall, 9 players in the Chelsea squad started more PL games than Mikel in the entire season.14 players in the Chelsea squad started more games across all competitions than Mikel in the entire season.Again it does not seem like Mikel was the first choice. In the 2008-09 season, Scolari became our coach, makelele left after the expiry of his contract (at the age of 35 years) and the only new signing in midfield was Deco, who was more confortable higher up the field. Mikel's only competition was an out of position Essien. Essien got injured and was out for 6 months (sept-feb). Mikel was the only choice left and he started 34 games in PL and 48 games overall (most he has at Chelsea so far).Essien came back from injury in March and he was immediately restored to starting lineup by Hiddink. Essien started 11 PL games and 18 across all competitions.Lamaprd made 37 PL starts and 56 across all competitionsBallack made 22 PL starts and 37 across all compeitions at the age of 32.In many big games after Essien's return, Hiddink's first choice for MF was Ballack, Essien and Lampard. Hiddink came on after Scolari was fired and after Essien returned, Hiddink's first choice midfield was Ballack, essien and Lampard in many big games.ONly 4 Chelsea players made more starts than Mikel in PL and across all competitions that season.This is the season when Mikel made more stats but you have to admit he was helped by lack of competition because of departures/injuries/lack of reinforcements. In the 2009-10 season, Ancelotti took over the managerial responsibilities at Chelsea and he tried to sign Andrea Pirlo for CM at Chelsea but could not succeed. Mikel started 21 games in PL and 30 games across all competitions.Essien was again injured while on international duty and missed the last 4-5 months of the season.He made 13 PL starts and 18 across all competitions for Chelsea. Lampard made 36 starts in PL and 48 across all competitionsBallack made 26 starts in PL and 36 across all competitionsZhirkov and Deco also started some games as deep CMs Essien-Lampard-Ballack was the preferred midfield in CL.Overall 10 players started more games in PL for Chelsea than Mikel and 9 players across all compeitions. In the 2010-11 season, Ancelotti bought Ramires to address the midfield problem. Ramires took some time to adjust to PL. Mikel started 29 games in PL and 34 games across all competitions while Ramires started 22 in PL and 33 across all competitions.Lampard started 23 in PL and 30 across all competitions. A fit again Essien started 33 games in PL and 41 across all compeitions.Zhirkov also started a few games at CM.Overall 7 chelsea players started more PL games than Mikel and 8 Chelsea players started more games overall than Mikel. For the 2011-12 season, AVB came in and we bought an untested Romeu from the Barca academy.AVB's first choie was Romeu who started 11 games in PL and 17 overall.Mikel got regular game time only after AVB was replaced by RDM and he started playing with '10 men behind the ball' tactics.Mikel made 15 starts in PL this season and 27 across all competitions.Ramires made 28 starts in PL and 44 overall while Lampard made 26 starts in PL and 38 overall.Meireles made 23 starts in PL and 37 across all competitions. 12 players started more games than Mikel in PL and 12 players started more games than Mikel across all competitions for Chelsea.Clearly not the first choice again (except for the RDM reign) In the 2012-13 season, Emenalo/whoever decides transfers/loans had a brainfart and sold Meireles and loaned out Essien.Mikel was the first choice under RDM (beating off competition from Romeu) and he started all 12 PL games that RDM managed.Overall Mikel started 19 games in PL this season and 32 across all compeitions.Benitez, clearly did not rate him, tried Romeu who got injured, and then experimented with Luiz at CM. Ramires made 28 starts in Pl and 54 overallLampard made 21 starts in PL and 39 overall.Again, Mikel was the first choice under RDM only. I have tried to keep the above as objective as possible but my bias might come across at some points. Apologies for that.But clearly it is a stretch to say that Mikel has been the first choice MF at chelsea under so many accomplished managers.
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Well this theory that mikel has been the first choice of so many chelsea managers has been debunked countless number of times. The only manager under whom he was effectively first choice was RDM and the lesser said about his management skills, the better. However, looking at your user name, I doubt you will be able to think about it rationally. You can join the deluded bunch led by Choulo19.
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If one were to read the posts here, one would get the feeling that Nigeria beat Spain by 3 or 4 goals. I am sorry, but are we talking about the game where Spain beat Nigeria 3-0 without even breaking into sweat. They were already through to next round so did not put in much effort. The build up play was so relaxed from Spain. Also the two one on one chances in the first half that Soldado missed in the first half? The shot from Fabregas that hit the inside of the post? Yes he looks much better when he plays for Nigeria but you cannot expect the same thing at Chelsea. He is central to Nigeria's gameplay. That wont happen at Chelsea because we have a lot of other players who are much better than Mikel and who will be central to our game. There have been suggestions in the past few pages that Mikel can replace Mata. One can only marvel at stupidity of such people.
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also the time when Dante completely air kicked a cross into the box and the ball almost put Balotelli one on one vs the keeper.
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Makes sense for the lad. He has to be playing regularly to keep that Belgian number one spot for the world cup. With Mignolet's expected move to Liverpool, he will get a lot of spotlight. Courtois can compete by playing regularly at a top side. At this moment, that is what Athletico Madrid will offer him while we cannot.
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There is going to be so much heartbreak in this thread come next season. Mikel will be training with the reserves because Jose wont let him near the first team. PS I know Jose was incharge when Mikel was brought in but that was 7 years back. When he was supposedly the 2nd best talent after Messi. That talent/promise has remain unfulfilled and has developed a terrible attitude. At this moment, Mikel is exactly the kind of 'player' that Mourinho will use to set an example to his team that you either shape up and start performing or you are also going down the Mikel route.
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The apologists are out in full force today. You can keep saying whatever made up stuff you want, come next season, Mourinho is going to relegate him to bench and Choulo19 and co will cry a river.
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always sounded too good to be true. I still stand by my initial sentiment No other club will be stupid enough to actually make a bid for John Obi Mikel (unless they have Emenalo/John Shittu as the men deciding their transfers)
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And you just had to wait for 7 years and for a match against Tahiti to make your statement?
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I think this makes perfect sense when you put it along the news reports that Mourinho wants to sell Mata. I can see Mikel fitting right in the AM spot. NOT on a serious note, he plays that pass against Tahiti and we are discussing his ability to "lay it off perfectly for a speeding runner" Good Lord. and the experiment which AVB did with Mikel was: Relegate him to bench. This is most likely what Mourinho will do. Mikel will then try and find a new club, will not get a satisfactory offer and leech off the club till 2017.
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Ouch. that has got to hurt Gilovark. Without even bringing into discussion the gulf in quality between two oppositions. Arsenal or Tahiti. You shut him up real good.
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That is a load of rubbish. Even if one were to believe this entire hype about Mikel that you are presenting in your post, you want us to change our team to something that will make Mikel look better? Good. Lay the blame for Mikel's sloppy game and poor abilities on the other 10 men. I can see the logic behind that. Also, " Mikel with his physical presence to break up play [a strength that not many possess]" last PL season, Mikel: 3.9 tackles +interceptions per game Ramires: 4.8 tackles + interceptions per game. He is not even the best in the team to break up play. If you look around the league, here are some people who actually break up play and their numbers Lucas Leiva: 7.2 t+i per game Schneiderlin: 8 t+i per game Steve Sidwell: 6.5 t+i per game Sandro: 6.9 t+i per game Cabaye: 5.2 t+i per game Claudio yacob: 5.1 t+i per game Marc Noble: 5.4 t+i per game Mikel Arteta: 6.1 t+i per game So I suggest you stop making up stuff to defend Mikel. With that post you have shown how little you know about the game and our players. Anybody who has seen Ramires play will know that he is mostly the one who will be making the run to take that pass. (Barca away goal) One more thing, almost every professional footballer in that situation against Tahiti will have the vision and technique to pull off that through ball.
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Once again, this Mikel moving to gala stuff is completely baseless. Just a bunch of Nigerian/African papers/editors making up stuff to big up their player. Come next year, he will still be here. He will eventually become like Malouda, asked to find a new club, gets no satisfactory offers and then relegated to reserves and made to train with the youth squads. <You heard it here first>
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Time for him to leave with Schurrle coming in.
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With Mikel starting, we conceded 1.68 goals per game. When he did not start, we conceded 0.89 goals per game. Whatever the other midfielders don't do that Mikel does, it works.
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There are some clueless idiots on this thread. @Seb: your claims about Turnbull having more clean sheets are false so jog right ahead. Typical of all Mikel apologists to make up wrong stats to support him @Bluesmaster: I think its better we do not talk about our performances vs Man City. Mikel was completely dominated in our midfield in all the 4 matches we played against them this season. vs Athletico: If we concede 4 goals, fingers has to be raised at the DM who in the words of his apologists "provides a shield to the defense" vs West Ham: I must have missed the part where Mikel was doing a very good job and not being embarrassed by Diame vs Southampton: The lesser said about the DM the better Are you trying to say that all misfortune strikes our team when Mikel plays and that is why we get relatively poor results? Thats a warped little world you live in.
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The so-called annual winter slump We played 32 games between november to February. Mikel played in just 11 of these. So your theory falls flat on its face. And how are those stats misleading. Football games are won by performances of your 11 players on the field. I am not saying that Mikel is the only thing wrong with our team but he is one major problem. If the win ration increases from 43% to 67% when Mikel does not play If the loss ration falls from 34% to 13% when Mikel does not play If the goals scored per game increase from 1.6 to 2.5 when Mikel does not play If the goals conceded pre game drop from 1.53 to 0.89 when Mikel does not play I am not sure how shameless a person has to be to argue for Mikel's effectiveness. Honestly, the people who have liked your post should tell you how wrong you are. Choulo and Amels
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That move was never ON. It was just a bunch of Nigerians trying to talk up Mikel. and as far as Chelsea's performances with/without Mikel are concerned, here is what happened last year when Mikel started vs when he did not start With Mikel starting games: 32 won: 14 drawn: 7 lost: 11 goals scored: 54 goals conceded 49 Without Mikel in the starting XI games: 37 won: 25 drawn: 7 lost: 5 goals scored: 93 goals conceded: 33 If there is such a drastic change in the team's performances/results by the exclusion of 1 player, No sane person can deny that a major reason for our good end of the season form was Mikel staying out of the team. Look at win %age, loss %age, goals scored per game, goals conceded per game. In every aspect we were much better off when Mikel was kept out of the starting XI.
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Actually you are right about Emenalo. When Mikel first moved to Chelsea, Emenalo was one of the agents involved. There are profiles of Emenalo that say he was influential in getting Mikel to Chelsea and those were his first contacts at the club. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/michael-emenalo-an-exceptional-player-and-great-person-he-is-the-full-package-2141171.html The 5 year deal that Mikel was offered last year was clearly his work. As for Jose Mourinho being the one who signed Mikel and rated him highly, Mourinho signed the second best player at a youth tournament behind Messi. He signed him for potential. Potential, that sadly Mikel has failed to realize. As is clear from Pepe's example, Mourinho never shies away from dropping a non-performer. Same is going to happen to John Obi Mikel and 4-5 people on this thread will then be inconsolable.
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Mourinho is going to break so many hearts this season. John Obi Mikel reduced to his deserved position, the bench.
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For those wondering why we are not accepting 20-25 mn offers for Mikel, here is the reality: Those offers do not exist. All this transfer interest nonsense started in some nigerian/african papers with quotes by a Nigerian FIFA agent. No other place has reported any interest. They are just trying to play up their own player. No sane team will pay more than 5 million for Obi Mikel.
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Come next season, this place will not be a very happy place. Mourinho will reduce Mikel to a bench role and there will be a lot of heartbreaks here and also "delicious irony". Mourinho does not accept bad attitude from his players and besides being a limited footballer, that poor attitude is another of Mikel's shortcomings. Can't wait for next season to start.
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Go on Gala, buy him. We can finally get rid of those fickle fans that would rather see Mikel play than have Chelsea winning games.
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Absolutely. He was brilliant in his role as DM. He provided such good cover to our defense. He was covering all the passing channels for opposition. We only conceded 5 goals in the game, God knows how many we would have conceded if he did not play. On a sidenote: we conceded 0.89 goals per game on an average last season when Mikel did not play.
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I remember there was a very similar article after Benitez joined us as well and look how that turned out.