Essien Or Mikel?

[James 5,138]

Nigeria and Ghana have to play Quarter Finals, who would you prefer to see come back first, Essien or Mikel?

I think Essien is a fantastic player but we have more cover for him in the middle. Mikel on the other hand is more defensive of the two, with Maka getting on he must be getting knackered and might need a rest soon.

I'll go with Ghana to go through and get Obi back.

[mokhan 0]

i prefer Essien because he can play in deep midfielder or attacking mid as well

[bombayblue™ 55]

word.. essien..

[EskWeston 696]

This season Mikel has been more influential to our play so i would like to see him back first. But to have either of them back would be a huge bonus.

[Steve 10,227]

personally i would prefer essien back first he adds the extra bit of flair that not every player has.. but i also want ghana to win the competition so i guess mikel back first..

[EskWeston 696]

personally i would prefer essien back first he adds the extra bit of flair that not every player has.. but i also want ghana to win the competition so i guess mikel back first..

Flair?? Essien??? Surely not Essien is a fantastic powerful midfielder, but i wouldn't say flair is one of his qualities!!

The sooner they all come back the better. Ballack and Sheva are almost ready to come back, Lamps and JT not too far behind and then get the African boys back and we are up to full strength and then things get very interesting.

[Fulham Broadway 16,381]

I'm really confident that there is a fantastic team spirit at the moment. All players seem genuinely privileged to be playing for CFC. Either would be great to come back ASAP, but we can manage.

[EskWeston 696]

I'm really confident that there is a fantastic team spirit at the moment. All players seem genuinely privileged to be playing for CFC. Either would be great to come back ASAP, but we can manage.

We have managed. Who would have thought at the start of the season we would have been able to cope playing without Essien, Mikel, Lampard and Ballack - most people though Maka and Sidwell wouldn't get a game because of those 4......

[Badboy 1,526]

Wow did any one see mikel's performance yesterday that pass for the second goal was quality.

[Fulham Broadway 16,381]

He certainly shone yesterday, and the Africans do play with a lot of pride, although the pace of the ACN games can be a lot slower than the Prem.

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

Either tbh....

We've coped well until now. We've Reading tonight and then Portsmouth on Saturday, the following weekend we have the Scousers at the Bridge. So if we have a few of our injured, ACON players back by then we should give the Scousers a good spanking

SWP, Midfield general

[TrueChelseaBlue 105]

Mikel.. need cover for Maka.. but Essien..cos.. he has them powerful surging runs...depends how you look at it eh

[PaulHopkins 1]

Probably Mikel as we can't expect Makelele to play every match and I'm not sure on Sidwell as his replacement although he has done okay so far.

[True_Blue 469]

Well Mikel is returning first obviously cuz no way Ghana is going out in the Quarter Finals

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Wow did any one see mikel's performance yesterday that pass for the second goal was quality.

Mikel is too inconsistent - quiet one game then electric the next. Essien always plays well, apart from when he gets sent off I would rather see Essien back, but Ghana will beat Nigeria I feel.