With Essien out, you think Mikel will flourish?

[BLionheart 516]

That's an understatement

No , It's not ...

Mikel is a very good player but not as good as Makelele or Essien (DM) or Busquets or Yaya toure when played as DM in barca .

Again Mikel's passing skills is very good and there is no doubt he can cope with pressure , the man can shield the ball against 2 or 3 opponents alone . He is a great help when the defenders pump forward as he is very disciplined , he will stay back and cove for them .

But he has 2 very big problems :

1. He has no drive or pace at all , and he has to be more aggressive. that is why his defending at times is very poor as he can't cope with pace tricky players , that is why players like tevez , rooney always win personal battles against him.
2. His distribution is actually very poor , even though his passes are neat and good but he doesn't know how to control the tempo , when to pass quickly , how to start a counter attack , etc............... that's actually because he needs too much time on the ball.

I am not saying that he is a bad player that i want out of the team but he is just a good option to have as a back-up to first choice DM .

[Blue Armour 4,289]

To me, it's clear that if AVB chooses his favoured 4-3-3/4-5-1 and it features his trusted B2B + DM + CM variables,

This is the real challenge now that Essien is out.

When he was there, he used to perform the B2B+DM roles single-handedly, thereby leaving room for an extra attacking CM in our 4-3-3. Now that Mikel is the only available person in DM, the decision to be made is to whether to play Ramires (a box-to-box) or an attacking CM

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

And what with African Cup? mikel will go and then we will have a problem.

we need to buy/loan someone. Cheap one.

[GodZola 630]

No you didn't offend me, but there are so many obvious wrong things you're talking about Mikel, that if you even would've considered to read this Reports about him, you wouldn't have made them...

Passing

Interceptions

sideway passing

slowing game down

no throughballs

just tell us you don't like him, but dont say he is an awfull player or not worth playing at Chelsea, Mikel is 24 and I'm absolutly sure, and I would take my hand off for this, if Micky was at Barca and wasn't injured or hated by they're trainer, they would be something of a PERFECT Midfield trio with Him, Xavi and Iniesta...

And I absolutly LOVED Makalele, he was an awesome Player but you talk of him as he was a better passer than Mikel what he wasn't plus you just act like Maka was a legendary playmaker who gave assists like jellybeans but in fact:

in 5CL Seasons he gave 3 Assists

in 5 FA-Cup and CC-Cup Seasons NONE Assists

in 5 EPL Seasons ONE Assist

and I watched Maka for Chelsea he was sublime and perfekt for his position... but I can't see too much differences between him and Mikel despite, his Passing was worse, but his expirience was far better, whereas I see no reason why Mikels Expirience shouldn't raise...

You should you know me by now, if I don't like him I will tell you - without question.

Now you base you whole argument on stats & Mikel passing ability, where as I was stating that there are more to a player than simply passing the ball sideways to a left back then he gets it back, he then passes it to a midfielder then gets it back (this is partly why he has a high passing percentage) eventually he might then pass it forward which is what we want him to do but I would like him to distribute the ball quicker & forward more often to start our attacks.

I've probably been a little unkind to him as respect his passing abilities - apologies, however when I look for top quality players you need to look at everything in his locker, which brings me onto Makelele. When he played he had 100% concentration, unbelievable self awareness, he had that gritty determination & enough pace to get him out of trouble. He used to win possession then give it to a player infront of him that would start our counters. According to you're last paragraph Mikel is as good as Makelele but lacks experience, Mikel's had 158 games! This is one of my points is that he has had enough time now & its time for him to produce.

There are 2 things that worry me about his overall performance, first is his slow distribution of the ball, the second is that he has no pace & as I've said previously he is likely to get undone by quick thinking attackers with pace.

Whenever I criticize I mean it in a way that I only want the best for Chelsea & to move us on to the next level where we can become European Champions & to dominate English football so I would like to see top quality in every position, Mikel for me is a decent squad player but wouldn't make my first 11.

Lastly, I'll say this again, I hope AVB drops the DM role at home & replaces it with a more attacking lineup as we were playing with 4 defenders & sometimes 2 holding when sides are coming to defend, sometimes we had 3 defenders marking 1 player! So I hope this position is redundant for large parts next season & then a lot of this thread will be irrelevant.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

No , It's not ...

Mikel is a very good player but not as good as Makelele or Essien (DM) or Busquets or Yaya toure when played as DM in barca .

Again Mikel's passing skills is very good and there is no doubt he can cope with pressure , the man can shield the ball against 2 or 3 opponents alone . He is a great help when the defenders pump forward as he is very disciplined , he will stay back and cove for them .

But he has 2 very big problems :

1. He has no drive or pace at all , and he has to be more aggressive. that is why his defending at times is very poor as he can't cope with pace tricky players , that is why players like tevez , rooney always win personal battles against him.
2. His distribution is actually very poor , even though his passes are neat and good but he doesn't know how to control the tempo , when to pass quickly , how to start a counter attack , etc............... that's actually because he needs too much time on the ball.

I am not saying that he is a bad player that i want out of the team but he is just a good option to have as a back-up to first choice DM .

Your sure you know what the word "Understatment" means?

Your post was kind a pointless, I agree with you.

[Tomo 21,733]

I honestly do not understand the Mikel bashing.

Sometimes i get the feeling unless he picks up the ball from Luiz 25 yards from Cech's goal at Old Trafford, meg's Rooney, turns Fletcher inside out for 5 minutes, moves on to Anderson turns him around and around so much he pukes, gets to Vidic outmuscles him on to the floor (fairly) then dances round Rio 100 times before lobbing De Gea to put it in the top right hand corner he is never going to get any credit.

The United cl game at SW6 our midfield was all over the place, when he came on we looked a lot more balanced and our passing was better, he IMO was MOTM against Arsanal at the Bridge last season and the year before home and away and also at the Emirates when we lost 3-1 is it a coinsidence we fell apart as soon as Van Persie clattered him? Also at Old Toilet in 2010 in the title decider he was outstanding, i don't think he has beat Liverpool but Zola never beat Arsanal so that stat is pointless to use.

He is without doubt a lot better than he has and probably ever will be given credit for.

[eldo 868]

I think mikel's biggest weakness is that he is too static and doesn't posses any kind of drive or pace needed in midfield , and even though his passing is good but his distribution isn't , also he needs too much time on the ball .

Wrong. He's not the fastest player, but he is not a snail.

[BLionheart 516]

Your sure you know what the word "Understatment" means?

Your post was kind a pointless, I agree with you.

I get what you meant , you think Mikel is not just overrated , he is a bad player but i disagree .

I have pointed out to some of his weaknesses but i still think he is a decent player .

[Guest justin_3d]

Is today's performance from Mikel, a hint of things to come in the coming season?

I hope so. Mikel has to be pushed into a more attack minded role, and hope AVB can help him get there.

2 or 3 goals from Mikel this season should be his goal!

[nadavTKL 1,787]

I get what you meant , you think Mikel is not just overrated , he is a bad player but i disagree .

I have pointed out to some of his weaknesses but i still think he is a decent player .

No, dont try to guess what Im saying mate... usually you just need to read.

I just meant he's VERY overrated in this forum, and when people call him a phenomenon, I think I can say that. He isnt a bad player anyways...

[Madmax 9,219]

@justin - If we're looking for goals from Mikel, we're in serious trouble.

[Guest justin_3d]

@justin - If we're looking for goals from Mikel, we're in serious trouble.

2 or 3. I think he can get it if AVB uses him in the starting 11.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Mikel has to be first-choice.

I can't offer a massive post arguing this view as I don't have the time at this minute as I'm distracted by the cricket. So, I shall be succinct:

• With Essien out injured, Mikel is our only real defensive midfielder. McEachran is not suited to the role, as I believe he lacks the necessary defensive discipline and the physical strength to successfully carry out the role. I appreciate players don't have to be big and bulky to be successful in that role, such as Makelele and Ramires, but Josh is very slight, and furthermore, he is better used elsewhere. I believe the same applies to Ramires, who offers too much going forward to be wasted in the role.
• McEachran is ready for first-team football, but that doesn't mean he has nothing still to learn. As I have already said, he lacks the same defensive discipline Essien or Ramires possess, and that means there is more of an onus on a CDM if we are to play two attack-minded midfielders in the middle. If we play Lampard and McEachran, for instance, a defensively-disciplined player is needed, and Mikel is the perfect player. Positionally he has improved massively, and the most important part of his game is what has developed the most - his standing tackles and defensive jockeying. Previously he would go to ground, but he has nearly almost entirely eradicated this from his game.
• He has the experience and the quality to make that position his own. Furthermore, if we increase our attacking prospects by signing Modric or Pastore, or by playing Benayoun or McEachran, we would be increasing the pressure on the CDM role. Mikel knows the role inside-out, is the most positionally-disciplined and the strongest physically out of our CDM options. Yes, Josh could play there as a deep-lying playmaker, or we could play Ramires, but both players would have their attacking instincts negated at the same time as reducing the licence our full-backs have going forward. SO we would have to completely alter the system and buy genuine wingers to supply the width instead of having the need for the full-backs pushing on.

What I am saying is he is not only the best option for our CDM position, but his disciplined nature brings the best out of other players. He gives licence for the full-backs, CAMs and B2Bs to bomb forward - and I could argue he is our only option there. Luiz is untested there, Benayoun and Josh are far too attacking and Ramires' B2B contribution would become much more limited. Furthermore, if we sign Romeu, what is to say he'll walk into the matchday squad, let alone be charged with marking Iniesta, Sneijder, Schweinsteiger or Ozil in the Champions League?. That amount of importance has only increased now Essien is out.

[wisey11zola25 142]

With Essien out, you think Mikel will flourish?

No.

as much as i want him to, he is not even nearly of the standard for a defensive midfielder at a club of our stature....just look at his passing..there are times i wonder how he made it pro!

his passing throughout the years..and this pre-season(when he should be flourishing) has been woeful.

i'd rather play Joshy or adapt David Luiz to that position.

We've all been to patient with Mikel and he has never delivered!

[lionsden 4,689]

With Essien out, you think Mikel will flourish?

No.

as much as i want him to, he is not even nearly of the standard for a defensive midfielder at a club of our stature....just look at his passing..there are times i wonder how he made it pro!

his passing throughout the years..and this pre-season(when he should be flourishing) has been woeful.

i'd rather play Joshy or adapt David Luiz to that position.

We've all been to patient with Mikel and he has never delivered!

Wow really? Do you realise this same mikel completed more passes than any other player in the premier league last season according to highly credible and accurate "opta stat". let's try and be objective here.

[GodZola 630]

AVB has stated in his last interview one of the points that I was trying to get across about Mikel but he quite rightly addressed it to the whole team & that is that he wants to see the ball moved "vertically" as opposed to "horizontally"

This philosophy will improve our style of play & speed of attacks, this will hopefully benefit our forwards who were starved for service last season. Mikel has his orders so I hope that he carry's them out to the letter & makes him a better player in the process, I still have my doubts but atleast AVB is giving him (& others) the opportunity to improve.

[madalista 30]

With Essien out, you think Mikel will flourish?

No.

as much as i want him to, he is not even nearly of the standard for a defensive midfielder at a club of our stature....just look at his passing..there are times i wonder how he made it pro!

his passing throughout the years..and this pre-season(when he should be flourishing) has been woeful.

i'd rather play Joshy or adapt David Luiz to that position.

We've all been to patient with Mikel and he has never delivered!

wow this post suggest you dont ever watch chelsea play. mikel is a good passer a fairer criticism might be that he is conservative with his passing, more lateral passes than forward ones. he is a good tackler, positionally aware. josh would not make it as a defensive midfielder. he not a good tackler and his skill set is better used elsewhere. he hasnt been poor this pre season esp. in the last game. he played well with good passing and broke the play well enough. i thought josh and him played well against the thai 11. if you gonna complain about a midfielders passing look at lampard who seems to have forgotten how to pass. he keeps on giving the ball away regularly these days. by the way passing doesnt make a dm. makelele was never a good pass and neither is mascherano. have you ever seen david luiz play in midfield???

[Guest justin_3d]

@justin - If we're looking for goals from Mikel, we're in serious trouble.

Looking good, looking good! :dude: