With Essien out, you think Mikel will flourish?

[Henrique 9,133]

That's his job to do that (giving licence to others to attack) & I've already said that I'm not singling out Mikel alone as we had near a whole squad barring a few that under performed. You may be right in that ancelotti gave him those instructions but we will never know, however it doesn't stop him distributing the ball quicker or making a defence splitting ball more regularly - he can do it, I'm saying he doesn't do it enough. Makelele, Essien before his spate of injuries & Ballack were better than him in that role, its just my opinion that's all, I just think Mikel has to improve on what he has done for us thus far.

This.

The problem is that many fans try to see positive things everywhere. Mikel has a lot of limitations, but his lovers keep saying: You dont understand his role.

Mikel does not have a special role that gives the team a balance. He has limitations, thats why he is pragmatic, defensive and only try to mark and disarm. He wont try anything special because he cant do it.

Mikel is not awful as footballer, but he awful for a club that aims to rule the world. We need a guy like Makelele or old-Essien. Mikel is the kind of player You always expect a terrible mistake in a crucial moment of the game. I will never forget those stupid mistakes against City in 2009/10 season, we almost lost the PL because of those silly mistakes.

He also gives the ball so easily under pressure, and its really difficult to see him giving a good long pass, and that is crucial in modern game: a DM that make good long passes.

When the team is atacking he is poor. Not because he did not score, Makelele also scored only one goal, but because he is not kick enough and he often made the wrong decisions.

For me Mikel and Kalou are in the same boat. Players that will never "flourish", and its unbeliveable that they are still here after all those years.

He is not the kind of character a winning CL side has.

[GodZola 630]

kept quite at this topic for a while but...

the problem is pretty simple... its that ppl don't understand the role of mikel and even if they do, they try to make him look bad...

No other midfielder of ours can match his defensive abilitys...

Ess haven't the half of Mikels shielding, Intercepting and passing abilitys

without Mikel, our fullbacks wouldn't bomb forward

without Mikel there would be no defensive midfielder at all (just watch us play 4-4-2 with ramy against Manure)

maybe technically our most gifted midfielder...

Mikel has skills that the others dont have

but the other way round the others have skills mikel don't has... but thats why footbal isn't a one man Show, its a Team-Sport, so everyone in the team can fetch up the difficultys the other has...

so many pathetic footballfans out there who just try to talk in a bad way about somebody they don't like so they ask for failures, which in that position are none...

mikel had more forwardpasses till his injury than FABREGAS, MODRIC, NASRI, ANDERSON, SONG etc... e. g. more then ALL offensive minded midfielders in the LEAGUE and more then any other defensive midfielders, despite this fact thoey still clame he always passes sideways...

he had most successfull passes as a DM and still his passing is wastefull, ac

cording to optastats the most successfull then anybody...

he made the most interceptions for our team...

shilded the ball sublimely against 2 or 3 sometimes 4 players...

oh Ok I see, he dosen't score a hat-trick every game he plays in, so he is a WASTE OF SPACE... get rid of him... I mean what is a defensive midfielder supposed to do? right score goals...

Yes I wondered when you would come on with you're stats, I havnt forgotten you or the other 2 that havnt yet participated! If stats were so important then why was he getting dropped in favour of an out of form Essien? I'm fully aware of his position & what it entails - more than you realise.

[Clevemayer 764]

I'm a bit weired about ppl talking about mikel like he was shit but at the same breath demand a transfer of a 45 million euro tool which isn't even proved to european football... strange...

@godzola...

just do you're research... and read the links ppl post to you... thats you're problem you dont read the links and watch what ppl show to you... its what I've written in my post already...

[Kostas 1,468]

Some on here think Henrique's arrogant, has that M.o.M title gone to you're head?!

You questioned my footballing knowledge so I being 'ONE' of those people that happened to challenge that because my perception differs from yours & you then you tell me that I shouldn't 'flatter myself'??? I am not the only one that thinks differently & wouldn't be so arrogant to think so, just because others have a different view or perceive things differently to you, it doesn't give you the right to question their knowledge & then throw in an arrogant comment to boot.

I suggest you get you're facts correct in future before posting, Ballack played 49 times that season as opposed to Mikel's 34, he stepped in the DM position when Mikel got injured, this is when we started playing some great stuff because Ballack moved the ball quicker, he can see a pass & can kick the ball forward more than 10 yards!

Now I have courage to stand by my convictions, I wonder if you & the Mikel lovers will come on & eat some humble pie if he continues his poor form under AVB? The facts are he has had 5 seasons to produce, yet we are still waiting, he now has a manager that will give him the tools to do the job he wants so now there are no more hiding places - he has to deliver & if he does I will come on here & say I was wrong. However up until now he has not shown me/others anything to suggest otherwise.

Please...

Their starts are irrelevant. Mikel was our first choice holding midfielder until his injury. Ballack played that role for ~2 months, not near enough to discredit what Mikel did from from the start of that season..

Since you say that he hasn't produced in any pf his 5 seasons at Chelsea I stand by my original post.

[...]the problem is pretty simple... its that ppl don't understand the role of mikel [...]

Exactly. Hence my post about general football knowledge.

[Sheva. 5,373]

why was he getting dropped in favour of an out of form Essien?

Same reason Kalou was played ahead of Sturridge?

[Kostas 1,468]

He also gives the ball so easily under pressure

Won't start an arguement with you, believe we both know why.

However I have to point out that's absolute bollocks. Have to wonder if you really meant it or just wrote it to support your case.

[Clevemayer 764]

but only for you

september 2011

http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-517321.0.html

october 2010

Another top rating has emerged in favour of John Mikel Obi (The Catalyst), as the youngster’s crisp passes with Chelsea of England have shot him well ahead of some of the English Premier League’s best midfielder’s in terms of knocking the ball round during key matches.

Although many Nigerians often disparage what they call short and escapist passes from the former Lyn Oslo of Norway star, latest data from England put him ahead of Michael Essien, Steven Gerrard and other top rated stars in terms of keeping possession for his team.

The report from England states further that Mikel is proving himself the best passer of the ball in England, which also puts him ahead of Arsanal’s Cesc Fabregas and Aleixandre Song as well as Manchester United’s Paul Scholes.

According to the Opta statistics, Mikel has delivered more successful passes than all others in the EPL, with 587 points tagged to his name, while Essien has 565, Scholes 537, Song 462 and Gerrard 434.

2010

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/8130025/John-Obi-Mikel-reborn-as-Chelseas-undisputed-pass-master.html

the chels on him april 2011

http://thechels.net/2011/04/john-obi-mikel-balancing-the-chelsea-midfield/

zonalmarking february 2010

http://www.zonalmarking.net/2010/02/08/when-will-john-obi-mikel-get-the-credit-he-deserves/

[GodZola 630]

I couldn't have articulated this any better. great post. Mikel just can't win with some fans. . . I just can't help but shake my head in disgust whenever people criticisie a DM for not scoring goals and creating multiple assists. next they would criticize Petr Cech for not taking free kicks and corners.

Cech will probably score a prem goal before Mikel does - some of us have the capacity to be sarcastic too! But some of us can put to a decent argument without it & can take the blinkered Mikel glasses off to see things differently.

[lionsden 4,689]

Cech will probably score a prem goal before Mikel does - some of us have the capacity to be sarcastic too! But some of us can put to a decent argument without it & can take the blinkered Mikel glasses off to see things differently.

Why judge a DM based on his goal scoring ability when that is not one of his primary and direct responsibilities? it's equivalent to criticizing Torres or Drogba for not breaking up play,making enough tackles and giving the back four sufficient defensive cover when their job is to actually score goals. Makalele is regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders despite scoring only two goals for Chelsea, why is that?

[zolayes 14,489]

Won't start an arguement with you, believe we both know why.

However I have to point out that's absolute bollocks. Have to wonder if you really meant it or just wrote it to support your case.

you should know Henriques by now .. takes pride in being controversial but really is just a WUM tosser

[GodZola 630]

Same reason Kalou was played ahead of Sturridge?

& what was that?

No point me answering is there really as there far superior football brains on here than I.

[lionsden 4,689]

but only for you

september 2011

http://www.nairaland...c-517321.0.html

october 2010

2010

http://www.telegraph...ass-master.html

the chels on him april 2011

http://thechels.net/...elsea-midfield/

zonalmarking february 2010

http://www.zonalmark...it-he-deserves/

You can count on godzola to come back with "stats are overrated and doesn't always paint an accurate picture"

[GodZola 630]

Why judge a DM based on his goal scoring ability when that is not one of his primary and direct responsibilities? it's equivalent to criticizing Torres or Drogba for not bre

aking up play,making enough tackles and giving the back four sufficient defensive cover when their job is to actually score goals. Makalele is regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders despite scoring only two goals for Chelsea, why is that?

Where the fuck did I say anything about scoring apart from a sarcastic retort back to you about Cech? I suggest you read all my posts before you comment further. If I wanted to be picky then Mikel is behind Makelele, Essien & Ballack in that respect but that is not what my argument us based on ffs!

[lionsden 4,689]

Where the fuck did I say anything about scoring apart from a sarcastic retort back to you about Cech? I suggest you read all my posts before you comment further. If I wanted to be picky then Mikel is behind Makelele, Essien & Ballack in that respect but that is not what my argument us based on ffs!

If mikel has always been below Chelsea's standard as your posts and pov directly or indirectly suggests then how did he manage to cop a total of 158 appearances for chelsea under 5 different world class and experienced managers including mourinho,Ancelotti and Guus Hiddink?

[GodZola 630]

This.

The problem is that many fans try to see positive things everywhere. Mikel has a lot of limitations, but his lovers keep saying: You dont understand his role.

Mikel does not have a special role that gives the team a balance. He has limitations, thats why he is pragmatic, defensive and only try to mark and disarm. He wont try anything special because he cant do it.

Mikel is not awful as footballer, but he awful for a club that aims to rule the world. We need a guy like Makelele or old-Essien. Mikel is the kind of player You always expect a terrible mistake in a crucial moment of the game. I will never forget those stupid mistakes against City in 2009/10 season, we almost lost the PL because of those silly mistakes.

He also gives the ball so easily under pressure, and its really difficult to see him giving a good long pass, and that is crucial in modern game: a DM that make good long passes.

When the team is atacking he is poor. Not because he did not score, Makelele also scored only one goal, but because he is not kick enough and he often made the wrong decisions.

For me Mikel and Kalou are in the same boat. Players that will never "flourish", and its unbeliveable that they are still here after all those years.

He is not the kind of character a winning CL side has.

Excellent post.

[Henrique 9,133]

Won't start an arguement with you, believe we both know why.

However I have to point out that's absolute bollocks. Have to wonder if you really meant it or just wrote it to support your case.

Sorry, but all you said in this thread is absolute bollocks and more bollocks.

All you said is "Mikel is a good player and if you think otherwise you posses no football knowledge".

So do pretend you are the guy with good ideas here.

[GodZola 630]

If mikel has always been below Chelsea's standard as your posts and pov directly or indirectly suggests then how did he manage to cop a total of 158 appearances for chelsea under 5 different world class and experienced managers including mourinho,Ancelotti and Guus Hiddink? :censored:

In my last post I told you to read my posts before you spout off again, so instead of admitting that I hadn't mentioned scoring ability you then come back with yet another useless stat. I would call Mourinho & Hiddink world class, Avram grant ummmmm - mind boggles!

Look I will spell out for you & all the other Mikel lovers & there are lots more that havn't got involved is this, my opinion is he has to improve on what he has done so far for us, now would you say in those 158 appearances that he has been as good or better than Makelele or Essien? If the answer to that is yes then you & the other lovers are liars. I agree with Henrique in that if we are to become world beaters then we must improve & that's not just Mikel I'm talking about.

Lastly Mikel as I'm told on here has now matured, at the right age, well as I said he has the manager now to help him mature into the player you lot already think he is, he has ability but whether he can make that next step up is another matter & I can see him doing ok against mediocre sides but when the shit hits the fan & we play a top side don't be surprised if he gets mugged at a crucial moment.

Let's hope you lot are right & I'm categorically wrong.

[Peace. 4,352]

He also gives the ball so easily under pressure, and its really difficult to see him giving a good long pass, and that is crucial in modern game: a DM that make good long passes.

This is a bit unfair in my opinion. I'd say the opposite ! When under pressure, I find him calm and composed, and he knows how to keep the ball. Furthermore, last year he was our only player (bar defenders) who seemed to be able to cope with pressure and keep the ball (I know I know, it doesn't say that much since all our players were more or less crap, but still).

[GodZola 630]

I'm a bit weired about ppl talking about mikel like he was shit but at the same breath demand a transfer of a 45 million euro tool which isn't even proved to european football... strange...

@godzola...

just do you're research... and read the links ppl post to you... thats you're problem you dont read the links and watch what ppl show to you... its what I've written in my post already...

Sorry I missed this one.

I don't read ANY LINKS, & I'm not interested in stats (I'm not the only one that thinks that) before you harp on about it, I will give you a stat to get you're teeth into, Makelele & Essien have been & were better than Mikel in that position - I rest my case.

Here you go lionsden just for you...........

Here's another one, Torres scored 1 prem goal last season in how many games - does that make him a poor player because of that stat? You see stats don't give a true picture, oh if he his better than Fabregas at this & that then why don't Barca bid for Mikel instead?

[zolayes 14,489]

God Zola and Henrique in tandem ...what a pair of .........(fill in your word)