🇳🇬 Mikel John Obi

[Blue Armour 4,442]

Honestly disappointed with Mikel's work rate these days,..looking at it now, it would seem that keeping Essien would have been a better option.

And now there's his passing. During Carlo's second season, and sometimes during the start of this season he was more ambitious with his passing. During the last few games, its been really dull, where he doesn't even seem to pass more than 5 yards, always keen to get a forward player to track back and receive. This was acceptable in the 1st half when West Ham were content to sit back...but in the 2nd half they just bulldozed through our midfield due to the lack of urgency from the side.

You can blame Torres all you want for his lack of sharpness in front of goal, but the more pressing concern is the weakness in central midfield. I won't say that Mikel is the main problem (as there is no better substitute in the squad), but he hasn't really been helping the team in recent games.

[DYC. 7,542]

I look at Obi and I often just scratch my head. He's 6 ft 2, muscular and he's shown (mostly on the ball) he possesses impressive strength. Yet he rarely makes use of it in his defending, so strange. He'd be a better player if he would add physicality to his game and it would also help our team a lot as we seriously lack power. You'd think one of the 27 coaches he's played under in the past 6 and a half years would instruct him to do so.

Add aggression to your game and use your strength Obi.

[ja1 1,166]

http://www.carefreechronicles.com/2012/12/mikels-sideway-pass-no121.html

[Blue Armour 4,442]

http://www.carefreec...pass-no121.html

Great pass that...he needs to do more of the same, and stop expecting players like Mata or Hazard to come back to within 5 yards from where he's standing to get the ball. It just destroys the tempo.

[Clevemayer 764]

disappointed with him in the last game, the first half was good but the second was just pure, really pure,,, he can and MUST do better, else, take a seat on the bench my son...

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Great pass that...he needs to do more of the same, and stop expecting players like Mata or Hazard to come back to within 5 yards from where he's standing to get the ball. It just destroys the tempo.

He shouldn't and can't be expected to play such a pass. It is too risky. Sure it looks great if he pulls it off, but if he doesn't then we've lost the ball with only 5 players behind it. As a DM it his job to make 5-10 yard passes as it is the job of one of the 3 behind the striker to come within 5-10 yards to receive the ball so we don't risk loosing possession in midfield.

[zolayes 14,489]

our attackers waste great chances ...our back four give away goals AND WE BLAME MIKEL

[Blue Armour 4,442]

He shouldn't and can't be expected to play such a pass. It is too risky. Sure it looks great if he pulls it off, but if he doesn't then we've lost the ball with only 5 players behind it. As a DM it his job to make 5-10 yard passes as it is the job of one of the 3 behind the striker to come within 5-10 yards to receive the ball so we don't risk loosing possession in midfield.

I'm not talking about a defense splitting through ball every time,..I'm talking about finding a player without forcing that player to come back and receive the ball. If you look at the second half of our last game, players like Mata/Hazard/Torres are coming back to get the ball from Mikel and this is ruining our attack. Its fine when the opposition sits back, but it sucks balls when they peg us back.

It wouldn't be a problem if Mikel was paired up with another creative midfielder who could do that job, but when the person he's paired with is Ramires or Romeu, I expect him to make the better passes.

[Blue Armour 4,442]

our attackers waste great chances ...our back four give away goals AND WE BLAME MIKEL

Is it too much to expect a little more from from him, or are you saying he should just be a water-carrier for the team?

[zolayes 14,489]

Is it too much to expect a little more from from him, or are you saying he should just be a water-carrier for the team?

the water carrier was an insult given I think to Deschamps who was vital to France winning the World Cup . I am saying there are much more

culpable players in our team than Mikel

[The only place to be 11,313]

our attackers waste great chances ...our back four give away goals AND WE BLAME MIKEL

I blame him for not working hard enough to provide cover for the back four, and I also think his passing can become slow and laboured at times. He's in a tough position because it requires a lot from the person playing it, but I simply don't think he can do it well enough for us especially when he's under a bit of pressure. I think that it's ultimately a character issue, something that we sometimes overlook as fans.

[Blue Armour 4,442]

the water carrier was an insult given I think to Deschamps who was vital to France winning the World Cup . I am saying there are much more

culpable players in our team than Mikel

Thats exactly why I used that term.., because I feel Mikel can do better that. There are a lot of attacking players not performing at their best levels right now, but I think Mikel can make their job a lot easier with better passing.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I'm not talking about a defense splitting through ball every time,..I'm talking about finding a player without forcing that player to come back and receive the ball. If you look at the second half of our last game, players like Mata/Hazard/Torres are coming back to get the ball from Mikel and this is ruining our attack. Its fine when the opposition sits back, but it sucks balls when they peg us back.

It wouldn't be a problem if Mikel was paired up with another creative midfielder who could do that job, but when the person he's paired with is Ramires or Romeu, I expect him to make the better passes.

Again, it is their job to come back and receive the ball from Mikel. How is Mikel supposed to find one of them between 7-8 defenders without risking loosing the ball? You expecting him to be both the DM and creative midfielder which is impossible for any player.

[Kieran. 6,317]

G'wan Mikel!!!!!

-Mikel fanboy

There has been no real purpose to this post other than to express support for Mikel.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

If only he made more sliding tackles or gives spreading passes to the flanks.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

So you pretend it has been the case this season ? I mean on a regular basis ?

Our main issue has been the attackers' movements this season. In my opinion, everything resulted from it. Defensively and attacking.

The player "in the hole" never dropped to ask the ball in front of the double pivot, whereas that was their role. You can't keep the ball, progress and create chances without triangles. The single double pivot can't carry the ball forward with 1-2 until reaching the rooted attackers 20 yards upper than them.

Don't you ever noticed that our best attacking sequences this season came from situations where the AM dropped and did organize the play ? I've a couple of charts in my recent articles if you're still not convinced.

• Hazard behaves as a support striker, stays in the last third, waits for the ball to get on the half turn and face the play (situation where's he's probably one of the best in the world, and I don't use to say that easily). But then he's not available enough, whereas dropping, asking and orientating the play would have massively helped us
  
• Mata's issue is different, but same impact eventually. He's uneasy to keep the ball under pressure, reason why he doesn't play regulary for Spain and is behind Silva. He asks the ball but gets away with it, releases it before being closed down. Thus, he increases the tempo of the play "by default", he doesn't organize things as much as he should.
  
• Oscar did hold that role well because he dropped wisely to organize the play like an old fashioned number 10, oxygenate the play, feed the flanks, provide support. But he hasn't the sufficient volume of play (in terms of touches/passes per given time) because he's still young.
  

Mata and Hazard are enthusiastic but I have been disappointed by their tactical sense, especially Hazard. For Mata, that's more of a statement of powerlessness due to his bad ball retention skills. But I really though Hazard was far better in terms of use of the space, attacking positioning...

Oscar is brilliant tactically for just 20 years old, but at the moment he's the limits of his young age, sadly.

For Mikel you seem to think him not having behaved as a box to box is a clear issue. One of the two players of the double pivot's role is never to behave as a box to box but to feed the line just above them.

Ramires got in shooting positions but only when Oscar or Mata dropped and did hold his role momentaneously.

This season it really seemed that the team was cut in two parts: the 4 attackers, the 4 defenders and Mikel/Ramires in between. There was no link between the DP and the 3-line because the AM didn't drop enough to ask the ball. And because there wasn't that link, the DP was forced to push forward to create that link ; leaving the defenders over-exposed.

We can't blame either Luiz, either Mikel for our defensive woes. They've been actors of those woes but that was the consequence of 'Macazar's attitude both with and without the ball.

You gave a good analysis but left something out.

What are the positives mikel brings into the team except his height?

Does he make sliding tackles on counters like ramires to prevent goals?

Can he pass more than 10meters?

Does he shoot from range? Essien vs barca, arsenal anyone remember?

Is he even a threat that oponents are woried that he can do somthing on the ball?

Are we satisfied with mikels role of siting in front of the defence and passing to the side? Im not.

If you watched realmadrid vs ajax, they played modric and khedira, and if you saw the first two goals, it was a modric long pass from deep that opened it up.

Khedira is a box to box like ramires but mikel is not a passer like modric and thats what we need to speed up our play from defence to attack in a pivot. Mikel is more suited for 4-3-3 in the same role as busquets, but in a pivot he is not creative enough in attack.

Pivot = box 2 box + defensive long passer

4-3-3 = pure DM + b2b + passer

i thought mikel will develop his game and become a better passer, but im dissapointed.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Are we satisfied with mikels role of siting in front of the defence and passing to the side? Im not.

I would be. That's his job, to link the defence and attack and to keep the ball moving thus dragging opposition players out of defence and providing space for teammates. He's also the extra man in defence and midfield, providing an out ball and simply keeping it moving. It's a very demanding role and I don't think he does it all the time. I think he's got a tendency to switch-off.

The weird thing about him is that I can't imagine any other club wanting him. When I think about top clubs, I really don't know where he'd fit in. Yet at Chelsea he's something approaching 'untouchable'. It's bizarre.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

I would be. That's his job, to link the defence and attack and to keep the ball moving thus dragging opposition players out of defence and providing space for teammates. He's also the extra man in defence and midfield, providing an out ball and simply keeping it moving. It's a very demanding role and I don't think he does it all the time. I think he's got a tendency to switch-off.

The weird thing about him is that I can't imagine any other club wanting him. When I think about top clubs, I really don't know where he'd fit in. Yet at Chelsea he's something approaching 'untouchable'. It's bizarre.

thats what i mean. No top team can start mikel but chelsea. Meaning we should aim for better, he wont even get a start at liverpool so to me he is just average.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

What he brings ? Tactical balance, option for isolated defenders who know they can pass the ball and expect him not to lose it. Positional sense to prevent most attacks in front of the center backs (most, because the aim is to protect your goal, you can't obviously block evey passing line or every interval)

Mikel intercepts and protects the left side when Cole pushes forward with a good positioning. Ramires protects the right but thanks to his pace

Look at those figures

Mikel's average pass length is 17 meters

Now you have presented what he does on the defence, let's look at what he can do when in possesion of the ball.

I'm afraid I can only remember passing to fullbacks as his only attacking ability on the ball.

Look at the stats in the website in your post, mikel has 5 chances created from 14 matches, not even a chance created per 2 matches, look at modric vs ajax. Not only that, he has won only 54% of duels, proves he is not aggresive enough to make slide tackles and win balls like I said in my earlier post.

I didn't even need to check up statistics to realise that these are mikels greatest problems.

1. No foward passing sense

2. Have rarely seen him get in takles to stop dangerous situations as the supposed defensive player.

I like some of his qualities but he must add those two qualities above to become a top class DM.

He can function better in a 4-3-3 with more midfielders to help him but in a pivot, his present qualities are not enough.

As long as he can only do what he has so far, he isn't even going to be a starter in a liverpool squad or any top team in spain, italy, germany or england. He needs to develop because he is average at best in my opinion.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

A new five year deal for Obi! http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/3001387/title/five-more-years-for-mikel

First good news in a long while.