Mikel John Obi

[Peace. 4,352]

I deeply hope we look for and sign another Defensive Midfielder. I am a fervent believer of the need to have two different players by position. And thus, not only for having a good squad depth, but also for having the possibility to change our tactics during games, and to adapt our tactical approach considering our opposition. Yeah, we can't afford ourselves to be a one-track-tactical team, because there's only one club in the world who can afford this, and this is Barcelona (and still, due to their poor squad depth, they are sometimes suffering from their one-dimensional set of tactics).

Well, for the Defensive Midfielder, we are currently lacking of covering, and we neither have a DM with different attributes than John Obi Mikel. Essien has neither the tactical awareness, nor the strength/pace to play there and be good anymore. Hypster Meireles is only a good squad player, he should only be playing when we need someone to chase like a pitbull ball-holders, and doesn't have the abilities to play there (as he proved us this under AVB spell). As for Romeu, he is a big question mark. We shouldn't count on him, since he will definitely for sure go back sooner than later to Barça. He can be a one-year stop gap, but considering the stat our defensive midfield is in, I believe this is very important for us to search for a mddle/long-term. ABout Ramires, the brazilian did show us, when playing for his national team that he wasn't good at all in the double pivot role, and I believe he would be kinda dreadful in the DM role while playing in 4-3-3. To first off, his ball control / first touch is really awful. I ain't mean we should have a Messi-esq player to play the DM role, but this player should at least be decent and confortable in his first touch, so he doesn't lose the ball as soon as he recovers it. Plus I find he does lost the ball a tad too much, which is dangerous when playing in front of the defense. And his willingness to make long runs from the midfield to the box could be a down side.

And I gotta admit I am not convinced by the nigerian. My main worry is that I question his mobility. If he was awfully bad under AVB, it wasn't a conincidence. Indeed, that was because the portuguesh was making us playing a high tempo game, with the will to build the game in a quick way. Because of his slow mobility and ball retention, it did not quite work out, and it led to bad defensive errors : at White Hart Lane, on Adebayor's goal, for instance. While I think he is really a fine player when we adpote a slow tempo and/or park the bus (if he was good under RDM and Ancelotti, this neither is a coincidence - I think he would be a great player if he was playing in Serie A), into my eyes, he is a surplus to requirement when we are playing teams which park the bus against us (and thus play mainly a counter-attack game).

I would like us to buy a player who harasses the opposition, who is a warrior and doesn't stop running. A player who will immediatly be searching to recover the ball, when he'll lost it. A player who, as soon as he recovers the ball, gives it to the nearest of his team mates, à la Maka. A player with dynamism and pace. In short, someone similar to the old Essien, to Tiote, Witsell (I guess) or Fellaini. I am not seeking for a world-class player. No, an above average would fit the bill, since it is only in order to have a good squad depth, and the ability to change our tactics.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

Agree, Mikel lacks effort and commitment and is not really persistent enough to be a world class DM. The frustrating thing is, he does not really lack the ability. He is by no means slow or has no sense for spaces niether is he a bad tackler, IMO

Mikel seems to have a high standing within the Team and the way Lamps, who might have the most intelligent footballing brain in the world, rates him, makes me thing he is doing sth right. http://www.kickoff.com/news/29612/frank-lampard-says-fellow-chelsea-midfielder-john-mikel-obi-is-underrated-by-outsiders

[The Skipper 20,609]

Before we judge Mikel, or any other player in that respect, let's wait till the season starts officially.

I feel many people are letting pre-season taint their view on a lot of players.

Mikel was one of the best players towards the end of the season, so many have forgotten already.

[Stats 7,142]

We don't need no other DM to replace Mikel. I am sure when a few games get running in the league people will value his true quality. I reckon he has developed into a brilliant player in the role he now plays in

[Clevemayer 764]

Lamps says all that I'm saying of him, he has brilliant feet, brilliant shielding, superb tackling, great tactical awareness...

he for me lacks sometimes commitment, he just has to raise this, track back more and fight more... these two points ar vital for me to give him the attribute, outstanding Worldclass DM...

[╫rue Blue 47]

Lamps says all that I'm saying of him, he has brilliant feet, brilliant shielding, superb tackling, great tactical awareness...

he for me lacks sometimes commitment, he just has to raise this, track back more and fight more... these two points ar vital for me to give him the attribute, outstanding Worldclass DM...

i agree, just if ,he can be more work hard, more determination to fight the ball, he can turn out to be great DM

but without that, in some matches he can be really poor dm

and in my opinion, unless we not playing counter attacking football, not seldom our problem with mikel is

when we attacking, his distribution is not really good , he just make simple pass, although is still good for certain situation

but his pass often too slow, and make the build up play become much slower

it makes, no matter we have a bunch good talent and technicall player on attacking, but if the build up is slow

the same stories is still like the old time, we will hard / really struggle to break the opposition defence

and when we lost the ball , then get counter attacked by opposition ( not just in counter but also when the opponent play good pass combination in our midfield )

not a few times we show

mikel is the wrong one

he failed to trackback properly and covering the open space

because his slow and the movement not really good too, when he need to move faster for covering the position

[Tomo 21,751]

This will be a big season for him, sink or swim in some aspect's.

Next summer as it stands i think the club will prioritize a defensive midfielder, even more so if Romeu goes back to Barca, it's up to Mikel to prevent it being a Vidal and more a back up/prospect.

If he has a stormer this season, i have a feeling the defensive midfield position could be his to keep but i wouldn't have him as a 'spine' player yet.

[capriccioso 2,545]

He lacks the attitude at this point. As Clevemayer said he needs to become more aggressive.

[Kojo 4,676]

He should go.

He's good on the ball but off the ball he is awful it's not even funny.

[Jase 43,479]

http://www.eplindex.com/16829/chelsea-forget-john-obi-mikel.html

An article with stats on Mikel.

[Kajo 176]

Mikel was a decent player for us over the years and I wouldn't write him off. We won't get any better palayer without spending over 20m.

[zolayes 14,489]

http://www.eplindex....-obi-mikel.html

An article with stats on Mikel.

easier just to ignore stats and call him shite

[capriccioso 2,545]

Those stats are incredible. He loses the ball once a match and has a 5 in 6 tackle success rate. And he's only been beaten 11 times.

[maenbolaboling 27]

Those stats are incredible. He loses the ball once a match and has a 5 in 6 tackle success rate. And he's only been beaten 11 times.

yeah he is great

we should keep him

[Fulham Broadway 17,311]

Does a more than adequate job mostly- but no one will ever touch Maka