Mikel John Obi

[LDN Blue 7,903]

This game definitely proved Mikel's importance in the squad. There was simply no stability in front of the defensive line. I maintain that we played awful and had Sunderland been more clinical and had a proper attacking force (Wickham was virtually non-existent), we could've had another West Ham-type defeat on the cards.

[Blue Armour 4,436]

This game definitely proved Mikel's importance in the squad. There was simply no stability in front of the defensive line. I maintain that we played awful and had Sunderland been more clinical and had a proper attacking force (Wickham was virtually non-existent), we could've had another West Ham-type defeat on the cards.

Tbh for west Ham, we had Mikel in front of the defense and that still didn't help much. I think the real reason for today's problems was that neither Oscar or Ramires are natural holding mids.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Tbh for west Ham, we had Mikel in front of the defense and that still didn't help much. I think the real reason for today's problems was that neither Oscar or Ramires are natural holding mids.

Yeah, neither are natural DMs so it's definitely going to be lopsided.

[Muzchap 8,966]

Here's the full situation.

Moses, Ramires, Torres and Mata are rooted and/or unavailable. Hazard dropping is a good thing but that's not compensated by a run through space.

Only Azpilicueta will unleash a run forward. Hazard will play to Mata then Azpi, Azpi will give to Mata whose chipped pass will be cleared because it wasn't clearly for Torres (whose run wasn't sharp) nor Azpi.

Basically that was a pass before an assist (or key pass) if Azpilicueta could have crossed the ball

I don't see how that's Mikel's fault.

I still give you credit for cutting the initial image to give the feeling Mikel is a pensioner in wheelchair who cannot pass the ball. Fair play to you.

Uh uh disagree - Mikel has about 4 options there

Simplest one being to Torres who can lay off for either Mata or Moses on the overlap...

I love your pictures, but like Art, there's lots of interpretations

Mine is - Mikel needs to go to specsavers - he has no vision...

Him + Romeu might work though, but thanks to injury we won't find out

[Corner 456]

Uh uh disagree - Mikel has about 4 options there

Simplest one being to Torres who can lay off for either Mata or Moses on the overlap...

I love your pictures, but like Art, there's lots of interpretations

Mine is - Mikel needs to go to specsavers - he has no vision...

Him + Romeu might work though, but thanks to injury we won't find out

I actually would have agreed with you on this last season, but I think he has made massive improvements this season with his passing and vision. His role in the team has changed and he has adapted really well, in my opinion anyway.

Didn't Di Matteo actually start with Mikel + Romeu alongside each other against Swansea? It didn't seem to work well in that game, but the whole team played fairly badly that day. It might be worth another shot.

[Corner 456]

I just disagree with that word, Mikel didn't improved, he was simply able to unleash his passing range much more than he could in his former restricted role.

There's a massive difference between the role and the abilities, isn't that cristal clear ?

Well, it's hard to tell whether he had the ability to do so all along or not as he was playing in a different role. All we can do is speculate about that. Either Mikel had the passing ability he has shown this season all along but was simply restricted by the role he was playing, or he has had to adjust to playing a new role in the team and improve his passing range and abilities. It's hard to differentiate between the two really. Either way, Mikel is showing more vision this season and his passing range is a lot longer than before.

And yes, of course there's a massive difference between the role and someone's abilities, I never said otherwise. That's just common sense.

[Muzchap 8,966]

You can't learn to pass the ball in just a summer long. Mikel's choices have always been pragmatic, the effect on his passing is that it's > 90% accurate wherever situational position on the pitch

Stats like that really annoy me...

Would I take a 70% pass rate with a few 'key' forward passes : Yes

The 90% pass rate is either side to side or back, offers no attacking threat.

My own eyes saw Romeu playing better football than Mikel, so imagine what a polished DM could do..

I would love Busquets + Romeu or even Mikel, but I don't believe Mikel + Ramires is the answer

That's all I'm saying

[Kojo 4,676]

Stats like that really annoy me...

Would I take a 70% pass rate with a few 'key' forward passes : Yes

The 90% pass rate is either side to side or back, offers no attacking threat.

My own eyes saw Romeu playing better football than Mikel, so imagine what a polished DM could do..

I would love Busquets + Romeu or even Mikel, but I don't believe Mikel + Ramires is the answer

That's all I'm saying

I can't tell you how many times he uses these stats to make his point.

It doesn't matter about all these stats if you're playing shit and looking below average every game, well you don't agree with that Muzchap and that's perfectly fine if you think Mikel is good, that's just your opinion.

But it's stupid when you're using stats as your point.

[Corner 456]

I can't tell you how many times he uses these stats to make his point.

It doesn't matter about all these stats if you're playing shit and looking below average every game, well you don't agree with that Muzchap and that's perfectly fine if you think Mikel is good, that's just your opinion.

But it's stupid when you're using stats as your point.

I both agree and disagree to be honest.

Stats can be helpful to a certain extent. (And I'm not implying any particular people of being guilty of this) but it's just when stats are taken out of context, misrepresented or twisted to make a point seem like it makes sense when it really doesn't. That's what annoys me.

[Muzchap 8,966]

I both agree and disagree to be honest.

Stats can be helpful to a certain extent. (And I'm not implying any particular people of being guilty of this) but it's just when stats are taken out of context, misrepresented or twisted to make a point seem like it makes sense when it really doesn't. That's what annoys me.

Ok stats are great in say a production line, where you are comparing apples to apples.

Unfortunately a football game can never be repeated exactly and that's where I hate stats.

Take the point Seb made about my pass to Torres, he said he would only be able to play it straight back, but that's not true look at our first goal against Sunderland, Torres actually turned his man (shock I know) - Moses IIRC went wide to Hazard and we scored...

More and more I'm now noticing Torres asking to be played in and we don't - this needs to improve and I just don't see Mikel sliding him through...

We just go sideways or back, giving the opposition time to regroup and get organised.

If we're playing to a Striker (Torres/Falcao/etc) who play on the last defenders shoulder we need great passers - Mikel + Ramires are not these people...

Maybe Mikel has a deeper role, but we still need a good passer, if Mikel had Ramires or Essiens running ability I would be happier, but he is often slow to react 'anticipation'...

Maybe Benitez can work with him in training?

We need a world class DM and Striker in Jan.

If we fail to do that, then we will be struggling hard for 4th in the Prem...

Just my opinion

[Amblève. 4,995]

Stats like that really annoy me...

Would I take a 70% pass rate with a few 'key' forward passes : Yes

The 90% pass rate is either side to side or back, offers no attacking threat.

Do you know what you're saying? You'd rather play some guy in the double pivot who will give the ball away 3 times out of 10 when he passes?! Just to have a couple of key passes? Those won't make up in any way for the defensive problems we'd face if we had such an unreliable passer in front of our back-4.

[Kojo 4,676]

Well yeah, stats are obviously helpful in some criterias i suppose that's obvious.

But i think additional information and your own conclusion should come with your point rather than just throwing a stupid stat in there. Because that's just stupid, you can't just use a stat to back up your point, not in that way anyhow.

[Muzchap 8,966]

Do you know what you're saying? You'd rather play some guy in the double pivot who will give the ball away 3 times out of 10 when he passes?! Just to have a couple of key passes? Those won't make up in any way for the defensive problems we'd face if we had such an unreliable passer in front of our back-4.

Well I guess you misunderstood the KEY PASS part, by that I mean goal scoring opportunity...

We need to create more chances and convert them

As for turning over the ball, you make it sound like Mikel is the only defender on the pitch?

He's an average defender at best...

[Muzchap 8,966]

Figures are used to illustrate a point, not to make it. You say he plays mostly backwards, I say you that's false. 65% forward is a fact, not another stupid "opinion".

We had an easy game against Wolves didn't we ? Did they had some chances still ? Err... yeah, actually they had a couple of chances they fucked up.

From what did come those chances ? Defense splitting passes from Dorius De Vries (GK) from 80 yards ? Nah mate, just some creative stuff from the deep from Romeu who was either intercepted or too predictable to a player back to goal, which led to a short counter attack the team wasn't prepared to face considering Mikel allows any of those situations with his passing nearing perfection.

We played Wolves' sunday team and they still had some clear cut chances. Except the last two games, Romeu always gave the ball away too much times by attempting creative stuff.

The closer you're from your own goal, the more careful way you play. When you're in the last third you can attempt things. Not before, because that's predictable.

Hmm who is Dorious?

I'm not saying a GK should be providing the assists? What a weird and unrelated point!

I'm talking about Broccoli! That's where it's at!!! Small trees, jumpers for goal posts...,

But of Mikels 60+ % of forward passes, how many were key?

It's like a dude that's good at chatting up women, but can't close the deal - at the end of the day he's still a wanker

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Hmm who is Dorious?

I'm not saying a GK should be providing the assists? What a weird and unrelated point!

I'm talking about Broccoli! That's where it's at!!! Small trees, jumpers for goal posts...,

But of Mikels 60+ % of forward passes, how many were key?

It's like a dude that's good at chatting up women, but can't close the deal - at the end of the day he's still a wanker

I did not understand most of that. And I think you completely missed his point about the keeper. He was saying that Wolves chances came from Oriol's misplaced passes when he attempted to be 'creative' (god I hate that word!)