Mikel John Obi

[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!)

[Muzchap 8,966]

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!)

Yeah that's the point I'm trying to make, instead of answering my question, I get everything and the kitchen sink thrown in.

As for Wolves not interested in that

What I wanted answering was;

Out of the 60+% of Mikel forward passes, how many were key passes...

Not unreasonable?

[The only place to be 11,313]

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

I agree 100%. I don't want Mikel making incisive passes or even getting forward much.

I simply want him to do his job which is to effectively move the ball to create spaces (as seb says), whilst also doing his job defensively. I'm not bothered about him making 'key passes' because that's really not his job in my opinion.

The problem is that we have to mask his deficiencies by playing Ramires alongside him, in my opinion.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Yeah that's the point I'm trying to make, instead of answering my question, I get everything and the kitchen sink thrown in.

As for Wolves not interested in that

What I wanted answering was;

Out of the 60+% of Mikel forward passes, how many were key passes...

Not unreasonable?

0.5 per game according to whoscored: http://www.whoscored.com/Players/15464

[Muzchap 8,966]

I agree 100%. I don't want Mikel making incisive passes or even getting forward much.

I simply want him to do his job which is to effectively move the ball to create spaces (as seb says), whilst also doing his job defensively. I'm not bothered about him making 'key passes' because that's really not his job in my opinion.

The problem is that we have to mask his deficiencies by playing Ramires alongside him, in my opinion.

Thing is, is he really that great defensively?

He seems to stroll around and end up in terrible positions..?

I have no diagrams, just my tired old eyes...

I think him + Ramires need replacing, if honest - Busquets + Alonso will do

[Muzchap 8,966]

0.5 per game according to whoscored: http://www.whoscored.com/Players/15464

So 1 decent pass every 2 games?

Fuck me that's worse than Torres!

[Blue Armour 4,323]

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.

Do you even bother to read my post, or do you find it so tough to comprehend simple statements?

Nice illustrations, but I was referring to instances like in this picture:

For this particular example, there was no real problem as Ramires had moved forward when Hazard dropped deep. Thus the attacking shape was preserved. But there are instances where Mikel ponders with the ball too long, making the forward players drop back to make the pass Mikel could have made. This is detrimental in situations where we are on the back-foot/ chasing a game.

If I wanted to hide behind that picture, I wouldn't have bothered telling you from which point in the match that was from. The only reason I showed that picture was to show that there are instances when Mikel forces an attacker to drop deep JUST Like Hazard positioned himself in that one, when he could have opted for a better pass.

.I like you illustrations and generally agree with a lot of your posts, but the condescending nature of your replies is getting annoying.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Thing is, is he really that great defensively?

He seems to stroll around and end up in terrible positions..?

I have no diagrams, just my tired old eyes...

I think him + Ramires need replacing, if honest - Busquets + Alonso will do

That's what's funny - no he isn't

His positional sense is iffy, his work-rate is occasionally embarrassing and because he's slow to move the ball on sometimes, he can get caught in possession or isolated which puts pressure on the player he passes to.

[Muzchap 8,966]

That's what's funny - no he isn't

His positional sense is iffy, his work-rate is occasionally embarrassing and because he's slow to move the ball on sometimes, he can get caught in possession or isolated which puts pressure on the player he passes to.

Wow, you, me and @kojo are either all correct or horribly wrong

Lets see what happens

[The only place to be 11,313]

Wow, you, me and @kojo are either all correct or horribly wrong

Lets see what happens

I can't think of a more divisive player in Chelsea's recent history. Torres might come close but that argument could be settled by goals scored. Luiz maybe, but most people agree he has the talent but needs to cut out the brain farts and could be world class.

Mikel is really the marmite man (or so Clattenburg allegedly called him ). You either love him or hate him.