Mikel John Obi

[Clevemayer 764]

Absolutely 100% agree.

so Finally you can just talk about Mikels real issues and his problems, and I think this is down to the fact that 50% of the 'Hate Mikel'-Trolls have left the building, so you will slowly start to argument the right way and you see that our opinions are not that far away from each other...

[Reddish-Blue 2,495]

No, but is it acceptable to just forget everything he did for this club before and just act like a little child and post stupid gifs on him leaving?

Seriously, there is no reason for that, many players have had bad spells, just imagine ppl treating Ess like that, Ess was shit for a large preiod under Carlo after his Red Card against Fullham in particular and still ppl defended him, thats the same approach you should take towards Mikel.

I never said its acceptable to have a bad spell, I said you can't write a player off or just forget everything he did when he has a bad spell.

There is in no circumstance the possibility to compare MIkel with Kalou, Bosingwa Floppes or whom ever. Mikel did a great job at times and just worked fine to exceptional at times in the Midfield and it annoys me when ppl don't accept this.

Yeah he had a bad spell in that last half of the season but If you argument like this Lamps should've been gone under AVB, if he is shit till january think about selling him, if he doesn't prove you wrong after january sell him defo but after one bad spell this is unfair...

its just a matter of being fair and act appropriate

Lamps should have been gone? HAHA, that's the most absurd thing i've ever heard. You actually compared a Chelsea legend to Mikel's situation?

Mikel would of been sold long ago at another top club.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Mourinho is going to break so many hearts this season. John Obi Mikel reduced to his deserved position, the bench.

If this thread is anything to go by, it's actually the opposite.

[Reddish-Blue 2,495]

so Finally you can just talk about Mikels real issues and his problems, and I think this is down to the fact that 50% of the 'Hate Mikel'-Trolls have left the building, so you will slowly start to argument the right way and you see that our opinions are not that far away from each other...

So what are Mikel's real issues and problems?

[LDN Blue 7,903]

so Finally you can just talk about Mikels real issues and his problems, and I think this is down to the fact that 50% of the 'Hate Mikel'-Trolls have left the building, so you will slowly start to argument the right way and you see that our opinions are not that far away from each other...

TOPTB has always been an excellent debater in that regard. Always willing to listen to other's opinions.

[Clevemayer 764]

So what are Mikel's real issues and problems?

aren't you able to read?

[Joe Cool 388]

So what are Mikel's real issues and problems?

Well, attitude problems aside, Mikel is well too limited of a player to be playing in a pivot. He fits in better in a 4-3-3 due to the fact that formation has one person dedicated to the holding role, mainly staying in front of the back 4 and nothing else. However, in a 4-2-3-1, where we only have two central midfielders, because Mikel is so limited offensively and creatively, it often leaves well too much responsibility on the shoulders of his partner (which none of our other central midfielders are good enough to take up) and gives us absolutely no ideas going forward. If you compare him to players like Gundogan and Martinez, it's should become quite clear as to why they made it to the finals of the Champions League and why we couldn't even get out of the groups.

I think he offers more to the team than Essien will (although that's not saying much), but why give either of those two a chance in the team when we have Ake, Loftus Cheek, and Romeu plus a new buy like De Rossi (potentially)?

[Clevemayer 764]

Well, attitude problems aside, Mikel is well too limited of a player to be playing in a pivot. He fits in better in a 4-3-3 due to the fact that formation has one person dedicated to the holding role, mainly staying in front of the back 4 and nothing else. However, in a 4-2-3-1, where we only have two central midfielders, because Mikel is so limited offensively and creatively, it often leaves well too much responsibility on the shoulders of his partner (which none of our other central midfielders are good enough to take up) and gives us absolutely no ideas going forward. If you compare him to players like Gundogan and Martinez, it's should become quite clear as to why they made it to the finals of the Champions League and why we couldn't even get out of the groups.

The Question is, if he really is that limited, he excells for Nigeria since two years when haveing the license for roaming forward, so maybe its because of our strict strategical view for him? Maybe he can't get out of the idea play'n as pure DM like in a 4-3-3 at chelsea?

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Well, attitude problems aside, Mikel is well too limited of a player to be playing in a pivot. He fits in better in a 4-3-3 due to the fact that formation has one person dedicated to the holding role, mainly staying in front of the back 4 and nothing else.

I don't know if Makelele would fit our team anymore in all honesty.

On these two points, could we possibly make an argument that this has been a major stumbling block for Mikel to have evolved into the holding role? SeB eluded to the fact that Mikel has been mismanaged since Mourinho's departure which is certainly a plausible explanation because it was José who first changed Mikel from an attacking to defensive player.

[Clevemayer 764]

On these two points, could we possibly make an argument that this has been a major stumbling block for Mikel to have evolved into the holding role? SeB eluded to the fact that Mikel has been mismanaged since Mourinho's departure which is certainly a plausible explanation because it was José who first changed Mikel from an attacking to defensive player.

did he really? I thought I was the only one with that opinion at my previous post a page ago, but then finally I've found somebody understanding me

[LDN Blue 7,903]

did he really? I thought I was the only one with that opinion at my previous post a page ago, but then finally I've found somebody understanding me

Oh, it was you! I'd forgotten which one said it - Apologies!

[Reddish-Blue 2,495]

Well, attitude problems aside, Mikel is well too limited of a player to be playing in a pivot. He fits in better in a 4-3-3 due to the fact that formation has one person dedicated to the holding role, mainly staying in front of the back 4 and nothing else. However, in a 4-2-3-1, where we only have two central midfielders, because Mikel is so limited offensively and creatively, it often leaves well too much responsibility on the shoulders of his partner (which none of our other central midfielders are good enough to take up) and gives us absolutely no ideas going forward. If you compare him to players like Gundogan and Martinez, it's should become quite clear as to why they made it to the finals of the Champions League and why we couldn't even get out of the groups.

I think he offers more to the team than Essien will (although that's not saying much), but why give either of those two a chance in the team when we have Ake, Loftus Cheek, and Romeu plus a new buy like De Rossi (potentially)?

I'm not a fan of Mikel in anyway...but he can be a squad player for Chelsea until at least one of Ake, RLC, Chalobah are ready for first team football..

If we give him more freedom in a 4-3-3, who knows, he might actually do well.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I think there is a chance Mikel does turn it around, but Mourinho is going to have to change so much about him. He was an attacking midfielder when we signed him, but we stripped so much adventure out of his game to make him into a Makelele-clone and I think he needs to claw some of that back.

Look at his goal contribution for instance. He isn't in the team to score goals but 6 seasons?? It's absurd that a guy with his physical gifts doesn't get the odd goal. It's not a massive point but it's just one more thing that illustrates a lack of ambition or adventure on his part.

I think it's all mental because physically he has everything you could ask for, save for a bit of explosiveness over the first 5 yards. He can see a pass, he can fend off players, he's 6'2", he's got a nice touch and he can run with the ball but there just seems so much reluctance on his part to do so. Now maybe that's the coaches fault and Jose can turn it around, but he needs to really get his arse into gear and work his bollocks off because there are young guys with similar gifts chomping at his heels.

[English Freak 456]

I think there is a chance Mikel does turn it around, but Mourinho is going to have to change so much about him. He was an attacking midfielder when we signed him, but we stripped so much adventure out of his game to make him into a Makelele-clone and I think he needs to claw some of that back.

Look at his goal contribution for instance. He isn't in the team to score goals but 6 seasons?? It's absurd that a guy with his physical gifts doesn't get the odd goal. It's not a massive point but it's just one more thing that illustrates a lack of ambition or adventure on his part.

I think it's all mental because physically he has everything you could ask for, save for a bit of explosiveness over the first 5 yards. He can see a pass, he can fend off players, he's 6'2", he's got a nice touch and he can run with the ball but there just seems so much reluctance on his part to do so. Now maybe that's the coaches fault and Jose can turn it around, but he needs to really get his arse into gear and work his bollocks off because there are young guys with similar gifts chomping at his heels.

Well said.

Personally, if we can get Mikel playing like he does for Nigeria...we'll have more variety in midfield and it might actually help youngsters like Aké, Chalobah as there would be less pressure on them to perform straight-away..

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Never thought I'd see the day this happens in the Mikel thread, that both sides can actually get along and agree on even a few things.. Maybe there is a god