Mikel John Obi

[lucio 5,418]

He did NOT have a bad game. He was one of our better players yesterday (granted that's not saying much with yesterday's performance). Defensively he was excellent. Lost count of the times he won the ball the back on the edge and around our box when Frank and Rami were easily bypassed in midfield. He made many clearances from the box and won most of headers in the air in midfield not to mention the goal-line clearance.

Offensively his passing was not up to his usual standards, but the argument about him "slowing our transition" makes little sense because what we needed yesterday was to slow down the tempo. Everyone else, especially in the first half, was just gifting the ball back to Basel with long aimless balls and hasty passing decisions. We needed someone to calm things down in midfield and keep the ball. Mikel did it at times but should have done better (and should have had more support to be able to do it better).

Bottom line is, if it weren't for Cech, Azpi and Mikel yesterday, the scoreline would have been much more embarrassing.

true. you cant expect mikel to hold the midfield together when the other 2 midfielders are having a terrible game

[The Skipper 20,593]

http://www.mychelseafc.com/prev_news/13_news/nov13_news/nov26-8.htm

Intresting numbers and its all Mikels fault, now I see...

Don't see why you bother, especially with Phil, he will never admit that Mikel has had a good game.

Granted Mikel wasn't amazing against Basel but like I've said before, every loss is Mikel's fault, and every win he's involved in he's "just a passenger" according to these lot.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Don't see why you bother, especially with Phil, he will never admit that Mikel has had a good game.

Granted Mikel wasn't amazing against Basel but like I've said before, every loss is Mikel's fault, and every win he's involved in he's "just a passenger" according to these lot.

There's nothing wrong with being a passenger, or a seat filler. You need players who simply don't let you down when everything else is running smoothly, but I think people would prefer a more commanding presence in that position. Someone who rallies the troops and is a leader, rather than a follower.

Again, that's not really an insult against Mikel. He is a rather quiet bloke in person and not a big presence by any stretch of the imagination and that's something you can accomodate in a team, but it's not something you can build around. We've been spoilt by that spine of Cech, Terry, Makelele, Lampard and Drogba because they were all leaders and you could put the likes of Tiago, Cole, Del Horno etc. around them and they'd carry you. Even the likes of Deschamps and Wise were leaders in that position - I don't think the same can be said of Mikel.

[Phil Driver 503]

He is from ghostgoal and sometimes has quite nice statistical posts sometimes. But you don't have to know every Reporter/Poster on the net.

I bring Lamps in because he is one of the main reasons our team had a bad game after few in this thread acte like Mikel was the CM and scored 4 owngoals.

Its not defending Mikel, but telling things from my point of view and that Lamps was our main Problem you don't loose a single word about his shamebolic performances but jump right into the Mikel thread when he had a bad game.

And we all know what you and Phil are demanding from the Manager. I always tell when both have bad games, no problem with that, I'm no fanboy, I'm past this after Drogba left. Also your favourism is clearly to see, and here is another point why I bring up Lamps in a post where somebody moans about our CM that weren't pressing and too slow in transition in the thread about one of our DMs, Lamps is one out of the CM-Pair of yesterday.

- Some Poster criticise Mikel for a part he hadn't to play

- Some Lampsfanboys have clear favourism in regret to Mikel, because if he plays as a consequence Lamps has to stay on the bench mostly

- Some Lampsfanboys don't lose a single word about a shamebolic performance of they're player but even criticise Mikel when he plays a great game

So now three points in the context of this thread in my post why I've brought up Lamps name here, you always talk about Lamps in this thread when you tell us he and ramy should play but its not allowed to bring his name up if its not ok for your taste?

Karma is a bitch....

Let me explain the fanboy tag - Fans who respect players like our highest ever goalscorer and great player Lampard and legends like Harris,Bonnetti ,Osgood ,Zola ,Terry and Drogba can not be called fanboys because their admiration comes from greatness in performance for Chelsea ,the Mikel fanboy tag comes from the feeling that he is a poor player according to some supporters and the fanboys have another reason for their Mikel appreciation other than his performance on the pitch for Chelsea.

Rightly or wrongly that is where the fanboy tag came from . It does not apply to supporters who admire our great players and club legends as listed above,they are all admired for greatness and outstanding service . Not that Slobi is the only bad player to have graced the blue shirt given to us by the Earl of Cadogan,but the fanboy thing has been used to describe his admirers.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I don't understand why Makelele's name comes up in the Mikel debate. I'm of the view Makelele today wouldn't be in the squad, because the game's moved on from that type of central midfield player.. Maybe it's just me though.

[robsblubot 3,539]

I don't understand why Makelele's name comes up in the Mikel debate. I'm of the view Makelele today wouldn't be in the squad, because the game's moved on from that type of central midfield player.. Maybe it's just me though.

That's actually my view - that the game has indeed moved on and Mikel isn't a modern player by any means. He's just too immobile in the very dynamic game of today. Dortmund's midfielders would be the the other extreme, as in extremely mobile players.

[Phil Driver 503]

It is because he does just sit like Maka used to and we are told his sole job is to protect the back four ,I agree with you the role died with the great little Frenchman, to convert Mikel to it because he was a failed AM was crazy and plainly he is unable to fill the role as Maka did whilst not having the stamina or speed to fill a more forward role. Makelele really did protect the back four and would initiate counter attacks with interceptions and one touch forward passing when it was on as well as making last ditch tackles.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

That's actually my view - that the game has indeed moved on and Mikel isn't a modern player by any means. He's just too immobile in the very dynamic game of today. Dortmund's midfielders would be the the other extreme, as in extremely mobile players.

Precisely, that's why I like Ramires in that role because I think that's the way a modern central midfield player should behave. The problem is, the partnering of that type of player.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Congrats to John and Victor for winning the Nigerian Sportsman of The Year and Footballer of The Year awards respectively.

http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/3554155/title/moses-and-mikel-win-nigeria-awards

[OneMoSalah 8,788]

Fuck me this thread makes me laugh 9 times out of 10!

Anyway congrats to Jobi on the award... yes I called him Jobi...

[GeeMon 34]

I vote we make him our #10 so he can show is true national team identity.

[Phil Driver 503]

Believe it or not he played the same game at Basle as he did at West Ham ,contributed little or nothing in both games ,what was the difference? ,at West Ham he was not put under pressure and was allowed an easy passage AND our great players turned it on ,at Basle our great players were feeling the effects of the West Ham game (esp.Lampard and Oscar) and Basle put him under pressure (as Spurs did first half) and he will fold very quickly game like Spurs away and Basle away are games our holder should eat up ,when the defence do need protection and cover.

[lucio 5,418]

Believe it or not he played the same game at Basle as he did at West Ham ,contributed little or nothing in both games ,what was the difference? ,at West Ham he was not put under pressure and was allowed an easy passage AND our great players turned it on ,at Basle our great players were feeling the effects of the West Ham game (esp.Lampard and Oscar) and Basle put him under pressure (as Spurs did first half) and he will fold very quickly game like Spurs away and Basle away are games our holder should eat up ,when the defence do need protection and cover.

[Phil Driver 503]

It is as simple as this ,if this plays today we could struggle ,did nothing at West Ham and at Basle where he should have protected the back four he was missing.

The question still remains ,what the fook does he do?

[Clevemayer 764]

It is as simple as this ,if this plays today we could struggle ,did nothing at West Ham and at Basle where he should have protected the back four he was missing.

The question still remains ,what the fook does he do?

at least annoy you and earn a shitlot of money ?

[lucio 5,418]

It is as simple as this ,if this plays today we could struggle ,did nothing at West Ham and at Basle where he should have protected the back four he was missing.

The question still remains ,what the fook does he do?

did nothing against west ham except earn a lot of praise from the best manager in the world. must of been rubbish.

[Phil Driver 503]

No pressure on him at West Ham it was a stroll ,how did he do at Basle and Spurs when the back four needed protecting?

Jose is not stupid he needs to sell him and get rid of a drain on the wage bill. He can only hide in games where we are not put under pressure or we have the whole team defending and doing his job for him.

[Phil Driver 503]

Dropped again . And rightly so awful recently and not because he needs a rest.