Mikel John Obi

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Stands to reason that the over the top praise would be cause it's something supporters had not witnessed before. Again why are the likes of Frank,DD,Ash not praised for something as vague as 'Mikel gave players an outlet'or some such jazz?

Because that is the job of the holding midfielder? But for the record, Didier always got praise for being an outlet for pressure, because we would just hoof the ball forward to him and he would win it to release the pressure and allow us to reorganize at the back. I always say that Didier was a key component in our brick wall defense during his time here especially in the Jose era (for that and for the amazing job he does at defending set-pieces).

[Drogba4ever15 47]

No he was praised because he was excellent on the ball while most of our players couldn't keep the ball under Bayern's pressing. Keep twisting it which ever way you want, but you can't change the fact that Mikel has been part of our success in the past 5-6 years and he's put in some big performances in some big matches along the way to help us win the trophies we have won.

So we can't criticize Mikel in the city game because everyone played really bad, but we can single him out in a game where everyone played really well and give him the lime light when it was Lampard who made all those vital interceptions and cleared the ball out of the box more times than the average centre back.

[Henrique 9,133]

I'm not really sure what you're trying to get at. You act as if Matic is no better than Mikel but then you say this:

I don't get it. That is my main point, but yet it seems like you want to disagree with me at the same time for the sake of it.

Thank you!

I really dont know what you are finding hard to understand. My point is very simple: a better player doesn't always play better than a worse one, and sometimes the "worse" is "better" for what a team needs. We had many examples in the past. Just take a look at Shevchenko or Torres. They were proven players in their clubs but the just failed to produce the performance people were expecting.

So, as the other guy said, Matic was one of the best players in portuguese league, but I dont mind, because he needs to be a good player for Chelsea, and what I'm trying to say, and I expect you will understand now is: how big is Matic impact in the team? Whats the difference between having Matic or Mikel as our DM in terms of results? The best example was our team last season. Mata, Oscar and Hazard. Really fun to watch sometimes, you cant deny they have better technics than Kalou, Malouda, Anelka, but at the end of the day Mazacar were no better than Kalouda/Anelka/Malouda.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

So we can't criticize Mikel in the city game because everyone played really bad, but we can single him out in a game where everyone played really well and give him the lime light when it was Lampard who made all those vital interceptions and cleared the ball out of the box more times than the average centre back.

Lol Who says you can't criticize him? You can say whatever you want about him and you have said whatever you wanted about him. That's your opinion. But like wise, I have the right to point out that he is being singled out and getting slatted much more than players that played much worse than him in the same game and express my opinion that he (and Luiz) is being scapegoated, yet again, for a bad team performance.

Plus, no one has ever singled Mikel out in the CL final. All the lads were heroes and, for me, if you're going to single someone out it has to be Petr. That match just comes up because it is obviously the most memorable response to the factually incorrect claims that John can't perform at the highest levels or in the biggest games or that the team can't win trophies with him in it.

[dee25 1,044]

So we can't criticize Mikel in the city game because everyone played really bad, but we can single him out in a game where everyone played really well and give him the lime light when it was Lampard who made all those vital interceptions and cleared the ball out of the box more times than the average centre back.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

gif war begins.

[dee25 1,044]

gif war begins.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

GIF wars elsewhere please.

[The Skipper 20,593]

So we can't criticize Mikel in the city game because everyone played really bad, but we can single him out in a game where everyone played really well and give him the lime light when it was Lampard who made all those vital interceptions and cleared the ball out of the box more times than the average centre back.

Criticise him and single him out if he was the worst player on the pitch and if it was his fault that we conceded. Likewise, single him out if the whole team plays well but he played better.

This applies to all players, not just Mikel.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Mikel, Luiz and Torres. Can't wait to see the back of these 3 players.

[didierforever 7,349]

Mikel, Luiz and Torres. Can't wait to see the back of these 3 players.

if jose can make him and use him as a DM then I think I will be quite happy with it.

But agree about torres and mikel.

[Viper22 2,418]

Please Jose....

Out: Mikel, Torres

In: Cavani/Costa/Mandzukic/Benzema & ANYONE

[Drogba4ever15 47]

I FIGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF ALL ANTI MIKEL BELIEVERS!

[Drogba4ever15 47]

Criticise him and single him out if he was the worst player on the pitch and if it was his fault that we conceded. Likewise, single him out if the whole team plays well but he played better.

This applies to all players, not just Mikel.

Well isn't that a great way to state the obvious? Like that wasn't my point in the first place.

I don't understand this constant praise Mikel still gets from the CL final, how does it prove anything? David Luiz had a fantastic game and he wasn't even match fit yet he is still our worst centre back we have and can't mark his man.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Well isn't that a great way to state the obvious? Like that wasn't my point in the first place.

I don't understand this constant praise Mikel still gets from the CL final, how does it prove anything? David Luiz had a fantastic game and he wasn't even match fit yet he is still our worst centre back we have and can't mark his man.

I wasn't attacking your post, I was using it as a point of reference.

Off topic but wouldn't say Luiz is our worst CB either. What I can agree with though is that he is having the worst season out of our CBs. On form and fully focused he's a top CB, as we saw last season.

[Drogba4ever15 47]

I wasn't attacking your post, I was using it as a point of reference.

Off topic but wouldn't say Luiz is our worst CB either. What I can agree with though is that he is having the worst season out of our CBs. On form and fully focused he's a top CB, as we saw last season.

The bad thing is about David Luiz is that he is bad at the simplest and easiest of things. The last few games he has played for us he has given the players far to much space. Luke De Jong a free header and Luiz was just stood right next to him giving him 2 yards. The Anichibe case again similar.

He is quality when he is inform but when you need someone to come in and just do one duty whilst Terry is gone David Luiz really isn't ready for that. I say he either starts every game or he barely plays at all.

[TrippingStep 336]

Well Matic has played poorly in the past two game so Mikel might start in his place. On the other hand, Matic is not available for the midweek game in the CL, so it could go either way, but I think we'll definitely need the physicality of either Mikel or Matic against Everton. I personally think that Nemanja will start, but I wouldn't bet against Obi.

Physicality of Mikel, are you kidding?

Mikel is ok if midfielders of opponent are slow, otherwise he will be beaten at every turn.

Don't understand why you like him so much.

No european top clubs would have him, or just as last midfielder in their squad.

[happy_juan 64]

Mikel was man of the match vs everton? You mean when he chickened out from putting in a tackle on osman and they punished us with a goal? Wierd people over here.