Mikel John Obi

[English Freak 456]

I was here too, that's irrelevant. If we were all satisfied by the Europa League we wouldn't be unhappy if we finished outside the top 4, so the self-righteous act doesn't really come into play here.

Just because Mikel said the competition isn't the prime time, which it's not, doesn't mean he wasn't out to win the competition. How many times have we laughed at Tottenham for playing Europa? Didn't we laugh at Man United last year for playing in there, and not winning it?

Mikel didn't even say he didn't want to win it!

Mikel's performances were utter rubbish in the competition.

Most of his performances in a Chelsea shirt have been average or below-par. He hasn't really evolved his game..from that young teenager we signed all those years ago.

To be honest, he's not even a vital part of our team...he only gets game time cause he's the only "experienced" DM in the first team squad.

I bet if he was this lazy at United, Fergie would have sold him by now...

[5354 204]

i feel mikel has stagnated for the past few seasons

[bleed_blue 136]

And then people get offended when I say that most of the Mikel 'criticism' is just hare and insults

Funny you did not reply after your last post, waited for one such reply and then generalized it to everyone.

[Strike 6,961]

No.

What Luiz does is create a massive gap with his ventures running into midfield. Why do you think he was put in that role in the first place? When he did at CB, the repercussions were disastrous. Now it's less noticeable because against weaker teams, our defense can cope.

Lampard's only in that position because we've had to accommodate for him. He shouldn't be sitting in front of our defensive line because he doesn't offer them the same amount of protection as an actual defensive midfield payer, like Mikel. The role of the central midfield is supposed to be one you don't notice, he's not the one that's going to grab the assists or goals. He'll go about his role unnoticeable. This is the mistake people make with that role.

The saying goes - "In a world of the blind, the squint rules". If Mikel is to be an out-and-out starter for Chelsea, he shouldn't be compared to our other midfielders. Compare him rather with Vidal, Fernandinho, Matuidi, Gonalons, Gundogan, Capoue etc and you see a big gulf in class.

Chelsea are 'settling' for Mikel at DM. Do DM's around the world go unnoticed? Ball-winning midfielders rarely go unnoticed and I thought Mikel was a ball-winner? How often does he actually 'win' the ball? We don't notice Mikel, not because he's doing his job unnoticed, It is because he is not influencing the game enough and by influence I mean Tackles/Interceptions

[Leif 6,006]

I know this term isn't used much on here but I think the reason a lot of us don't like Mikel playing for us is because we're used to having water carriers in the team.

Essien, Makelele, Ramires - All water carriers; They all had engines built in them and had the ability to win the ball back often with ease. They're players who had/have a few dimensions to their game. Mikel is one-dimensional.

Arteta - Pass master (well, if we exaggerate a bit) yet averages more tackles/interceptions than Mikel each game. He dictates the game's tempo. He wins the ball back then decides what his team is going to do with the ball. A lesser version of Xabi Alonso basically.

Same goes for Wilshere.

Ramires - Wins the ball back around 4 times per game I believe compared to Mikel's average of 2.7 (if I remember correctly) but also offers a lot to the attack; bombing forward and hassling opponents and laying the ball off to a creative player or sprinting past players and finishing off a counter-attack sequence himself.

Same goes for Vidal only Vidal is a freak of nature and much better.

Tiote (Yes, Tiote) - An aggressive player who simply wins the ball back one way or another. He may be too rough for people's liking or not have "Mikel's outstanding understanding of the game" but he rarely stops running or tackling. He also takes decent pops at goal.

Same goes for Diame.

Mikel - Stands there hoping the opponent accidentally passes the ball to his feet, for him to turn around and give the ball to one of our defenders, often leading to slow build-up or a Juventus goal

Same goes for a tree trunk.

Mikel apparently has a great understanding of the game according to many on here but I never see it on the pitch.

Maybe he should hang up his boots and become a manager.

[pHaRaOn 2,131]

we have a lower win % when he plays and concede more goals on average - speaks volumes about his job.

Man City have a lower win % when Yaya Toure playing. So, that stats says nothing.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Stats say only the half of story...

I have been defending Mikel for long time, but I think he will have to prove it to me again.

As DM he is not shit at all, but his lack of passion to run and fight is terrible. He just doesnt care realy...

Another note is that he went bitching about how bad Europa league is, bit after we won it he wanted to be right next to trophy like he earned it or sth...

I think we need replacement, unless Mou gets him back to play hard. He was excelent last year, but this season he stagnated, even decreased.

[Amblève. 4,995]

Mikel - Stands there hoping the opponent accidentally passes the ball to his feet, for him to turn around and give the ball to one of our defenders, often leading to slow build-up or a Juventus goal

Same goes for a tree trunk.

Jesus fucking Christ.

I'm done with this thread. I'm absolutely done with it, smh.

[lucio 5,391]

Jesus fucking Christ.

I'm done with this thread. I'm absolutely done with it, smh.

its all true though

[lucio 5,391]

Man City have a lower win % when Yaya Toure playing. So, that stats says nothing.

i find that hard to believe. most of their bad results have come when he was injured.

[bleed_blue 136]

Man City have a lower win % when Yaya Toure playing. So, that stats says nothing.

Which is obviously not true.

Yaya Toure has played 31 games this season in PL for ManCity. They have won 20, drawn 7 and lost 4 of those. Win ratio 64.5% and points per game 2.16

without him, they have played 6 games, winning 3, drawing 2 and losing 1 of those. Win ratio of 50% and points per game 1.83

So, Clearly your claim is FALSE

Even if it were not, you have to look at distribution. 31 vs 6 is not a fair comparison because 6 is too small a sample size.

Edit: Here are the games they played without Yaya

1. Arsenal away, City won 2-0

2. Fulham at home, City won 2-0

3. QPR away, game drawn 0-0

4. Liverpool at home, game drawn 2-2

5. Everton away, City lost 2-0

6. WBA at home, City won 1-0

[Fernando 6,376]

i hope he is sold.

Mikel is like Paulo Ferreira.

Outlives many managers and they are not even top class like Lampard or Cech.

It's funny that there are so many top players out there that have not won as much as Mikel and Paulo has won!

[pHaRaOn 2,131]

I genuinely belive that in the winter there was an article at WhoScored with statistic of african midfielders of Premier League, and City have lowest win percentage with Yaya Toure on the field.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Ramires - Wins the ball back around 4 times per game I believe compared to Mikel's average of 2.7 (if I remember correctly) but also offers a lot to the attack; bombing forward and hassling opponents and laying the ball off to a creative player or sprinting past players and finishing off a counter-attack sequence himself.

Ramires also commits shit load of fouls, many in dangerous positions, and dives into tackles all over the place for no reason. Not to mention his disgusting passing.

[bleed_blue 136]

Ramires also commits shit load of fouls, many in dangerous positions, and dives into tackles all over the place for no reason. Not to mention his disgusting passing.

85.2% passing accuracy is disgusting passing. Thanks for letting us know.

As for shit load of fouls, in Premier League this season (2012-2013)

Ramires: 1.5 fouls per game

Mikel: 1.6 fouls per game

[Sheva. 5,373]

85.2% passing accuracy is disgusting passing. Thanks for letting us know.

As for shit load of fouls, in Premier League this season (2012-2013)

Ramires: 1.5 fouls per game

Mikel: 1.6 fouls per game

I knew someone would bring up stats, now this might work for other players in other leagues, but not for a team i watch twice every week. I don't need stats to tell me Ramires misses too many easy passes, or that he lunges into every single tackle, even those he can't win.

[bleed_blue 136]

I knew someone would bring up stats, now this might work for other players in other leagues, but not for a team i watch twice every week. I don't need stats to tell me Ramires misses too many easy passes, or that he lunges into every single tackle, even those he can't win.

Laughable really.

Squawka says Ramires wins 57% of his duels while Mikel wins 53% of his duels (tackles, fouls etc). But what would they know

May I suggest an eye examination?

[Sheva. 5,373]

Laughable really.

Squawka says Ramires wins 57% of his duels while Mikel wins 53% of his duels (tackles, fouls etc). But what would they know

May I suggest an eye examination?

First off i'm not even comparing Mikel and Ramires, i just saw Leif's post which completely ignored Ramires' flaws.

Ramires is not a good passer* And while he gets an average 3 tackles a game he commits many fouls in the process - 53 in 35 games PL games, 21 in 8 EL games. Just the past 2 games alone, he's committed like 12 fouls

* Mikel has a ridiculously high passing percentage, but a lot of times he passes sideways. Same applies with Ramires, when he tries a harder pass, he almost always fails.