Mikel John Obi

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

To me that doesn't sound like you watched the game. What we tended to do was play the ball around the back four and Mikel a lot, which is why Terry, Cahill and Mikel attempted so many passes. Rather than making the Schalke defence uncomfortable, they seemed happy to keep it tight up until the point Hildebrand made a fuck-up.

From that point on (when Schalke actually started looking for a goal and leaving gaps) Mikel and Ramires looked a lot better, but the problems before that goal are what I'm worried might crop up again with these two in the pivot.

To me it sounds like you will say anything to justify Lampard's inclusion in the first 11. Your reasoning is not even close to being objective.

It wasn't our best game by any means but we beat a tough German side in the CL 3 goals to 0. Mourinho saw what needed to be changed and now we've got a balanced side. End of.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Mikel on the Schalke game: http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/3527746/title/mikel-putting-things-right

[nadavTKL 1,787]

Some of the things that been said are right - he does make us more balanced and we look more solid, and right now i prefer him next to Rami, but we would be so much better with someone like Mikel who can also play fast and make some key passes regulary. I dont think he'll ever change in that subject.

[Tomo 21,681]

It was ust like the first half v Spurs a better team would have killed us ,Mikel was dreadful live ,what was he like on TV have not seen it ,the MH were slating him for his errors they should have been 2-0 up,Eto'os goal was a massive relief and lets be honest Shalke are terrible we beat them 3-0 away.

Like Newcastle?

[Reddish-Blue 2,212]

To me that doesn't sound like you watched the game. What we tended to do was play the ball around the back four and Mikel a lot, which is why Terry, Cahill and Mikel attempted so many passes. Rather than making the Schalke defence uncomfortable, they seemed happy to keep it tight up until the point Hildebrand made a fuck-up.

From that point on (when Schalke actually started looking for a goal and leaving gaps) Mikel and Ramires looked a lot better, but the problems before that goal are what I'm worried might crop up again with these two in the pivot.

The only problem for Chelsea is that we don't have the right combination for the pivot.

Lampard - Rami is good for certain games and Mikel - Rami is good for certain games.

BOTH of our pivot pairings have weaknesses and until we bring in a new midfielder, Lampard/Mikel should be rotated based on the opposition.

[zolayes 14,489]

the first 50 minutes of the Schalke game was incredibly boring ,,but soooooo exciting compared to the 4000+ posts in this thread ,, it was bad enough

with the choulou but now we have the naughty boy who calls himself the Messiah ..

[robsblubot 3,205]

The only problem for Chelsea is that we don't have the right combination for the pivot.

Lampard - Rami is good for certain games and Mikel - Rami is good for certain games.

BOTH of our pivot pairings have weaknesses and until we bring in a new midfielder, Lampard/Mikel should be rotated based on the opposition.

Agreed, but I'd say Mikel should be a rotation option for Ramires - who plays way too much.

Lampard offers, or used to offer, a lot in attack an work rate, but not much defensively; and Mikel is completely ineffective in attack. We need a balanced player, prob with a bit of flair in distribution instead of another Ramires I think. If Luiz were 21 we could perhaps turn him into that player I believe.

[Blue Armour 4,158]

Like I said before, we will see quite a bit of rotation for the CM places.

One good game by Lampard, or one good game by Mikel is not going to guarantee a starting berth for a run of games. The only guarantee for the starting spot is Ramires when he is fit.

[Phil Driver 503]

He was embarrasing when he came on long aimless balls straight to their centre halves,nothing else to add on him ,apart form please find another club as quickly as possible,dropped again and the next game is West Ham away where Diame ran all over him and Rammy last season in the 3-1 loss,lets hope Jose watches the tape it was our worst performance of the season.

[Jase 43,479]

He was embarrasing when he came on long aimless balls straight to their centre halves,nothing else to add on him ,apart form please find another club as quickly as possible,dropped again and the next game is West Ham away where Diame ran all over him and Rammy last season in the 3-1 loss,lets hope Jose watches the tape it was our worst performance of the season.

This is getting all so obvious and inevitable these days.

[Phil Driver 503]

Sadly so !!! Seven years of it now dropped again he needs to leave and new blood introduced. Those long high balls were rubbish we need to keep playing he gave us nothing.

[The only place to be 11,313]

This is getting all so obvious and inevitable these days.

At least see both sides of it. Phil might post some rubbish sometimes (sorry mate but it's true), but so do people like ChelseasMessiah and your mate Nour.

The simple fact is that Mikel isn't the answer. He can be a squad player but the amount of chatter about him is fucking ridiculous compared to his actual level of talent and his importance to this club. Lampard isn't the answer, but neither is Mikel. They're both square pegs in round holes who can sort of fix at a stretch.

Mikel has had some good games, Lampard has had some good games but the arguments about both have got fuck all to do with this club and more to do with certain people needing to be right and feel validated.

[Jase 43,479]

At least see both sides of it. Phil might post some rubbish sometimes (sorry mate but it's true), but so do people like ChelseasMessiah and your mate Nour.

The simple fact is that Mikel isn't the answer. He can be a squad player but the amount of chatter about him is fucking ridiculous compared to his actual level of talent and his importance to this club. Lampard isn't the answer, but neither is Mikel. They're both square pegs in round holes who can sort of fix at a stretch.

Mikel has had some good games, Lampard has had some good games but the arguments about both have got fuck all to do with this club and more to do with certain people needing to be right and feel validated.

What? I can't even just have a laugh?! Sheeesh...

[Phil Driver 503]

If he was any good surely he would be playing ? at the moment ,it is clear we need new blood ,he is 26? now he should be leading us not be on the bench ,he was meant to be our superstar just behind Messi? It never happened. For his own good he needs to play first team football somewhere he is not good enough for us ,those long high balls were useless,with our small forwards ,the Drog has gone.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

No matter how frustrating the result, it's always a good laugh to have a look at this thread after the game!

[Phil Driver 503]

It certainly is ,was he dropped again ? choulou was certain he would start ..

Wrong again mate ,did you like those high balls on your tv? .

He needs to leave it is obvious Jose does not rate him . And West Ham next where he was destroyed by Diame last season he will not like it there .

[The only place to be 11,313]

If he was any good surely he would be playing ? at the moment ,it is clear we need new blood ,he is 26? now he should be leading us not be on the bench ,he was meant to be our superstar just behind Messi? It never happened. For his own good he needs to play first team football somewhere he is not good enough for us ,those long high balls were useless,with our small forwards ,the Drog has gone.

I can't blame him for pumping long balls into the box because that seemed to be Jose's instruction. He isn't going to dribble the ball 50 yards and play a slide rule pass for Ba.

But honestly I think you need to calm down on him a bit because (not to sound like an Essex housewife) he ain't worth it. There are a couple of posters who seem to care solely about Mikel and winding up people like you to get their jollies. He really isn't deserving of this much attention, but the position he is competing for is. It's not a case of Lampard versus Mikel because neither one of them is the definitive answer. They both offer different things against different opponents, but both will make mistakes because it's not really their position.

But honestly, leave the trolls (you know who they are, we all do) to their agenda and just continue supporting this club

It certainly is ,was he dropped again ? choulou was certain he would start ..

Seriously mate, don't waste your time. They'll keep winding you up and allowing other members to call you a cunt until they can find a reason to ban you. It's happened before.

[Phil Driver 503]

Still waiting for the private message on that .