Mikel John Obi

[zolayes 14,489]

IMO Mikel has a very poor season throughout ,,but the last game he had me screaming ,, He broke down so many of OUR moves by taking too

long to get the ball forward ,, Gale is the worst most biased commentator we get ,, BUT he got it 100% correct about Mikel ...

He stops any chance of a quick break from us when he gets the ball .

[JDY 1,290]

Yes the game where we won 3-0, also the same game where Cech made a string of saves in the 1st half to keep us in it and the game were Mikel turned over possession three times, to put that into perspective, the only other players who lost possession that many times were all offensive players and out of all the defensive players, including Ramires, Mikel received the lowest rating on WhoScored. So yes, he was that bad.

I still can't tell which game you mean. The home or away win? If I recall correctly, I was happy with his contribution when he came on vs. Schalke away. Looked really tidy on the ball, we needed to take a bit of the sting out of the game and Mikel did that perfectly.

In the home game the whole midfield and defence was all over the place in the first 15-20 minutes. But after that I thought everyone recovered and played well.

[remains of the day 564]

I still can't tell which game you mean. The home or away win? If I recall correctly, I was happy with his contribution when he came on vs. Schalke away. Looked really tidy on the ball, we needed to take a bit of the sting out of the game and Mikel did that perfectly. In the home game the whole midfield and defence was all over the place in the first 15-20 minutes. But after that I thought everyone recovered and played well.

Yes. The home game against Schalke - thought I had specified? But you're right, the team eventually got a foothold in the game after Schalke began to sit back a bit. Mikel though was pretty poor in that first half from what I remember. On at least two occasions, he gave away possession cheaply that we nearly conceded from.

edit: Found the highlights.....see 1:57 & 2:37

Mikel has only started 10 matches this season ( I could be wrong) but I don't think he's started more than 10. In the handful of games he has started, he's had some good performances (West Ham, Fulham, the capital one cup game against Arsenal..... those were decent performances) but he's also had some poor ones. He's been okay for the most part, but to say he's been more consistent than Lampard & Ramires? That's such an exaggeration.

[JDY 1,290]

Yes. The home game against Schalke - thought I had specified? But you're right, the team eventually got a foothold in the game after Schalke began to sit back a bit. Mikel though was pretty poor in that first half from what I remember. On at least two occasions, he gave away possession cheaply that we nearly conceded from.

edit: Found the highlights.....see 1:57 & 2:37

Mikel has only started 10 matches this season ( I could be wrong) but I don't think he's started more than 10. In the handful of games he has started, he's had some good performances (West Ham, Fulham, the capital one cup game against Arsenal..... those were decent performances) but he's also had some poor ones. He's been okay for the most part, but to say he's been more consistent than Lampard & Ramires? That's such an exaggeration.

Those two mistakes were shocking. It's not the fact that he sloppily gave the ball away that annoys me (most) there, it's the half-arsed attempt to get back and defend.

And I agree with the latter part. It wasn't me that said he's been more consistent than Ramires and Frank this season (if you're mistaking me for someone else), I was just arguing the point about the supposed bad game vs. Schalke. As I said, I thought the first 20 minutes was poor but he recovered to play well. I remember Cahill also had a shaky start but then went on to put in a MOTM performance.

[didierforever 7,349]

That's because Frank has not been himself since the injury in 2010. Since then he has struggled to find a run of form. And this season he has had some truly terrible games. It wasn't just one or two. It was a whole bunch of very bad games. That's why a lot of people are criticizing his performances now. But Mikel is getting stick and people want him gone after the first bad game this season.

Romeu? Chalobah?! Come on. You are underrating the level at which Chelsea play at beyond belief. I'm all for them being given a chance at Chelsea, but to say that a player who's played half a dozen games in the last year and another who can't get into a championship side can perform consistently at Chelsea is not at all realistic. It's not easy to perform, what you are calling "average", consistently at this level. Those two are very far from regular first team action with Chelsea. Maybe Oriol would be close if he continues the rest of the season like he has played the past couple of games and continues to be a nailed on starter for Valencia.

now i can safely say that u r not getting my point.

mikel's performances this season have been so average that that i feel even romeu/chalobah could have filled his shoes. his and lamps performances coupled with mvg's season long injury have almost made it compulsory for us to go out and buy a DM.

let me try anothr way, do u think chelsea should buy a DM this winter. as u r a chelsea fan, i would guess your answer is YES. lets say we buy sven bender.

now our pivot options would be sven, rambo, lamps and mikel. and i can safely assume that mikel will be the 4th option, a job which can very well be done by chalobah when he comes back from his loan spell.

[happy_juan 64]

Mikel has started just 9 of 24 games, lets not paint a rosy pictures by saying he has played 20 out of 24. But then, mikel fanboys have nothing but false claims and lies to fall back on.

His only competition is a 35 year old, out of position Lampard. If that doesnt tell you how mourinho rates Mikel, then you need to take off those tinted glasses.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Mikel has started just 9 of 24 games, lets not paint a rosy pictures by saying he has played 20 out of 24.

'Starting' and 'playing' (i.e. coming on as a sub) are different things you do know that?

[happy_juan 64]

'Starting' and 'playing' (i.e. coming on as a sub) are different things you do know that?

And when you count games where mikel came on as sub in the last 5 minutes to indicate his importance to the team?

Talk about defending the indefensible. ..

[The Skipper 20,593]

And when you count games where mikel came on as sub in the last 5 minutes to indicate his importance to the team?

Talk about defending the indefensible. ..

That hasn't always been the case though, there have been numerous times Mikel has been brought on with like 20/30 mins left in a game. That's all I'm saying,

[happy_juan 64]

That hasn't always been the case though, there have been numerous times Mikel has been brought on with like 20/30 mins left in a game. That's all I'm saying,

If mikel were to score an own goal in every game, people like you and choulo19 willl still defend him and say "look he is so consistent".

[The Skipper 20,593]

If mikel were to score an own goal in every game, people like you and choulo19 willl still defend him and say "look he is so consistent".

Don't be ridiculous, I agree that Mikel has been below average in general this season, he's had his (few) good games and he's had some bad games but in general he's been underwhelming. All I was saying to you is that if you're going to say something say it in the right way. He has played quite a bit this season.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

Don't be ridiculous, I agree that Mikel has been below average in general this season, he's had his (few) good games and he's had some bad games but in general he's been underwhelming. All I was saying to you is that if you're going to say something say it in the right way. He has played quite a bit this season.

He's like the Indian Phil. Just a lil more cringy.

[Special Juan 27,104]

Exactly people are shanking the dagger into Mikel's back after one poor performance whilst conveniently being oblivious that his midfield partner was and has been poor. The quicker we get Lampard out of the starting 11 in the CM/DM role the better.

I think the posts about Mikel have been very consistent from a lot of people on this forum for some time now, quite reflective of how Mikel has been in this period.

It's not just an isolated case of the 'dagger in the back' He's been average for some time now.

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

I think the posts about Mikel have been very consistent from a lot of people on this forum for some time now, quite reflective of how Mikel has been in this period.

It's not just an isolated case of the 'dagger in the back' He's been average for some time now.

I agree, but it shows how some here are just blatant hypocrites. Lampard has been horrendous as well, but not a word is said about it.

[Kieran. 6,317]

One bad game and the anti-Mikel brigade is in full force! Jesus Christ, fucking relentless.

[DYC. 7,542]

Those two mistakes were shocking. It's not the fact that he sloppily gave the ball away that annoys me (most) there, it's the half-arsed attempt to get back and defend.

That's the absolute most frustrating part of his game. He's been doing it since his Chelsea career started and has never stopped doing. I can't believe that the army of coaches/managers he's worked with haven't been able to get that out of his game.

Obi in general is a decent player at this level but shouldn't be starting for a club of Chelsea's aspirations imo, a fine squad player though. I consider him a very lucky man, having played at Chelsea for so long and I wouldn't be surprised if he never left.

[Special Juan 27,104]

One bad game and the anti-Mikel brigade is in full force! Jesus Christ, fucking relentless.

No, not really.

[The only place to be 11,313]

No, not really.

Exactly...there is no anti-Mikel brigade

We definitely don't meet on Thursdays and it definitely isn't my turn to bring the cupcakes this week....and what secret handshake?