Mikel John Obi

[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.

[The Skipper 20,593]

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.

It wasn't that strange lol, even WhoScored had him down as our second highest rated player in that game, so people calling him the MOTM for us in that game isn't really that unfathomed.

[Jase 43,479]

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.

Gotta like how you just come in here, post 1-2 comments criticizing Mikel or other members' views and have no intention to debate/discuss points with people...

[Shane 2,275]

Mikel will probably be gone in the summer and for the best too, But I'll look back on his time fondly. Too slow for the Premiership though. Think he'd do well in Italy.

[robsblubot 3,217]

It wasn't that strange lol, even WhoScored had him down as our second highest rated player in that game, so people calling him the MOTM for us in that game isn't really that unfathomed.

He had a good game against Everton, but even when he has a good game he isn't influential enough. Matic on the other hand...

The most interesting for me is that Mikel is considered to be a good passer of the ball - not by me.

Unless you are specifically talking about short passing, passing includes many different abilities, some of which Mikel severely lacks. Take his shooting for example, worst of all our midfielders (including Luiz). Technique wise, shooting from distance isn't much different from long passing - he can't do neither. Now we go into short flicks, quick lobs, like the one Luiz made for Azpi (against United or Pool?). Quick flicks are also difficult for him because he lacks mobility, so his passing is done from a very static position - normally sideways.

Honestly I've never seen him give an assist or a nice quick pass to set up a quick counter or movement.

The same argument, that I use for Luiz, market valuation, does not quite work for Mikel. As pointed out by others, only medium and smaller sides show any interest in him.

[The Skipper 20,593]

He had a good game against Everton, but even when he has a good game he isn't influential enough. Matic on the other hand...

The most interesting for me is that Mikel is considered to be a good passer of the ball - not by me.

Unless you are specifically talking about short passing, passing includes many different abilities, some of which Mikel severely lacks. Take his shooting for example, worst of all our midfielders (including Luiz). Technique wise, shooting from distance isn't much different from long passing - he can't do neither. Now we go into short flicks, quick lobs, like the one Luiz made for Azpi (against United or Pool?). Quick flicks are also difficult for him because he lacks mobility, so his passing is done from a very static position - normally sideways.

Honestly I've never seen him give an assist or a nice quick pass to set up a quick counter or movement.

The same argument, that I use for Luiz, market valuation, does not quite work for Mikel. As pointed out by others, only medium and smaller sides show any interest in him.

He used to have it in him (in regards to that long ball that requires a decent amount of vision) but it's been beaten out of him basically.

I remember he used to do them under Ancelotti, who encouraged Mikel to provide those quick forward passes but as I said above he's completely cut it out of his game. I think Ancelotti once said that he's trying to turn Mikel into a Pirlo type player and he certainly had the ability to back then but we just don't see it in his game anymore.

Here's a decent video of Mikel in Ancelotti's second season, the long passes are highlighted at around 0:45:

http://youtu.be/6T-7T2rza3k

He was more positive and creative with his passing but all of that has pretty much been beaten out of him, he's just told to keep it very simple because his main strength is holding onto the ball and recycling possession, which could work very well in a possession based team.

Ironically, for Nigeria he's a completely different player who does do the flicks, the long passes, even finds himself in the box more often. It's weird how he can't translate a fragment of that into his play at CFC because he can be much more dynamic.

[robsblubot 3,217]

He used to have it in him (in regards to that long ball that requires a decent amount of vision) but it's been beaten out of him basically.

I remember he used to do them under Ancelotti, who encouraged Mikel to provide those quick forward passes but as I said above he's completely cut it out of his game. I think Ancelotti once said that he's trying to turn Mikel into a Pirlo type player and he certainly had the ability to back then but we just don't see it in his game anymore.

Here's a decent video of Mikel in Ancelotti's second season, the long passes are highlighted at around 0:45:

http://youtu.be/6T-7T2rza3k

He was more positive and creative with his passing but all of that has pretty much been beaten out of him, he's just told to keep it very simple because his main strength is holding onto the ball and recycling possession, which could work very well in a possession based team.

Ironically, for Nigeria he's a completely different player who does do the flicks, the long passes, even finds himself in the box more often. It's weird how he can't translate a fragment of that into his play at CFC because he can be much more dynamic.

Good post, but I don't buy the "beaten out of him" bit though. And although he is better for Nigeria, I'd not say he's great for Nigeria. Actually, I've heard some (Brazilian) analysts saying during the Conf cup that Mikel was essentially the only good player Nigeria had.

Nobody is telling him to not present himself at all times. Even if he's been told not to make forward runs, which I find difficult to believe. He could be far more mobile in the area of the pitch where he roams.

It's all on him for me..

[Gilvorak 3,734]

Sticking to Twitter after reading this thread.

[happy_juan 64]

Will mooch off the club for the balance years of his contract now.