Mikel John Obi

[BlueLion. 21,491]

If he didn't have homegrown status, Mikel would be out of here by now.

[Styles 9,790]

  On 13/07/2015 at 09:29, The Skipper said:

http://bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33477349

Now make him vice-captian please, Jose.

[The Skipper 20,593]

  On 13/07/2015 at 09:46, Alex said:

If he didn't have homegrown status, Mikel would be out of here by now.

He doesn't...

[The Skipper 20,593]

  On 13/07/2015 at 09:46, Styles said:

Now make him vice-captian please, Jose.

People refuse to believe that Jose rates Mikel and that he's actually useful to the team in certain situations.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

  On 13/07/2015 at 09:57, The Skipper said:

He doesn't...

Oh of course not, I forgot the rules were amended.

[quickpassnmove 924]

  On 13/07/2015 at 07:45, didierforever said:

no one is saying he is a "top center mid". no one is exaggerating his role. he is a good 2nd DM, 4th CM and has a good role in the squad. he has his strengths like slowing the game down, being defensively good and providing safety to the back 4.

and hence, i dont understand the hate.

we've seen his ceiling and it's time to move on. a lot of us hate him because he embodies some really crap football not worth watching. might as well hear the score 5 hours later and roll my eyes if Chelsea midfield is being run by Mikel.

  On 13/07/2015 at 09:58, The Skipper said:

People refuse to believe that Jose rates Mikel and that he's actually useful to the team in certain situations.

keeping the ball and defending a lead? I think it's about as likely to backfire on Chelsea as succeed with the speed of the game and pressing of quality sides. Mikel is targeted because smart opposition knows Mikel's like the boxer with the predictable footwork.

[Styles 9,790]

  On 13/07/2015 at 09:58, The Skipper said:

People refuse to believe that Jose rates Mikel and that he's actually useful to the team in certain situations.

It's a really tough one for those who both passionately love Mourinho and despise Mikel. The cognitive dissonance is at an all-time high right now.

[Styles 9,790]

  On 13/07/2015 at 09:57, The Skipper said:

He doesn't...

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA

[didierforever 7,349]

  On 13/07/2015 at 10:11, quickpassnmove said:

we've seen his ceiling and it's time to move on. a lot of us hate him because he embodies some really crap football not worth watching. might as well hear the score 5 hours later and roll my eyes if Chelsea midfield is being run by Mikel.

time to move on?

well, i am glad that jose is our manager and not people on here.

mikel is the definition of a squad player. a decent cover for our DM, as well as a very good player for a certain kind of role for our team.

you can keep on hoping on having 5 cescs in the midfield, while that would make for some "beautiful" football, unfortunately, it would be far from "winning" football.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

  On 13/07/2015 at 08:29, Robguima said:

Well we clearly have a very different view of what a successful long ball is, but I will just point out the obvious that such stats lack qualification.

I believe my very own eyes, thank you.

Btw did you just compare Mikel to Matic?! As far as I am concerned Matic is the superior player in every aspect of the game. And there lies the problem.

Of course you're free to believe your own subjective judgment over facts but obviously don't expect that to be as convincing over something backed by stats.

I don't think anyone sane is arguing that Matic is not the superior player, he's one of the best in his position in the world, but Mikel is not very far behind apart from dynamism and mobility on the field. Also 'every aspect' is an exaggeration. For example, Mikel is slightly better in the air and at ball retention under pressure.

  On 13/07/2015 at 09:57, The Skipper said:

He doesn't...

Literally burst out laughing! :lol:

[King11Didier 916]

This guy can not offer anything good for our club... Except he is homegrown, as it was said. Sometimes I'm just wondering how lucky he is to play in such a big club. And it shows how good he is when you see what clubs are interested in him. I don't know what Mou finds in Mikel. He even said that RLC will be important part in our squad next season, but then he keeps another player on his position, who will eat him minutes on the pitch.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

For goodness sake, he is NOT homegrown!

[wilander 35]

  On 13/07/2015 at 09:46, Alex said:

If he didn't have homegrown status, Mikel would be out of here by now.

Who tell you he has?

[King11Didier 916]

Oh... I was misled by Alex post.

[robsblubot 3,595]

  On 13/07/2015 at 11:26, CHOULO19 said:

Of course you're free to believe your own subjective judgment over facts but obviously don't expect that to be as convincing over something backed by stats.

I don't think anyone sane is arguing that Matic is not the superior player, he's one of the best in his position in the world, but Mikel is not very far behind apart from dynamism and mobility on the field. Also 'every aspect' is an exaggeration. For example, Mikel is slightly better in the air and at ball retention under pressure.

Literally burst out laughing! :lol:

I will give you an example to illustrate how much your 'facts' can be be misleading.

Imagine a world where the stats about long passes were just not kept and someone only used the number 'passing'. So short and long passes would be counted and valued equally. Mikel would rank as the best passer in the world. Now image again that assists are mere passes, so in a world... you get it... Mikel would lead in assists!

My point is that when I watch him play, his long balls are of the safest kind - same as his passing in general. Surprising?! Should his long balls be adventurous when every other aspect of his game is the safest I've seen?!

Concerning your second point, well I could not disagree more. Reckon Jose disagrees with you as well because whenever fit Matic plays. So, if there weren't a gulf separating the players, Mikel would be able to rotate with Mikel on occasion.

Matic plays in more contentious areas of the pitch and his ball retention is a lot better than Mikel's esp because of his better mobility - e.g. he can actually run in possession.

Honestly I don't think it's asking too much to get a player who could rotate with Matic. Again, not as good as Matic, just someone who could start against a smaller side instead, so that Matic can be given a rest.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

  On 13/07/2015 at 16:53, Robguima said:

I will give you an example to illustrate how much your 'facts' can be be misleading.

Imagine a world where the stats about long passes were just not kept and someone only used the number 'passing'. So short and long passes would be counted and valued equally. Mikel would rank as the best passer in the world. Now image again that assists are mere passes, so in a world... you get it... Mikel would lead in assists!

My point is that when I watch him play, his long balls are of the safest kind - same as his passing in general. Surprising?! Should his long balls be adventurous when every other aspect of his game is the safest I've seen?!

Concerning your second point, well I could not disagree more. Reckon Jose disagrees with you as well because whenever fit Matic plays. So, if there weren't a gulf separating the players, Mikel would be able to rotate with Mikel on occasion.

Matic plays in more contentious ares of the pitch and his ball retential is a lot better than Mikel's esp because of his better mobility - e.g. he can run in possession.

Honestly I don't think it's asking too much to get a player who could rotate with Matic. Again, not as good as Matic, just someone who could start against a smaller side instead, so that Matic can be given a rest.

Here's the issue with your analogy, though: Your view is completely subjective, as is mine. I thought that Mikel and Matic were pretty similar in terms of long ball ability and then looked up the stats that seemed to confirm it. I've seen Mikel play a lot of long balls, usually either directly to the striker or diagonally to the LB (for some reason more than the RB). I did not base my opinion on those stats, I merely used the stats to back it up. Now you have your own subjective view on the matter as well and even though the stats may not be definitive you can't, without backing it up with any supporting evidence, claim that your subjective view is closer to the truth than mine that is backed by the stats I've provided.

As for rotating with Matic, your idea is flawed by the very fact that Jose in this past season has almost literally ALWAYS went with his best team. Apart from Schurrle and Willian in the first half of the season, there was never any rotation. In fact, Mikel was probably the player he felt most comfortable with bringing into the team occasionally. He came off the bench very regularly and even started a few matches in the league over fit Matic in the first few months of the season before he got a series of injuries and was unavailable for over 2 months of the second half of the season.

[lucio 5,418]

When did he ever start an important game over matic? Maybe alongside. I just can't recall him playing over matic

[robsblubot 3,595]

  On 13/07/2015 at 17:16, CHOULO19 said:

Here's the issue with your analogy, though: Your view is completely subjective, as is mine. I thought that Mikel and Matic were pretty similar in terms of long ball ability and then looked up the stats that seemed to confirm it. I've seen Mikel play a lot of long balls, usually either directly to the striker or diagonally to the LB (for some reason more than the RB). I did not base my opinion on those stats, I merely used the stats to back it up. Now you have your own subjective view on the matter as well and even though the stats may not be definitive you can't, without backing it up with any supporting evidence, claim that your subjective view is closer to the truth than mine that is backed by the stats I've provided.

As for rotating with Matic, your idea is flawed by the very fact that Jose in this past season has almost literally ALWAYS went with his best team. Apart from Schurrle and Willian in the first half of the season, there was never any rotation. In fact, Mikel was probably the player he felt most comfortable with bringing into the team occasionally. He came off the bench very regularly and even started a few matches in the league over fit Matic in the first few months of the season before he got a series of injuries and was unavailable for over 2 months of the second half of the season.

I didn't say my view was closer to the truth just that your 'facts' were crap.

The second is chicken and the egg. You think it's just how Jose works, but I think he rotates in the o my positions he can actually rotate... Oscar and Willian bc they are players of similar level w diff characteristics.

Mikel has played a lot more under diff managers. First thing Jose did as he came back was to sign matic ... Coincidence?