Mikel John Obi

[ja1 1,166]

Torres was poor. Mikel will be important for us this season. Will start the most games out of all our midfielders..including Oscar and Ramires.

[Blu4Lyf 46]

Kojo I'm normally up for agreeing with you on the Mikel-hate, but I thought he was the only 1 who played decent last match too.

[Kojo 4,676]

Kojo I'm normally up for agreeing with you on the Mikel-hate, but I thought he was the only 1 who played decent last match too.

He didn't, i don't know where all this comes from that he had a decent game. I don't think anyone was good, i love how Lampard always gets the blame too, even though it's Mikel not doing anything as well.

Did anyone even see Mikel helping out the defence?, did anyone see Mikel closing down Falcao?.

It's ridiculous, i'll tell you why they won by a big number, Falcao had WAY too much space, i've never seen anyone give a world class striker that much space in my life. It had to be up to the defenders to close him down and that leaves big dirty gaps. Mikel was WAY!!! to isolated from the defence the whole game, just like he usually is.

You do not give Falcao that much space or he will score about 5 fucking goals, lucky for us he missed a couple of sitters. People just look at what Mikel did, there's no denying Mikel is decent on the ball, I've always said that, Mikel is good on the ball but possibly the worst player off the ball.

We will struggle in the season because we do not have the right players, our attack is good no doubt, but the amount of teams what will just try to penetrate us, we will have serious issues. We wont be able to win the title or even challenge for it. But hopefully we will get top 4, as Spurs have gotten rid of two amazing players and replaced them with decent signings, and Arsenal don't seem to have that goal threat. But that's only for now, i think Giroud will still turn out good.

[Kunter 22]

He didn't, i don't know where all this comes from that he had a decent game. I don't think anyone was good, i love how Lampard always gets the blame too, even though it's Mikel not doing anything as well.

Mikel was the only player who loked motivated and moved around the pitch. Mata, Hazard and Lamps where just walking around watching the game....

I don´t think he is our biggest problem.

[DYC. 7,542]

I don't think he was awful but he wasn't good overall. He messed up when he gave the ball away twice which led to Falcao's first goal. But that's not normally like him.

And he just stood their while Atletico were combining quickly when creating their second goal. And when Falcao was sent through, he didn't bother to run back quickly, he just stood still, but Frank did try to get back quickly. He tends to that a lot and that it's incredibly aggrevating. And Arda got far too much space and time throughout the match (but we had a offday so I won't blame him too much for that).

He was pretty good in possession of the ball but what he does off the ball is far more important for a player in his role. I mentioned it before, he's very vulnerable when the tempo is high and it showed again, his mind is too slow. That's why I agree with those who say he's not suited for the style we want play. For a team that sits back, he's useful.

[Ollie 4,400]

Fact was, his job on the pitch is to help the defence and stop their midfield walking through us. I don't think that happened at all, it should've been at least 7-1, the woodwork was hit 3 times, still dunno what Luiz was doing with the last one, weird stuff goes through that guys mind. Mikel did look good on the ball and did some good things but he didn't do his job. Every time an Atletico midfielder had the ball, i was worried they would score. We were cut open so much it was like watching Brazil vs Scotland.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

I thought Mikel did good because of the way the opponent plays.

They are physical side, and that style suits him.

But when it's against team that are more dynamic and good passer, like maybe a Swansea, I think he will suffer.

That is my theory...so only way to find out is see how he does when we play Arsenal, Swansea and such.

hmmmmm

I think I am right!

A. Madrid are a more mobile and dynamic team. He can't cope with that pace and movement of the ball from the team.

Although in the PL against most physical teams he will be good...So if we are after doing good in the PL, Mikel is the man.

[Kojo 4,676]

Mikel was the only player who loked motivated and moved around the pitch. Mata, Hazard and Lamps where just walking around watching the game....

I don´t think he is our biggest problem.

And so he better of done, but he still lacked a lot of quality to even do anything. Nothing like that even warrants decent, he still had a bad game and i'm telling you if you of had a decent defensive midfielder would've been a different game.

Look at that 2nd goal, HOW THE ACTUAL FUCK!, did Falcao even get that much space?, it's pathetic, he got it the whole match time and time again. He missed a sitter in the opening minute, then i thought thank god for that, then straight away he gets another opportunity and what happens?, he scores. You can't give world class strikers that much space, the same applies for the likes of Van Persie and Aguero etc. It's one of the worst I've seen of Mikel so far to be honest, i never know when the day will come when Mikel will help out the defense.

[Kojo 4,676]

hmmmmm

I think I am right!

A. Madrid are a more mobile and dynamic team. He can't cope with that pace and movement of the ball from the team.

Although in the PL against most physical teams he will be good...So if we are after doing good in the PL, Mikel is the man.

Fast paced and counter attacking teams, Mikel will never have a good game. He was good against Newcastle as they tried to outplay us but lacked the quality too, but that's not good enough, and this is the Premier League, you're going to get pace abusers and counter attacking football. I seriously dread it when we play Arsenal i really do.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

Fast paced and counter attacking teams, Mikel will never have a good game. He was good against Newcastle as they tried to outplay us but lacked the quality too, but that's not good enough, and this is the Premier League, you're going to get pace abusers and counter attacking football. I seriously dread it when we play Arsenal i really do.

It's very few teams that play like that in this league.

Which is why Mikel will still be top dog playing in the PL...

And this is why I was hoping we also play Romeu some games.

For games like this he would be great. For the Stoke, Newcastle and such Mikel is a beast!

[Leif 6,006]

When Mikel has a good game, everyone raves about it for around a week.

Doesn't that say everything?

Ashley Cole has good games most games.

As do Mata, Hazard etc. But no one raves about them for weeks.

That's because they're consistent.

Mikel has zero consistency; just like Luiz.

Him having a good game is rare whether you guys want to admit it or not; and that's why many (not all) of you rave about the occassional 10 minutes of decent play he sometimes brings into a game.

Also - He doesn't even want to be playing in that position as I understand it.

He'd always played as an attacking midfielder before joining us.

Why play a player in a position which doesn't make him happy? A position he didn't grow up playing?

That is why I prefer Romeu playing there. Romeu understands the philosophy of being a defensive midfielder, and on top of that, he knows the Barcelona philosophy of playing that position.

(If we want to play more like Barcelona, surely their own youth product should be playing, no?)

Romeu is literally the only player in our team who played there growing up. (Although I do believe Terry played there for a few years when he was younger. Not enough for him to actually be considered an option there though, of course.)

[Kojo 4,676]

It's very few teams that play like that in this league.

Which is why Mikel will still be top dog playing in the PL...

And this is why I was hoping we also play Romeu some games.

For games like this he would be great. For the Stoke, Newcastle and such Mikel is a beast!

Not sure if serious.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

Not sure if serious.

So is Stoke going to play like Arsenal?

Fulham?

Norwich?

Everton?

etc etc

Come one men be serious. It still is by most a physical league. And Mikel is good in those type of encounters.

[Kojo 4,676]

So is Stoke going to play like Arsenal?

Fulham?

Norwich?

Everton?

etc etc

Come one men be serious. It still is by most a physical league. And Mikel is good in those type of encounters.

Since when is the premier league so one dimensional?.

Oneil kept his wingers back at all times never let them get forward because of Theo Walcott and Gervinho's pace, they where to much of a threat, they had to get pinned back by Arsenal.

So does Oneil do that every game?, no he doesn't. Every team has a game plan, like when every team played differently against City last season, and some even worked them out near the end of the season.

Teams are going to let us come so they can penetrate our weak defense, and I'm not talking about our back 4, I'm talking about the double pivot as well. And you're wrong about everyone being physical, almost every team has a fast pacey player who plays wide.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

Since when is the premier league so one dimensional?.

Oneil kept his wingers back at all times never let them get forward because of Theo Walcott and Gervinho's pace, they where to much of a threat, they had to get pinned back by Arsenal.

So does Oneil do that every game?, no he doesn't. Every team has a game plan, like when every team played differently against City last season, and some even worked them out near the end of the season.

Teams are going to let us come so they can penetrate our weak defense, and I'm not talking about our back 4, I'm talking about the double pivot as well. And you're wrong about everyone being physical, almost every team has a fast pacey player who plays wide.

Not impress.

We are still a physical league, where teams are just barely moving from that mantra, to a more pass and move mentality ala Arsenal, and Swansea.

[Kojo 4,676]

Not impress.

We are still a physical league, where teams are just barely moving from that mantra, to a more pass and move mentality ala Arsenal, and Swansea.

Well you keep thinking that Justin, you have many surprises to come.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

Well you keep thinking that Justin, you have many surprises to come.

Oh boy that sounds fun!

Sure can't beat the surprise party daddy gave me

[Spike 12,049]

Haha, I love it!

Some people can dump on Torres and Mikel every day of the week with ridiculous points, when some try to nuance and make some coherent remarks they're which hunted as if they were insane.

As we say in French: the number doesn't make the sense. Some here make clueless remarks, others follows them like if they were the messiah

French is weird. You guys have a saying in France that is in English?

Sorry...