Mikel John Obi

[Sheva. 5,373]

Good news. He's improved in the past couple seasons and even started changing the minds of some who never rated him.

Kojo where are you?

Lmao.

[Kieran. 6,317]

:yay: :yay:

[Amblève. 4,995]

Lmao.

We need some more of these lol

[Jase 43,479]

Brilliant news! And bet the haters won't like it...

[Milan 17,955]

He is destined to score tonight!

[OneMoSalah 8,885]

Woo! Mikel deserves his new contract. Our most consistent player this season by far.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

He is destined to score tonight!

Except he's on the bench

[Blue Armour 4,436]

So you pretend it has been the case this season ? I mean on a regular basis ?

Our main issue has been the attackers' movements this season. In my opinion, everything resulted from it. Defensively and attacking.

The player "in the hole" never dropped to ask the ball in front of the double pivot, whereas that was their role. You can't keep the ball, progress and create chances without triangles. The single double pivot can't carry the ball forward with 1-2 until reaching the rooted attackers 20 yards upper than them.

Don't you ever noticed that our best attacking sequences this season came from situations where the AM dropped and did organize the play ? I've a couple of charts in my recent articles if you're still not convinced.

• Hazard behaves as a support striker, stays in the last third, waits for the ball to get on the half turn and face the play (situation where's he's probably one of the best in the world, and I don't use to say that easily). But then he's not available enough, whereas dropping, asking and orientating the play would have massively helped us
  
• Mata's issue is different, but same impact eventually. He's uneasy to keep the ball under pressure, reason why he doesn't play regulary for Spain and is behind Silva. He asks the ball but gets away with it, releases it before being closed down. Thus, he increases the tempo of the play "by default", he doesn't organize things as much as he should.
  
• Oscar did hold that role well because he dropped wisely to organize the play like an old fashioned number 10, oxygenate the play, feed the flanks, provide support. But he hasn't the sufficient volume of play (in terms of touches/passes per given time) because he's still young.
  

Mata and Hazard are enthusiastic but I have been disappointed by their tactical sense, especially Hazard. For Mata, that's more of a statement of powerlessness due to his bad ball retention skills. But I really though Hazard was far better in terms of use of the space, attacking positioning...

Oscar is brilliant tactically for just 20 years old, but at the moment he's the limits of his young age, sadly.

For Mikel you seem to think him not having behaved as a box to box is a clear issue. One of the two players of the double pivot's role is never to behave as a box to box but to feed the line just above them.

Ramires got in shooting positions but only when Oscar or Mata dropped and did hold his role momentaneously.

This season it really seemed that the team was cut in two parts: the 4 attackers, the 4 defenders and Mikel/Ramires in between. There was no link between the DP and the 3-line because the AM didn't drop enough to ask the ball. And because there wasn't that link, the DP was forced to push forward to create that link ; leaving the defenders over-exposed.

We can't blame either Luiz, either Mikel for our defensive woes. They've been actors of those woes but that was the consequence of 'Macazar's attitude both with and without the ball.

No I did not. Did you even see my post at the top of this page? I've been talking about his defensive work-rate and his passing, both of which have been poor in recent games this has caused problems in defense and in attack (WHEN we're on the backfoot).

Its possibly true that our attackers are not finding good positions with consistency these days, forcing Mikel to wait before making a pass..But it ruins our attacking tempo, when midfielders like Mata have to build-up play from the centre, as it removes one body from the front..

A lot of successful attacking sequences have come when the attackers drop deep? Hardly surprising, as that's what happens most of the time. But right now those attackers are both short of form and energy during games, and it could help them a lot if they didn't have to build their attack from the centre every time.

I knew Mikel was not in the same vein of Lampard and Essien several seasons ago, and I have NO problem with that. I do not expect him to burst forward at every opportunity, but I do expect him to be more than just a bystander in our buildup play.

And lastly you're saying that our CM's pushed forward and this resulted in cheap goals during counterattacks? What about Diame's goal playing against West Ham? What about Vidal's goal playing against Juve? Take a GOOD look at Mikel's positioning in those games, and tell me if he was far up front.

I know very well it was because of Mikel's contribution that we went far in last season's CL, but if you're saying he's putting in the same work rate that he put in during the CL final, then there's nothing more to discuss.

[Milan 17,955]

Except he's on the bench

Damn you Rafa!

[Kojo 4,676]

Kojo where are you?

You can laugh all you want about it, it's just more bad news for this club and if you think that's funny then you must love Benitez and Torres being here.

Like someone said, Mikel wouldn't get into anyone elses team which play in the top 7.

[Amblève. 4,995]

You can laugh all you want about it, it's just more bad news for this club and if you think that's funny then you must love Benitez and Torres being here.

Like someone said, Mikel wouldn't get into anyone elses team which play in the top 7.

I'm not laughing. I just asked where you are because Mikel told me he missed you in this thread.

[The Mak 4,459]

Good god I hate you Mikel. I've been saying for years, there are plenty of DMs out there who can do what Mikel does, except they can also run and/or pass.

Tiote and Cabaye are the two prime examples of what we need in a double pivot; one who sits back, has pace and breaks up play, while the other dictates from the back, getting the ball quickly, up the pitch (not slowly, sideways).

I also blame him for us going out of Europe. He gave the ball away against Juve and then showed no desire whatsoever to make amends. Call it harsh, but as I said, I hate him.

[xPetrCechx 13,570]

What a game- without him!

[Blue Armour 4,436]

The attacking build up in 4-2-3-1 is based on the AM's availability in front of the two other midfielders. That's why if he covers enough ground the pattern can be likelined to 4-3-3.

Not sure how it ruins the build up ??!!. You mean we can be more efficient with attackers static upfront ?

That's from my theoretical article about Chelsea's woes that I did mid september and who proved to be applied every game since

http://mypremierleag...els-de-chelsea/

On Diamé's goal:

Mikel and Ivanovic should have switched markings, I'm too lazy to make the full charts as they don't prove any fundamental issue but just lack of communication.

Mikel marked Cole, for some reason Ramires didn't kept an eye on Diamé and was attracted by the ball when it came to Cole and the latter layed back.

Cahill was on the channel and so was Azpilicueta to close both Jarvis (Dave) and Nolan (Gaz) because that was a WH throw in.

That was musical chairs, a player was unmarked because there was a shift in the defensive positioning.

On that goal you've to blame Ivanovic for his lack of communication with Mikel then Ramires who gets caught by the ball. Mikel does okay on that situation, keeps his man until he's said bu the defence leader to switch or change

No, I'm saying our attack would be more efficient if they stayed upfront.

In the screenshot you showed me, the positioning of the players looks better (this was earlier in the season?). What I'm talking about is in reference to situations in which Hazard and Mata track back, almost to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Mikel to get the ball and start the buildup play. This has been happening more often in recent games.

Ok, the Diame goal was not the best example as Ivanovic and Ramires are also culpable..Its probably down to bad communication. But you didn't mention Vidal's goal in the Juventus game? You can't tell me Mikel was doing his best there...

[Kojo 4,676]

The attacking build up in 4-2-3-1 is based on the AM's availability in front of the two other midfielders. That's why if he covers enough ground the pattern can be likelined to 4-3-3.

Not sure how it ruins the build up ??!!. You mean we can be more efficient with attackers static upfront ?

That's from my theoretical article about Chelsea's woes that I did mid september and who proved to be applied every game since

http://mypremierleag...els-de-chelsea/

On Diamé's goal:

Mikel and Ivanovic should have switched markings, I'm too lazy to make the full charts as they don't prove any fundamental issue but just lack of communication.

Mikel marked Cole, for some reason Ramires didn't kept an eye on Diamé and was attracted by the ball when it came to Cole and the latter layed back.

Cahill was on the channel and so was Azpilicueta to close both Jarvis (Dave) and Nolan (Gaz) because that was a WH throw in.

That was musical chairs, a player was unmarked because there was a shift in the defensive positioning.

On that goal you've to blame Ivanovic for his lack of communication with Mikel then Ramires who gets caught by the ball. Mikel does okay on that situation, keeps his man until he's said bu the defence leader to switch or change

Mikel was awful that West Ham game, he was getting skinned by Diame all day, and Diame also shown him how to be a defensive midfielder whilst at it. He was on fire that game, and Mikel was staying back to win the ball back in the air, and mr useless couldn't even do that.