Ancelotti has big plans for Mikel

[Badboy 1,526]

Ancelotti has big plans for Mikel

http://www.234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Sport/Football/5438778-147/Ancelotti_has_big_plans_for_Mikel.csp

Chelsea manager, Carlo Ancelotti, wants to build the English club’s midfield around John Obi Mikel just as he hopes that this season could be the campaign where the Nigerian steps forward and shows his qualities as a creative midfielder.

Mikel joined Chelsea three years ago from Norway’s Lyn Oslo as an attacking midfielder. He had since found himself trying to fill the immense void left by legendary French midfielder, Claude Makelele, who held sway in the holding role for four years, between 2004 and 2008.

Although the Nigeria international has been effective in that role for the London based club, it is obvious that he is still a long way from fulfilling his true potential. And former AC Milan coach, Ancelotti, also feels Mikel is only showing glimpses of the great technical and creative ability that lies within him and now wants to turn the 22-year-old, who has just signed a new five-year contract, into the finished article.

The Italian, in an interview with the London Evening Standard, said: “I have a lot of trust in Mikel, I think he can be the playmaker of this team. He is a young player, but has great quality, both technical and tactical.

“For the present and for the future he is a very important player for us. We are very happy he has signed a new contract and I hope that he stays at Chelsea for a lot of years. I would like that he puts in his great quality for the team.”

Ancelotti experienced what it was like to be overshadowed in a team full of high-profile players as was the case during his playing days at AC Milan where he got little credit for his efforts no thanks to the presence of the likes of Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard and Ruud Gullit.

It’s a similar scenario for Mikel in a Chelsea side where the likes of Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Michael Essien hog the headlines. But the Nigerian, following Ancelotti’s praises, is keen to change all that in the upcoming campaign.

Mikel told the London Evening Standard: “He was a great player himself and it is a great honour that he sees something in me.

“He says I am a player with great qualities, but thinks I can be even better. It is going to take a bit of time, but I am going to work very close with him to make it happen.

“He likes the fact I am strong and can play with the ball, but says that I still need to add more things to my game - if I do that then he thinks I’m going to be fantastic. Hopefully things are going to go well and he will bring out the best in me.

“I have worked with him for two weeks and we are trying to get to know the formation he wants to play.

“Before the season starts we are all going to be mentally focused and we’re going to get the system right. The team wants to win titles and this is why he is here.”

Ancelotti won four Champions League titles during his time at AC Milan - two each as a player and as a coach - and Mikel, despite having won a couple of laurels with Chelsea, craves success in Europe’s elite club championship.

He said: “The manager has won it twice as a player and as a manager and I really envy him for that. We have come close so many times and I think that is why the club have brought him here, to take us to that final step.

“I haven’t talked to him yet about what it’s like to win the Champions League, but I hope he will have a big impact on my career.

“The way he has come in and the ideas he has as to how to set the team up, I think we can win everything.”

[Badboy 1,526]

I think carlo see's mikel as a pirlo type player dictating play from deep.

[thejolta 1]

I think carlo see's mikel as a pirlo type player dictating play from deep.

Which is why these Pirlo rumors are incredibly confusing. We've got Mikel, Essien, Deco, and Ballack available at the position along with Belleti and Mancienne.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I think John Mikel Obi can become one of the best players in the world, in time. His vision is excellent already, and if he improves it then surely he is the missing piece to the puzzle.

[Badboy 1,526]

Which is why these Pirlo rumors are incredibly confusing. We've got Mikel, Essien, Deco, and Ballack available at the position along with Belleti and Mancienne.

Yes the pirlo rumors confuse me too i just think its media rubbish though.

[Term-X 7,891]

the fact he turned down a move to man-utd to join us, means i couldn't ask for a better player to become a world class player

[Badboy 1,526]

I think John Mikel Obi can become one of the best players in the world, in time. His vision is excellent already, and if he improves it then surely he is the missing piece to the puzzle.

I really think he has the vision but managers we have had restricted him playing the more creative dangerous passes. I think because managers have used his power in the holding role they feel if he plays creative passes he could lose the ball which can lead to counter attacks. He is sacrificing his game the way drogba did in his first 2 seasons, drogba was a battling ram for his first 2 years thats why he had more assist's then anyone in his second season.

[warnie_666 1,081]

He certainly is the future Captain of Chelsea for Me.

When he arrived, I remember Mourinho saying Mikel can spray passes in a 40m radius with pin point accuracy. No wonder Ancelloti has seen that in him.

Very rarely he loses the ball in the midfield. He would have been hailed as the next best thing to happen to Arsenal after Viera had he been playing at Asenal. At Chelsea the focus is on Lamps, Essien, Drogba and the likes.

[SystemBlueBob 0]

I think John Mikel Obi can become one of the best players in the world, in time. His vision is excellent already, and if he improves it then surely he is the missing piece to the puzzle.

Amen to that

Agree with everything

He is not long from that

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I think Mourinho saw Diarra and Mikel as his two options to replace Makelele, and when he realised Mikel was the better of the two, he let Diarra leave. Mourinho must have thought Mikel has the strength and positional know-how to become a perfect defensive midfielder, and tried to make Mikel replicate Makelele's game; breaking up attacking play by the opposition and covering when the full-backs venture forward. Whilst he is without doubt good at that, whilst Makelele was in the team in 06/07 and 07/08, we saw Mikel sometimes played in a more advanced position in certain games, and was able to join the likes of Ballack and Lampard in a more creative, supporting midfield role, where he made some strong performances, before Mourinho and Grant respectively decided his qualities as a holding player are immediately stronger. I think if he is played in a more advanced role, he could become Chelsea's own Patrick Vieira, or if he stays in his defensive role - which, IMO, is his best position - he can be as good as Makelele in the years to come, if not better.

[Clevemayer 764]

when i read this comments i get a littlebit proud, cause two seasons ago the people where grumbling how bad he is on the pitch, and I always stated thats unbeliveable how accurate his passes are, and i always said he would be one of the worlds greatest, one good season and everybody thinks in another way , not the guys here in this forum particular, but general.

but I'm glad for tha lad, he's getting the recognition that he deserves finally, and I just have to laugh, cause every paper writes how less we fans would prefer mikel and that hes absolutly not happy with us, glad to see they're wrong. I wanted to buy a Terry-jersey but I think I'll buy one of Mikel instead

Edited July 30, 2009 by Clevemayer

[Mungii 3]

He will become great and CA is a man who can teach him a lot!!......It is a good way that he wants to work with players that we already have....