i think mikel knew what is doing because his no more attacking mildfelder

@12large, u also need to get ur empty skull examined b'cos, u can't tell me what player to lyk n not!
U know ur best nigerian player at d moment, n u choose whoever he is b'cos of a reason best known to u. so don't xpect u to chose for me cos i gat my on choice n reason to choose whatever player dat i lyk k? y must u insult me b'cos i said mykel is my best 9geria player? which 9geria player is as good as mykel at d moment? park well abeg!

@Chidichris, i don't know how long will obi continue to be a boy! For ur info, Mykel is a very good n professional player, everybody know's dat. Even d peep's dat r criticisin him to step-up his game by movin forward with d ball, but atleast tellin a player to step-up his level of play, does dat mean he's not a good player? (mind u, i'm not among doz dat'r criticisin mykel to try n step up buh, to me, such advice is not a bad one, it'll help his career more better, don't u get it?) well, i won't give myself headache for arguement dat i benefit nohm out of it, n i'll also advice u to help urself by quit agueing with anybody over dis topic b'cos, if u argue from now till d end of dis season's premiership, u'll gain nohm, rather u'r givin urself headache. n mykel know's nohm about it! All i know is, mykel is a young n talented player dat i lyk his style of play so much, (amid what dey'r talkin about him) but, i see no big deal if any1 is askin mykel to try n improve in movin forward with d ball, it's just a peace of advice! I'm out!!!

rancosky am sorry but you need some mental problem prescription if mikel is ur best naija player. infact how can mikel be someone top 10 player, someone that everygame all he does is just pass the ball sideways and backpass abeg anybody that says mikel is nigeria best player at the moment should go to the hospital. you and chidicris is the game because a player plays for the biggest club then that makes him the best player am sorry your sick mikel is not even half as good as uche brothers or osaze

^
Now i see y chidichris is fightin "tooth n nail" to see dat he prove's u wrong!

Well, if u think i'm hia to xchange word of insult with u, all i have to say to u is, SORRY! u met d wrong person!!!

(chidichris, if only u can listen to me, leave 12large with his arguement n carry on with ur lyf. my last post!) I'm out!

The boy is just Lazy.
Thats what HAppens when you dont complete your academy training and suddenly rush into a big club for money.

The boy is just Lazy.
Thats what HAppens when you dont complete your academy training and suddenly rush into a big club for money.

@kenogy,
if a lazyman can take care of ur present generation and the ones unborn, then lazy must have another meaning.
with this level of evil in ur brains and greed in ur words, u can do no better than go to the village and become an evil man there.

@ chidichris
bros, why u dey take am P.
well, obviously its either d footballer in queston is your father or your generation past, present and future r under his care like u made mention of.
we r talking football and d boys future in chelsea fc and here u are showing d world your lack of understanding.
is that necessary?

@ chidichris
bros, why u dey take am P.
well, obviously its either d footballer in queston is your father or your generation past, present and future r under his care like u made mention of.
we r talking football and d boys future in chelsea fc and here u are showing d world your lack of understanding.
is that necessary?

@kenogy,
hahahahahahahahahahahaha. u have really made my day. u, discussing mikel's future in chelsea fc? hahahaha. i can't remember hearing such a funny talk in a very long time.
who are u? do u have a future? mikel has suffered. that is what one gets been a nigerian. how on earth can a weed infested brain discuss the future of a well programmed professional.
one day, terry gee will tell nigerians how he is thinking of the future of goodluck jonathan.
uncle, pls get a life and start planing a future bcs for mikel, some learned tested and trusted brains are been paid to think for him.
even if his place in chelsea is lost today, he can afford to start a great business where professors can be employed.
am sorry, do u know he is earning like 80,000 pounds a week and have u ever thought of multiplying that by 4 which is one month and then by 12 which is 12 months.
what is ur worth in all ur wisdom?

JOHN OBI MIKEL




Age: 23
Last season: 25 apps, 1 assist.
Best position: Central midfield
Strength: Technique
Versatility: Average - plays best in the middle.
Ancelotti arrived last year and immediately eyed Mikel for the 'Andrea Pirlo role' at the base of his midfield. The Nigerian didn't fully take to the task, however, proving not quite up to scratch in the crucial area of tackling (which is arguably more important in the Premier League than Serie A). The Italian might return to that experiment this season, but unless injuries hit in key areas again he might spend much of the time on the bench.

Verdict: Rotator
Will get his fair share of games, but unlikely to be on Ancelotti's list when it comes to the important clashes.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2010/08/13/2069539/debate-where-will-ramires-slot-in-alongside-chelseas

For his talents Mikel has performed below par since he joined my beloved Chelsea. I honestly think he could have matured better under Sir alex. Just being honest.

JOHN OBI MIKEL




Age: 23
Last season: 25 apps, 1 assist.
Best position: Central midfield
Strength: Technique
Versatility: Average - plays best in the middle.
Ancelotti arrived last year and immediately eyed Mikel for the 'Andrea Pirlo role' at the base of his midfield. The Nigerian didn't fully take to the task, however, proving not quite up to scratch in the crucial area of tackling (which is arguably more important in the Premier League than Serie A). The Italian might return to that experiment this season, but unless injuries hit in key areas again he might spend much of the time on the bench.

Verdict: Rotator
Will get his fair share of games, but unlikely to be on Ancelotti's list when it comes to the important clashes.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2010/08/13/2069539/debate-where-will-ramires-slot-in-alongside-chelseas

For his talents Mikel has performed below par since he joined my beloved Chelsea. I honestly think he could have matured better under Sir alex. Just being honest.

@LRNZH,
pls where did u get the analysis above? is it possible for u to get that of today's match between wigan and chelsea? did u watch the match? what was the over all performance of mikel? how many black or nigerian players have done well under ferguson and how many have been rendered useless under ferguson?
why do u think mikel is destined to do well under ferguson? if u think ferguson likes mikel so much, why buying him at such a low rate of 4 million only to insist on 16 million when chelsea wanted to settle him for mikel? in ur knowledge and understanding of life, do u think u know what mikel wants more he (mikel) knows? do u like mikel more than urself? why are u not playing for man u? or are u a disable person? THINK ABOUT YOUR LIFE AS MIKEL'S LIFE IS MILLIONS OF MILES BETTER THAN URS.

ahh today mikel was brilliant if he can play like this all season, i don't think anybody would critisize him

ahh today mikel was brilliant if he can play like this all season, i don't think anybody would critisize him

@12large,
when u are in love with ur God, God will force ur enemies to be in good terms with u.
did mikel score goal today? with what you wrote above, u have accepted that soccer/football is not about how many goals u score in a game. remember, drogba was man of the match even without scoring goal. again, is it possible that you have started seeing what some of us and those world class coaches have been seeing yrs back? do u still remember the topic of this thread.
get a life brother. mikel is established above standards and with time, u will agree with me that that holding role has been tagged to mikel and it will take different interpretation for anyother one to push him out of it.
someother fools here were saying the return of essien will push mikel to the bench. where are they now that mikel play along essien and where are they now that mikel can do 90+
by the ways, no thread topic has come up for sometime now against mikel, is it possible that the enemies have sourrendered?
i watched John Terry tell the fans that anelka's first goal shld be given to mikel.
mikel get class and as we speak, he is the only nigerian that can play in the power house - chelsea.

chidichris:

is it possible that the enemies have sourrendered?

If someone says you should improve, that doesn't make him your enemy.

chidicris he did not score, but like i said even if you don't score contribute a forward move instead of sidepassing all the time, and today he played well he contributed forward we all hope that he plays more like this

. . . . And can u people hating on mikel, open another thread about his gud performance

. . . . And can u people hating on mikel, open another thread about his gud performance

@Dotman01,
has anyone answered the question above?
no one will answer that question.
nairalanders are more interested in celebrating failures than achievements.
today that mikel played well according to 12large, how did he celebrate that?

@chidi, no mind dem, dem no go gree jare!!!

he made an assist yesterday and more of such displays are what we want to see

@12Large,

It's a big shame to u dat u just "recently" saw what other people has been seeing in mykel for yrs now!

Mikel wont attack to save his own life. I just checked his statistics, he has had exactly 70 shots in four seasons with Chelsea(premier league only). That's less than 18 shots every season. Some players get more than 18 shots in a game.

@medjai,
you wrote this before and now u write this;

he made an assist yesterday and more of such displays are what we want to see

if i may ask, how does what u wrote above relate to the topic of this thread?

the confused poster was calling for a goal and u were interested in shots and now u are in love with what he did yesterday. those world class coaches and those of us lovers of progressives have been seeing wat u just saw yesterday.
in chelsea, mikel has been the man with the best passes and drogba has benefited form that goodwil on many occassions. in their first match against wet brom, kalou was presented with one of those telegraphic passes though he wasted it. it is unfortunate that u are beging to see now.
be reminded, those eyes are for u so it is up to u to how u want to use them. u can make ur eyes a fault finding machines or an agent of doom or more helpful see the good things in the legs of the blessed child mikel. in any case, MIKEL NO JUST SEND U bcs wether u like it or not, his employers are in love with him and his account officers are busy week in week out crediting and clearing cheques.

The problem is that most people that complain about Mikel do not understand Chelsea's system. The next time you watch a Chelsea game, look who's behind him. You will find out that directly behind Mikel, is John Terry. If he moves forward in search of goals as most of you want, the defence will be completely exposed.

Mikel is listed as a midfielder along with Essien and Lampard but in fact, he plays behind both players hence the correct phrase "defensive midfielder". With Drogba, Anelka, Malouda/Kalou, Lampard and Essien, Chelsea has more than enough attackers.

By the way, for those that think Ramires will bench Mikel, that is not likely going to happen. Ramires is more of a threat to Malouda or Lampard than Mikel.

All the players who have played for at least 3 seasons for chealsea have all scored at least one goal except for mikel

Give me the name of a premier league player who plays first team football for his nation and has played for 4 years for his club in the epl without scoring an epl goal.do you think essien would be the best midfielder in africa if he only tackles and passes the ball back and sideways?who\'s making an offer for the dude?wondered why he was voted by chelsea fans as the worst player at chelsea?for Heaven\'s sake stop comparing him to the likes of busquets,makelele,de jong,fletcher etc . . .mikel is far too better than those guys,if mikel could atleast get his shots on target,he will be the best midfielder in africa! Mikel at least if you can\'t score or make goal attempts at least surge forward,you are the only dm who thinks he has no business with the opponents 18 yard box!for God\'s sake who in mikel\'s age limit is better off than him?

one thing we all have to appreciate is that is not easy to be at the level Mikel is today, we should learn to appreciate our players,

sometimes most of the guys that criticize or 'hate' is performance do so because in-depth they want him to be a better player, because they already have a model of the kind of player they want him to be in their mind.

most Nigerians created this picture in their mind while watching him during the age grade WC's, and they felt another Okocha, Esin or Nwosu has been born, but alas the guy choose his own path, a pity it wasn't what they wanted. They wanted an attack minded player, a dribbler and schemer but the guy settled for defensive duties, so for some group of persons he will never be rated high cos in their own estimation he failed or like someone said did not mature.

PAT NEVIN: SPEAKING VOLUMES
Posted on: Tue 24 Aug 2010

The body language at Wigan told ex-Chelsea star Pat Nevin as much about the current team as the goals. He explains why in this week's column,


It was the best of times, it was, well the best of times. Obviously Charles Dickens wasn't thinking of Chelsea's current form when he started A Tale of Two Cities, but what else can you say after winning the double and starting the next season with two incredible 6-0 wins?

There must be a number of reasons why the play is just so fluent at the moment. Clearly this group of players know each other's strengths incredibly well, there is now an understanding that is bordering on telepathic with quite a few lads in the team.

There is also happily a willingness to strive to stay right at the top from just about every single member of the group. A few stinging articles during and after the World Cup have only served to strengthen the resolve of those who it had been suggested were not only over the hill, but tumbling down the other side at a rate of knots.

Realistically there will be dips in form this season, there always are after a World Cup year. Quite a few players, not only at Chelsea, haven't had enough time to rest and recover from the previous season, so niggling injuries will also become a problem. At the moment however, it is all fun in the sun with no one feeling any pain.

Fun also appears to be one of the important things in the Chelsea team at the moment. The spirit is clearly at an incredible level between the lads, the giveaway comes with the reaction to, and the celebration of, the goals.

A prime example came with the second goal against Wigan at the weekend. Nic Anelka buried it beautifully in the bottom corner and the players nearest him went to celebrate with the scorer, but the reaction of the midfielders and defenders to Mikel for his fantastic, raking, 50 yard, pinpoint pass was a joy to see.

John Terry looks as delighted as if he has scored the winner in the Champions League final himself. This is not a forced or selfish reaction, this is the generous reaction of man who deeply cares about his team mate. Mikel is duly swamped by everyone around him after the goal and it speaks volumes for what they feel about a player who isn't usually the most celebrated of the group.

Now I will own up that I was maybe a little surprised by the quality and the vision of the pass. I am hopefully not being too disrespectful but it was a pass you would expect to be played by a Lampard, Scholes or a Beckham. Now that we know he has got that in his locker, maybe he should try it a little more often. As sitting midfielder his first job is to break up play and then give the ball to the known creative types, but that moment of adventure allied to the confidence he gained from his mates smothering him might just lead to a boost in confidence.

Of course Didier Drogba couldn't let it lie and decided to get in on the act, spraying a few balls from one side of the pitch to the other with deadly accuracy, just to show that he can do it too, even if he is not exactly renowned for it either. Didier's pass for Kalou's goal was even better however because of the unselfishness of the act. Having picked the ball up on the half way line and powered past their entire defence, you might have excused him from having a pop from 20 yards himself, it would have been a goal of the season contender. He didn't do that, he elected to do the right thing and slip his countryman through for a tap in. It was brilliant, selfless and the work of a team player.

It summed up for me why the Blues are looking just so good right now. Everyone is thinking of the group, there is an unselfishness to the play and to the glory, it is all shared equally. From the outside you might think every team should be like that, but in reality it is rarely the case. Footballers are winners and there is an inbuilt self serving part of being a champion in sport, even if it is a team game. The trick is to get the balance right between egocentricity and shared goals, right now they are doing just that and much of the praise must go to the manager for getting the mix just right.

Last week's competition was an easy one and most entrants got the answer correct. The only time this century Chelsea didn't take full points on the first day of a league campaign was against Newcastle United in 2001, it was a 1-1 draw. The lucky winner randomly chosen by a globetrotting girl just back from competing in Germany was Martin and Debbie Holder from Carshalton, Surrey. The DVD is on its way.

This week to stand a chance of winning a season review DVD, signed by one of the players, could you tell me who was the first player to be signed by Chelsea under the ownership of Mr Abramovich?

Answers as ever to me at pat.nevin@chelseafc.com and thanks to Joe Pinto from Southampton for sending in this week's question.

@kinezeala,
pls read that post above from a professional sports analyst posted on chelsea's website. now compare it with wat u as a confused and frustrated nigerian. wat differences do u observe?

Give me the name of a premier league player who plays first team football for his nation and has played for 4 years for his club in the epl without scoring an epl goal.do you think essien would be the best midfielder in africa if he only tackles and passes the ball back and sideways?who\'s making an offer for the dude?wondered why he was voted by chelsea fans as the worst player at chelsea?for Heaven\'s sake stop comparing him to the likes of busquets,makelele,de jong,fletcher etc . . .mikel is far too better than those guys,if mikel could atleast get his shots on target,he will be the best midfielder in africa! Mikel at least if you can\'t score or make goal attempts at least surge forward,you are the only dm who thinks he has no business with the opponents 18 yard box!for God\'s sake who in mikel\'s age limit is better off than him?

All the players who have played for at least 3 seasons for chealsea have all scored at least one goal except for mikel

after reading ur less priveledged write up, one will begin to ask ur source of information and how many premier league players u know. a player in fulham according to the commentator of fulham vs man u match has not scored a goal for his club in six years.
looking at how many of u are calling for mikel to score a goal, one will also want to know what will happenif he scores a goal?
ballack, joe cole, deco and balletti all scored for chelsea yet the club let them leave keeping mikel who does not score a goal.
why will wenger let gallas who score goals to leave? what abt etoo, ibrahimovic and a host of other goal scoring machines, their various clubs let.
if u have a little knowledge of economics, u will know abt DIVISSION OR LABOUR. why are nigerians more worried abt mikel's non scoring forms than those paying his weekly wages?
the last time i checked, there was this saying; HE WHO PAYS THE PIPER DICTECTS THE TONE.
who is paying mikel now and who is complaining.
are u a disabled person? in ur wisdom, what are u doing for ur life, ur family, your community, state and nigeria as a whole? who in ur lineage is doing well or representing nigeria in anything legal.
what standards do u have to advise an esteblished guy who worked himself to the limelight? apart from mikel, who are u advising? in which way have u appreciated mikel for his achievements so far? among other nigerian players of our present time, who else do u think can fit and settle into this present chelsea team? what was ur opinion when mikel joined chelsea?
i know these questions are far beyond ur abilities but u can still prove me wrong by providing the answers, i will be waiting

For those that did not make out the time to read ChidiChris' post above, here is an important section:

Pat Nevin talking about Mikel:

As sitting midfielder his first job is to break up play and then give the ball to the known creative types,

This is essentially what Mikel is tasked to do. Get the ball, give it to Essien or Lampard, fall back. Anything else is extra. I don't know why people are finding this difficult to understand.

This is essentially what Mikel is tasked to do. Get the ball, give it to Essien or Lampard, fall back. Anything else is extra. I don't know why people are finding this difficult to understand.

@BizBooks,
what u did above is called; BRINGING KNOWLEDGE TO THE GRASSROOT.
most of us here are not supposed to be here but for the fact that they jumped class, i can only talk to them as adults they claim. thank God for BizBooks who have brought it down to the lowest level.
unfortunately, some have ears and cannot hear so no matter how low u come, they will still not understand it. while some are wicked and cruel that they hate good news abt others and dictionary will call such man/woman a saddist.

^
U sef, ur own too much. All doz peeps u'r referin to has no good reason to back up dia ryt up against mykel.
som r just soo daft to understand, while som stil continue b'cos of d "unneccessary hatred" dey have for mykel.
N som decided to continue just to provoke u more n more buh stil, u don't get what dey'r up to. 50cent told Kanye West to go ahead n swift his style up, n if dey (haters) hate, den let dem hate, n he (Kanye) will keep watchin his money pile up! I'v told u before to do u, n let dem do dem, while mykel wil continue to play d way he plays (of which d haters don't lyk his style of play) n he mykel will be watchin his money pile up with his bad play. (accordin to haters)

THE THURSDAY INTERVIEW: JOHN MIKEL OBI
Posted on: Thu 26 Aug 2010

While the attacking players have been lauded for their swashbuckling displays against West Brom and Wigan, the defence has also received credit for its pair of clean sheets over the season's opening weekends.

The man who knits the two halves together in his role at the base of the midfield, John Mikel Obi, has enjoyed a fine start to the season himself and it has not gone unnoticed at Stamford Bridge.

Anyone who saw the congratulations the midfielder received from his team-mates after his rangy pass found Nicolas Anelka for the second goal at the DW Stadium on Saturday will testify to the high regard in which his performances are currently held within the dressing room.

'Last season I did similar things in some games, sometimes it is difficult to do that week in week out, but I did it for Didier last season at Portsmouth, so it is nothing special really,' he said of the pass.

'I don't always get the opportunity to show my range of passing, it is quite difficult, you have everyone in front of you but if I get to do it more and create goals, then good, and it is great we scored 12 goals but more important to me is that I think it's good we haven't conceded any, that's where I feel happiest, my responsibility is more in the defence than the attack.'

Mikel has earned more praise from the fitness coaches at Cobham since the beginning of pre-season. They will tell you he is working harder than ever, and the player agrees.

'Towards the end of last season before I was injured I was in good shape and playing almost every week,' says the 23-year-old. 'Then I got injured, had surgery and did my rehab. I just put my head down and knew I had to work twice as hard as the other players to get myself ready for the start of the season.

'I feel like it is paying off and I don't want to stop, I want to keep going and working hard in training. If you speak to the guys they will tell you I work as hard as anyone else on the training pitch, maybe harder and I just want to keep going like this. This is where I want to be at 23 years old.'

It seems the boy Jose Mourinho signed in 2006 has developed into a man under Carlo Ancelotti.

Ancelotti talks with Mikel

He has previously spoken of feeling like one of the side's senior players as he approaches 200 Chelsea appearances (his current total is 168) and it seems with age he has developed into a more disciplined character both on and off the field.

'It doesn't feel like I am in my fifth year,' he smiles. 'I was 18 when I came, I had a bad start, it was a wake-up call to me, and I got sent off a couple of times and booked a lot, but now I am happy and I feel I am still getting better, I win the ball more now without fouling people.

'I do think I am more disciplined when I play. Playing for Chelsea you always have the full-backs going forward, Ashley Cole plays like a winger so I am the one who keeps the balance of the team and it is something I learned to do. It is a sacrifice I have to make for the team, not going forward and getting the goals.'

Malouda, Drogba and Mikel celebrate another Chelsea goal

If you were to map Mikel's movements during a game you would see a high concentration of his work being done in or around the centre-circle, it is only natural for a player of his type, but what stands out is how much of that time is spent to the left rather than the right.

The explanation, he believes, is that it is due to his covering of other players, Cole in particular but also Florent Malouda and Frank Lampard, all more attack-minded than Michael Essien and Branislav Ivanovic or Paulo Ferreira on the right-hand side.

'It's because Ashley is always going forwards, always, so I cover him more. Paulo Ferreira or Branislav Ivanovic don't go forward so much, so it is something we want in the team,' says the Nigerian. 'Malouda always goes forward too, and Lampard is on that side too, so there is a space left open more than on the right with Essien who plays deeper.

'We all have a good understanding at the moment, they all know when to go and when to come in. I think it's pretty much working out as we want it to all the time.

'We know we're not going to score six every game, if you manage one and get three points it's all we need, but at the moment it is enjoyable to be a part of it and playing, and I hope it keeps going like this.'

Tomorrow, Mikel speaks about the weekend's pitch battle with Stoke and the return of fellow African Michael Essien to the midfield,

this is direct from source.

@Ranoscky,
i do understand wat u mean but i like good sports news and i pass it to others bcs most of us here are suffering from lack of information while others are born daft so it is my own little way of helping the less informed sports lovers.
thanks .

Mikel wont attack to save his own life. I just checked his statistics, he has had exactly 70 shots in four seasons with Chelsea(premier league only). That's less than 18 shots every season. Some players get more than 18 shots in a game.

chidichris:

@medjai,
you wrote this before and now u write this;

if i may ask, how does what u wrote above relate to the topic of this thread?

if you dont shoot, you wont score

then promise me that u will commit suicide if mikel scores.

chidicris why cant you change ur name to "chidicris1" or "chidicrisbanned" instead of this orange man nonsense