Last year AV-B revitalised Moutinho by changing the position he was playing, giving him a more attacking roll than the defensive one he'd been pushed into. This changed his game and made people remember that Moutinho was still quite good. Could he do the same for Mikel?

Absolutely, and McEachran as well. He used them in a defensive role against Wycombe, Portsmouth and Malaysia, moving them to an attacking role against Thailand where they were evidently better.

Moutinho is a good comparison because he burst on to the scene as a dynamic, teenage midfielder with lots of energy and work rate, and successive coaches ignored his attacking ability to stick him to shield the back four.

Let's hope so.

I don't want to be too critical of Mikel (honestly!) but when you look at his career with us, there are far too many games when he's been a passenger. I'm all for him playing a role where he is actually contributing something.

Exactly. He was awesome as a passer and an aggressive runner for the Nigerian U21's. JM seamed to think he could make him a hybrid of Pirlo and Makalele!

At 22 he still has the potential to be world-class. Screw Modric, stun everybody (except maybe Fergie) and make him a ACM again!

Exactly. He was awesome as a passer and an aggressive runner for the Nigerian U21's. JM seamed to think he could make him a hybrid of Pirlo and Makalele!

At 22 he still has the potential to be world-class. Screw Modric, stun everybody (except maybe Fergie) and make him a ACM again!

He's 24 now, so the clock is ticking.........................

I think he's actually 24, but yes I think it's very possible that Milkel could be used further up the field to greater effect.

Oh and that first Premiership goal is coming!

I sincerely hope this is the approach AVB is taking. It was very notable that Mikel was often the player hustling the keeper at corners which given his height seems a logical move. In days gone by he wouldn't even be in the penalty area let alone the six yard box.

No one can help Mikel. He is hugely over rated. Since he joined us he hasnt improved as a player. He should be sold asap!

No one can help Mikel. He is hugely over rated. Since he joined us he hasnt improved as a player. He should be sold asap!

Are you a Scouse in disguise? He is better than he's been given credit for and played out of position as far as I'm concerned. Imagine playing Makalele as a number 10 and imagine how poor he'd look.

Are you a Scouse in disguise? He is better than he's been given credit for and played out of position as far as I'm concerned. Imagine playing Makalele as a number 10 and imagine how poor he'd look.

Sorry but that's just not an example which really compares.

Perhaps it was decided Mikel was best used as a kind of DM because he didn't have enough in his game to play him further up the pitch? Even if that's not the case, just because he has been played where he has, it doesn't mean that his role is that restricted that he couldn't at least occasionally, show a bit of flair or open teams up with some decent passing. It's an easy excuse to blame managers / coaches - if he was that good, Mikel would have shown more than he actually has, regarless of where he has been played.

But he now has a clean slate and if AVB does think he might be able to use him differently and gives him a chance, then it's up to him to take it and we'll have to wait and see.

Maka use to play as an attacking midfielder.

Sorry but that's just not an example which really compares.

Perhaps it was decided Mikel was best used as a kind of DM because he didn't have enough in his game to play him further up the pitch? Even if that's not the case, just because he has been played where he has, it doesn't mean that his role is that restricted that he couldn't at least occasionally, show a bit of flair or open teams up with some decent passing. It's an easy excuse to blame managers / coaches - if he was that good, Mikel would have shown more than he actually has, regarless of where he has been played.

But he now has a clean slate and if AVB does think he might be able to use him differently and gives him a chance, then it's up to him to take it and we'll have to wait and see.

I think he has, United a few years ago sprining to mind, when he first came on the sceane there where a lot of forward passes, alot of balls inside the full back to find the run of the striker. Our strikers are running less and mikel seems to have had it beaten out of him

The thing about Mikel is that his passing ability is one of the best in the squad...From last year, he had 90% pass completion (second only to Josh) 65 passes per game (second only to Essien) and 5 long-balls per game (second to Essien again). With Essien's injury, he becomes our most prolific passer by quite some distance. Where his game is lacking is that he's not as good as he needs to be at breaking up possession during opposition attacks. He either needs to work on his tackling or be played further up the pitch, but I certainly don't understand the criticism he gets...

Source for stats

I certainly don't understand the criticism he gets...

Neither do I, he had a bit of a drop in form last season (well who hadn´t) but considering him as someone who failed is totally wrong. He would start at the holding role if I were the manager week in and week out. We dont need 3 box to box midfielders playing together as we had with ramires essien and lampard...

The thing about Mikel is that his passing ability is one of the best in the squad...From last year, he had 90% pass completion (second only to Josh) 65 passes per game (second only to Essien) and 5 long-balls per game (second to Essien again). With Essien's injury, he becomes our most prolific passer by quite some distance. Where his game is lacking is that he's not as good as he needs to be at breaking up possession during opposition attacks. He either needs to work on his tackling or be played further up the pitch, but I certainly don't understand the criticism he gets...

Source for stats

Agreed. I think part of the problem is a lack of pace. His short passing game is excellent, the long floaters seen last season less so. Overall though he doesn't do makas job aswell as maka used to do it. Few do. More sped to the problem area would help his tackling

I agree to some extent degoey. He comes and goes as far as his defensive ability is concerned. His movement off the ball is also a little concerning. Obviously his central role is to hold his position in case of a turnover of possession, however the way he is fairly static in his movement makes it much easier to simply just get goal side of him and stop him playing as Rooney did in the final game against United last season.

He's certainly serviceable, and it'll be interesting to see the role he is given. Perhaps a signing like Parker who is more adept defensively can allow him to shift forward a little to show the talents we keep being told he possesses.

Do we really need a DM? We have a very good back line and a great keeper. Is there really any need for a DM at Chelsea? Pretty much all of our players track back anyway.

Do we really need a DM? We have a very good back line and a great keeper. Is there really any need for a DM at Chelsea? Pretty much all of our players track back anyway.

The idea of a DM is to release the other midfielders from some of their defensive duties, it is also useful to cover full backs bombing on in a 4-3-3 formation, which we use. If we didnt play with one then the gap between defence and midfield would be difficult to cover. Their are games where I think we shouldnt use one, for instance against a team that sits in deep as they just take up a place and arent really needed.

No one can help Mikel. He is hugely over rated. Since he joined us he hasnt improved as a player. He should be sold asap!

C'mon, don't you know he was voted 8th best player in the U11 World Cup ten years ago. For the record Messi was voted 4th best.

Or something.

Anyway, agree with Nibs. Yet another clean slate for JOM. Let's see what happens, but im not holding my breath and I've seen no development in any aspect of his game (perhaps bar discipline) that makes me think anyone else should hold their breath either. Fingers crossed I'm wrong.

The thing about Mikel is that his passing ability is one of the best in the squad...From last year, he had 90% pass completion (second only to Josh) 65 passes per game (second only to Essien) and 5 long-balls per game (second to Essien again). With Essien's injury, he becomes our most prolific passer by quite some distance.

It's funny how statistics sometimes don't match what the eye sees. They can also be deceptive.

I thought Mikel was poor against Thailand, making the same mistakes he fell into making last season. His passing and his presence of mind didn't seem to be very sharp. In his role as a DM, his pass percentage can easily be accounted for by the high number of short, safe sideways passes his position calls for. What was his completion percentage on long passes?

Carlo tried to make him into more of an attacker last season but it didn't seem to take. I hope Bo can help him improve his game. Right now, I think Mikel is playing worse than he did 2-3 years ago. I don't understand why he seemingly regressed. There was a time when he was one of the better defensive midfielders in the Premier League, I thought.

it is time to forget about him as a creative player, and as an attacking player.

he's a holding midfielder who is capable of releasing the ball accurately. nothing more, nothing less.

if you forget about his past, I think expectations become more manageable.

he's not an amazingly good player, but he warrants a place, and he'd warrant a place in every squad in the world outside of barcelona.

his position has become increasingly recognised as a standard, regular position rather than some continental novelty or fad.

for the position he plays, on the ball there is not much improvement needed to be made. he needs to move the ball inside two touches more often, and make himself available for return passes earlier (though he's better than ramires or essien at both of these things).

defensively he needs to improve more. position play, marking, avoiding getting caught 1v1 with quicker players etc

if he does make those improvements he will be a guaranteed starter. and if we struggle to break sides down, this idea that mikel is the one not bringing enough to the table should be forgotten. it is the job of the five players in advance of him (plus the fullbacks) to do so.

One thing that gets missed when only watching Mikel on tv is the way he covers for the full backs when they advance, and even for JT (and Luiz once or twice) when they went marauding. The main attribute for a DM is positional discipline, its something that Makalele was oustanding at. They have to curb a lot of their attacking instincts to be able to see if any defensive position needs filling in, and thats actually harder than it sounds, especially for a player who began as an attacking midfilder.

that is a fair point, it is like watching a striker who is all about movement. on television crespo, owen and inzaghi could do nothing all game, and someone in the ground watching could come away thinking they've given their man a torrid time.

your point is also why this idea of luiz in midfield (previously carvalho in midfield, previously gallas in midfield) doesn't work. having the spacial appreciation is as important as being a technically sound player.

also a salient point is that at the same age (and I am not 100% certain of this) makelele still hadn't moved into that position. you can be brilliant at 22 like busquets, or not even on the radar at 26. look at marcos senna for example (who was also a more attacking player).

About getting caught 1v1 with quicker players, in a system where the full backs bomb forward, I'm not sure how you can completely avoid the player who's supposed to be covering getting caught against quicker players. And lack of pace is something which he cannot improve on.

if he does make those improvements he will be a guaranteed starter. and if we struggle to break sides down, this idea that mikel is the one not bringing enough to the table should be forgotten. it is the job of the five players in advance of him (plus the fullbacks) to do so.

Sorry G4, that day will never come.