Certainly seems that yesterday was the best advert for Mikel in ages

I appreciate it's easy to say in hindsight, but unless fitness concerns/injuries determined the starting lineup, for me Jose got the team selection wrong against both Southampton and Spurs, i.e. we needed two holding mids v Spurs, not Southampton.

Edited January 3, 201511 yr by the special one

I appreciate it's easy to say in hindsight, but unless fitness concerns/injuries determined the starting lineup, for me Jose got the team selection wrong against both Southampton and Spurs, i.e. we needed two holding mids v Spurs, not Southampton.

 

It's very easy when you consider we managed perfectly fine against Spurs at home. 

 

For me Matic looked tired and Oscar was just poor.

It's very easy when you consider we managed perfectly fine against Spurs at home. 

 

For me Matic looked tired and Oscar was just poor.

Well considering our away form & home form, vastly differ, you can't really use the fact we managed fine at home.

"Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel is delighted that he has finally been issued a British passport, after applying for the document months ago.

 

The Nigeria international became eligible for citizenship, having spent more than eight years in England following his transfer to Chelsea from Lyn Oslo of Norway in 2006.

 

Since late last year, Mikel had been patiently waiting for positive feedback from the authorities, and he ultimately got cheering news last week.

 

''Mikel was issued a British passport last week, and he is very happy to be in the possession of the passport,'' a representative of the Super Eagles star told SL10.ng.

 

''That's very good news because he will no longer be counted as a foreign player in the Chelsea squad.

 

''All the obstacles that would have prevented him playing in Europe have been eliminated, especially in Italy.

 

''Mikel is not leaving Chelsea in the January transfer window. He will only think about his future at the end of this season.''"

 

http://www.sl10.ng/news/articles/categories/nigeria-players-abroad/chelsea-midfielder-obi-mikel-delighted-to-be-issued-british-passport/198254

Let me be the first: Mikel for England!

Edited January 18, 201511 yr by Valerie

Let me be the first: Mikel for England!

He's too good

So we have 2 more foreign spots left now since Schwarzer has already left and Mikel is HG. Great.

So we have 2 more foreign spots left now since Schwarzer has already left and Mikel is HG. Great.

Mikel still isn't homegrown and never will be. 

 

To expand on this further, while technically he isn't foreign anymore, he is still considered as such in regards to the premier league and champions league squad rules. Mikel joined when he was 19, missing out on homegrown status by about a year. 

 

Meaningless and misleading article to be honest. 

Edited January 20, 201511 yr by Remodez

His EU passport makes him much much easier to sell, however.

Chill cleaning up JTs mess! That's not how it's usually done!

f**k

Poor performance today. I hope he will have a chance to improve it.

 

Not the hero our season deserves but the hero we need....

 

 

He's a silent guardian. A watchful protector. 

Hopefully like at the end of the Dark Knight he leaves and allows a more able, younger person to take over.

Hopefully like at the end of the Dark Knight he leaves and allows a more able, younger person to take over.

 

Robin Loftus Cheek?

Three weeks and counting... back for a run of QPR away, Man Utd at home and Arsenal away.

 

Hopefully like at the end of the Dark Knight he leaves and allows a more able, younger person to take over.

 

That's The Dark Knight Rises, which had an utterly awful ending, which I suppose is fitting for the comparison. At least in Inception (which is about half an inch deep itself despite its pretences) Nolan had the decency to leave it ambiguous.

Robin Loftus Cheek?

 

Not going to happen.

Anyone else think we could really do with Mikel in midfield now? I'd have him over Ramires even if he doesn't go forward much. I miss his "calming presence" :)

Our goalscoring struggles will definitely be solved by the return of Mikel, yes.

Yes, I would rather have the stability offered from Mikel, than the lack of technique offered from Ramires.

Anyone else think we could really do with Mikel in midfield now? I'd have him over Ramires even if he doesn't go forward much. I miss his "calming presence" :)

What stability? Unless we're defending in our own box most of the game I don't see how he remotely improves our chances of winning a match.

He does bring stability to our midfield, there's no doubt about that. We wouldn't have a completely haphazard half like the 1st half yesterday where we couldn't string 3 passes together with him on the pitch. His passes may be conservative but he has the ability to retain the ball in a tight spot.

 

On the other hand, the midfield that was on the pitch yesterday is better off without Mikel when the other team sits back and doesn't press as intensely (and even when they press during periods of greater confidence). The team lacks composure in midfield at the moment.

I don't think he brings stability either, don't know if anyone noticed but recently when he's played, he doesn't makes tackles. He'll chase people back and not put a foot in.

He will be useful against the top sides when we are sitting back trying to defend our box other than that though he's pretty useless IMO.

What we are crying out for is a central midfielder who can bomb forward and offer a goal threat, sadly we don't have a player like that at our club.