Well there was that rumour of him wanting to play as an AM, time for Nigerian Messi to take the number 8 shirt

He can't be as worse as Oscar. But the coach will still pick Oscar over him anyway.

BTW Any idea where Mikel is? Not even been on the bench once.

29 minutes ago, Jon Stakes said:

BTW Any idea where Mikel is? Not even been on the bench once.

 

29 minutes ago, Jon Stakes said:

BTW Any idea where Mikel is? Not even been on the bench once.

Perhaps still on holiday after the Olympics.

He will start against Leicester

13 hours ago, wallosh said:

He will start against Leicester

you sure about that ?

Supporting Chelsea is apparently only nine months away from becoming pointless:

Mikel:

"I have one year left. When you have a year left as a football player, you have to start planning and start thinking about what’s going to happen at the end of the season.

Yes, there are going to be rumours, yes, there are going to be conversations between clubs.

When you have a year left, in January, you are allowed to talk to other clubs and sign a pre-contract or have an agreement so, yes, I will talk to other clubs because you never know what is going to happen.

I’ve been here for a long, long time. I’ve spent 11 years of my life in this football club, it is my home.

This season is the last at the club if my contract ends. I am quite relaxed about it, the future looks good.

I am always open to a new conversation, a negotiation [with Chelsea]. But if there’s none, the future still looks bright.

One day you have to move on. I think my memories here, my achievements here, are something that no one will ever take away from me.

I have won everything there is to win with this football club. We were the first London club to win the Champions League, and forever I will be one of the first players to win the Champions League for Chelsea. Those memories will never go away."

I quite like Mikel the person, just wish he was  better footballer. Hope he finds happiness werever hes off to next

Seems to be out of favour with Conte right now. 

Was surprised that he didn't even make the bench for the Leicester game, unless we get a couple of injuries/suspensions I'm not sure when we'll see him back in the team/squad. 

Let's give him a new contract, Conte will be sacked by January anyway

I genuinely don't understand how he is still at the club... lol

4 hours ago, ForeverCarefree said:

Seems to be out of favour with Conte right now. 

Was surprised that he didn't even make the bench for the Leicester game, unless we get a couple of injuries/suspensions I'm not sure when we'll see him back in the team/squad. 

probably / hopefully with a view to giving chalobah  more opportunities.

4 hours ago, PloKoon13 said:

Let's give him a new contract, Conte will be sacked by January anyway

been a while since we had a player manager. 

57 minutes ago, g3.7 said:

probably / hopefully with a view to giving chalobah  more opportunities.

been a while since we had a player manager. 

I really want to like your post but frankly I think we should loan that inevitably hopeless kid to Nottingham Forest (I mean Jesus, how many PL youth rejects do they need: Lansbury, Mancienne, Vellios, Hobbs, Bendtner?)

Mikel is a club legend and we should be building the team around him. I mean, how many club legends do we have left?

Edited September 23, 20169 yr by PloKoon13

11 hours ago, ForeverCarefree said:

Seems to be out of favour with Conte right now. 

Was surprised that he didn't even make the bench for the Leicester game, unless we get a couple of injuries/suspensions I'm not sure when we'll see him back in the team/squad. 

When Matic arrived, i thought Mikel's Chelsea career was done, but Ramires ended up leaving and Matic lost form which bought Mikel back in. I can't see how he will get through it this time though. Matic is back in the first 11, Kante has arrived to push Mikel back even more, and Chalobah is now in the squad. I don't see when Mikel is going to get any game time.

12 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

When Matic arrived, i thought Mikel's Chelsea career was done, but Ramires ended up leaving and Matic lost form which bought Mikel back in. I can't see how he will get through it this time though. Matic is back in the first 11, Kante has arrived to push Mikel back even more, and Chalobah is now in the squad. I don't see when Mikel is going to get any game time.

But Matic is still poor and nowhere near as good as 2 seasons ago.

If it's any consolation for our Nigerian fanbase... We have Moses looking nice and hungry this season and getting plenty of minutes. 

One in one out, not too bad, I say.

(Mikel seems like a very nice guy, BTW, in all the bits and pieces I've seen and read of him off the pitch.) 

I would say this much: Regardless of Mikel not fulfilling his promise he should be commended for being dedicated and in general has done nothing over the years to deserve anything other than a nice send off.

Should play over Kante. Twice his player and can actually control a ball.

14 minutes ago, Sindre said:

Should play over Kante. Twice his player and can actually control a ball.

Yeah, let's replace Kante with a player that was just as responsible as the rest for us finishing 10th last season. What exactly did Mikel do last season that improved us ? apart from 2 or 3 games, he was just as bad as the rest. Instead of asking to bring back the same failed players again and again, why don't we put some that trust in our youth players, the players that have been part of this club since they were kids ? They would show much more desire than the likes of Mikel, a player who has been content with sitting on the bench for most of his career.

Edited September 24, 20169 yr by Scott Harris

and the knee jerk post of the year goes to..

Mikel shouldn´t play instead of Kante and shouldn´t be more than a back-up player in general. 

But I am honestly not sure if Matic is any better than him and he plays week in week out. So I can kind of understand why someone would want to bring back Mikel. It really can´t get much worse anyways... 

 

7 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Yeah, let's replace Kante with a player that was just as responsible as the rest for us finishing 10th last season. What exactly did Mikel do last season that improved us ? apart from 2 or 3 games, he was just as bad as the rest. Instead of asking to bring back the same failed players again and again, why don't we put some that trust in our youth players, the players that have been part of this club since they were kids ? They would show much more desire than the likes of Mikel, a player who has been content with sitting on the bench for most of his career.

Blasphemy!!! Actually asking to trust youth players? NO. They should be "loaned out".

How many losses before Conte realizes he should be our vice-captain?

26 minutes ago, reparto corse said:

Mikel shouldn´t play instead of Kante and shouldn´t be more than a back-up player in general. 

But I am honestly not sure if Matic is any better than him and he plays week in week out. So I can kind of understand why someone would want to bring back Mikel. It really can´t get much worse anyways... 

 

 

Tell me please when Matic is on the same field with Iniesta and Xavi, and will be better player (creating chances and dominating midfield) compared to both

2 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

Yeah, let's replace Kante with a player that was just as responsible as the rest for us finishing 10th last season. What exactly did Mikel do last season that improved us ? apart from 2 or 3 games, he was just as bad as the rest. Instead of asking to bring back the same failed players again and again, why don't we put some that trust in our youth players, the players that have been part of this club since they were kids ? They would show much more desire than the likes of Mikel, a player who has been content with sitting on the bench for most of his career.

 

No, Mikel is not responsible for that. Mikel practically only played the second half of the season and Chelsea was actually 5th in the second half, if I'm not mistaken.

But obviously Kante is irreplaceable. If Mikel needs to sub anyone its either Matic or Fabregas on an off-day.

Edited September 24, 20169 yr by Jon Stakes

I don't know what Mikel has done to Conte but he should really consider to bring him back instead of Matic. (or try Chabolah)