just wanted to say the fact that i have noticed this season, anytime mikel is in our midfield for 90mins that is minus red card, it's very hard for us to lose or take a draw and there is always a vision in our play, i dunno...maybe i am the only one thinking that...take the manure game after the red card we got crippled, the fulham nothing could build from the midfield.

i dunno if i'm wrong, though

I'd like to see what he can offer if encouraged to go forward more. His sharp passing, control and vision could cause havoc closer to the penalty area.

he is neat and tidy but I'm still to be totally convinced.

I am nowhere near convinced. Hasn't done anywhere near enough for me to date and that staying on a pitch for 90 minutes - that does appear to be a problem for him.

His still a very young player and very talented. If he can keep his temper under control, I think he can be a fantastic player.

he's got bags of potential but i am always worried about his attitude. He seems to be petulant to me, even arrogant, and i dont like that in players until they have proven to be worth it. a humble Drogba would be much like Heskey, he needs to arrogance about him and he can get away with it because he has proven himself, but Mikel has a long way to go yet.

he's got bags of potential but i am always worried about his attitude. He seems to be petulant to me, even arrogant, and i dont like that in players until they have proven to be worth it. a humble Drogba would be much like Heskey, he needs to arrogance about him and he can get away with it because he has proven himself, but Mikel has a long way to go yet.

Arrogance can inspire you to work hard and prove yourself or it can make you lazy and think your all that and don't need to try.

he's got bags of potential but i am always worried about his attitude. He seems to be petulant to me, even arrogant, and i dont like that in players until they have proven to be worth it. a humble Drogba would be much like Heskey, he needs to arrogance about him and he can get away with it because he has proven himself, but Mikel has a long way to go yet.

Arrogance can inspire you to work hard and prove yourself or it can make you lazy and think your all that and don't need to try.

i agree, but thats a 50-50 gamble for a kid with bags of potential. He can be a monster in years to come, but he could also become a billy big bollocks and lose it before he's had it, if you know what i mean.

I think his ego is going to be the deciding factor as to whether he reaches his potential or falls by the wayside

he has to be in there in my opinion- doesn't have the engine of essien but has height, good teamwork but most importantly i think he's the best, really the only player in our side who is genuinely good at passing the ball and moving. I'd love to see maka/lamps/mikel in our midfield with the two latter getting high up the pitch.

I hope one of the positives of jose is leaving is that whoever is coaching mikel in the next few years sees him as a player who plays further up- jose always wanted him deep and in the games this season there has been a bit of a reluctance to go forward and to take more risks with his passing.

I remember a few games last season where Mikel played at the tip of the diamond, and he was very clever. Short sharp passes, could hold the ball up well, and yes I feel taht he has brilliant vision.

However, the other day against Valencia, he was practically strolling about with his hands on his hips for a while! I have heard, and seen that he can have quite a bad attitude, but I certainly think that He and Essien are crucial to our midfield. Thrown them and lamps in the same teaam, and we got a good one!

I remember a few games last season where Mikel played at the tip of the diamond, and he was very clever. Short sharp passes, could hold the ball up well, and yes I feel taht he has brilliant vision.

However, the other day against Valencia, he was practically strolling about with his hands on his hips for a while! I have heard, and seen that he can have quite a bad attitude, but I certainly think that He and Essien are crucial to our midfield. Thrown them and lamps in the same teaam, and we got a good one!

And Mikel is still quite young. He'll hopefully grow up and get better. How many at his age has great attitude and never lose their temper?

Essien - Mikel - Lampard

Joey - Drogba - Malouda

That doesn't look bad at all

i think if you really wanna know how mikel really plays, y'all should go and watch the netherlands world cup under-19 matches, you wld really know that out of all our midfielders, he is definitely the best at such an age, i think he needs time and kinda like a coach that'll give him a free role.

He did look good in the U19 tournament (based on the limited footage I saw) however with all due respect the difference between that and playingin the Premiership is monumental so I don't really think the way he performs in a tournament like that should be thought of as indicative of the level he could perform given the right coach/style.

I think Mikel is a player of considerable potential as you will see if you read this profile that I wrote

http://www.theshedend.com/john-obi-mikel.html

and I hope he is given the playing time to develop as I would hate to see him move on and make his mark elsewhere (in the way that Diarra is going to do) however I do think that for the club to give him those chances he needs to work on his own attitude as well. I am notone for criticising playes for looking casual as there are many players who look casual but their is no denying their commitment (think Desailly) however there are occasions where I feel mikel looks casual because he is being casual. I don't expect that from a young kid, I expect to see a player keen to prove his worth and keen tog rab every opportunity that comes his way.

"the masterclass in our midfield"... Wow...

What have I been watching this whole time?

ok, who has better passing and vision, Sidwell or Mikel?

personally i think mikel is going to be awesome in midfield.

as long as we dont have to play him in the defensive role, that is.. but maka seems to still have it, at least so far...

It is sad that we have to put either Sidwell's or Mikel's name in the same sentence as the word "masterclass".

It is sad that we have to put either Sidwell's or Mikel's name in the same sentence as the word "masterclass".

whats sad about two young pro players with a bright future and the talent to become club legends?

obviously theyre not a "masterclass" right this moment, but the speculation is that they will be.