thegoodjoehunt3:
Mikel is not crap as you guys make him to be. Avram Grant, Scolari, Ancelotti, Villas-Boas are not fools playing Mikel regularly at Chelsea and amassing a lot of titles. Before Mourinho dropped Mikel, Chelsea was above Liverpool. After he dropped Mikel, Chelsea went trophyless for the first time in recent years.

Matic is a talented lad but ask yourself why Mourinho refused to sell Mikel. When Chelsea was having a bad run towards the end of last season and Crystal Palace outplayed Chelsea, Mourinho had to bring back Mikel to play Liverpool.

Even Kanu benched at Arsenal. Does that make him a poor player. Gervinho was benching at Arsenal. Look at how amazing he is at Roma.

Abraham2013:

I tink I agree wit u a bit on dis one cos people keep comparing matic wit mikel. As far as am concerned, mikel is d one benching himself @ chelsea cos he has failed to up his game and improve his forward play game. I tink mikel has failed to come to terms dat mourinho no longer wants to play d makelele type of DM, rather he wants to play micheal essien type of DM were d DM does not only break attack and initiate counter attack buh also participate in d counter attack and eventually contributing some goals too. Mikel has kept his makelele type of DM which wen he plays, chelsea may not concede much goals buh dey may not score much either. Dat is y mourinho uses him towards d end of games to tighten d defence knowing fully well dat mikel is far beta dan matic in dat aspect. So if mikel can raise his game, he will eventually put matic to d bench.

Abraham2013:

I tink mikel should be d one shielding d defence just like he did wen playing wit lampard and ballack. Overall mikel is a much beta DM dan a deep flying midfielder cos all d DFM u mentioned can hit d target 4rm 30 metres buh mikel will find it difficult doing d same 4rm even 20 metres. So I tink keshi should summon d courage to play him in d DM and play onazi in front of mikel just as ramires plays in front of mikel in Chelsea's midfield and will stop conceding sily goals like d ones we conceded against congo.

buskie13:
See what GEJ has caused.....Keshi is not a coach...when we have more eligible players....kalu uche is there...Keshi is collecting bribe

thegoodjoehunt3:
If Coach Keshi wants to bring in a player from Malta, people will shout.

By the way, replacing Mikel is not easy. Technically brilliant players are difficult to find. Look at Italy, since 2000 until today, they have not been able to replace Pirlo. Xavi and Xabi Alonso was irreplaceable until Thiago Alcantara came along.

Super Eagles have had very great players but only Finidi George, Kanu and Mikel have showed technical brilliance in the Super Eagles. It is hard to explain this quality. I never watched Coach Keshi play in midfield, but I heard he was that sort of player.

They spend more time reading the game than playing it.

So it is not just about scouting players.

thegoodjoehunt3:
There is a difference with players with exceptional ability on the ball and players with exceptional thinking game. Some have both like Silva, Pastore and Iniesta. A player like Mikel is more like the thinking side without using much ability. That is why many criticise him without looking at his contributions.

Mikel does not need to make a dazzling Okocha's skill or a Yaya Toure's 100m senior boys dash to wreck havoc in the team. He can just watch the game and know the direction of play. He knows when the team is not set to attack. Attacking at such times will lead to loss of possession.

He will keep passing back until he sees a gap or an excellent run.

Mikel is more than half a footballer. He is a genius and his favorite side is overlooked.

Note most highly technical footballers do not spend much time on the ball and are hardly praised or given World Best like Kroos, Xavi and Pirlo. The praises goes to Ribery, Messi and Kaka.

Alexsmith20:
So you think everythink is about BRIBE?.

kunlesehan:
Mikel, Mourinho and Keshi all have something in common.
Lol

thegoodjoehunt3:
You can not play Ramirez without an Oscar, Fabregas or Mata. You still need someone who can coordinate the midfield with simple passes.

That is why Hope Akpan has to shield and Mikel coordinating. I also liked Raheem Lawal and Mikel's combination.

I also think and Akpan, Onazi and Mikel combination can work but Raheem Lawal is more disciplined than Onazi and would contribute in maintaining our midfield shape.

Abraham2013:

Rightly said buh d lack of attacking instinct or an eye 4 goal clearly puts mikel out of dat bracket. Cos fabregas, oscar or mata r all creative player buh dey also hav attacking instinct and an eye 4 goal. So if one plays mikel dere, d team would be playing wit a man short in d attack which is wat we notice in SE matches of recent were d gap between d attack is to much cos mikel is not an attacking minded midfielder. I strongly believe mikel should coordinate d midfield 4r d DM position. Secondly, don't u tink lukman haruna or solomon owello would do beta dan mikel in d CM or AM role? Cos while haruna played dere 4 d SE in 2010 world cup, he did well even beta dan mikel IMO.

olajide8:


80% of mikels passes are to his defenders, defensive play - only 20% forward- out of that only 15% are delivered while 5% are cut off, now watch his matches for nigeria and please try and stop comparing him with geniuses like xavi, that doesn't allow the opponent destroy his team members legs on the field with wrong short passes- a genius is one that can single handled change the fortune of a team eg kanu, okocha, messi, CR7 but definitely NOT mikel* you have to have watched each players contribution on a field and not the flow of the match to determine who does what- look at emenike's passes to our 7 can't remember his name now, the hausa boy from kano pillars ahmed musa- that banged in 2 goals against argentina that was excellence personified* look at ball distribution and attack of the defence by babatunde and osaze - on point, they had to practical starve mikel of the ball to result in those goals *it was onaze, osaze, babatunde, emenike, ahmed that created and converted the goals- its not about running a 100m dash nor dribbling its about the gap that would be felt in your absence- and that's what happened to oganyi onaze* at the world cup- look at what happened to liver pool when they sold alfonzo (or what do you call him, their central defended., steven gerrad, captain fantastic -had to work twice as hard on the field)

kris:
Some people talk like say Keshi no be naija man. Even the Nigerian president dey collect bribe, one way or another.

Why is it so hard to believe that Keshi go collect bribe? I don't think that Keshi asked Mikel for bribe, but Mikel probably dash him money and other things in the past, just as a good gesture, and since then, it's hard for Keshi to say no to the boy.

And people like Martin refuse to bribe, because they feel they're good enough to be on the team without paying anybody.
While someone like Salimi will give all his money to Keshi, so as to be included. Same with Agbim.

If Mikel is that good, he will be in the starting 11 for Chelsea, and other clubs will be fighting to buy him.

In the World Cup games, he lost the ball many times while trying to dibble, and he falls a lot to the ground, like say the guy no get stamina.

thegoodjoehunt3:
Mikel is one of the reasons I like Coach Keshi. Mikel is not as poor as people make him to be. Look at Fellaini at Man Utd. Many Man Utd fans castigated him and wanted him out of the team. Today, he is one of the few players that brings class to the midfield.

Sometimes, people should know there is more to football than watching a player run with the ball. Decision making, intelligence and knowing when to attack or defend is important to the team.

Mikel is a very technical player and has tried his best for the team.

I keep pointing at the fact that Mikel was the best Nigerian player in the match against South Africa. After the game, many were abusing Mikel that he was one of the reasons we did not win the game. I shook my head in Yoruba.

thegoodjoehunt3:
How many Nigerian players can get into the starting eleven of Chelsea? Only Mikel can start matches at Chelsea yet you want to slaughter Coach Keshi. Maybe Mourinho took bribe to start Mikel in the Capital One cup game for Chelsea. Shaking my head in Yoruba.

kris:



Also Mikel be number 10 for Chelsea? We won't have wahala with Keshi if he uses Mikel for the same role he plays in Chelsea.

abatically:


Mikel doesn't play number 10 for Nigeria either. Of is it because he wears the no 10 shirt? Mikel's role in the team is as a holding midfielder, not a no 10.

kris:


If he's not playing as number 10, then why give him jersey number 10?

Who is playing as number 10 then? It looks more like Mikel is playing number 10, but not really good at it.

thegoodjoehunt3:
If Coach Keshi wants to bring in a player from Malta, people will shout.

By the way, replacing Mikel is not easy. Technically brilliant players are difficult to find. Look at Italy, since 2000 until today, they have not been able to replace Pirlo. Xavi and Xabi Alonso was irreplaceable until Thiago Alcantara came along.

Super Eagles have had very great players[b] but only Finidi George, Kanu and Mikel have showed technical brilliance in the Super Eagles. It is hard to explain this quality. I never watched Coach Keshi play in midfield, but I heard he was that sort of player.

They spend more time reading the game than playing it.

So it is not just about scouting players.[/b]

bastien:
Lol Nosa kick and follow? Chai like Seriously dude, Mikel is not technically sound,even with so many years in Europe top league. Do you know why many managers and coach in Europe like depending on black players as their DM? Because they are all technically sound playing on sand in Africa and that gives them the strength to cover the pitch for 90mins,Mikel lacks pace,poor ball passer,no urgency and doesn't read the game. Watch Tiote, Song,Diame, Yaya, Onazi, Mulumbu, Muntari, Nosa, Azeze, etc all these players are box to box DM ,with alot urgency in them, only Nosa have few years experience in Europe. Why is Mike case different? If you can't score create chances. Mikel is overrated

thegoodjoehunt3:
Edin Dzeko wears 10 for Man City bit he doesn't play the 10 role.

kris:


If he's not playing as number 10, then why give him jersey number 10?

Who is playing as number 10 then? It looks more like Mikel is playing number 10, but not really good at it.

kris:


Who dey play number 10 for us na? At least Edin Dzeko is a forward, how you go carry 10 go give someone you expect to be close to the back?

kris:


Who dey play number 10 for us na? At least Edin Dzeko is a forward, how you go carry 10 go give someone you expect to be close to the back?

edi287:


You forgot about Oliseh.