TheGoodJoe:


We can only wonder what Mikel would have been if he played for years, side by side with Paul Scholes. Imagine Mikel working everyday in training with Sir Alex Ferguson.

Sir Alex Ferguson flew to Norway three times, begging Mikel to join Man Utd. Imagine one of the best coaches of all time begging a small boy.

Mikel goes down in the list of Nigerians like Amunike, Amokachi, Kanu Nwankwo, Okocha, Oruma, Ebiede, Ohenhen, Ikedia and Etim Esin.

These men had the talents to rule the World of football but one thing or the other caused them not to reach their true heights.

xtervaganza:
dude, is something wrong with you? So he would have won Ballon d'or if he had joined man u? How about bigger talents that were wasted under Fergie? You probably don't kleberson, Anderson, bosnich and countless others

xtervaganza:
his fame is based on passes? Where did you get this crap from?


Is football all about passing? Is a midfielder's primary job passing? What d hell am I reading?



For a player who based in style on passing how would rate his vision on a scale of 1 to 10? Truth is, you. Need to stop this fanboyism, Mikel is a good player, he will never be a great player anywhere in the world. If you think otherwise you're super super deluded.



Talking about passing; how do you rate him alongside Fabregas, Özil, Xavi, Pirlo, Scholes. No sane person will ever compare your god Mikel to the players I listed




Grt over yourself

TheGoodJoe:



I repeat, there was already a space in Man United after the departure of Roy Keane. The brand of football Man United played would have fitted Mikel.

I never said Mikel would have won Ballon D'Or. I said, Mikel did not reach the heights he was suppose to reach because he was a World Class talent.

The negative role he played a lot at Chelsea did not help him. That is like comparing Mikel's play under Mourinho's second coming to that of Hiddink.

I am sure you will agree a pattern under Hiddink's style would have built a better image for Mikel than a career under Mourinho's style.

xtervaganza:
stop tying yourself in a knot, man. It's funny you said he's playing a negative at Chelsea but you said he was poised to replace Roy Keane at United.



So if I may ask, was Roy Keane 's role at man u a positive role? Lol don't make me laugh. He practically played the same role Mikel is playing now albeit in a better way because he was the attack dog and water carrier

TheGoodJoe:



You are just talking ridiculous long story. Guus Hiddink is impressed with Mikel's style of play and even pointed out Mikel's short passing. I guess, you have deeper knowledge of football than the statisticians who pointed out Mikel's improved passing range.

Xavi is different – in basic terms he is a separate type of player, preferring constant neat short passes rather than the searching long diagonals...

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2012/mar/19/paul-scholes-xavi-andrea-pirlo-playmaker

TheGoodJoe:



If you do not know, you do not know.

“With Roy, I knew he was a great footballer but until I played with him didn’t realise how great. His passing was probably the best I’ve played with,”...Wayne Rooney.

http://www.givemesport.com/508221-wayne-rooney-says-roy-keane-was-manchester-uniteds-best-passer

xtervaganza:
yeah, hiddink is impressed with him and that's because chelsea main players have decided to forfeit this season. not that because an in form Mikel. Will ever bench an in form Matic (not in this world). Staying too long on the bench is what has motivated Mikel not that he's as good or better than Matic. Ask real chelsea fans (no biased Nigerians) they will tell you they prefer an in form Matic/Ramirez over an in form Mikel.



You're making it out like Mikel is a world beater who would get into any side in the world. Platers like Mikel are best described good or average. Nothing spectacular about him as a footballer.


And as. Per Xavi just like Mikel they both make short passes bur Xavi sometimes goes for the ambitious ball (short or long) and despite his small frame, he traps the ball better than Mikel. He's like 500× more .tidy in possession than Mikel



How many times have you seen Xavi lose possession of the ball leading to goal?

How many times has Mikel lost possession leading to goal? You remember the psg match in preseason? The Nigeria/Argentina match?

xtervaganza:
hahahahh ypu thus guy no go kee me



Are you serious or just trolling? Who says he can't pass? Was his passing half as good as Scholes'?



And you don't need to quote anybody to drag yourself into a wrong argument. It was never about his passing but about his position and role in the team



Roy Keane was the team's water carrier. Trying to tell me Roy Keane passing was outstanding would be like trying to convince me Makelele was a good dribbler

TheGoodJoe:


If you do not know, you do not know. Roy Keane is one of the greatest players to play for Man Utd. Now you are claiming you know more than Man Utd players.

Na wa.

Show me a post that referred to the great Roy Keane as a water Carrier.

xtervaganza:
hahahahh ypu thus guy no go kee me



Are you serious or just trolling? Who says he can't pass? Was his passing half as good as Scholes'?



And you don't need to quote anybody to drag yourself into a wrong argument. It was never about his passing but about his position and role in the team



Roy Keane was the team's water carrier. Trying to tell me Roy Keane passing was outstanding would be like trying to convince me Makelele was a good dribbler

TheGoodJoe:



Mikel had the talent but plays in a system that does not favor his style of play. That was why Chelsea would never allow Mikel make a move to Arsenal. Their pattern of play will bring out a World beater.

Xavi played in a pattern that favored his style of play.

Watch Mikel against Spain in the Confeds and tell me Matic will ever come close to it.

Hiddink, true legend of the round leather game will never favor Matic over Mikel. Matic was one of Chelsea's worst players and killer this season.

Mikel and Matic are not mates.

xtervaganza:
so who is disputing that? Even my 15 year old cousin would tell you he's a united great.



And do you know the meaning of the term water carrier in football?

TheGoodJoe:




Sir Alex Ferguson singled out Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo as the best footballer he coached, but also name-checked Keane as a “great player”.

He said: “Ronaldo, [Paul Scholes] and [Ryan] Giggs, plus [Bryan] Robson, [Roy] Keane and [Eric] Cantona. They were great players. We were very lucky at Utd that way.”

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/ferguson-names-keane-as-one-of-the-greatest-players-328516.html

xtervaganza:
oh my crap. So according to you Mikel is better than Matic?



And hiddink knows more about football than José Mourinho?



Ans you're referring to a match Mikel lost 3-0 and you're convincing yourself he dominated Xavi?



This is real comedy. Talking about hiddink who has been sh1t for many teams now and would be stoned in the street of Netherlands for destroying their national team.



In Holland, they believe hiddink is past it. He's no longer regarded as a coach.


If you want to see the real him, let him start the next season with chelsea and you'll be the calling for his head lol

TheGoodJoe:


Roy Keane was not a water carrier but a great box to box midfielder. One of the greatest players to play for Man Utd. Ferguson talking about turning Mikel to the next Roy Keane was not as a holding midfielder or a defensive midfielder that sits back.

He wanted to harness Mikel's talent and build another great player of Man Utd.

TheGoodJoe:



Mikel is better than Matic and Mikel can never play the kind of crap Matic dished out week after week for Chelsea.

xtervaganza:
do you know the meaning of box to box midfielder? You this guy eh you're a comedian so Roy Keane is a box to box midfielder according to you? Make I laugh



And what makes you think he would successfully turn him into Roy Keane? Do they share the same traits as a youngster or as a player?


Did Fergie turn Nani into the next Ronaldo? Did he turn bosnich into the next Schmeichel?

TheGoodJoe:


Where did Fergie say Nani is the next Ronaldo? Or your manufacturing points. Where did Fergie say he will turn Bosnich to Schmeichel?

He saw Mikel's quality and hunted for Mikel more than any player I know. He saw something special and I trust his judgment.

Anyoje who follows football style of play will agree that the Man utd patter would have fitted Mikel more. That alone tells you Mikel would have reach greater heights under Fergie.

xtervaganza:
pfffffttttt




When and where did Fergie tell you he will turn Mikel to Roy Keane?

TheGoodJoe:



"Alex Ferguson said to me that Mikel would be the new Roy Keane and he was offered a contract that was even better than the one they gave Cristiano Ronaldo when he came to the club."...Andersen, Mikel's former agent.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2291644/Obi-Mikel-cried-when-Man-Utd-move-failed.html

TheGoodJoe:


I totally disagree because Sir Alex Ferguson never chased a player the way he chased Mikel. From the moment SAF saw Mikel train at Man Utd, he saw him as a special breed and fought for Mikel.

What makes it more painful is that there was a space in the Man Utd team for Mikel. A place SAF filled with Michael Carrick.

Ferguson does not sign African players because of many of them lack technical passing playing patterns. Something you see in Scholes, Xavi and Pirlo. That was something he saw in Mikel.

What gives me joy is that, in our golden generation, we already have four of them.

Obinna Nwobodo, Alex Iwobi, Ifeanyi Matthew and Kelechi Nwakali. Among the four of them, Nwobodo is King.

danfidel01:


Tarrrgghhh!!!! Its Nwakali...

Segadem:


Mikel lacks the confidence to go forward, how many times have u seen him in an eighteen box? We always see Cahil, John Terry, even Zouma coming from far back behind to score, and someone who is a mid-fielder refuses to go forward. What happened against PSG shows to us clearly that if can go forward he too will become a regular goal scorer, and will all knew what prompted his decision to move forward that day. He wanted to redeem his image for the goal he caused.
Another thing about him is that he's too conscious of making any mistake and when u don't want to take a risk u can't get the best out of life. We know how he plays as a commander-in-chief in all aspect in Super Eagles team, he wants to play all the corner, he wants to play all the free kick, and he wants to play penalty as well,and the question is how many corners has he played for Chelsea and how many free kicks has he played for them? if inferiority complex no dhey worry am why will u have boldness at home and timid abroad?
I love him as a Chelsea fan, his success is our joy and the joy of Nigeria as a nation!