Everybody was surprised when Michael Essien handed the captain’s armband to John Obi Mikel on that Sunday.

Even Jose Mourinho admitted after the game that by right Ashley Cole should have received it when the Ghanaian was substituted.

But Mikel and Cole were both signed by Mourinho in July 2006 and it’s clear that the former, rather than the latter, will play the more crucial part in a Chelsea title bid.



During the past seven-and-a-half years, since signing as a 19-year-old, Mikel has matured immensely.

He’s 26 at the moment – 27 in April – and approaching the peak of his career.

Everybody was even more surprised, on Sunday, when Mikel scored; his header was only his fourth Chelsea goal, arriving in his 300th game.

Mikel is the fourth non-British player to reach that total for Chelsea, behind undisputed club legends Petr Cech (459 appearances), Didier Drogba (341) and Gianfranco Zola (312).

He has been consistently selected since he joined, by no less than eight managers. Mourinho, Hiddink, Ancelotti and the rest can’t all be wrong.

And yet Mikel still divides opinion among Chelsea supporters. Many chide him if he ever misplaces a pass and wonders what he adds to the team.

Perhaps this is a hangover from his early, ill-disciplined days, where he would lunge in rashly for tackles and pick up red cards.

The transfer itself was controversial; he had signed for Manchester United from Lyn Oslo, but Chelsea had agreed a deal with his agent.

A press conference where Mikel sported a Red Devils’ shirt only clouded the matter and after lengthy legal wrangles, Chelsea eventually emerged with their prize – at a cost of £4million to Lyn and £12m to United.

Subsequently, Lyn director Morgan Andersen was convicted of fraud and Chelsea issued a High Court Claim against him and the club, to try and recoup the money.

The matter was settled out of court, confidentially, but it likely means that Chelsea paid less than £16m for the defensive midfielder – a pittance given his service over the years.

It did not appear that way at first though; despite Mourinho putting his faith in Mikel, playing him 42 times in his debut season in England, the player’s attitude was not quite right.

He was late to training a handful of times and on the pitch some of his decision making left plenty to be desired.

Mikel was booked nine times and sent off twice in 2006-07, and had two reds the following season with eight bookings (39 games). He hasn’t been red carded since, and now averages seven yellow cards a season.

As his discipline improves, his awareness of the game and his surroundings increases as well. Or perhaps it’s the other way around.

Mikel is composed – he can receive the ball under pressure from several opposition players, drawing them in, before sliding it along to a team-mate in a better position.

This draws criticism that he can only pass sideways or backwards, but if Chelsea are trying to keep possession those balls are crucial.

He is a player that Chelsea’s defence can trust to come deep and sit in amongst them if needed, someone who never hides and will always make himself available for a pass.

You notice when Mikel does make a mistake or misplace a pass, because it’s so rare for him to do so.

Mikel is the best screen in front of the defence that Chelsea have – and is one of the best in the world at this role.

Ramires makes plenty of tackles but when he’s left as the most defensive player in the Blues’ midfield, they can look exposed.



P.S.

This fan was so sure that Mikel was not going to score, before the game he pledged that he’d get a tattoo of the midfielder’s name on his backside if he did.

And, when the unlikely came off, he followed through with his promise…

Mikel had really given is best quota to nigerians as a good citizen(if not in any other tornament the just concluded AFCON is a good example where Mikel was our hero) mikel would still perform more but the good citizens of Nigeria should stop capitalizing on a simple short comings to start tagging a hero with bad names.
Mikel is an hidden gem which could only be enjoyed through appreciation.Many europeans appreciates Mikel to the magnitude of tatooing their bums with his name.
Nigerians let's appreciates what we have got and soon we will see the return of Austin Jay Jay Okocha in Mikel.

But for how long will he remain 'hidden'?






The people he started with has all come out of their hidings, he still dey play 'hide' and 'seek'..

old or new story

Another......Johnsnail mikel obi thread again


You guys should free this hausa man
#.........
in other news....i m MOLOGI

Awwwwwwww!!!

my baby is a genius, whether y'all haters accept it or not

BecaciaBarbie: Awwwwwwww!!!

my baby is a genius, whether y'all haters accept it or not

This ur crush on Mikel no get part 2

Op why not adjust the name that precedes 'hidden treasure'? I think Kelechi Iheanacho will be preferable. Even yaya know that.27yrs-18yrs thats nine years.meanwhile kelechi wouldave attended 3world cups by the time he is 30,whereas snaikel is jst 1.

CFCfan:
This ur crush on Mikel no get part 2

hahaha! as in ehn! e dey do me like ogogoro oh!

Mods nO go see this one put for front page oh, but when it comes to bashing and silly write ups about Mikel, one is sure to find it on Fp.

BecaciaBarbie:
hahaha! as in ehn! e dey do me like ogogoro oh!

Follow am go Stamford Bridge

CFCfan:
Follow am go Stamford Bridge

No lele... packed my bags already

I must have missed that very Mikel your talking about..... May be the one i have been watch was the twin of the one you are talking about

BecaciaBarbie:
hahaha! as in ehn! e dey do me like ogogoro oh!

hmmmmm, that means you were heart-broken when he posted a picture of himself and his Russian babe

Tallesty1:
hmmmmm, that means you were heart-broken when he posted a picture of himself and his Russian babe

Saying I was heart broken is an understatement sef
But when he told us he wasn't gonna get married yet, I became at ease



.

Please, the guy is crap and gets worse by the day. All of you trying to do image repair for him are just wasting your time. Let his skill speak for him and as of now his skill says he is crap. He is a big disgrace to the NUMBER 10 family. He keeps losing balls and slows down games. Crap, crapp , crappp!!!!

Tallesty1:
hmmmmm, that means you were heart-broken when he posted a picture of himself and his Russian babe

Lmao sure I was...but I knew it won't last

BecaciaBarbie:
Lmao sure I was...but I knew it won't last

hmmm...