John Obi Mikel

[Leo No.8]

Out of interest - what the f*ck was all the fuss about?

 

Someone like Walcott I can see the enormous potential in, he's incredibly quick and as he fills out I can see him becoming a star. But Mikel, considering all the cloak and dagger stuff, the enormous eventual fee and how badly both United and Chelsea seemed to want him I just can't see it.

 

I don't see him as being quick enough to hurt teams with his pace, or clever enough to be jinking past defenders or playing in through balls. He's strong but seems a bit bulky to me to be a midfielder.

 

Sack Arneson!

[L19red]

somewhere in west london a russian oligarch is pointing to a picture of jon obi mikel and reminding a portugeser of exactly why there was no money available to buy a centre half. £16 million on a player who was in line behind ballack, essien, lampard and makelele is an absolute joke.

The only downside is they handed united £12M in the process

[Leo No.8]

Absolutely.

 

He looks like a Bolton or Blackburn player to me; physically strong but no footballing genius by any stretch of the imagination. All this stuff about him being the biggest young talent in football is just bizarre, I can't see it for the life of me.

 

I know he's still young but I just don't see the potential for getting that much better, which I do in someone like Walcott.

Edited March 1, 2007 by Leo No.8

[Rory Fitzgerald]

I cant see it either - he is a big physical lad and the only thing I can think of is that he is intimidated by the Chelsea superstars and set up and a young age.

 

But for hidden talents, cant see them yet !

[Gomez]

somewhere in west london a russian oligarch is pointing to a picture of jon obi mikel and reminding a portugeser of exactly why there was no money available to buy a centre half. £16 million on a player who was in line behind ballack, essien, lampard and makelele is an absolute joke.

The only downside is they handed united £12M in the process

 

Nothing to do with the money not being there, clearly there is money. The only logical conclusion you can draw from the centre back fiasco is that they don't trust Mourinho with it any more.

 

In the summer, they'll get a new manager in and he'll say, but you gave the last bloke half a billion, I will need the same.

[Guest The_Drunken_Clam]

He´s a good talent, no doubt about that. Was one of the best players in that african something something.

 

Anyway, Arnesen wasnt responsible for the Mikel signing

[Leo No.8]

He´s a good talent, no doubt about that. Was one of the best players in that african something something.

 

Anyway, Arnesen wasnt responsible for the Mikel signing

 

What makes him a good talent though? What is he's exceptionally good at that qualifies him? I'm open to suggestions because it's a mystery to me how he got the reputation he has.

[Guest The_Drunken_Clam]

I have no idea, all we have been told is that he´s a good midfield talent. Everyone was looking forward to seeing what he could do in the noggie league.

He then decided to "dissapear" along with his dodgy agent and a cuple of friends.

 

I think he won some award for best player in some humpty-numpty tournament in Africa.

 

Only in it for the money though

[Benitez]

so you say he's a good talent 'no doubt about that', but then say you have no idea what makes him a good talent.

 

So there must be a doubt there somewhere!

[Guest The_Drunken_Clam]

I have no doubt that he´s a great talent because we fought long and hard to keep him under contract instead of handing him over to Chelsea in the beginning. He was impressive during his trial at united a few years ago.

 

He did win the young player of the year and he was great in one of their tournaments.

 

Though i had no idea what it is that makes him special

[The Hitman]

I was going to post this myself.Doesn't look like he does anything particularly special.

No doubt he'll improve though,don't have the likes of United and Chelsea threatening court battles for nothing.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

Absolutely.

 

He looks like a Bolton or Blackburn player to me; physically strong but no footballing genius by any stretch of the imagination. All this stuff about him being the biggest young talent in football is just bizarre, I can't see it for the life of me.

 

Still early days. Last season, you could have said the same about Essien in the Chelsea shirt.

[Leo No.8]

Still early days. Last season, you could have said the same about Essien in the Chelsea shirt.

 

I wouldn't have though because I've thought Essien is one of the best around since his Lyon days.

 

Point is Essien has proved himself at the highest level already, turning in some incredible Champions League performances in particular. You could have looked at him last season and said here's a guy who's settling in, maybe not being allowed to play in the areas he's used to, but f*ck me he's got a great engine, he's fast, gets stuck in and is decent on the ball.

 

Mikel hasn't proved himself which is OK for a young player, but the point is that I just can't see the ability in him to become a great player in the future. To be a great player you have to be particularly talented at something and he just isn't.

 

He's fairly strong and decent on the ball but since when did that qualify you as one of the world's hottest young talents? WAtching someone like Messi at a young age, he's blatantly going to be a top player, Mikel ain't.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

I wouldn't have though because I've thought Essien is one of the best around since his Lyon days.

 

That's my point. If you had never seen Essien before he came to Chelsea, you would in all likelihood have thought he's a strong player, decent on the ball, but nothing exceptional before this season.

 

None of us (I presume) have seen Obi prior to coming to Chelsea.

[Florist Cinema Pond Goal]

That's my point. If you had never seen Essien before he came to Chelsea, you would in all likelihood have thought he's a strong player, decent on the ball, but nothing exceptional before this season.

 

None of us (I presume) have seen Obi prior to coming to Chelsea.

 

I saw him a couple of times for Nigeria and both times was their best player. There is a lot more to come from him but it may not be at Chelsea.