Mikel – Easiest £12m Fergie’s ever made
The dealings of the John Obi Mikel case have been well documented and are murky at best, but the central midfielder’s lack of progression in his four seasons in West London makes the £12m Man Utd seem inflated at best as the years roll by.
The Nigerian is still only 22 years of age and has time on his side, but the role he plays out in the heart of Chelsea’s midfield it has to be said is being played poorly and inefficiently. Mikel is a player of imposing physicality but this often is rendered useless by his complete lack of movement and ponderous play when he’s in possession.
Pace is not his strongest asset and his ability to go missing in big games is a cause for concern, especially considering the importance of his position, for everyone will know, the one place you cannot afford a passenger is at the hub of the team in centre midfield.
His range of passing can be exceptional at times, especially his short passing game, something the Chelsea management have seen in the player in the hope that he can go onto emulate given time, Claude Makelele, a player who built his career upon short passes and good positional play along with a biting tackle. But more often than not, this side of his game isn’t given time to influence a match enough because he can be anonymous.
It’s not as if Mikel hasn’t been given enough playing time either and by now he should have progressed a lot more. Last term he played in the lion’s share of Chelsea games, 55 in total and little has changed. His discipline can also be called into question after he’s earned four red cards in his time in England and the rate of which he needlessly fouls opposing players is just plain silly and does nothing but heap pressure on his teammates.
Cast your eye over to Old Trafford and you’d have Carrick and Fletcher over Mikel certainly, Anderson and Scholes probably and a fit Hargreaves every time – Fergie hasn’t dodged a bullet as such, for Mikel is still a player of potential but it’s time he delivered on it with some consistent and more importantly dominant performances. The £16m Chelsea paid to both Man Utd and Lyn Oslo looks a gross misuse of the funds and the patience of the fans will not abide inept application forever.
You’re not coveted by some of Europe’s top clubs unless you have some outstanding potential which Mikel, on a limited number of occasions thus far has shown, but his performances are somewhat pointless at times. The role of holding man is an often unnoticed one; it’s a position that requires a lot of the less glamorous aspects of the game such as man marking, maintaining your positional discipline and just the basic job of keeping things ticking over when in possession, but it’s a necessary one in the modern game and can leave a lot to be desired on the eye, but even in these basic principles, Mikel seems to be lacking even the most basic of understanding.
His ascension to the starting eleven is as a direct replacement for the often injured Michael Essien, and were the Ghanaian fit, Mikel would struggle to hold down a spot a lot more. Also, whilst goal scoring is not a pivotal part of a holding man’s game, he’s yet to trouble the scorer’s for three seasons’ now. It is hard to pinpoint Mikel’s prolonged status as a Chelsea regular, and as the title of this article suggests, it may be the easiest £12m Utd and indeed Fergie, have ever made.
Written By James McManus
Football News 24/7
we have a kid by the name of pogba coming through the ranks @ old trafford…so need of talk about this
Reply
The EASIEST money Fergie has made? Well, seeing as they never owned the player, as inarguably proven by the courts, they should not even have the money. The man who FORGED the documents of ownership WENT TO JAIL. Man. Utd signed a deal with a proven crook and then made money on a crooked deal. There’s no argument. It’s all stuff that has been proven beyond doubt. Yet Man. Utd has KEPT the money. Vile behaviour.
Reply
Hi Sir Cecilia,
Stop whinning you whimp!
Magnesia
Reply
Haters ! When did he get his last red card? Mikel is okey and always plays well.luk at the 2 games against mancity when he was introduced in the 1st leg we played well.2nd leg when he was removed mancity started we all over.lastly that isnt his natural position.when he came he was an attacking midfielder.taking abwt pogba a person who has never tested league game
Reply
Well knowing the that the court has order Lynn fc to pay Chelsea £16m back… Fergie could keep the £12m!! I guess Tottenham would also say the made the easiest £32m from fergie
Reply
Ola,well said your name says it all. Berbatob is no where near his best. 30m now looks like money down the white heart lane
Reply
sometime back there were reports that utd had to return the 12m…. and even fergie commented on having returned the money
Reply
James, I think you are just fooling around. I don’t want to call u a fool. I also guess u are a Man U supporter. I have always said if reporters dont have anything to write, they should just sleep and talk about cricket or american football. Mikel is good. We love him. 5 coaches cannot be wrong to still keep him in the squad. and pls stop comparing players. Essien and Mikel dont play same role. Do they?
Reply
I am not a Man Utd supporter in fact, but I will leave you in obvious suspense on that one. I am a neutral who can see an underperforming player, it is often hard for some fans to admit one of their own is not matching upto expectations. To answer another one of your points, I haven’t said that Essien and Mikel play the same role, but Essien’s injury problems have paved the way for Mikel’s ascension to the starting eleven, if Essien were fit it’s questionable whether he would have played half as many games as he has done. It is just an opinion piece, you are entitled to yours and I am entitled to mine. I conceed he’s got potential but he’s simply not using it, it’s not a personal issue he’s just clearly nothing more than a squad player for a club as big as Chelsea.
Reply