otfgoon wrote:

Rex wrote:

That's the kind of quality you need to compete for the top prizes. Chelsea spent big on Cuadrado to strengthen their squad, well knowing he wasn't going to be an automatic starter. In midfield they have class players like Ramires and Mikel as back up. Ramires hasn't been a starter all season, But he still has 20 appearances in the PL.

I can just about let Ramires slide without feeling the need to pull you up on it, but in no universe can Mikel ever be considered 'class'. Not even for a backup. 

Cuardrado didn't strengthen their squad either, he was a replacement for Schurrle. Salah went the other way too. 

Of course Cuadrado has strengthened Chelsea. They shipped two decent players and added a class one. that's the very definition of strengthening. As for Mikel, he is excellent in the role that he fulfills; he is playing quite a lot less this season, but he is dependable, capable, and has an excellent understanding of his role. He is about a million times better than Flamini as third choice at least.

It doesn't help to be a class player when you don't play like one. Once Cuadrado starts to actually play better than Schürrle did, you can talk about having strengthened their squad.

As you say, Mikel is about a million times better than Flamini as third choice, but I can't see any truth in "class players like Mikel".

Mikel is an absolute horseshit player. Blackburn level of talent that somehow has clung to top level football for a decade, like a leech who's sucking the joy out of everything and everyone. It's pretty admirable.

He is functional and has been a good fit for Chelsea over the years.

I can't believe you've used the word 'excellent' twice while describing Mikel.

The most funny thing is that Chelsea paid £16m for Mikel in 2006. That was a serious amount of money back then and would've been way too much even today.

That was enforced compensation though, wasn't it? Because they stole him from united or something like that.

Kind of. He signed a contract with United, and later said he was forced to sign it and therefore went back to his old club (while still under contract with United). Chelsea agreed to pay £12m to United and £4m to Mikel's club to release him of the contract with United and sign him from Lyn, respectively. In other words, it's not like the compensation came after they signed him. They knew what they were paying.

Quincy Abeyie wrote:

The most funny thing is that Chelsea paid £16m for Mikel in 2006. That was a serious amount of money back then and would've been way too much even today.

Not funny at all.

Rex is right. Obi was an excellent football player.

In 2005, he played in the FIFA world u20 youth soccer championships in Holland, leading Nigeria to second place in the competition. The winners? Argentina, led by a certain Lionel Messi.

Mikel was voted the second best player of the championship, behind Lionel Messi. This was a tournament which boasted the likes of Falcao, Ibrahim Afellay, and David Silva...  At that stage in his career he played as an offensive midfielder and looked nailed on to be an absolute star. Excellent vision and passing ability. Physically, he was a specimen, very good tackler, and extremely difficult to dispossess whenever he was on the ball. He helped Nigeria dominate most teams we came up against.

He was well worth the battle for his signature and the numbers being thrown about at the time.

Signed for Chelsea, and Mourinho converted him to a defensive midfielder.

The rest is history.

Difficult to say Moron was wrong in that though. Mikel was an important part of the Chelsea teams that won stuff. Even today he is an excellent player to get on the field when you want to see a game out, or to have him come into the team for a few games to cover for injured players. He understands his role perfectly, and his execution is usually also of a high standard.

Yes, but now in his peak years he's a mere "come on to do a job" player, when he once showed the talent that might have seen him become one of the best footballers in Africa, and the world

Its because he is long past his peak by now as he was about 26 during that U20 tournament

of course... because Wenger's in the business of making Messis

Some rumours going around that Chelsea will be in for another CM. Mourinho possibly not too sold on Fabregas defensive contribution and looking for an alternative there. Rumours of Oscar leaving going around as well, which means they'll probably sell him for £55m.....

Gunner89 wrote:

Has Mourinho ever improved a young player?

Varane maybe?

Jazz, he'll probably try go for Pogba and shed one of Ramires or Mikel. Matic, Fabregas and Cuadrado are not going anywhere. Not sure about Oscar. He's decent. Question is who would buy him? Real perhaps, as their midfield has been garbage whenever Modric is out.

JazzG wrote:

Some rumours going around that Chelsea will be in for another CM.  Mourinho possibly not too sold on Fabregas defensive contribution and looking for an alternative there.  Rumours of Oscar leaving going around as well, which means they'll probably sell him for £55m.....

Yeah I could definitely see Mourinho bringing in a more defensive midfield since he abandoned the idea of playing Cesc deep. That was obviously never going to last anyway.

qs! wrote:

Yeah I could definitely see Mourinho bringing in a more defensive midfield since he abandoned the idea of playing Cesc deep. That was obviously never going to last anyway.

Wonder if he'll go for someone top drawer or someone who can slip in whenever required. Having Fabregas there against the lesser sides is ok but against better opposition he does leave them a bit exposed. Safety first always for Mourinho so can't see it continuing.

He could also do what Mourinho does which is to get the best possible player, and then see what happens thereafter.