Mikel
Obi is the most decorated Nigerian player Nigeria has ever had followed by
Nwankwo Kanu. Primarily a Defensive midfielder and at the centre stage of a tussle between Manchester United and Chelsea in 2006, eventually signing for Chelsea after a successful U-20 World tournament in 2005 where Nigeria came second to Argentina and named as the second best player of the tournament only behind Lionel Messi. Thought to be Jay-Jay Okocha’s heir, he has seen a change in fortune or no change in fortune; whichever way you want to put it having been converted from an attacking midfielder to a defensive one by the Special One. He has seen many coaches come and leave, fought off competition form players for a starting role at the Stamford Bridge where he has spent over 10 years.
Nwankwo Kanu. Primarily a Defensive midfielder and at the centre stage of a tussle between Manchester United and Chelsea in 2006, eventually signing for Chelsea after a successful U-20 World tournament in 2005 where Nigeria came second to Argentina and named as the second best player of the tournament only behind Lionel Messi. Thought to be Jay-Jay Okocha’s heir, he has seen a change in fortune or no change in fortune; whichever way you want to put it having been converted from an attacking midfielder to a defensive one by the Special One. He has seen many coaches come and leave, fought off competition form players for a starting role at the Stamford Bridge where he has spent over 10 years.
In the
2016-2017 season, faith seem to have his way again as he would have to fight a
battle of his life against the former Leicester midfield commando, N’Golo
Kante. Nemanja Matic was sold to and brought back from Benfica after his
brilliant performances coupled with everybody seeming to have trust issues with
Mikel, he has never been stable at the club. He might have to play as an
understudy again this season. He found a little respite under Guus Hiddink
after Mourinho’s second sacking at the club in the 2015-2016 playing most part
of the second half of the season with the first half turning to be a hard one
for the Nigerian captain playing 25 times throughout the season and at 29-years
of age, he isn’t getting any younger. Meanwhile,
Kante 25-years of age was the main cog in Leicester City’s fairy-tale EPL title
crowning to become one of football’s all time success stories. Relatively an
unknown entity before French international’s exploits at the Kings Power
Stadium last season, signed for £5m from Caen last summer, courted by several
top clubs, Chelsea announced his acquisition for a whooping £3Om. WHAT A STORY,
HOW TIME FLIES, HOW FORTUNE CHANGES. Even former striker, Gary Lineker credited
him as the reason why Leicester won the Premier League.
He
made 37 starts and 4 substitute appearances for the defending champions last
season racking a total of 3020 minutes with a goal to his credit according to whoscored.com. He had 81.6% pass completion
and an average rating of 7.61. despite starting the season slowly, playing once
in the club’s first five games due in part to Inler being afforded playing
time, he got himself endeared to the club in little time. Mikel Obi though
excelled more in his passing with 90% pass success compared to Kante’s 82% and
racked up 25 appearances with a total of 1784 minutes to the good. Kante is the
first EPL player to reach 100 tackles in a single season making 175 in total (31
more than any player), 156 interceptions (15 more than any other player) to all
but show his rare quality. Perceived as a rash tackler, his return of 3 yellow
cards all through the season suggests otherwise beating every other tackler in Europe’s
top 5 leagues to the punch. Ranieri subsequently likened the 25-year old
midfielder to a horse, “This is not a footballer, this is a fantastic horse.”
Kante,
is a fantastic box to box midfielder who is brave like a Lion with the
heartbeat of a horse, the mobility of the Cat family and blessed with the
stamina of an Ostrich, Conte finds a massive weapon of destruction in his hands
that cannot be allowed to wash away in the rain. With Conte thought to prefer
the 3-5-2 or a 4-2-4 formation, there might be room for both as Mikel offers
next to nothing going forward creating a meagre 5 chances for his teammate last
season and has never produced much in the final third scoring a paltry 6 goals
so far in his Chelsea career, it is arguable to point out that though Kante
created 30 chances, he only scored once last season too. Matic will be the one in
danger if Conte opts to stick with the static Mikel to shield the back four
although his participation at the Olympics as captain of the Nigerian U-23 team
might do more harm than good to his Chelsea role. The new coach will be looking
to improve on Chelsea’s 10th place finish last term, a new low at
the club. A top-four finish would be welcomed at the club. And with Kante
present, considered an upgrade in the department that looked so utterly dismal last
season, you don’t seem to put it past him.
A move away from the club seem perfect as clubs
like Inter and Besiktas are rumoured to be linked with the Nigerian, but his
agent has confirmed that Conte wants him to stay put:
“Conte wants him to stay at the
club and he’s also off to the Olympics” he told Turkish-Football.com and then rubbished the rumoured link with
Besiktas, “There’s nothing to the Besiktas story.”
Has Mikel been unfairly treated?
Would he ever be the star of the show? Would Kante replicate the level of
influence he’s had and be the one that catapults the catapults the Stamford
Bride outfit to glory? Or Kante’s arrival will spell the end of Mikel at the
Bridge. It’s left to be seen as the 2016-2017 season promises to be quite a
spectacle.
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