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The Community Plate - How did Obi Play?

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:18 am
by General Trousers
Yesterday Manchester and Chelsea played for the Community Plate ... I look game small. Obi missed one glancing header and strung some nice passes. I have to ask one question ~ Is Mikel Obi a scoring threat against really good competition? He can pass, but to score goal I no dey see am.

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:43 am
by maceo4
One question....is he the finished product?

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:56 am
by marko
one or 2 nice touches, the boy is no doubt a very good player, people should give him a break

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:18 am
by WINNERMAN
Nope, he is work on progress . But he is certainly making the desired progress and should be at his best soon. l think he will be ready later this year.

maceo4 wrote:One question....is he the finished product?

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:04 am
by G
He lost the ball in dangerous areas far too many times. On the upside he is finally becoming a man and standing up for himself (unlike Joseph " im sorry Thierry" Yobo :roll: ). football is a mans game and should not be played by scared litlle kids. Obi has finally learnt that he is a man.

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:57 am
by Skylolo
The quality is there...

But I don't see the initiative, desire and drive that makes the difference between Good and Great player...

And I detest the way Chelsea play short passes in midfield only to launch a 50 yard pass into the opposition defence moments later, its not the ideal way to develop a Complete midfielder.

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:15 pm
by deanotito
Skylolo wrote:The quality is there...

But I don't see the initiative, desire and drive that makes the difference between Good and Great player...

And I detest the way Chelsea play short passes in midfield only to launch a 50 yard pass into the opposition defence moments later, its not the ideal way to develop a Complete midfielder.
Me, I've given up on those folks......

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:22 pm
by Mister Dolly
I can see why peeps are peeved at Obi's play in recent times..unless he was specifically playing to instructions yesterday, the guy made too many side passes, had virtually no movement off the ball, lost possession in a couple of dangerous situations, and left me wondering as well what the fuss is all about

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:29 pm
by YUJAM
Shaky first half but a rather good second with some good penetrating balls. He still needs to learn that grabbing and pulling refs in this day and age can get him in big trouble.

6.5/10 IMO

Re: The Community Plate - How Mikel Obi play?

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:37 pm
by blueangel
General Trousers wrote:Yesterday Manchester and Chelsea played for the Community Plate ... I look game small. Obi missed one glancing header and strung some nice passes. I have to ask one question ~ Is Mikel Obi a scoring threat against really good competition? He can pass, but to score goal I no dey see am.
Average game played, absolutely nothing to write home about.
If he was not JMO no one would have noticed him.


Is he highly overrated or playing completely to instructions ?

Appears what ever talent he possed that brought him to this point is gradually being extinguished.

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:51 pm
by Dammy
Yujam, I thought I was the only one that saw Mikel grabbing the referee every now and then. If he does not stop that bad habit, he will be going for early showers.

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:58 pm
by okidoki
Its like people on this forum don't ever sit down and analyze that boys position and situation in the team.
He is playing for Maurinho, a man that put the great Makalele on the bench for not playing to instructions, a man that Ballack isn't sure of a regular shirt with. Even the most optimistic shriner of Obi Mikel never dreamt of a situation of Obi snatching a shirt from any of these super stars happening so soon.
If you saw the Feyenord game were Obi was pulled from the match, he tried doing what some of you here want which is take the initiative and doing an Essien, he got pulled out within 30 minutes.

As far as Muarinho is concerned Obis role is to keep the ball safe in front of the back 4. Obi has mortgaged his future, joining Chelsea, so he has to live with it now.

Is he a good player? without doubt, is he the best passer of the ball in the team, Without doubt, but the bad thing is that he is also the best holding player in the team, a role that Essien was originally brought in for, these says a lot about his talent level. Today Essien's role is not even fully defined as Obi has taken that holding role. Which is the reason Chelsea is willing to sell Ballack to free up some room in the midfield.
Its bad for Nigeria that the boy will never be the player Nigerians dreamt of, a play making player, due to his choices. Those choices have led to the kind of manager he has ended up playing for(No matter what you think of Jose, he kind of stiffles talent, its like he doesn't want superstars in his team).

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:12 pm
by Ayo Akinfe
Mikel is another Makalele, Batty or Ademola Adeshina type player. We have to get over our disappointment that he is not another JJ.

Even id Mikel were to go and play for Wenger or Barcelona tomorrow, his game would still be 95% simple and sdeways passes. I hope Rabiu Ibrahim comes to our aid as we search for a playmaker.

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:21 pm
by paj
....he's not yet confident and fluid enough for my liking.U can see the evidence of the skill there,but I'm still patiently waiting for the day Obi let's lose...and from what I'm seeing all it'll take is one game the shake off the tension.Granted he may be playing to Mourinho's strict instructions for now but look like sey na small small Jose dey gree am the freedom to be himself,I guess to avoid risks based on wetin dem see for training.One floating and two through passes connected yesterday...two floating passes missed their mark and one intended through pass was erratic..not too shabby..one of the through passes could've resulted in a goal but SWP fluffed it...a close call with the goal wey E for head inside..work in progress.I wonder if he works on his shooting in training because we can see a couple of times Essien was lining up to fire the missile but Manure wised up enuff to disallow the alignment..that's one of the things I'd like to see from Obi.Remember,Kanu was really never known for his shots but lately we've seen him take them.But..back at the ranch..I think this should be the season,especially against smaller teams,for Obi to really let lose.If Chelsea can start getting goals early in their matches,that will allow a player like him to orchestrate some attacks with ease cause there'll be less pressure to be defensive..

Pa

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:00 pm
by balo
Man U Vs Chelsea (2nd Half Only. Without Sound)

http://www.sendspace.com/file/vewti0

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:17 pm
by Enugu II
Ayo Akinfe wrote:Mikel is another Makalele, Batty or Ademola Adeshina type player. We have to get over our disappointment that he is not another JJ.

Even id Mikel were to go and play for Wenger or Barcelona tomorrow, his game would still be 95% simple and sdeways passes. I hope Rabiu Ibrahim comes to our aid as we search for a playmaker.
There is an article, earlier this month, on this at:

http://www.supereaglesnation.com

IMO, Obi's game would have been very different on another team. His game is a product of Chelsea and Mourinho. Go back and look at Obi's game at the WYC and you will be convinced that he surely could be different. Right now his game is 100% Chelsea and JM and frankly he is doing very well at it.

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:39 pm
by forade
Culled this from www.supereaglesnation.com (thanks for the link Enugu 11) it is a bit lenghty but i think it essentially captures the feelings of most naija fans regarding JMO and his footballing progress:


July 2007 -- The heir to the magical Augustine Okocha seemed certain barely two years ago when Mikel John Obi's technique, vision, and control dominated the World Youth Cup in Holland. He, without question, stood on the apex of conducting Nigeria's U-20 team to the championship game in Holland. Thus, the chorus that forced Okocha to return from an announced retirement shortly after the 2002 World Cup quieted significantly. After all, Obi had proven that he had enough to be the next great conductor of Nigeria's attacking game. Nigeria has had its fair share of such players with magical technique from Haruna Ilerika to Henry Nwosu and then Okocha. While they did not always win, their magic created a sense that the impossible was possible, that a dream could suddenly become real, and that nothing was beyond the team. That was what made them noble, their expression and the team's belief.

Sadly, Obi at Chelsea is anything but the next Okocha. Mourinho has, instead, created an Obi who is merely mortal, no longer magical. Obi is just part of the collective, a worker bee whose responsibility is to move the ball along and to seek to disrupt the opponent's attack. Mourinho does not have the magical player whose technique differentiates him from the collective, the player who can create something out of nothing. In essence, he does not have a Ronaldo of Manchester United, Ronaldinho or Messi of Barcelona. His players must be subordinated to his machine-like system where everyone is part of the collective. Mourinho is a proponent of football socialism with very little artistic invention. To him, Obi's invention and predictability must be blunted to match Mourinho's sense of proletarian football.

It is indeed mere folly to think and hope that since Obi showed that he had football nobility in Holland, that he can suddenly recapture that past for Nigeria in spite of Mourinho's skull sessions. Football is enhanced by practice and confidence and Obi is today what he is, a product of Mourinhos proletarianism. He will not be the next Okocha for Nigeria, that we hope for him to be.

The much-vaunted talk that Mourinho's Obi is now better for Nigeria is empty. Yes, European-style players, that is the factory-style working undifferentiated collective, win trophies. No doubt. However, they do not win fans and they are not part of the legendary Nigerian tradition. And who says that a team with a few players that stand-out as nobility cannot win games? The reality is that such gifted players, when allowed to express themselves, can do the impossible for a team.

Unfortunately, players without nobility cannot deliver a team from abyss in time of trouble. If Obi's work on the field must be indistinguishable from those of the likes of Olofinjana and Obodo, then in times when Nigeria must confront a stacked and tactical defense, there will be no one to conjure the magic, the improbable, and the wand of deliverance.

Instead, we must wait a bit longer for the new JJ Okocha. It is not Obi not yet!

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:50 pm
by paj
YUJAM wrote:Shaky first half but a rather good second with some good penetrating balls. He still needs to learn that grabbing and pulling refs in this day and age can get him in big trouble.

6.5/10 IMO
..You're right on that ref-tugging thing..haba..E tink sey E still dey for Eyimba?and it also looks like sey na Pidgin E dey speak to the refs so the ref no dey bother look im side...I mean..how U go pull oyibo and say "Olboy...how "do me I do U" be yellow"? :evil: and then expect a reply? :shock:

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:07 pm
by General Trousers
My question is a simple one - Is he a scoring threat? Do JM's instructions include NOT scoring? As a MF he should have 1 or 2 chances ... I saw one - it was tough and he could not get to it.
okidoki wrote:Its like people on this forum don't ever sit down and analyze that boys position and situation in the team.
He is playing for Maurinho, a man that put the great Makalele on the bench for not playing to instructions, a man that Ballack isn't sure of a regular shirt with. Even the most optimistic shriner of Obi Mikel never dreamt of a situation of Obi snatching a shirt from any of these super stars happening so soon.
If you saw the Feyenord game were Obi was pulled from the match, he tried doing what some of you here want which is take the initiative and doing an Essien, he got pulled out within 30 minutes.

As far as Muarinho is concerned Obis role is to keep the ball safe in front of the back 4. Obi has mortgaged his future, joining Chelsea, so he has to live with it now.

Is he a good player? without doubt, is he the best passer of the ball in the team, Without doubt, but the bad thing is that he is also the best holding player in the team, a role that Essien was originally brought in for, these says a lot about his talent level. Today Essien's role is not even fully defined as Obi has taken that holding role. Which is the reason Chelsea is willing to sell Ballack to free up some room in the midfield.
Its bad for Nigeria that the boy will never be the player Nigerians dreamt of, a play making player, due to his choices. Those choices have led to the kind of manager he has ended up playing for(No matter what you think of Jose, he kind of stiffles talent, its like he doesn't want superstars in his team).

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:18 pm
by Ganja
With all the side passes and back passes...People better start waking up...there's hardly anything creative about the boys play.

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:24 pm
by etoo_fils
Its bad for Nigeria that the boy will never be the player Nigerians dreamt of, a play making player, due to his choices. Those choices have led to the kind of manager he has ended up playing for(No matter what you think of Jose, he kind of stiffles talent, its like he doesn't want superstars in his team).
I will say that JM is good for his game. Cannot be a midfielder and play a one-way kind of game in modern football which is what Obi was pre-Chelsea. Which is what made JJ Okocha good but not great.

When Obi learns he will beef up his defense, he will be aware of his positioning on the field, he will learn how to play disciplined football not the kind we play in Nigeria where players go up and never get back. He will learn how to hold the midfield and when you say hold it means when you lose the ball you don't watch as it ends up in your box a few minutes later.

His attacking skills are not relevant right now. He will not forget how to pass or how to attack. Its in there and he showcased it a few times yesterday. Beefing up the rest of his game is what matters and when that comes you will truly see a superb midfielder.

No-one should give up on this kid. He will be a great player in a couple years. Right now he is in training and like Morinho said when he first bought the kid. I will make him into a "complete" midfielder. Thats exactly what he is doing and Obi just needs to work hard and follow his coach's instructions and he will get there.

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:30 pm
by Prince
Ganja wrote:With all the side passes and back passes...People better start waking up...there's hardly anything creative about the boys play.
Atleast he is winning medals and he integral part of a great team. I love JJ but he was not a great Midfielder he wasn't even in premiership top ten foriegn players while the likes of Viera and Keane are comfortable entry.

Let the guy develop his defensive ability but when he plays for Nigeria we make him more offensive.

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:31 pm
by green4life
E2 wrote:
The much-vaunted talk that Mourinho's Obi is now better for Nigeria is empty. Yes, European-style players, that is the factory-style working undifferentiated collective, win trophies. No doubt. However, they do not win fans and they are not part of the legendary Nigerian tradition. And who says that a team with a few players that stand-out as nobility cannot win games? The reality is that such gifted players, when allowed to express themselves, can do the impossible for a team.
Football is more about playing within yourself in the context of the team's objective than being imaginative or expressive of one's skillful ability. Those who understand that go far. Those who don't enjoy the view from the bench and are overlooked by big coaches/teams. Going back to the WYC, how many times did you watch Mikel make penetrating runs? Never. Not his game. How many times did Mikel rely on his dribbling ability to get by his man? Very rare. Not his game. So how much flair do you have if you don't run at folks or dribble like JJ? Not much. I got this from the very first game I watched him play against brazil u-20. What makes him great is vision, passing, understanding/reading of the game, anticipation, and size (6'2"). This is what Jose is working with. Mikel is not an 'attacking midfielder' in the traditional understanding of the term. He 'attacks' with his vision & passing & reading of the game which are all exceptional attributes in his arsenal. However, to survive a central midfield role in the EPL, the kid needed to beef up, toughen up & add defensive tools to his game. The fact that he's benched Maka already shows you the progress he's made in that respect. Yesterday's game further showed you that Jose is will likely play Mikel in advanced midfield roles in some games depending on personnel/tactical considerations. Bottomline: he's 20yrs old and learning how to play the game the right way, the winning way under the tutelage of Jose. IMO, this is a good thing for Mikel & Nigeria. To round up, AM's in the mold of JJ are fast becoming extinct like dinosaurs. The modern era CM is expected to be well rounded to be competitive at a top level. That is where Mikel is heading and he is still on the right path and ahead of schedule in my book. The SE's does not need a "JJ". What we need are more Mikels to win the ball, spring counters and open up the opposition with timely passes & minimal sweat. Running around like a headless chicken is no longer where it's at.