Lionel Messi is head and shoulders above Mikel Obi!

[Skylolo]

I just laugh at all you people, yes Messi is great and he played well yesterday but to suggest that Obi cannot hold a candle to him is scandalous....Obi has proved everytime he has played ball that he is a big time talent and when his situation is eventually cleared up I am of the opinion that he will just be as good in his own way as a Midfielder.

Fabregas played just as well if not better than Messi in the Arsenal V Real Madrid game on Tuesday, but because Messi is a attacking midfielder you guys no want make we hear word again. And the same Crowd who were singing Mikels praises during the ANC are now calling Messi God and Mikel a Church rat, how fickle are we?

We should all just hope that our boy Mikel gets back in top flight action very soon, Lionel Messi is great but Mikel is great too in my book!

O Pari..

[REDSPYDA]

the point is he is home while the others u mentioned are on the pitch proving themselves and developing. Obi has not done what taiwo and messi have done

[heavyd]

Another case of Sour grapes... The same crowd came here to make rubbish noise when Messi played CL football as if e pass tapping leda...

Omey which yeye Messi you dey make mouth about sef, Despite being a forward Did he score on his full International debut?? Look either Mikel wants to play for Manure or not, he is a great player...

I doubt Messi is berra than Arsenal newboy Theo Walcott sef?? abi other than score goals what does Messi do??

TT berra pass Messi sef, Messi ko Messanger ni..

Sorry but u sound like a lost person.Scoring on an international debut dosent make any player better than others.Oruma scored on his International Debut for Nigeria against Uzbekistan in the 1st leg of the Afro Asian cup,so please look for a better way to speak on this issue Ms.

No he didnt! the scorers were Siasia, Ikpeba and Kanu

[WINNERMAN]

It is only in Nigeria you will see people compare what is yet to happen with what is already happening. Hello guys two players were seen at a WYC , both were said to have great potentials, one is already fulfilling that potential, capturing the world 's attention, and if God permits the greatest stage awaits him to climb the podium and become the best. My people are still comparing him with a guy with potential, who is locked in sad battle over his future who no one can guarantee, knowing that we have seen many protegees who never made it .
Hello one is already playing for the best team in Europe, the other is not sure if he is going to be allowed to play.
Hello one is already taking the best defenders in the world to drink akamu and moin - moin, the other is still waiting to be baptised into senior football. Yet my people are fighting and comparing him with one who is already baptised.
Mmmmmmmm mmmmmmm, i salute my extra ordinary people , we are unique in the whole wide world for our bizzare sense of reasoning or should i say patriotism, even if it borders on fanatism.
Untill Obi dons ManU or Chelsea jersey and struts his paper , whatever potential he has remains on paper, it does not count here. There are one million players with great potentials. Check this forum, there was a guy called Cappellini,he had great potential, never fulfilled it, Lentini, was even at a time the most expensive player in the world based on potential whosai.
If i were you all Obi fans , my concern now wont be this baseless debate, i will channel all those energy to some serious fasting and prayers asking the boy to be delivered to fulfill his God given potential, so that this debate can have some meaning.

Triple Gbosas for you Oloye !!! Too much wisdom in one post. Dont mind this ppl,they are held hostage by the lure of shine shine materials .

[REDSPYDA]

wow. people are really reaching . did obi score on his debut?? Messi and taiwo are ahead of obi at the moment

[WINNERMAN]

Another case of Sour grapes... The same crowd came here to make rubbish noise when Messi played CL football as if e pass tapping leda...

Omey which yeye Messi you dey make mouth about sef, Despite being a forward Did he score on his full International debut?? Look either Mikel wants to play for Manure or not, he is a great player...

I doubt Messi is berra than Arsenal newboy Theo Walcott sef?? abi other than score goals what does Messi do??

TT berra pass Messi sef, Messi ko Messanger ni..

Links plsSorry but u sound like a lost person.Scoring on an international debut dosent make any player better than others.Oruma scored on his International Debut for Nigeria against Uzbekistan in the 1st leg of the Afro Asian cup,so please look for a better way to speak on this issue Ms.

No he didnt! the scorers were Siasia, Ikpeba and Kanu

Links pls,l dont remember Kanu scoring in that match ????

[paj]

No hate but that kid is a monster!His consistency has proved it for Barca so far.Gadamn the kid is worth everything people talk about on the field.Guys we know Obi is the new Jewel and the U-20 WYC was long time ago but peopel tryna compare them both need to stop at this moment.They are both different players but Messi is most highly rated than Obi,true story.FYI those that talk about that Final game in WYC thats the past and our whole squad were better than the Argentines but in making progress in carers U gotta give it up to these other players 4 real.

...blah blah blah....Messi good but Oruma better pass am...abi?
Pa

[paj]

I just laugh at all you people, yes Messi is great and he played well yesterday but to suggest that Obi cannot hold a candle to him is scandalous....Obi has proved everytime he has played ball that he is a big time talent and when his situation is eventually cleared up I am of the opinion that he will just be as good in his own way as a Midfielder.

Fabregas played just as well if not better than Messi in the Arsenal V Real Madrid game on Tuesday, but because Messi is a attacking midfielder you guys no want make we hear word again. And the same Crowd who were singing Mikels praises during the ANC are now calling Messi God and Mikel a Church rat, how fickle are we?

We should all just hope that our boy Mikel gets back in top flight action very soon, Lionel Messi is great but Mikel is great too in my book!

O Pari..

..U dey mind dem?the same Messi that Adeleye pocketted and zipped up for WYC only to be 'rescued' by the ref?
Pa

[tfco]

It is only in Nigeria you will see people compare what is yet to happen with what is already happening. Hello guys two players were seen at a WYC , both were said to have great potentials, one is already fulfilling that potential, capturing the world 's attention, and if God permits the greatest stage awaits him to climb the podium and become the best. My people are still comparing him with a guy with potential, who is locked in sad battle over his future who no one can guarantee, knowing that we have seen many protegees who never made it .
Hello one is already playing for the best team in Europe, the other is not sure if he is going to be allowed to play.
Hello one is already taking the best defenders in the world to drink akamu and moin - moin, the other is still waiting to be baptised into senior football. Yet my people are fighting and comparing him with one who is already baptised.
Mmmmmmmm mmmmmmm, i salute my extra ordinary people , we are unique in the whole wide world for our bizzare sense of reasoning or should i say patriotism, even if it borders on fanatism.
Untill Obi dons ManU or Chelsea jersey and struts his paper , whatever potential he has remains on paper, it does not count here. There are one million players with great potentials. Check this forum, there was a guy called Cappellini,he had great potential, never fulfilled it, Lentini, was even at a time the most expensive player in the world based on potential whosai.
If i were you all Obi fans , my concern now wont be this baseless debate, i will channel all those energy to some serious fasting and prayers asking the boy to be delivered to fulfill his God given potential, so that this debate can have some meaning.

Triple Gbosas for you Oloye !!! Too much wisdom in one post. Dont mind this ppl,they are held hostage by the lure of shine shine materials .

Sir, you are wise beyond the reaches of CE.
What I saw in the Barca/Chelsea game re Lionel Messi has made me a believer.

The guy has so much game it's a delight towatch.

[bobbye]

The problem here is not JMO but the devil himself Mr Lucifer Shittu. This guys greediness is ruining Obi. Mr Shittu needs to be shot believe you me I meant it literally.This debate could not have been going on right now if Mr Lucifer Shittu greediness has not become a stumbling block. It is becoming apparently clear with the devil himself OBI will never reach his potential. Something needs to be done and the earlier the better. Believe you me I forsee in future Mikel killing Mr Shittu after he has ruined his career. Definitely, that will be classified a justifable homicide by any court in the world.

[oloye]

The problem here is not JMO but the devil himself Mr Lucifer Shittu. This guys greediness is ruining Obi. Mr Shittu needs to be shot believe you me I meant it literally.This debate could not have been going on right now if Mr Lucifer Shittu greediness has not become a stumbling block. It is becoming apparently clear with the devil himself OBI will never reach his potential. Something needs to be done and the earlier the better. Believe you me I forsee in future Mikel killing Mr Shittu after he has ruined his career. Definitely, that will be classified a justifable homicide by any court in the world.

bobbye
Softly, much as i would like to agree with you, we must be professional here. We may call Shittu all kinds of name, but the fact remains Shittu is a business man, there was an agreement or contract, and someone tried to do a fast one. Dont blame the players, blame the game. The man invested seriously on Obi, he should reap his efforts, not for someone who did not know to reap it. We all pray that someone will not take what is ours, why should it happen to Shittu.
Now should we beg Shittu to be merciful, that is mixing emotion with business, he would not be a successful business man if he goes along this way.
Blame Obi for throwing his career away due to impatience if he blows his career.
If you report this case to God, believe me God will favour Shittu and not Obi, simply because there was an agreement.

[omey2k4]

It is only in Nigeria you will see people compare what is yet to happen with what is already happening. Hello guys two players were seen at a WYC , both were said to have great potentials, one is already fulfilling that potential, capturing the world 's attention, and if God permits the greatest stage awaits him to climb the podium and become the best. My people are still comparing him with a guy with potential, who is locked in sad battle over his future who no one can guarantee, knowing that we have seen many protegees who never made it .
Hello one is already playing for the best team in Europe, the other is not sure if he is going to be allowed to play.
Hello one is already taking the best defenders in the world to drink akamu and moin - moin, the other is still waiting to be baptised into senior football. Yet my people are fighting and comparing him with one who is already baptised.
Mmmmmmmm mmmmmmm, i salute my extra ordinary people , we are unique in the whole wide world for our bizzare sense of reasoning or should i say patriotism, even if it borders on fanatism.
Untill Obi dons ManU or Chelsea jersey and struts his paper , whatever potential he has remains on paper, it does not count here. There are one million players with great potentials. Check this forum, there was a guy called Cappellini,he had great potential, never fulfilled it, Lentini, was even at a time the most expensive player in the world based on potential whosai.
If i were you all Obi fans , my concern now wont be this baseless debate, i will channel all those energy to some serious fasting and prayers asking the boy to be delivered to fulfill his God given potential, so that this debate can have some meaning.

Whatever U wanna go back and read people claiming JMO was better than Messi because of the final game?U have forgotten this is a nigerian forum where they overhype everything?I stated a fact and uts amazing people cant still face it.

[oloye]

It is only in Nigeria you will see people compare what is yet to happen with what is already happening. Hello guys two players were seen at a WYC , both were said to have great potentials, one is already fulfilling that potential, capturing the world 's attention, and if God permits the greatest stage awaits him to climb the podium and become the best. My people are still comparing him with a guy with potential, who is locked in sad battle over his future who no one can guarantee, knowing that we have seen many protegees who never made it .
Hello one is already playing for the best team in Europe, the other is not sure if he is going to be allowed to play.
Hello one is already taking the best defenders in the world to drink akamu and moin - moin, the other is still waiting to be baptised into senior football. Yet my people are fighting and comparing him with one who is already baptised.
Mmmmmmmm mmmmmmm, i salute my extra ordinary people , we are unique in the whole wide world for our bizzare sense of reasoning or should i say patriotism, even if it borders on fanatism.
Untill Obi dons ManU or Chelsea jersey and struts his paper , whatever potential he has remains on paper, it does not count here. There are one million players with great potentials. Check this forum, there was a guy called Cappellini,he had great potential, never fulfilled it, Lentini, was even at a time the most expensive player in the world based on potential whosai.
If i were you all Obi fans , my concern now wont be this baseless debate, i will channel all those energy to some serious fasting and prayers asking the boy to be delivered to fulfill his God given potential, so that this debate can have some meaning.

Whatever U wanna go back and read people claiming JMO was better than Messi because of the final game?U have forgotten this is a nigerian forum where they overhype everything?I stated a fact and uts amazing people cant still face it.

I can see Omey2k, you cant even figure which side of the arguement i am on, dont worry , people who are not worked up have already figured that out, just for records, we are arguing on the same side

[Abayomi]

lets look at it this way:
obi's first full debut: 1 assist, 1 goal
messi's firt full debut: sent off!

So that is all your scalle for judging these players?

[oloye]

lets look at it this way:
obi's first full debut: 1 assist, 1 goal
messi's firt full debut: sent off!

So that is all your scalle for judging these players?

I tell you we have people with bizzare reasoning ability in that country called Nigeria, no wonder it is so messed up badly. What a logic.

[Globero]

lets look at it this way:
obi's first full debut: 1 assist, 1 goal
messi's firt full debut: sent off!

So that is all your scalle for judging these players?

I tell you we have people with bizzare reasoning ability in that country called Nigeria, no wonder it is so messed up badly. What a logic.

Oloye thank you for your objectivity. It is ppl like you that make an otherwise redundant arguement have meaning when put in the proper perspective !

[Catalyst]

The problem here is not JMO but the devil himself Mr Lucifer Shittu. This guys greediness is ruining Obi. Mr Shittu needs to be shot believe you me I meant it literally.This debate could not have been going on right now if Mr Lucifer Shittu greediness has not become a stumbling block. It is becoming apparently clear with the devil himself OBI will never reach his potential. Something needs to be done and the earlier the better. Believe you me I forsee in future Mikel killing Mr Shittu after he has ruined his career. Definitely, that will be classified a justifable homicide by any court in the world.

I want to laugh but I will not since you are openly advocating the death or murder of another man (who for much I know have done nothing wrong). I understand how passionate you are about this but like I have always maintained, lets be fair to all sides since it is not clear if we have heard the real truth. Calling Shittu Lucifer is just based on hunch not clear facts imho.

Oh btw, have you stopped hating Ayoakinfe?

Oloye, you cannot say you are fair (see my signature) and at the same time charge Mikel with inpatience while saying that Ola Shittu is just protecting his own? How do you know all of this? Why the selective justice? Did Mikel and Shittu not state their case? Why is it that the likely person to least believe is the one you chose to believe?

And as per the topic at hand, I know that many here have been expecting me to contribute (for ignorant reasons I must add). I cannot take Ome2k seriously because he does not deserve it - he is just a young confused man.

This discourse started way back in January. It actually started during Holland 2005 and back then it made little sense (though they play different positions). But for now it does not make any sense because Mikel like someone else stated is stuck in the courts while Messi is growing on the pitch with regaular top notch action. In terms of comparing prodidies, Messi is currently ahead of John Mikel Obi. Big deal!

This is a marathon and we hope that JMO gets the opportunity to live out his dream and career to the fullest potential. I will like us to revisit this discourse in a year or two when hopefully Mikel would have settled into a club.

Much of what I have read so far in this thread is just hate, puerile bias and outright childishness. I know this because you will see the same people exposing the silly herd mentality in no distant future.

Now on to Messi's game, he did fairly well against Chelsea. I am not comfortable rating the players in that game due to the poor condition of the field (shame on you chelsea). That said, I am not sure I would say Messi had an exceptional game. I was impressed with his energy and his Ortega like approach but he reminded me of Ikedia and Abwo. I recorded this game so that I can analyze it and I was sitting there thinking - David Abwo can do this. Oloye and others who have played this game professionally that there isn't much different between certain players e.g. Abwo, Tijani, Messi, Ikedia - it is just a matter of opportunity. Imho, Messi had a better game against us in Holland 2005 finale than he did yesterday.

Messi is very good but he does not strike me as special. I do not use the word special just like that; Ronny is special, Eto'o is special, same goes for Mikel. But in Mikel's case he is behind now - but that is not going to be a problem if he backs back in class latest by this summer ahead of 2006/2007 season. It is well with the patient.

[mke1010]

Winnerman- I have never said Mikel is better than Messi nor have I said he has established himslef as world class. He is rated as a gem by two of the top coaches in the world. He has boat loads of potential. Has he proven himself yet? Of course not. He has not even played top flight football. All I have said is that Omy2k's persistent bad belle for this guy has something to do with him not wanting to play for Manu.

If you beleive that Omy2k would have been as persistent in his criticisms of Mikel had he readily gone to Old trafford then you are in denial of reality.

[theYemster]

lets look at it this way:
obi's first full debut: 1 assist, 1 goal
messi's firt full debut: sent off!

So that is all your scalle for judging these players?

I tell you we have people with bizzare reasoning ability in that country called Nigeria, no wonder it is so messed up badly. What a logic.

oloye, you know sometimes after reading some peep' posts I wonder about their level of intellect; I wonder if I meet with them face to face, whether I would be able to sit and have an intelligent adult discussion with them or whether I would refer them to play with my two year old niece.

[Yettycom]

messi plays like an 18 year old raw talent who has a great future, which he is, but obi plays like an experienced 28 year old who has been playing in europe for a long time.

U know something we dont

[yinkaldinho]

he is very good, but the advantage obi has is that he can play till his early 30's and still be on top of his game, cos his game is not based on pace, but passing and abilitu to read a game; but messi has got so much pace, and when he looses that as age catches up on him, he will have nothing else to rely on.

All dis yan,
Messi no get pace pas Abwo and Owoeri o, lai lai, for wia

[oloye]

lets look at it this way:
obi's first full debut: 1 assist, 1 goal
messi's firt full debut: sent off!

So that is all your scalle for judging these players?

I tell you we have people with bizzare reasoning ability in that country called Nigeria, no wonder it is so messed up badly. What a logic.

oloye, you know sometimes after reading some peep' posts I wonder about their level of intellect; I wonder if I meet with them face to face, whether I would be able to sit and have an intelligent adult discussion with them or whether I would refer them to play with my two year old niece.

Yemster
Take my advice , dont allow them near your 2 year old niece, they will make him become company.

[YUJAM]

Guys:
The bitter truth is that Messi is playing at another level at this moment. In addition to this, he's had the exposure at the top level of the game consistently while Obi hasn't.

At the moment, Messi is the man. I predicted that he has the potential to reach the levels of Diego Maradona himself and I was laughed at. We'll see who laughs last!