John Obi Mikel: Don’t be ashamed of your style

Mikel celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal during the match between Chelsea and Fulham at Stamford Bridge in London on September 21, 2013. (Getty Images)

It is funny that many still believe that Mikel has never ever scored a goal for Chelsea, that has actually been a myth. In his first season at the club, Mikel scored two goals in the FA cup but his drought has continued since then.

For the Nigerian, it must have been a time of immense frustration. After all, Mikel played primarily as an attacking midfielder in his youth. In fact, he was more than just an attacking player, but the pride of Nigeria as the nation’s top footballing prospect.

So skilled was he as an attacker that he emerged as the second best youth player (silver ball awardee) at the FIFA World Youth Championships, only behind Lionel Messi from Argentina. While Messi eventually hit storied heights at Barcelona, Mikel was seen by many to have languished at Chelsea.

In retrospect, one would always see Mikel dropping back as a centre-back whenever the team had corners. His only contribution to attack was the rare long shot that often came when Mikel happened to be close enough to the edge of the penalty box. Those, however, were often blasted high and wide. In fact, many grew so used to seeing those shots miss their mark. They seemed a stark yet distinctive reminder of Mikel’s fate.

A large part of it came down to then manager Jose Mourinho’s decision to play him as a back up to Claude Makelele, the clubs chief defensive midfielder. Mikel, who was pushed away from his best position, was forced to adapt to Mourinho’s plans.

Over the years, Mikel played a capable deputy to Makelele. When Mourinho left, fans gradually forgot about Mikel’s attacking prowess. The player they now saw was a slow lumbering beast, only capable of playing passes sideways and backwards. Yet somehow, he managed to get games. As if he was the best option the club had in defensive midfield. New arrivals like Romeu and the return of Michael Essien from injury, failed to change that.

At a glance, there is much to admire about Mikel and his commitment to defending. His strengths lie in his strength in possession and vision. This season however, a significant change can be seen in his play style. In the two games he has played, Mikel has played more forward passes and contributed more towards attack. This development has seen him display his underrated passing range and creativity.

Most crucially, it was as if the return of Mourinho, the manager who played a key role in his relegation to defence has lifted those shackles from the Nigerian. That showed against Fulham, where his presence in the box, once an anomaly leads to his goal.

Ultimately, seven years without a goal is a statistic that can be seen as both admirable and hilarious. Some look at it as a testament of his focus on his defensive duty, others see it as a number that proves that he was a bad investment. Nevertheless, 22th August 2013 will always be a day to be remembered for all Chelsea fans.