Mikel's Limited Chances - Mourinho's Mere Stubborness

By Azeez Said

The £25 million arrival of Chelsea old boy, Nemanja Matic, to Chelsea from Benfica in the January transfer window sparked some uproar especially in the Nigeria media as journalists and football pundits alike started analyzing what effect his arrival could have on the Chelsea squad and most especially, what his arrival meant to the chances their own boy, John Obi Mikel would have in the team.

John Mikel

Since Nemanja Matic's arrival in the winter, John Obi Mikel has been reduced to a bench role starting only one EPL game since the turn of the year. Though he has played important roles for all other managers since his arrival during Mourinho's first tenure at Chelsea but his role at Chelsea seems very much in danger for the first time.

Nemanja Matic is taller,faster and has a thunder of a left shot, all of which Mikel is lacking or is a bit short on. Though he has a good range of passing but that is not the main quality wanted of a defensive midfielder especially one of Chelsea's.

In this Chelsea side, there is no perfect substitute to Matic whenever he is not playing than Mikel cos he is the only like for like replacement for Matic but it baffles me to see Mourinho use either of the trio of Ramires, David Luiz and Frank Lampard ahead of the Nigerian whenever Matic is unavailable. Just like the Champions League match against PSG where Matic was ineligible, Mourinho still went against playing a fresh Mikel and his decision bounced back at him after his players tired out in the second half.

After Nigerians have seen their other star players either under performing or being benched at their respective clubs, they won't want the same with Mikel too and dare I say it is Mourinho that denied Mikel from claiming the CAF African player of the year award earlier this year so Mourinho has to give him more chances in the first team and I don't mean 90th minute cameo appearances.