Elegant enforcer John Obi Mikel steadies Chelsea ship ahead of return leg with Paris Saint-Germain
Anyone seeking to understand the Blues’ return to form under interim manager Guus Hiddink will find a partial explanation in the unassuming figure of the Nigerian holding midfielder
Anyone seeking to understand Chelsea’s steady return to form under interim manager Guus Hiddink will find a partial explanation in the unassuming figure of holding midfielder John Mikel Obi.
He knows where the strength of the opponent is and he knows exactly how to cope with that
Having started just two of Chelsea’s final 16 Premier League games under Jose Mourinho, Mikel has started nine of 12 under Hiddink in the only notable non-enforced personnel change that the Dutchman has made to the starting XI.
As well as being unbeaten in their 12 league games to date under Hiddink, Chelsea’s average number of goals conceded per game has dropped from 1.625 to 1, and Mikel’s defensive nous has been an important factor.
“He’s the ideal player to bring balance to the team,” Hiddink said earlier this year.
“He knows where the strength of the opponent is and he knows exactly how to cope with that.
“He doesn’t do it in a very brutal way – he’s very, very elegant. What I like to see very much is not just a quality player, but a player who can defend so smoothly. It’s beautiful to see.”
It is a configuration that has helped Chelsea climb to 10th in the league, kindling hope that they may yet succeed in overturning a 2-1 deficit in Wednesday’s Champions League clash at home to Paris Saint-Germain.
