John Obi Mikel scored his first ever Premier League goal as Chelsea's four-game winless run ended on Saturday with a 2-0 victory over Fulham in the Premier League.
Mikel’s first ever EPL goal underlines midfielder’s new found confidence
The Nigerian helped Chelsea to victory over Fulham in Saturday’s late game where he broke his almost seven-year scoreless streak as part of a fairy tale year unraveling before us
The Nigerian who is nearing a seven-year sojourn at Stamford Bridge had never scored in the Premier League in 185 matches. His two goals had come in the FA Cup.Even though it was another more prolific African Samuel Eto’o who was expected to deliver the goals for the Blues, Chelsea’s match winning strike came off the boots of the unlikely Mikel.
Brazilian Oscar had gotten the Blues ahead early against their London rivals. The Blues held much of the possession but could not find the second goal to keep the game safe. Spaniard Fernando Torres came on for Eto’o, who is yet to find the net in three matches, to try to find the goal.
Mikel volleyed a shot from John Terry’s flick off a corner kick in the 84th minute to send the Blues 2-0 up and move temporarily to the top of the table, before Sunday’s other matches involving Arsenal and Tottenham.
The Nigerian midfielder had been threatening all through the game, busting forward in unusual runs through the middle.
“Today’s game was all about winning,” Mikel told Sky Sports after the game. “My goal is just a bonus, but I’m pretty happy – it’s about time!”
Years after being converted into a defensive midfielder by Chelsea trainer Jose Mourinho, it might not be too early to declare that Mikel is now enjoying a new lease of life in his career under the returnee manager.
After early fears of being relegated to the Blues bench with the arrival of new players into the squad and the return of Michael Essien, Mikel looks to be showing a new dimension to his game, something that has been explored effectively in the national team under coach Stephen Keshi where he has blossomed into a fine creative player.
“Good for [Mikel], good for us,” said Mourinho about the goal. “It’s good for his confidence. He played well, giving balance to the team.”
Derided for many years by many Chelsea fans and analysts for his sideways passes, Mikel is an entirely different player in a Nigeria jersey where he has been the fulcrum of the attack and leader up front.
After playing such an influential role in the Super Eagles’ march to win the Africa Cup of Nations in February, he gained critical praise for his performance at the Confederations Cup in Brazil where he scored a memorable goal against Uruguay.
Recently, he was named man of the match in Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Malawi in Calabar as the Super Eagles secured late passage into the final 2014 World Cup play-off round.
Such has been his influence on the national team that one wonders why he has not been able to transfer that form to his club.
His future at Chelsea came under question during the summer transfer window as many Nigerians hoped he would go to a club where his attacking prowess could be better utilised, perhaps it was a good decision for him to stay behind and fight for his place in the Blues squad.
By means of the confidence gotten from this goal, the 26-year-old could be heading into the best year of his career in England.
Among some quarters, there’s a growing call for him to be named the African footballer of the year. There are still three months to go before the end of the year and he will need to prove himself worthy of the title.
But from what we have seen thus far, it is not too early to be optimistic.
After Oscar powered in the opener early in the second half, Mikel sliced the ball into the net in the 84th minute of the west London derby.
''They have been killing me about it - going to the national team and scoring but not here,'' Mikel said. ''I'm sure the guys will give me a lot of stick.''
The Nigeria midfielder had only previously scored twice for Chelsea, in the FA Cup in January 2007 during Jose Mourinho's first reign as manager.
Mourinho's return has not gone to plan, presiding over the club's worst start to a season since Roman Abramovich's investment started a decade ago.
This victory, however unconvincing, enabled Chelsea to dislodge Liverpool from the top of the standings ahead of Sunday's games.
''We know our fans have been disappointed about a few performances going into these games so we wanted to give them something to cheer,'' Mikel said.
Mourinho said he is trying to change Chelsea's philosophy.
''We want to play better,'' he said.
But Chelsea's ability to remain among the title contenders will hinge on re-discovering the cutting edge that's been missing.
To achieve that, Mourinho has shown he's willing to risk antagonizing his squad with public criticism.
Midfielder Juan Mata and defender David Luiz were both in Mourinho's firing line on Saturday as they were left out of the squad and saw their abilities called into question.
Mourinho knows his return to Chelsea after six years has not matched the expectations of fans who were ecstatic when the season began with a pair of wins.
A draw and a loss domestically was followed by a losing start to the Champions League group stage, provoking a scattering of boos at Stamford Bridge after Wednesday's loss to Basel.
''Sorry about your disappointment,'' Mourinho wrote in the matchday program. ''But we will give you happiness.''
Maintaining harmony in the squad will be as important.
The ostracizing of midfielder Mata, last season's player of the year, has baffled many.
Mata's displays this season so far were ''not convincing,'' Mourinho said as he justified dropping the Spaniard again on Saturday and warning that he has to ''fight and work for his opportunities.''
Yet, Mourinho kept faith with Samuel Eto'o to lead the strike force against Fulham, despite publicly doubting his sharpness against Basel.
Eto'o rarely came close to opening his account for Chelsea since joining from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala, volleying wide and heading off target in the first half.
It took a defender, Branislav Ivanvovic, to produce one of the most threatening efforts with a low shot deflected wide.
Fulham, though, was even more ineffective up front as it slumped to a ninth loss in 12 matches stretching back to last season
And the visitors were breached seven minutes into the second half.
Goalkeeper David Stockdale parried from Andre Schurrle and couldn't keep hold of Eto'o's shot before Oscar blasted in the goal.
For Fulham, there was a header completely off target from Steve Sidwell, as Chelsea pushed to secure the victory.
To cheers inside the ground, Eto'o was replaced in the 64th by Fernando Torres, the only Chelsea striker to find the net this season.
After Torres had a header pushed over Stockdale, the second goal came from the resulting corner from the unlikely source of Mikel after John Terry nodded the ball into this path.
Premier League
| Matches | Home | Away | Goals | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTS | GP | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | Won | Drawn | Lost | GS | GA | |||
| 1 |  |
Chelsea Fc | 10 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| 2 |  |
Liverpool | 10 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| 3 |  |
Arsenal Fc | 9 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 |
| 4 |  |
Tottenham | 9 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 5 |  |
Everton | 9 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 4 |
| 6 |  |
Southampton | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 7 |  |
Manchester City | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 |
| 8 |  |
Manchester United | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| 9 |  |
Stoke City | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 10 |  |
Hull City Tigers | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| 11 |  |
Newcastle United | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| 12 |  |
Aston Villa | 6 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| 13 |  |
West Bromwich Albion | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 14 |  |
West Ham United | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 15 |  |
Cardiff | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 16 |  |
Swansea City | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| 17 |  |
Norwich City | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 18 |  |
Fulham | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 19 |  |
Crystal Palace | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 20 |  |
Sunderland | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 11 |
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