Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has voiced his concerns over the current state of the English club, attributing its struggles to a significant absence of leadership on the field. Mikel, a pivotal figure during his time with Chelsea, commented on the team’s lack of identity and called for a sense of urgency to secure victories.
In an interview for The Obi Wan Podcast, Mikel expressed his dismay over Chelsea’s inability to establish a clear identity despite substantial investments by club president Todd Boehly.
The team’s current position, languishing in twelfth place in the Premier League, has prompted Mikel to emphasize the need for immediate improvement.
“This team has no identity. Are we just going to sit back and say that we are still in a rebuilding process? We don’t have time for that. We have to start winning games,” Mikel asserted.
The Nigerian midfielder pinpointed a crucial issue plaguing Chelsea – the absence of leaders on the pitch. Reflecting on the recent match against Everton, Mikel observed a dearth of players willing to take charge and motivate their teammates.
“Against Everton, I looked around the pitch, there wasn’t a single leader. There is no one on the lawn to address their colleagues and say: ‘Wake up, what are you doing?’ ‘Come towards you and shout at you,'” Mikel stated.
Drawing from his own experiences with Chelsea, Mikel highlighted the influential figures of Didier Drogba, John Terry, and Frank Lampard, who would rally the team during challenging moments.
“People like Didier Drogba, John Terry, and Frank Lampard, when you had a crappy game, those guys would wake you up,” Mikel reminisced.
The former midfielder also expressed his disappointment in not witnessing a similar assertiveness from the current Chelsea manager in motivating the players during games.
“I look at the manager, I didn’t see him shouting at one of the players and saying, ‘Do your f***ing job, wake up, make sure you run around so we win the game,'” Mikel added.
As Chelsea faces a daunting challenge in the Premier League, Mikel’s critique sheds light on the vital role leadership plays in shaping a team’s performance and success.
