Mikel must up his game against France

By Reliable Click

Mikel Obi must put behind a string of disappointing displays and come up with his ‘A’ game when Nigeria battle France today for a place in the last eight of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The Chelsea midfielder was a popular pick to carry the African champions through this World Cup, but after three games in Brazil it is rather the likes of Vincent Enyeama, Ahmed Musa and Osaze Odemwingie who have led by example as Nigeria booked a place in the last 16 of the tournament for only the third time in their history.

Former Nigeria skipper Mutiu Adepoju said that Mikel has fallen short of expectations.

“Mikel has not performed as Nigerians expected of him in Brazil. He is an important player for the Eagles and much is expected of him,” said Adepoju, who was at the 1994, 1998 and 2002 World Cups.

“He needs to raise his game and lift the team against France as he did in the Africa Cup of Nations, he has the quality to do it and we all know that.”

“I’m a fan of both Mikel and Chelsea. But it is (Ogenyi) Onazi, who is doing the dirty job, while Mikel is just in the shadows. What is keeping Mikel in the first team is just his profile,” Abu Isa said on a phone-in radio programme on Sunday.

Mikel has disappointed in the Nigeria midfield so much so that many laughed after a decision by FIFA to vote him the man of the match in the equally disappointing barren draw with Iran.

Against Bosnia, he was sluggish and sloppy in the middle of the park and was predictable with his long, hopeful balls.

And against Argentina, this was to be a clash between the Chelsea ace and Lionel Messi nine years after the Argentina skipper pipped him to the MVP of the 2005 FIFA U20 World Cup in the Netherlands.

Messi delivered two goals to inspire Argentina past the African champions and underlined how many light years ahead he has come beyond Mikel.

Mikel was an integral member of the team when they won a third Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa last year and he followed that up with a solid display at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

These exploits will see him contest the 2014 CAF African Footballer of the Year with Manchester City and Cote d’Ivoire midfielder Yaya Toure.

There was even a rumpus in Nigeria when Yaya was unanimously voted Africa’s best again in Lagos.

And today, against Les Bleus of France in Brasilia, Mikel will not only be fighting to get Nigeria into the last eight, but he will also be fighting to save his career as his future at Chelsea continues to look bleak.

He has to take full charge of the midfield as Nigeria take the game to France on the way to making history.

Brazil 2014 has put him on the shop window again, but if he failed to make the most of this opportunity, it will be downhill thereafter for him – a great promise that was never quite fulfilled.