He has not really helped Chelsea’s cause on the pitch and now, he is not really helping off it as well.
John Obi Mikel has operated awkwardly at best for Chelsea’s midfield and now leaves their Champions League game against Juventus in further player-angst with his statement: Chelsea were lucky to win the Champions League last season.
Blues coach Roberto Di Matteo, the pragmatist that he is, might well draw on the Harry Redknapp classic – I’d rather be a lucky manager than a good one – and admit that Chelsea were lucky.
However, in the larger perspective of the latest rumblings at Stamford Bridge, Mikel is hardly offering a vote of confidence before a tricky European tie against the Italian giants.
The Nigerian midfielder lifted the European Cup after beating Bayern Munich in May but now has said, “Yes, we were kind of lucky to win it but we worked so hard for everything we achieved last season.”
Fernando Torres stomping off after being subbed in Chelsea’s Premier League draw against QPR last week has only added to the uneccessary drama at the Bridge.
Despite all their transfer window activity and the likes of Eden Hazard now in the team, Chelsea still seem to lack the ‘Drogba’ presence.
In fact, in his exclusive column for The Sun, Arsenal legend Ian Wright on Tuesday, implied that the Blues would probably struggle in Europe with the current forward’s list.
Daniel Sturridge is hardly going to instill fear in the ranks and file of Europe’s elite.
The January window will open up and depending on where Chelsea are then, Matteo could still move for a striker. The question is who?
Could Neymar be the one?
Let’ not forget Didier Drogba was at the heart of Chelsea’s success last season.
So, Chelsea hope to get lucky again? Mikel certainly seems to think so.