By Onochie Anibeze
Mikel Obi continuously hangs in Chelsea first team because the  system in the London club and the character of his teammates accommodate his style.

Ramires, Lampard and the rest who may have any role in the midfield are good markers. This covers Mikel’s lapses as a loose marker and at the same time makes his passing game flourish. Mikel is a good passer of the ball. This quality has kept him in Chelsea’s first team for over five years now.

Mikel Obi

But he is not always effective for the Eagles of Nigeria because he is expected to fight to win balls through tight and close marking.

And when he puts in his best to do this he burns out early and runs into problem with the pace of the game as Nigerians saw him in the Nations Cup  qualifier against Guinea in Abuja where he started walking on the pitch 30 minutes into the game. Against Argentina in a friendly in Bangladesh he once toyed with the ball, Lionel Messi dispossessed him and he never gave a chase and that resulted into a goal against Nigeria.

Absolutely aware of his character and style,  Eagles coaches are considering the options to adopt to cover up for his lapses the way Chelsea players do should they invite him for the return leg of the Nations Cup qualifier against Liberia in October. It is hoped that strong marker Gabriel Reuben of Kano Pillars would have recovered from the injury that sidelined him in Liberia.

Nigeria missed him. Another good marker who may be considered is Fegor Ogude who also missed the match in Liberia. If Fegor and Gabriel who are all defensive midfielders start,  Mikel may have to be offensive.

He doesn’s fit in there any more and the last time Stephen Keshi tried to assign him that role  in the friendly against Malawi Mikel opted out of the match.

Keshi and his crew may play him in his normal holding role but will have to shop for two more mifilders who will mark well offensively and defensively. They will have to sacrifice a lot to accommodate Mikel.

”We must look for the players to complement if Mikel will be invited,” one of the officials of the Eagles said in a heart to heart chat on the state of Eagles. They are considering him for Liberia match.

Another thing  counting against Mikel is that he never pushes hard to score and hardly puts opponents under pressure by running forward and attempting to score.

He passes side ways or behind and only passes forward few times. But nobody can deny his passing ability.

Victor Ikpeba has said Eagles can do without Mikel and Osaze Odewengie, recalling their awful outing against Guinea under Samson Siasia. Osaze was even worse in Rwanda in February this year and Keshi had butterflies in his stomach.

But there may be a way out for Mikel especially with the quality officials have seen in Nosa Igiebor who performed well in Monrovia. Mikel is in their mind.