English Premier League
John Obi Mikel calls for stiff competition in Chelsea’s striking force
By Saheed Afolabi
Nigeria legend Mikel John Obi has expressed concern over the lack of competition in Chelsea’s striker position this season.
While Chelsea has scored 39 goals in the Premier League, putting them on par with Arsenal, they trail league leaders Liverpool, who have netted 47 goals.
Mikel reflected on past experiences at the club, citing how former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich always prioritized adding quality strikers to the squad, a strategy that proved successful in the past.
He recalled a conversation between Abramovich and Didier Drogba regarding the importance of having competition in the striker role, particularly during times of injury or loss of form.
“Roman Abramovich explained to Drogba ‘you are the man, but injuries might come, dip of form, what are we going to do then?’” Mikel shared during The Obi One Podcast.
“Nicolas [Jackson] should not be angry I’m saying this, it’s for the betterment of the team and the club.”
Mikel believes Chelsea needs a clinical striker of the calibre of legends like Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, and Andriy Shevchenko to ensure consistent goals and success.
“Roman every year brings in another top striker, we had Anelka come in to help Drogba, Torres, Shevchenko,” Mikel noted. “We need someone who knows how to put the ball in the back of the net.”
Currently, Chelsea sits fourth in the Premier League table with 36 points from 20 games, but Mikel’s comments suggest the club needs to strengthen their attacking options to mount a serious challenge for the title.
