Former Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi, has shared his thoughts on how Chelsea can return to Premier League title contention.
The 37-year-old, who spent over a decade at Stamford Bridge, has been candid about his former team’s struggles and what they need to improve.
Chelsea began the season strongly and were briefly in the title race, despite Liverpool’s dominant form.
However, their momentum has stalled, with the Blues failing to win in their last four league matches.
A draw against Everton, followed by losses to Fulham and Ipswich Town, and a recent 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, have raised concerns.
Mikel: Chelsea’s Missed Opportunities Holding Them Back
Mikel, frustrated by the team’s inability to convert chances, pointed to Chelsea’s profligacy in front of goal as the key reason for their recent slump.
In an interview on The Obi One Podcast, he explained that while Chelsea are playing well and creating chances, they are not clinical enough.
“We are creating chances, playing well, but we’re not finishing. We need a top striker who can step in when Nicolas Jackson isn’t firing.
If he’s not scoring, we need someone else to step up,” Mikel said. “Jackson is a good player, but he’s not clinical enough. He’s not the kind of striker who will help us win titles or break into the top four.”
Mikel Suggests Striking Reinforcements
The former Chelsea midfielder suggested that Chelsea would greatly benefit from a more clinical striker, naming Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting CP as potential targets.
“If we had someone like Osimhen or Gyokeres, we’d still be in the title race,” Mikel said. “Jackson is not scoring enough goals, and that’s a worry. We need someone who can consistently find the back of the net.”
“Nicolas Jackson is not scoring enough… If we have a Victor Osimhen or the guy from Sporting Lisbon (Viktor Gyökeres) we would have still been competing to win the Premier League”
– Mikel Obi pic.twitter.com/O4jjkoqlFT
— @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) January 7, 2025
Cole Palmer: A Bright Spark for Chelsea
Despite the striker woes, Mikel was quick to praise young winger Cole Palmer, who has been one of the team’s standout players this season.
“Without Cole Palmer, I don’t know where we’d be. He’s been carrying the team, scoring and creating chances. He’s been fantastic,” Mikel said.
“One goal in six games from Jackson is not enough. If you look at top strikers like Isak at Newcastle, that’s the level we need.”
Chelsea’s Tough Road Ahead
Currently sitting in 4th place, Chelsea are 10 points behind leaders Liverpool.
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With a tough run of fixtures ahead, including games against Wolves, Manchester City, West Ham United, Brighton, and Aston Villa, the Blues will need to fix their finishing issues if they are to remain in the race for the top four
