Chelsea’s biggest issue explained, ‘Arsenal’s title to lose’ & Nigeria’s ref controversy

22:31John Obi Mikel:That's how we measure ourselves, how good we are if we compete to win the Premier League. So, nine's on the table right now, nine games played. Not bad, but not good enough. Not good enough. Not good enough. I think we should be around fourth, fifth, where we should be thinking. If we win one more game and Arsenal draw a game or Spurs draw a game, we should close the gap a little bit more. But again, a lot of positive to take out from the team. I've been very impressed with the way we played. Beat Brentford 3-0, beat Ajax in the Champions League 5-1. Absolute brilliant performance from some of the players.

23:05John Obi Mikel:Good to see some good young players scoring, you know, scoring the Champions League, making their debut, scoring the Champions League. Absolute brilliant. I thought the place was jumping. I know, yes, I actually went down to 10 men, but you still have to do the business. Of course you do. You still have to win the game and that's exactly what we did. I guess a lot of Chelsea fans watching or listening to this, it's a consequence of being a young team and with a lot of young players, you're going to get that inconsistency. You will, you will. It's just part of the part. It's about how you manage.

23:31John Obi Mikel:It's about how you get those players to believe. Yes, you will make mistakes, but you have to improve. You have to keep growing. Not just trying to stay in that same level. You have to keep improving because yes, young players will make mistakes. I made a lot of mistakes when I was at the club and I first joined the football club. I did make a lot of mistakes, but... You could be pulled out though, John. Exactly. Yeah, of course. Yeah, I could be pulled out any time. Whereas this Chelsea team, there's not a lot of that experience that you've talked about. Exactly. There's not a lot of that experience.

24:00John Obi Mikel:There are players that teach them what to do. Correct. That's going to show them what it means, you know, to, when you make mistakes, try not to repeat those mistakes because when I made my mistakes, I was... I was treated very, very harshly. You know what I mean? It wasn't easy. It wasn't, oh, okay, you make a mistake. Tomorrow, next week, you correct. No, no, no, no, no. You hooked. Yeah. You know, you hook for a couple of games. You don't come in a couple of games. And that's how you learn. We learn pretty quickly. We have to grow up pretty quickly. We have to learn not to make some mistakes.

24:31John Obi Mikel:We have to be strong. We have to grow up very pretty quickly. Because that's how the dressing room works back in the day. The dressing room was very, a lot of experience. a lot of big players and if you are not on your game, especially if you're a young player, if you're not on your game, if you keep making mistakes, mate, see you later, see you later, you're not going to play for two, three weeks. Nobody's going to even think about you because you are that young. There's a lot of experienced players, a lot of big players that know how to read the game. They know when not to make mistakes. You know what I mean?

25:04John Obi Mikel:They know what, you know, making silly mistake means. So for me, we had to grow up pretty quickly, me and Solomon Kalou, and with this young Chelsea team right now, yes, there's a lot of inexperience. There's no massive, massive name with a lot of experience that's going to say, you know what, I'm going to lead this team. I'm going to guide these young players on the pitch. I know Enzo Mareska is outside on the pitch, but sometimes you need a big voice. You need an experienced voice on the pitch. Who are you going to turn to when it's very, very difficult. Who are you going to look at and say, you know what, can you guide me here?

25:37John Obi Mikel:I need some guidance. Can you tell me what to do? When I look at this team, yes, you have the likes of Rhys James, who's growing, he's growing into that role. He's growing into that leadership role. I like what I'm seeing from Rhys James right now. He's a bit more vocal. You can see the leadership quality is coming to him. Very, very natural as well. So for me, the likes of Enzo Fernandez, yes, they're very vocal. Caicedo, I like to see him a bit more, a bit more vocal. I know the way he plays is the way he shows his responsibility. But I like to see him a bit more vocal. I like to see him scream at the younger players and say, come on, listen, I'm a bit more experienced.

26:12John Obi Mikel:I'm the guy who's going to lead you. I'm the guy who's going to guide you. I like to see a bit more of that from Caicedo because I think he's been absolutely brilliant. So for me, yes, a lot of young players, a lot of not, we don't have a lot of experience in the team. but we will grow and we will learn and we will improve and we will get better as a team. And that experience will come together as a team as well. You're not going to like this comparison, John, but stick with me. Enzo Mureska's second season in charge. Mikel Arteta's seventh. But we're seeing what I guess Arsenal have done by believing in the blueprint, sticking with Mikel, buying the players that he wants.

26:52We're now seeing Arsenal top of the league, six clean sheets in nine, Four points clear.

26:58John Obi Mikel:Don't get too hard of your set, mate. I know I am. You still won't. But we had a chat about this. They're bottling. Same as Arsenal. You still believe that? Be honest now. Because I look at it now and I'm thinking to myself, City, not there. Chelsea, inexperienced. Man United, not there. Liverpool with a truckload of problems we'll get into. If Arsenal don't do it this season, Joel, they never will. If they don't do it this season, Arsenal, honestly, if an Arsenal fan come to this spot and say anything I'll be absolutely fucking furious because this is the season this is the year this is the year City are not back to the best we can see that City are not back it doesn't matter when they win one or two games and you can see Pep knows that Pep knows that Pep is not stupid when they win one or two games and people are saying oh City is back Pep at the back of his head he knows this is not my team this is not the team that we win the Premier League.

27:55John Obi Mikel:He knows. And that's why he always comes out, post games and say, listen, be calm here. We've just won a game. Yeah. Because the media want to say, oh, City's back. No, he said, no, we're not back. We're not back. I know my team. When I see my team play well, if we're ready to compete, I'll tell you, yes, we're back. Yeah, you're right. He knows City are not back. So for me, City are not back. Liverpool struggling. You know, we went there, but I just think we don't have the experience. This is it. I agree. right now to go on to win the Premier League. I hope we do it. I hope we can be able to do it.

28:27John Obi Mikel:Once we get our players back, you know, Cole Palmer comes back and I think in the January window, I think we have to. We have to go out and get a couple centre-backs. I don't care what the club does. I don't care what it does. We have to. In the transfer window in January, we have to go out and we have to make sure we get a top, at least one. at least one top centre-back at least one top centre-back the goalkeeper issue we can deal with in the summer but at least one top centre-back that can come in and lead this young team and be the leader and be the leader in that back four that's what we need so for me I think yes we do have you know I don't just win the Premier League this season because of the inexperience that we have I hope we can do it I hope we can compete to win it but this season I think it's Arsenal's it's Arsenal's to lose it's Arsenal's to lose if Mikel Ateta and Arsenal don't win the Premier League the squad the depth that they have is frightening they have the best squad not just in the Premier League not just in England you think world football right now in world football right now I bet you there's no better squad depth squad I don't disagree than Arsenal I name one Name one.

29:52John Obi Mikel:Squad. You're not talking about the 11 that starts. No. What do you have on the bench that comes in and win your games? Yeah, 24, 25 players. Arsenal. Yeah, I do. It's not better. It's not better. PSG have a quota of 16, 16, 17. Yeah, but they start in 11. Yes, PSG might argue, yes. Maybe they're... But Bayern 16 or 17, maybe 18, but you're right. Yeah. In terms of squad depth. Arsenal. Sometimes it's not just the starting level that wins your game. It's who you bring up the bench. We've seen it at Arsenal. How many games have they won? You know, Martinelli coming off the bench, winning them games.

30:22John Obi Mikel:Eze coming off the bench. Eze coming off the bench, winning them games. Marino coming off the bench. Marino as well. Havertz is injured. Havertz is injured. No, the guard, no Gabriel Jesus. Frightening. Yeah. The squad that Arsenal has got right now. And Mikel Ateta knows that. He knows that. He knows that. This is Arsenal's title to lose. If he doesn't win it, if Mikel Ateta does not win it, listen, any Arsenal fan can agree with me. They can get upset as much as they want, but deep down, they know it's the truth. Yeah. This is the season. This is the season for Arsenal to win the Premier League.

30:56John Obi Mikel:City, it's not there. Liverpool struggling. We don't have the experience to go on and win the Premier League. United, Spurs. United, no, please. Don't mention United. Yes, they've won three games in a row. Please don't get ahead of yourself, United. I am. No, no, no. Don't even go there. Yes, listen. There's a lot of improvement the way you played. United, but. No, no. No, no. Not winning the league. But yes, coming back to Arsenal. they have to they have to listen I look at Arsenal's team right now except if they get hit with crazy insane amount of injuries then you might say okay but the way they are right now together the squad that they have right now it's well it's crazy to bet against Arsenal it is absolutely mental to bet against Arsenal right now right now to win the Premier League because they have everything the way they're playing they're playing well they're scoring goals free kick throwings whatever it is not conceding not conceding three goals in nine games absolutely brilliant the craziest thing is that are they going to break our record that we have conceding 15 goals in the season that's going to be tough though in the Premier League in the modern day Premier League right now that's going to be a tough one but if they can do that that's going to be crazy three and nine you're right and the other thing about it few stats you look at the three goals they've conceded the world they have a free kick to Sobislai yeah it was a corner to Walter Mada against Newcastle.

32:17So in nine games, John, they've conceded one goal in open play. Haaland.

32:23John Obi Mikel:Crazy. Crazy starts. Crazy. Listen, they have the best squad. You know, when you have Gabriel and you have Saliba and then you have Declan Rice sitting in front of them. Zubberman, years later. And Timba and Colafiore. The squad is absolutely... I agree. It's a no... It's the best squad right now. Yes. It's the best squad. And Mikel Arteta has come out and said he knows. He knows. We're talking about the Premier League here. I think they can go on and win the Champions League. This is how good they are. This is how good Arsenal are right now. It's scary. It's frightening. You think they could win both?

33:07John Obi Mikel:I'm telling you, the squad they have, the players that they have, the way they're playing, and I can see a little bit of mentality, Mental shift. I think right now they believe. I can see a little bit of... There's a bit of... Stealiness. Yes, there's something there. I can feel it now. Arsenal are ready. Finally they're ready. But we've said this so many times with Arsenal. And it comes out towards the latest start of the season. What do they do? They bottle it. Yeah. But this year, I'm with you. I'm seeing something here because of the squad. The other stat, and this is bonkers, John. I had to double and triple check this.

33:43So no surprise, they're number one in the Premier League for goals from set pieces, right? They've made that an hour for them. Goals in open play, they currently sit 17th. It's crazy. And yet they're four points clear.

33:57John Obi Mikel:You can make an argument, listen, a manager who spent almost a billion. It's mental. And listen, it doesn't matter how you score goals. It doesn't matter how you win games. It doesn't matter how you win the title. Just win. Just win. Yeah. But if you have all these creative players, if you have this squad, you have, you have a Declan Rice, you have a Zubemendi. Up front, you have Eze. You have Jocares. You have Martinelli. You have Saka. You have Madweke. You can't keep scoring from set pieces. You can't. Find a way of getting those players to create chances and win games. But you think that will come.

34:41John Obi Mikel:That will come. But it's not coming from... This has been the thing that's been going on since last season. Yeah, the overreliance. Yes, overreliance on set pieces, throw-ins, corner kicks, Gabriel, you know, flicking, Saliba flicking, and the second ball. That's how Asloff scored their goals. But again, mate, I'm not sitting here criticizing them the way they're winning games. They're entitled to win games whichever way they want to win games. But if you spent a billion, more than a billion, in the past world. Six, seven years. You got to find a way of winning games in open play. But again, as we said, fair play to them.

35:22John Obi Mikel:They find a way of winning games. They're top of the league and they're doing what they're doing. And it's just that, you know, teams are not pushing Arsenal as well. You know, I look at City. I'm just a bit disappointed with City. The players that Pep Guardiola brought into the football club, I just think they're not clicking. You know, we've said so many, Ryan Daz we thought is going to pick up from the games after against Wolves, but it's just gone. After the games against Wolves, we haven't seen Ryan Dess again. He's kind of the fucking Raider, mate. Yes. He's not playing well. He's just something that's not happening with him.

35:55No.

35:56John Obi Mikel:It's just something that's not happening with him. I can't keep here every time and say, Rodri, Rodri, Rodri. Yes, Rodri, Rodri, Rodri. Yes. He's injured again. He's injured again. When he was playing, you can see there's a little bit of City coming back. people can disagree with what I'm saying, but that city side, I just believe without Rodri, they are not good enough. They are not good enough. They are a different team compared to when he's on the pitch. A totally, totally, you can see it. It's a no-brainer. Watch the games, you can see it. When he's on the pitch, even when he wasn't fit, he played three, four games, wasn't fit, still not fit.

36:36But he still made a difference.

36:37John Obi Mikel:But you can see the way he was playing. You can see the way he was getting. He was approaching the game. He was there. He was just everything he does. He was showing up for the game. He was the right passes, breaking the lines with passes. Because he's not scared of playing those passes and making mistakes. Every city makes it play, and I see it right now, they're scared of playing this ball through the lines. Because they're scared if it's going to be intercepted. But that's what you have to do. Try to break the lines with those passes. And that's what Rodri does. That's what Rodri does. So for me, you know, without Rodri, I don't see City going anywhere.

37:12John Obi Mikel:Honestly, I don't see City going anywhere. And it's crazy to see what Liverpool are going through. Started the season. Started the season like a house on fire, mate. They were relying on late goals though, John. Yeah, but they were winning games. But they were winning games. But now, to say the wheels are off. The wheels are fucking off, mate. They've lost five of their last six. It is off. They've lost their last four league games. Arna Slott's coming out and he's saying, we're brittle. the teams have found us out this is him saying this I don't like when he comes out and say that I don't like when a manager comes out and say that and complain and say teams find the world this is the Premier League this is why it's the toughest league in the world teams find you out mate they find you out pretty quickly that's why paid for the master exactly you have to keep changing you have to keep playing with the game you have to keep thinking and try to grow with the game because every week the game advanced, the game has changed because teams find a different way of trying to win a game.

38:14John Obi Mikel:This is the Premier League and this is why it's the toughest league in the world. You have to find a way of winning games and when your manager comes out and says, yes teams have found the way of playing against us, this is what they do and they do really really well against us. You're telling the team at the weekend, come play the same way you're gonna beat us. And it's not like he's finding a way of trying to find a way to win that game. Yes, long throws. Yes, set pieces. Yes, corner kicks. Teams in the Premier League, this is what they find a way of, they find a way of scoring goals and winning games.

38:45John Obi Mikel:You have to adapt as a manager. You have to find a way of adapting. Get your team to set up properly. You know what I mean? If it's a throw in coming, get Van Dijk or Konate to come and stand in front trying to head that ball away. It just was us back in the day. We find a way. We played against Stoke back in the day. we dealt with it yes okay yes we're big guys we're very physical you know the land of the giants exactly we're very physical but we found a way we found a way there is no height in this Liverpool team if you take out Van Dijk and Connacht that's it there's no height you know Cherkis you know Cherkis is diminutive I mean who's been pointing it right back Sobushla he's not massive is he then you look at Alexis McAle still ain't big Salah certainly not big.

39:35Graven Birch, okay.

39:36John Obi Mikel:Graven Birch, Isak, I mean, again, we'll get to Isak, but all of a sudden, Young Bradley, yeah, Young Bradley is not that big as well. So, all of a sudden, it looks like the wheel has fallen off at Liverpool. But, we have to remember last season, this was the manager that came into the football club last season and took over from one of the best managers we've ever seen in the Premier League, the Jurgen Klopp. And everybody was saying, how is this Liverpool team going to continue being successful because this is going to be a massive, massive miss, you know, for Liverpool. And he came in to the football club.

40:13John Obi Mikel:Yes, you might say, you know, it was a, he tried, it was a hit and miss because if he didn't win the Premier League last season, there was no pressure. No, none. Because he's taking over, he's just coming, he's taking over, you know, a team, a Liverpool team that's been built by Jürgen Klopp. There was no pressure for him. So it was a hit and miss for him in the Premier League. But then what happened? He went on to win the Premier League. So expectations. The expectation now is, now show us. And again, you've said, okay. He's come out and said, yes, I've inherited one of the best teams in the Premier League, which Jürgen Klopp has built.

40:46John Obi Mikel:Yes, it was a Jürgen Klopp team. And you won the Premier League with that team. Now he's decided, you know what? I'm going to get rid of those players. And I'll show the Premier League and show everybody that this is my team. And I'm going to win the Premier League. I'm going to defend the Premier League with this team. It's not working out for him. No. It's not working out for him. He has to find a way of getting those plays. I don't care how he finds a way. When you have Isaac, you have Salah, Ekitike, who's been absolutely brilliant. Isaac, now he's coming to the football. You brought in Isaac, and now you're starting benching Ekitike.

41:24John Obi Mikel:For me, I thought out of those plays, Ekitike was the one that was on fire. He was scoring goals. He was playing well. and to take him out of the team, all of a sudden for me, it was a strange decision. And bringing in Issa, who wasn't in a proper preseason, yes, he trained for two, three weeks, but still not much fitness. Still not much fit. And to drop a player who's had a proper preseason, who's been on fire, scoring goals, winning new games, to absolutely drop him from the team for no reason was just strange. And since then, it looks like the wheel has fallen off. Isak is not fit. He's not playing well.

42:03John Obi Mikel:In Newcastle, everybody was playing for Isak. Correct. The balls were playing. Exactly. You have those players running down the wing, crossing the balls and trying to get him to score goals. In Liverpool, everybody played for Mohamed Salah. Exactly. When Mohamed Salah has the ball, he's not going to fucking pass the ball to his doctor's goal. No, he's not. He's going to want to score. It's true. You know what I mean? Ketika want to score. You know, Gagpo want to score because that's how they feel they stay in the team. So, Isak needs to find a way of getting himself in that team because right now he's not in that team.

42:36John Obi Mikel:If you look at all those front four, for me, the one person who shouldn't be starting in that team right now is Isak. He's not playing well. He's not playing well. Isak, Mo Salah, of course, yes, he's the man. All the records, goalscoring, everything he's done for Liverpool, yes. His ender right to, even when he's not playing that well, for a few games, you still give him that benefit of the out, you know, put him in the team. But at some point, you got to start thinking about the team. You have to start thinking about the team. Do I, do I, do I put him out? Do I leave him out in some games? Do I try to manage him?

43:12John Obi Mikel:He's, what, 33 now? He's not young. He's not, he's not a spring chicken anymore. You know what I mean? So, how do you try to manage his fitness? But we've seen that with Mo Salah. If you rest him again, he's getting pissed off. He wants to play every single game. Yeah, he does. getting pitched off. He did that with with yoga club. We saw that. And that's why yoga club thought, you know what? Yeah. I'm done. I'm done. Because he was looking, trying to look after him. Because when you're 33, you can't play every single game. Yes, you play the weekend, the Champions League. Come on, look after yourself.

43:49John Obi Mikel:Sometimes speak to the manager and say, you know what? I need a rest here because I want to be fresh for the game on the weekend. I want to be fresh for the game, you know, the Champions League game, you know, on Wednesday or Tuesday. day. Not get pitched off because when you start getting pitched off, the whole team starts to, you know, negativity here and there. I saw on the pitch, you know, when he was coming into the, when he was about to come into the Champions League game, he was pitched off. I understand, yes, it's Bosa, like he wants to play every game. It's ender right. Yes. But sometimes look after yourself.

44:17John Obi Mikel:You're 33 years old. You're not that young anymore. Just look after yourself. When you play, you try to make sure that you fit, you're fresh, you can give everything for the team. and that's that's a massive massive dilemma for Anas Lov to try to sort out because that is going to be going forward he has to think about it do I leave Mo Salah out on some games do I play Kitike Isak Vert and Gakpo because this for me this is the future of the team this is the future of the team Mo Salah it doesn't matter what he thinks if his contract runs out that's it he's done so those guys are the future of the football club.

44:57John Obi Mikel:Anastasia has to find a way of dealing with that situation. You talk about body language, John, very quickly, last word on Liverpool. The game against United, week or so back, Virgil van Dijk, Milos Kerkhez, 21 years of age, brought in from Bournemouth, obviously, big stage for him. There's no doubt he struggled at the start of this season. Virgil van Dijk, the captain of the football club, and again, I'm going to have a pop-up Virgil, this might be a bit controversial, but his body language towards Kerkhez, John, rolling of the eyes, quite evidently, frustrated annoyed disappointed angry at Kerkis there was a moment in the second half as well ball hits Kerkis in the face Van Dijk again his body language and I'm thinking to myself he's the captain of the football club should he not be encouraging as opposed to very very evidently looking cheesed off that this young lad is having a bad game next to me you've been in an unforgiving dressing room what's your take on that listen there's two issues isn't it like you know Obviously, he's frustrated.

45:57John Obi Mikel:But at the same time, when you're frustrated, look at yourself as well. Look at your performances. Yeah. You know, the game against Manchester United, you can talk about the first goal. He couldn't sprint back enough to stop Mbwemo from taking the shot. You know, Mbwemo headed the ball with him. Got up. Was on the floor, got up, sprinted, passed him and got the goal. So sometimes, yes, he should also look at his performances. But again, yes, a young player. But Caracas as well. I just think, you know, his performances, listen, sometimes when you play for, we've seen it, we've said it so many times, playing for smaller clubs, no disrespect to Bournemouth, but they are, but they are, you know, playing for clubs like that, you know, the pressure is less pressure.

46:42John Obi Mikel:There's no pressure of winning week in week out. There's no pressure of trying to win the Premier League because that's what Virgil van Dijk is thinking. We want to win the Premier League. But for Kerkers, he's thinking, I'm coming from Bournemouth where we don't have that pressure of trying to win the Premier League. We don't have the pressure of winning week in, week out. He needs to learn pretty quickly that he's now playing for one of the biggest clubs in England, in the world, Liverpool. So the shirt gets heavier. The pressure is much, much higher because you have to win every game, every weekend.

47:14John Obi Mikel:So he needs to quickly get used to that because that's what Liverpool Football Club is. They win games week in, week out. They win titles. Yes, I can understand the frustration from Jojo Van Dijk, that he's trying to make sure that his left back is awake. Because we've seen that. Yes, JT did that, you know. But he also did that sometimes with a bit of class, a bit of respect, you know, and not show it way too much. But Jojo Van Dijk needs to find a way of dealing with that. And yes, the eyes rolling, the flinging of their arms. We've seen again, Fernandes does that at Manchester United Way, fling his arms.

47:54John Obi Mikel:Even when it's a fucking mistake, he gives a shit pass. He's waving his arms, blaming everybody. Yeah, you're right. But Van Dijk needs to understand that, yeah, he's a young player. Yes, he's been accustomed. He's been used to playing with Robo and Robertson next to him. But now he's playing, he's got this young player who's not very, very tall, who's, you know. Yes, teams are going to find him out because teams are going to go in the backcours and try to put him across. teams find a way of winning games they look at the weak points and they exploit it yes kirkus he's not that tall he doesn't have the heights teams will go back stick flick the ball and try to get the second ball and try to score goals so he needs to understand that and that's why he needs to help the young player he needs to help the young player because this is his first season i think he's a brilliant player kirkus i think he's going to be absolutely fantastic for liverpool but i think he needs a bit of time sometimes some players come into massive big big football clubs and they need time.

48:49John Obi Mikel:They need time. We've seen that with Vert. Vert as well, I think he's going to be an absolute brilliant player. Absolute brilliant player. Make no mistake about that. I think he's going to be a super, super star for Liverpool. But right now, he's just not finding his fit. He's not finding his fit at all. And once he gets, once he understands what the Premier League is and how to play in the Premier League, I think he's going to be absolutely brilliant, Vert. So, there's been a lot of changes at Liverpool. There's been a lot of new players coming to the football club. And I just think the way they started the league, the way they started the Premier League, let's not forget a massive, massive tragedy happened at that football club.

49:31John Obi Mikel:Massive tragedy happened that no one expected. You know, very, very sad, sad, sad, you know, situation, you know, the loss of Jota. and it just seemed that we thought, okay, that's going to have an emotional disbalance of the team. It's going to affect them a lot, which is the case. You know what I mean? Human beings. We're all human beings. You know, we're all human beings and you're talking about one of the most popular players in the dressing room. Yeah, fair. Loved by everybody. Fair. Loved by all the players, the staff, you know, the workers, that everybody absolutely loved him. And for such a tragic news to happen.

50:19Yeah.

50:20John Obi Mikel:And it just seems that the way they've started the season, it wasn't forgotten because I can see every 20 minutes, there's still, you know, round of applause, you know, in the stadium. But it just seemed that... Yeah, you're like... It just moved... Not moved on... The emotions of it could still... You're up. It's still there. But it just seemed that winning those games and being top of the league, It just seemed that everything was just, which wasn't the case. But now I know that should be there because as human beings, as footballers, we spend so much time together with my teammates more than I do with my family because I'm every day in the dressing room.

51:03John Obi Mikel:I go in at 10 a.m. in the morning or 9.30 and I go back home around 4.30 p.m. I spend every fucking day with this guy. You travel. You travel. You stay in the restroom, you know, in a hotel. You do everything together. And to lose such a massive figure at the football club, it's a massive tragedy. And yes, definitely, definitely, it's something that's going to affect this place because we're all human beings. It doesn't matter how well they're playing. It doesn't matter how well they started the season. Definitely, definitely will affect this place. Definitely. So for me, whatever's happening at the football club, I just think the emotions, the feelings is still there.

51:47John Obi Mikel:And when you look at Mo Salah right now, very, very close to Jota, very close ahead, he doesn't look himself. No, he doesn't. He looks a shadow of himself. So I will be very careful and very calm the way we criticize this Liverpool team. You know, yes, they're not playing right now, but let's not forget what happened in the summer. Let's not forget what happened in the summer. Listen, I take on board that, John. You're absolutely right. Whilst a lot of new players into the football club, they're also dealing with a tragedy that as human beings, it's going to take time. I take that point massively.

52:24Listen, conscious of time, I've got to ask as well, next month, John, in a few short weeks' time, how your beloved Nigeria are still kicking in this World Cup. But there are a big couple of games upcoming, well, I say a big couple of games, one big game they're going to get past Gabon they win that game they then face the winner of the Democratic Republic of Congo they take on Cameroon if they win that there's still more games to come but your World Cup dream is still alive

52:52John Obi Mikel:still alive still alive our World Cup dream is still alive I spoke about it before the two games I said whatever's happening whatever we can talk about everything that's going on with the FA all the negativity all the corruption and everything that's going on we can talk about it as much as we want but those two games was were two massive must-win games and we did that credit to the boys credit to the players they absolutely did that and of course the main man we've talked about so many time in the in this podcast um absolutely brilliant yes he was against benin people can say yes he's score that hat-trick against Benin.

53:36John Obi Mikel:You still have to score that hat-trick. You still have to show up in the biggest, no matter how you look at it. For me, it was our biggest game in the season. Because if we didn't win that game, we wouldn't be talking about right now, still alive, of trying to qualify for the World Cup. Victor Osime, single-handedly, has kept us alive. Three great goals. Single-handedly has kept us alive. comes in in one of the biggest game of their lives of all nigerians life because if we didn't win that game that's it we're done normal world cup one of the biggest game he's come on he's come out and he's got a fucking hat trick hat trick and the goals the passion as well that he showed you can see the intensity the passion the aggressivity the the the willingness that he had in that game he wanted to win that game.

54:33John Obi Mikel:The pressure was on. When the pressure is on, the big boys step up. They step up. And that's exactly what he's done. He is the main man. He is the big boy right now in that team. And we all needed him. And what has he done? Stepped up and scored a fucking hat-trick. That's what you need. That's what you need from your top man. From your best player. And now we can say we're still alive. Trying to qualify. for the World Cup. Mistakes happened early on in the qualification. For some reason, yes, Victor fell out with the manager. He didn't play a couple of the games, but you can see that the games that he didn't play and the games, the amount of games that we've won without him and the amount of games that we won with him in the team.

55:24John Obi Mikel:It's incredible. Yeah. It's incredible. Yes, the team is playing. Yes, of course, it's a team game, but make no mistake about that. He's the man. He's the man that scores those goals. He's the man that wins those games. We now have another opportunity in the playoffs to make sure that we qualify. The job is not done. The job is only starting. It's only starting. It's only starting because the playoffs is going to be absolutely crucial. It's going to be absolutely massive because every country in that playoffs are going to do every single thing that they have to do to win those games. And this is where I think the Nigerian FA, the Nigerian, whatever they want to do, I know that other countries are going to come up.

56:16John Obi Mikel:What they will do, what they will tell their players is if you qualify us for the World Cup, we will give you extra, extra this and that bonuses here and there. That's what I want to see the Nigerian FA come out and do. They need to come out and they need to make sure that they do everything possible to motivate those players. Yes, it is a World Cup. You don't need any more motivation to go to the World Cup. I was going to say pride. Exactly, pride and everything. But still, we find ourselves now in this situation. We have to get ourselves out of this situation. The FA needs to do everything on their path.

56:49John Obi Mikel:Yeah. The players have to do their part, which is knowing that you have maybe one chance in a lifetime to go to the fucking World Cup. You played, how many did you play twice? I played twice. I missed 2010 through injury when I had my knee surgery. I missed that. I would have had three, but two is enough. I'm not that greedy, man. But as a player, you don't need any more motivation to go to the world. Because you never know. You never know in the next four years what's going to happen. So take the opportunity right now as a player. Embrace it. Embrace the pressure. take it on your chin and make sure that you go out there in that playoff give everything for the nation play your hearts out and make sure we qualify because it is going to be absolutely tough and no game all the games are going to be played in morocco so there's no home advantage here there's no home advantage there's no you don't have your fans screaming and support no no no no no no no man's land mate come there and perform play well win the games and you're true So that's what we have to do.

57:51John Obi Mikel:And I'm sure that, you know, the boys, Victor Simer, you know, William Trost-Econ, the captain, Ndidi, all those players, the experienced players I'm mentioning right now, they have to lead the younger players. Lead the younger players. Tell them what it means to go to the World Cup. And we have to make sure we qualify. I've said it so many times. We have to make this World Cup. We have to. It's a disaster if we don't. But I'm telling you, it's a disaster. Second time in a row, we have to qualify. We have to qualify. Because you have over 270 million, 300 million people dying to watch Nigeria again in the World Cup.

58:35So we have to make sure we qualify. There's no excuses. Gabon, and then, as I say, you've got to beat Gabon, and then it will be the Democratic Republic of Congo or Cameroon. And then, even if you win that...

58:46John Obi Mikel:You still go to another player. It's mental. It's absolutely mental. But that's where we found ourselves now. You know, when you take qualifications, especially qualifications as well, African qualifications, it's so tough. It's so difficult. Unforgiving. Unforgiving, mate. You slip, that's it. You find yourself struggling towards the latter stage of the qualification. That's exactly what happened. We had to beat the likes of Leselto at home, which we drew, and a couple of other results, which we meshed up. But right now we find ourselves in this situation. So we're still alive. So we have to make sure we, you know, we qualify and we play well.

59:23John Obi Mikel:And I'm sure, you know, the lads and everybody, they will give everything. I believe in this team. Like I said so many times, when we won the Nations Cup, our squad back then, trust me, it's not as good as the squad. Not as good. Their squad's better? Yes. That's big. We're not a shout out to that. This squad is better. Better. Look at the defense that they have. I know. Look at the defense they have. And Calvin. Calvin, you have... What's the other guy's name who played? Oh, you've got Troost. We've got Troost, you know, the captain. I like him. You know, so you have Victor Osime, you have Moses Simon, you have Luke Mann as well.

1:00:08John Obi Mikel:Yes, when we obviously, when we won, I was there. Victor was there. You know, we had the likes of, you know, Brownie Day, Manuel Emineke. We had a good team as well. All your ex-teammates are going to be on the WhatsApp.

1:00:24John Obi Mikel:No, what I'm saying is... You're now panicking, aren't you? No, no, no, no. No, what I'm saying is, in terms of where they are playing today, the level of where they're playing, you know, they are playing in much better teams than we did. You know, most of our players, you know, we're not playing the Premier League, but you need to look at them right now, Premier League, Spanish League, Italian League. So in terms of the standard and where they play right now, I think yes. But I think when we played, we were more as a team. We were more of a team. Yeah, we're more of a unit. We were very, very strong, very physical and very, very aggressive in terms of what we wanted.

1:01:12John Obi Mikel:When we know we had you, we went for it. we went for it we killed and that's what we did we never let you off the hook that's what we did we were so good at it in 2013 when we won the Nations Cup absolute brilliant when we score one we go for two three four and we make sure we kill the game and that's what I don't see anymore I love to see a bit more of that but you never know if this team now play against my team back in the day there's only going to be one winner message below who wins I think we win though I think on our prime, on our prime, I think, I'm not trying to be bad. You're now reversing, you're reversing that earlier comment.

1:01:53I love it, John. I love it. You're now panicking. Who's WhatsApp to me?

1:01:58John Obi Mikel:Who am I in trouble? No, I think on our prime, we were frightening. We were frightening to play against. We were so good going forward. We were so good. Victor Moses on his prime. Oh, he was scary to play against. You were number 10. Me as the number 10. And we had a guy called Etebo on Nazi. So I had these two sitters. Yeah, I had these two guys sitting for me. They could run all fucking day. They just tell me, Mikel, don't worry, we'll get the ball and pass to you. Hey, that's what you want. And that's what I did. Absolutely brilliant team though. Well, right, final two. Do Nigeria qualify for the World Cup, yes or no?

1:02:34Yes, I think we do. Good. Do Chelsea beat Tottenham at the weekend, yes or no?

1:02:38John Obi Mikel:Yes, I think we do. I think it's a game that suits us really, really well. I think playing against big teams is going to be easy. Not easy, but I think it suits us really, really well. We find a way of playing against those big teams. So for me, I think it's going to be a great game. It's a must win for us. It's a must win for us. If we lose that game and other teams behind us win, we find ourselves in a very difficult position in the league. And if Arsenal win again, that's 11 points. You don't want to be 11 points off Arsenal right now. in the season. No, not after 10 games. Right, another edition of Taking the Mikel in the Can.

1:03:14I want to mark your cards for a few things because season four of the Obi-Wan podcast made possible by Betwin.

1:03:21John Obi Mikel:It's crazy to say, just one more thing. You know, we talked about, you know, the Nations Cup and it's crazy. I just read, you know, a couple of days ago that there was no single referee. Nigerian. Nigerian referee to referee in the Nations Cup. Yeah. last time that there was a Nigerian who refereed in the African Cup of Nations was 2019. 2019 was the last time an Nigerian referee refereed in Nations Cup. And your continental competition. That is mind-blowing. Absolute mind-blowing. They're claiming our calf. There is no claiming. There is no fucking claiming here. We are the biggest country in Africa with the biggest footballing talent in Africa.

1:04:10John Obi Mikel:And our league, yes, our league is not the best. Yes, you must say South Africa, Egyptian League, and all this, much better than our league. But, still, you talk about Nigeria here. We're talking about Nigeria. Yeah. How can we not have one single, one single referee to go and officiate in the Nations Cup? The excuse is there's not enough. they're not experienced enough in VAR is the official line. But there is a training that's going to go on isn't it? With the referees they're bringing all the referees next month to train all these referees ahead of the tournament. So why don't you bring in a Nigerian referee as well and train a couple of Nigerian referees to go and officiate in the Nations Cup?

1:04:57John Obi Mikel:For me that's just disrespectful. Absolutely disrespectful. Yes you might talk about integrity, corruption whatever it is. Factors, yes. But it's not just nigeria no it's not just fucking nigeria so you can't single out nigeria and say nigerian referee that the integrity you know they you don't know if you can trust them you don't know if they're reliable you can't say that you take them there you train them we're all still learning you train them you teach them they will understand you have a month or two you have a month before the tournament. It's absolutely insane that there's no one single referee from Nigeria.

1:05:37John Obi Mikel:For me, whatever excuse that CAF is giving is absolutely BS. It's bullshit. I'm not buying it. Right, he ain't buying it. There'll be a lot of people nodding in agreement on that front. Apparently, as I say, it's because of the lack of experience in VAR, but to your point, integrity, other issues have been brought up in the wider kind of spectrum of things, but it's disrespectful. It's respectful. It is. Absolutely respectful. Right. The big names keep on coming. We have knocked it out the park. I'm not at liberty to tell you who's upcoming in the coming weeks. We're keeping that a secret. But this Thursday, third episode, we're continuing the Brazilian theme.

1:06:15We went from Oscar to Zico. This is a really good one, John. You sat for an hour with this man.

1:06:21John Obi Mikel:Yes. Luis Felipe. Felipe. Yeah, Luis Felipe. He's going to be the next big manager. Oh, he's going to be the next big thing in terms of managers. No doubt. Absolutely.

1:06:33John Obi Mikel:brilliant guy to talk to. Smart. Very, very smart. Intelligent. Very tuned in to what he's doing. Knows the game. Speaks the game. Reads the game really, really well. I mean, I played with him. I knew how quiet he was in the dressing room. But when I, now when I see him as a manager and when I spoke to him, when I sat down with him trying to get insight of how he sees the game, how he tries to evolve in the game is just refreshing. It's refreshing to see him doing so well and the way he's handling that Flamengo team. And we saw them in the Club World Cup. They beat us as well. 3-1. Future Chelsea Bulls.

1:07:16John Obi Mikel:Sorry? Future Chelsea Bulls. I know, I know. You have to tune in to know and listen what he said about the club. And also the system of how he played. He wanted to play how he read the team, how we watched our team and the loopholes that he found out, knowing that if his team plays the same way, the way he wants them to play, there's absolutely no doubt. He was 100 % sure knowing that they were going to beat us because he watched us. He studied the team. And it's just so refreshing to see him doing so well. Absolutely brilliant. I think he will be a definite future Chelsea manager. Yeah, he's the next big thing out of South America.

1:07:56As John says, that is an exclusive. John in conversation with Luis Felipe that episode drops on Thursday okay so mark it do give us a follow it is the Obi-Wan podcast you can get us on YouTube you can get us wherever you get your podcast from and of course we're across all of social media some monster names and I mean monster names coming in the coming weeks but up first it is Luis Felipe right John that is it good luck for the weekend big one away at Tottenham you're probably I shall see when we'll be back again to review it all next week. Te lafana.