Salomon Kalou Exclusive: Abramovich’s Secret House, Drogba’s Ferrari & THAT Ballack Punch-Up

19:12Salomon Kalou:Yeah.

19:12John Obi Mikel:They perfected really, really well. And for me, I keep saying it. It's illegal. I can't accept that. Not for one minute. And I know a lot of people can say, Mikael, oh yeah, whatever. Yes, oh yeah, whatever. You can win whatever way you want to win. But when I look at this Asana team right now, they are so desperate to win the Premier League title. After 22 years, they can cheat their way through it. They can cheat their way through it. This is a cheat code of winning the title. I would love. It is a cheat code. I would love. Play the game the right way and win the right way. Yeah. Week in, week out, they do this.

19:50John Obi Mikel:Grabbing, holding players, impeding the goalkeeper, which is what I can't. How is it legal for a goalkeeper? Not fucking Sanchez anyways, because that wasn't a foul. We get to that. No, it wasn't. The second goal wasn't a foul. He can protest all he wants. It wasn't a foul. It's his fucking fault. Yeah. He spent so much time trying to shove plays away And he misjudged everything that was the ball The flight of the ball, everything Yeah He did So that's his fault Yeah But generally I'm talking about It is illegal what this Arsenal team Yes, the clan rice delivery Yes, Saka's delivery But this player is Saka Are you telling me you're limiting Saka's ability to cross in the fucking ball?

20:35John Obi Mikel:He's earning 300 ,000 in that football club He's the main man He's the star boy like they call him. Don't limit his ability to cross in fucking corner kicks. Yeah. He has so much to his game. He can create creativity. There was nothing in that game from Arsenal that game when I watched during the weekend. Nothing. We played well in the second half. We played well in the second half. We should have won that game. That's the game we should have won. We can't get to that again. Our discipline record, again, something that we need to stamp out of that team. So, again, Arsenal Football Club, if you want to win the Premier League, which I know you're so desperate right now in doing, after 22 fucking years, and this is your time, this is your year, when everybody has tipped you that this is your year to do it.

21:23John Obi Mikel:If you don't win it right now, it's a fucking disgrace. We call you butlers again. It's a fucking disgrace that you're not going to win it right now. And now they're finding a way of winning it by cheating. They are cheating their way through this, of winning the Premier League. And I'm not going to sit here and say that, yes, everybody has the right way to play. Everybody has the right to win the way they want, but not by cheating. It is cheating. When you're holding players, when you're impeding the goalkeeper. For me, I can debate this with you all fucking day, mate. It's a fucking foul.

22:02Salomon Kalou:Right, two instances I want to get your thoughts on. The Declan Rice one in the first half is a handball. He turns his back away, his head away, strikes the elbow. It's an unbelievable save, by the way, from David Raya. Then the second corner comes in, Chelsea get an equaliser. Is that a penalty, yes or no?

22:18John Obi Mikel:That's a penalty all day fucking long. First of all, before we get to the handball.

22:26John Obi Mikel:We see it so much, John, though. Exactly. That's what I'm saying. The referee should clamp, but there is no other teams that do it. I watch the Premier League all the time.

22:36Salomon Kalou:There's a few that do it.

22:37John Obi Mikel:There's a few that do it, but they think if Arsenal get away with it, so can we. So can we. We can get away with it as well. But the regional other team that do it as much as Arsenal, they've been doing it the whole season. The whole fucking season. Not one game, not two games, Chris. The whole fucking season, they have been doing it and they keep doing it and they keep getting away with it. How is that possible? How is the officials? Again, the reason why the VA is coming is to see things like this. You know, I know how difficult it is for the referees. I know the job is so, so difficult. I can understand that.

23:14John Obi Mikel:When the pace is going 100 miles per hour, they can't see everything. They can't control everything. The VA is there now to help them stamp out and see and correct mistakes like this. And still, they're still fucking getting wrong.

23:26Salomon Kalou:So where I've got, and where I am totally with you, the Declan Rice one, his hands are on the player. It's the handball for me they've got to look at. The second instance in the second half, I want to get to this because...

23:38John Obi Mikel:But did you even see the second goal when Declan Rice again was holding the player and he wasn't even looking at the ball. He turned his back. He was not looking at the ball. And he was grabbing again the same player. He was manhandling him and was not looking at the ball. How is that? When we played, we never grabbed players like this. I can promise you 100%. I know. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, Chris. This is on a different level. I know. I had to run with my man. I had to run. The only thing I can do was to give him a little shot off. Yeah. And make sure he doesn't hit the ball.

24:10John Obi Mikel:So he's off balance. So he's off balance. Yeah. I never grabbed anybody. I never grabbed manhandle. This is manhandling. Yeah. I never manhandle a player like this. It's a fucking joke that they get away with it.

24:21Salomon Kalou:The instance what I was going to bring you to is, and I know you and I differ on the David Raya. I think he gets the ball before he makes contact with João Pedro. I know you think he punches through João Pedro first. Oh, he knocked his head off. Well, maybe get the footage of it. I was surprised his head is still hanging on. Where we both in agreement. You talk about manhandling. I'm not an Arsenal fan. I've got no skin in the game. But when William Saliba pins João Pedro and his hands down, so he's got no leverage to jump, that's a penalty for me. He grabs him. He's like a salmon. He can't do anything.

24:53Salomon Kalou:especially when you consider

24:55John Obi Mikel:it wasn't only that day Chris they do this every fucking weekend Arsenal do this every fucking weekend they do this you know Arsenal fans are loving how pissed off you are no I'm so pissed off not because they beat us not because they beat us not because they cheated their way through beating us again 10 games in a row we haven't beaten Arsenal It's a crime. It's too much. It's a disaster for our football club against Chelsea. Ten games. It's been close to five years since we beat Arsenal Football Club. It's been close to four or five years since Chelsea. Chelsea Football Club. The biggest club in London.

25:38John Obi Mikel:The most successful football club in London. Ten fucking years. The Arsenal Football Club that we used to smash. Left, right, left and centre. Whatever, we used to smash them. Did I say it, John? did I say it? Four, five years it's been that we haven't beaten Arsenal Football Club. They have scored, I think, 22 goals in 10 games against us. They've won seven, I think. Drone three. Arsenal and Chelsea Football Club. The rivalry. The team that we knew how to beat. The team that we had in our fucking pocket.

26:17Salomon Kalou:Yeah, your team. But you know what's happened. You know what I mean? But you know what's happened, John? Who are the streetwise ones now? Like of you guys back in the day. It's Arsenal who are now streetwise. Now they're the streetwise. And it's Chelsea, pretty patterns at times. But now I'll say it. This Chelsea, this young Chelsea team is now mimicking Arsenal of 10 years ago. Pretty patterns, but do they have enough dog in them? This Arsenal team, whether you like it or not, they're dogging them. Gabriel, absolute shithouse. Grace and respect. You need that. Saliba Declan Rice there's enough mongrel in this Arsenal team that I actually applaud I don't like Arsenal I'm not an Arsenal fan but I can see now you're talking about the fact back in your day the shoes on the other foot this Arsenal team are street wise which you boys used to be and this Chelsea team

27:07John Obi Mikel:is perhaps a little bit Chris I don't mind the way they play the game my issue here which I've made which I can stand on every single day is the set pieces is the set pieces yeah fair I don't mind how they play their football, which is shit anyway. It's boring. There's no creativity, nothing. I don't mind that. We play not pretty. But when you're cheating, I'm not for that. When you're cheating, we can we count. We can all see it. How come the FA are not seeing this? How come the officials are not seeing this? Thinking every week now we have to keep an eye on this. We have to make an example of this.

27:47John Obi Mikel:If they are watching the FA, if they are watching the FA, the officials, the VAR in fucking somewhere in London there. Yeah, in a parking lot. In a parking lot. How can you miss this week in, week out? It's not possible. You have the VAR there to see it. We've seen penalties given. Yeah, I know. The VAR can say, you know what? Go have a look at this.

28:09Salomon Kalou:I think there's been seven penalties given from set pieces where there's been jostling in the box. Four of them went to VAR. across the season. And I think the crazy thing, I'm a United fan, right? So you know that, listeners and viewers know that as well. I look at the incident in the United game at Old Trafford. Lacroix pulling back. Oh, my word. Right? There is very little contact there. Oh, how do I open up? Exactly. It changes the game and it's a red card. A red card, yeah. You then compare that to what? With Saliba. I'm with you on that. I'm looking at that. It's a fucking joke. The game's gone a little bit.

28:44Salomon Kalou:It's a fucking joke. How is that? Okay, you could argue penalty maybe, but a red card for that. A red card for that. At Old Trafford. Man, he only just pinned his shoulder a little bit. And Cunha. And Cunha went and flew again, like he shot him with some. I was bloody delighted, John, but I'm looking at that going. And again, when you compare them, you're like -

29:02John Obi Mikel:When you compare the two incidents, there is no comparison. There is no comparison. Again, it's the consistency of these referees, these officials, the consistency, week in, week out. the biggest league in the world, with so much in it, so much riding on it, especially in this crucial time, this critical time, where teams, clubs are fighting for relegation, fighting for fourth place, Champions League sport, European sport, to win the Premier League titles. You can't be getting it wrong. You can't be getting it wrong. So you think, John, Arsenal, there is favoritism towards Arsenal. I'm not sitting here saying that.

29:41John Obi Mikel:But when you keep looking at the week in week out, the amount of stuff that they get away with, you can have an argument to that. You can have a legitimate argument to that saying, is there a favoritism for Arsenal to go on and win this title? Maybe. Is everybody bored of Manchester City winning the title? Maybe. Because they've won it so many times. Because Pep Guardiola, for me, is the picky blinders of all fucking managers. He's the man. He's the boss. He knows how to win titles. He's put so much pressure to this Arsenal side that they've become so fucking desperate. When you watch them play, when I watch this Arsenal side play now, you know, there's so much pressure on them.

30:27John Obi Mikel:The nerves that they have. They're dealing with it. The legs are heavy. It's like they can't run anymore. It's like the creativity is gone. When the legs are heavy, when you're nervous, when you're feeling the pressure, When you've been tipped to be the guy to win the Premier League title, when the weight of everything is on you, the share of the club becomes heavier. Your legs become heavier. This is the pressure that this Arsenal side are feeling right now. And Pep Guardiola keep mounting that pressure on them with his statement, with his mind games. Week in, week out. So much to go. So much can happen.

31:04John Obi Mikel:He keeps, he knows how to play the mind games. And he's been there. He's done it. He's a smart guy. And he's putting that pressure on his Arsenal side. Watching Mikel Ateta on the touchline, under the gap. He looks like a guy full of bag of nerves. Yeah, he does. Bag of nerves. Kicking, shouting, screaming. Sometimes going into the pitch to grab the ball. And he needs to be fucking red card. He needs to go sit down. That's what needs to happen. That nerves. I can feel his nerve. I'm watching from, I'm watching at home. I can feel his nerves. I can feel the pressure coming out from that jacket he keeps wearing all the time.

31:43John Obi Mikel:That was just rubbing off his place. When his players watch him and they think, oh, fucking hell, he's on it, isn't it? Bag of nerves he is at the touchline. I'm going to be nervous as well, mate. I'm going to be fucking nervous. I think that's what's rubbing off his place. They look nervous. They look like they've run out of ideas. There's nothing more they can do. And that's why they've depended solely, so much more on free kicks and corner kicks.

32:06Salomon Kalou:It's going to be interesting to see how this goes. I think you're on to something. I mean, listen, there will be those screaming in their television. I'm not up to nothing. It's just sometimes when you see things like that,

32:16John Obi Mikel:as a Chelsea fan, I don't fucking want to see Arsenal win the Premier League title. In my lifetime, I don't want to see them because... You don't like them? No.

32:24Salomon Kalou:You just made that clear. I think everyone watching or listening to this knows that you do not like Arsenal Football Club.

32:32John Obi Mikel:And the way they keep beating us right now is just, you know, it's not nice. you know the football club it's so nice to see it's so nice to see that we get we get we get we get we get we get we get we get we get every time we play against Arsenal

32:44Salomon Kalou:we keep losing you're a broken man John we've got through 30 minutes and you've just said it it's not nice I keep fucking ranting about Arsenal but it's fucking true mate I love it I love it John and listen right Arsenal still five points clear yeah you're not enjoying it but we've got to give them credit City got the win it's over to Arsenal it's not pretty they won again they've got a great chance the Champions League I mean my goodness it's opened up for them Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16 if they get through that Bodo Glimt or Sporting Lisbon in the quarterfinals I mean couldn't be written any better

33:21John Obi Mikel:I mean they can cheat their way through fucking quadruple that's what they can do well you give them credit if they win the quadruple job no chance I'm giving them credit by winning this way you can't cheat your way through winning the fucking quadruple playing this way we've seen people we've seen teams win titles play in the right way so you think they're the worst we've seen PSG last season play fantastic football attacking football defending well winning the Champions League and of course the French League winning everything we've seen Pep Guardiola do it we saw Anasla do it last season we see Bayern Munich do it in Germany playing and winning the right way this is not we can week out we see Real Madrid do it in Spain.

34:05John Obi Mikel:Barcelona winning the right way. This will be, I tell you not, I kid you not, the worst team to win a title playing this way. In the Premier League. In the Premier League. I'll ask you a question, Chris. Have you seen some of your Chelsea teams? From the end of the season? When the team of the season is announced? I know where you're going with this. How many of this Arsenal front line? None. None. How many of this Arsenal front line. We'll get in the team. We'll get in that team. None. I bet you none of them. But... You want to talk about the defenders? Yeah. The goalkeeper. The goalkeeper 100%.

34:42John Obi Mikel:He's been absolutely amazing. Raya. David Raya. I'll give him that. He's been absolutely fantastic. David Raya.

34:48Salomon Kalou:Gabriel, Zubamendi, and Rice. Zubamendi, no, please. Declan Rice. Declan Rice. Zubamendi's been unbelievable. No, please, mate. It's your position. I'll bow to you, mate.

34:58John Obi Mikel:Declan Rice, yeah. No, Zubamendi. No, no Zubamendi. Declan Rice. You've just said it there. Raya, Saliba, Gabriel, Timba, yeah. Yeah, Timba, yeah. But because Rhys James, because of how we play, I still think Rhys James is a much better player than him. But this season, I give him that. If Arsenal go on to win the Premier League, Timba gets in that team. And Rice. And Declan Rice, of course. And Zubamini. Because Declan Rice is the driving force of this team. The driving force of this team. He is, Declan Rice. Make no mistake by that. But you are right. And I think he should be, next season, he needs to be the captain of this football club.

35:31John Obi Mikel:because I think for me, he's been absolutely magnificent. He's been superb. The way he plays, you know, not just defending, not just doing the dirty work, the way the goals, the creativity, the what he brings to the team. I'm going to say his corner kick delivery. His corner kicks. Just he's a full package. Absolute full package. And the what you need from your captain is to be constantly available for the team. And he does that week in, week out. He's constantly available. It doesn't matter how many minutes he plays. Declan Rice constantly available for the manager to select him and that's what you need for your top top player but you come back to again how many of these Arsenal players will get into the team of the season the attackers none Saka Martinelli Trossard Eze Jokare yeah Eze Madweke none of them nope none of them but they might get five or six.

36:30John Obi Mikel:They might get five or six. But then it comes down to, again, a manager having all these fantastic plays, not being able, not being able to get them to play the right way.

36:42Salomon Kalou:But you say not being able, but he's got them top of the league, John. I will come back to it. He's got them on four fronts. That's success of a football team. I'm just giving you the stats now.

36:50John Obi Mikel:I know you have, but... The stats that I gave you, 13 games they played, which they didn't score with set pieces. How many did they win? You're saying three or four? Three or four. Yeah, but they're winning. And when they have won games, they played 16. Set pieces won 15. Set pieces. They won 15. So again. So that tells you that the creative players haven't done enough. No, they've not. He hasn't been able to go the best out of them. He hasn't. It's a great game. And he comes down against the manager because you can't tell me that those players are not fantastic players. We saw what Elzey did for Crystal Palace last season.

37:23John Obi Mikel:Yes, he scored a few goals, but only a few. Right, Chelsea next season. All the goals he scored. and against Spurs. All his creativity was against the shithole Spurs. Anybody can be fantastic right now against Spurs. Anyone. Anyone can be brilliant against Spurs.

37:36Salomon Kalou:Even I can be fucking brilliant against Spurs right now. Here's a question, John. If Chelsea next season were to do exactly what Arsenal are doing this season, top of the league, Champions League last 16, final of the league cup, fifth round of the Emirates FA Cup, are you calling for your manager to be sacked or to change up? What are you doing? Are you happy? Are you sad? What are Chelsea fans?

37:58John Obi Mikel:Again, the Chelsea fans wouldn't be happy with it. I wouldn't be happy with the style of football. But? If he goes on and win it, if he goes on and win it, then of course, that's the title. That's the title. But I wouldn't be happy. Of course, I will say this is not the way we play football. This is not the right way for us to play football. And we shouldn't play this way because we have brilliant players that can be able to affect games. They can be able to change games. They can be able to create chances. that we can be able to score goals, playing the right way, creating chances, letting those players be free.

38:31John Obi Mikel:We have a lot of maverick players that can get you off your seat that you can be excited and go into the game. No, go into the game to watch again. We can week out your team scoring by set pieces, scoring by corner kicks. No, I wouldn't accept that. I wouldn't. I will definitely call for the manager to be sacked because that's not the Chelsea way. That's not the way we play. I know our fans. I know what our fans like to watch. Creative play. They come week in, week out to see our team play well and win games. That's what our teams want to see. I think it was a couple of seasons ago where I think we're winning or something and the fans booed us off the pitch because we're not playing the right way.

39:08John Obi Mikel:And I can tell you right now, the reason why these Arsenal fans, they can lie as much as they want. The reason why they're not calling for Mikel Ates to be sacked is because they're on the fucking top of the league. And they are five points clear. they know this is the only chance of them winning the league. And they don't want to create that negativity around the club now, saying calling for the manager of Issa. That is the only way they're keeping their mouth shut. And for me, that desperation. Right. I want to move on.

39:35Salomon Kalou:There's so much for us to discuss. I want to ask because I tell you what, Arsenal fans are loving the fact that you're hot under the collar. They're also going to be loving the fact... Chris, you can ask them.

39:44John Obi Mikel:They can lie as much as they want. It is the truth. They know it's the truth. They know that they're top of the league right now. Five points clear. with nine games to go or 10 games to go. The last thing they want is the negativity. They don't want to start calling for the manager to be sacked. They are not enjoying what they've seen. They don't like the style of play that they're watching. Sometimes it's way too slow. It's way too negative. It's way too rigid. You don't know where the goal is going to come from. The only player that was creating something was Saka. The combination between Saka and Odegaard that we're accustomed to, you know, where they do the triangle and they create something.

40:19John Obi Mikel:It's not there anymore. It's not there anymore. You know, they're licking their lips when they have corner kicks. And for a club who spent a billion in five years, they should have more.

40:29Salomon Kalou:They can do more. They maybe are not enjoying the style. But I can tell you now, any Arsenal fans listening or watching this are loving the fact that you're hot under the collar with it. One other thing that they're loving about Spurs. A defeat again. I mean, I come back to, you were questioning me off air last week when I said I would love it if Spurs go down. You're like, why? It would just be remarkable. The stadium, the training ground, a club of that size, and some would argue what size, they're not one much, but they are a big club in the English footballing. The club of that side with the stadium, I mean, yeah.

41:00Salomon Kalou:Yeah. For them to be winless in 10, you last week were defending Igor Tudor. My God, John, he's not wasted any time. He started smashing people. He's questioning, you know, mentality, he's questioning whether they've got the hunger for this. That is a sinking ship. They're lucky that West Ham are four points below them. their lucky forest with Vitor Pereta 2 point because they are, I'll say it, they are shit.

41:25John Obi Mikel:Spurs, fucking Spurs. They need a fucking massive, massive, you know when you go to the hospital, when you have a, we go to the hospital, they need to be operated. The football club need to be operated like a fucking slice. Go into the heart of that club and bring out what is the problem. The problem is not there what we see. It's beyond that. It's beyond that. People keep talking about what we see. It's way beyond that. You can talk about the injuries that they have. Excuses. I hate when clubs come out and make excuses. Look at the top managers, Pep Guardiola. They never come out and complain about injuries.

42:08John Obi Mikel:They don't use that excuse. Season after season, he suffered with injuries. And he's managed to win titles that way. You can't keep going. It's part of the game. The way the game is going now, with so many games to play, players will get injured. You need a big squad. And that's something that this team don't have. What is happening is beyond what we see. It's way, way deep. When you have a manager as Jose Mourinho, one of the greatest managers that's ever coached in the Premier League, one of the greatest managers that the game has ever seen, Antonio Conte. Don't really like him, but a fantastic manager.

42:48John Obi Mikel:That's one title, whoever's gone. When you have all these top managers come to your football club and they all say the same thing, all left the football club saying exactly the same thing. Yeah. You know something. You know something is fucking wrong. Ego Tudor is taking him what? Two weeks? To figure, when you come to it, you know, you're happy, you're excited that you come. you need time to be able to assess. No, he's taking the man two fucking weeks to know there's problems. He'll come out and he said it. He said, there is problems. There is problems. There's many, many problems, he said. Many, many problems.

43:31John Obi Mikel:So you should know that this first team, when I watch this first team, it's a shambles. It's horrible. You know, there's no desire for the players to run. There's no one that is willing to run. There's nothing. They're not giving anything. Defensively, there's nothing. Going forward, there's nothing. They look all over the fucking gaff. They look all over the fucking place. Nothing. Absolutely zero from this first team. I watched them on the weekend. They were shocking. They were absolutely horrible to watch. It could have been 3 or 4-0. It could have been 3 or 4-0.

44:03Salomon Kalou:Yeah.

44:03John Obi Mikel:And when you have the captain of the football club, for me, one of the best center backs in the Premier League, if he wants to, only when he wants to, your captain, Romero, It looks like he wants to be out. He wants, he doesn't want to be there anymore. He's suspended. I think that's... Constantly getting red carded. Constantly being suspended. Even when he plays, he's arguing, he's blaming the owners. Yes, you have the right to, because I think he's from the top, yes. But as a player, do your fucking job on the pitch. You are the captain, lead the team. He's nowhere to be found since Ugo Todor came into the football club.

44:41John Obi Mikel:He's been suspended. His captain is nowhere to be found. Yeah, yeah, yeah. How, as a manager coming in and looking at that, one of your best players, your leaders, when he plays, his partnership with Miki Vandava is, again, you can question, is it the best between Saliba and them? On their day, on their day, both of them are world-class defenders. World-class defenders. On their day. On their day. If Romero wants to play, you know, with his reckless tackles, getting red card, kicking people as if he's playing. I don't know what kind of football he thinks he's playing. You can't be kicking people around.

45:16John Obi Mikel:Like, it's horrible. Your captain should be the one that has a cool head and that can be able to, you know, calm the team, calm the players, be there for the club, the team. When, especially now during the difficult time that they need him to be able to lead the squad, to be able to lead this young Spurs team. He's nowhere to be found. It's horrible what's happening in the Spurs. It's a fucking shithole, that football club right now. They need to sort it out pretty, pretty quickly because they are full points off relegation zone. Full points off relegation zone.

45:48Salomon Kalou:And they'll only stay up, John, because others around them are worse.

45:51John Obi Mikel:Yeah, I've watched a lot of Spurs. They are devoid of it. But if you look at the other teams around them now, not team for us, they're not playing as badly. Sometimes, okay, the result is not coming their way, but if you look at the games that they've lost in the last couple of weeks, it's the games that they should have picked up points West Ham the same you can say the same with West Ham yes they did lose to Liverpool but the games that they've played lately you can make an argument that they are there's been a bit of an uptick a little bit of progression the way they're playing Spurs is the only one in that whole relegation battle they're bottom of the form guide absolutely zero zero absolutely zero it's incredible I don't think they've won any game in ten ten it's absolutely

46:32Salomon Kalou:You know, they shit all what's happening at Spurs. They've not won in the league in 2026 and we're not in March. Unbelievable. Spurs. Unbelievable. And again, with the board, when the hierarchy is not doing what they have to do for the football club, it definitely rubs off on the players.

46:51John Obi Mikel:You feel it? It's only a matter of time before it's having a knock-on effect. And that's what we see right now with the Spurs team. What has been going on for years that nobody was talking about. Slowly but surely, now it's having a knock-on effect. Yeah. Now we can see this team is slowly but surely declining and massively declining. And listen, let's not be surprised here that this first team might go there. Oh, it'd be mental. It's going to be a fucking disaster. It would be. If they are relegated. It would be quite something. Because where is the goals coming from right now? None. I thought Solanke was going to be the guy.

47:31John Obi Mikel:But when I watch Solanke, yes, I know he's just coming back from injury, but he looks a shadow of himself. The player that we saw at Bournemouth, he looks a shadow of himself. You know, Xavi from Germany. You know, nothing is working. The midfield is, oh my God. The midfield of Spurs. Paulinho, Basuma, Sarr. Connor Gallagher. Oh my word. Honestly, I think right now Spurs are the worst team in the Premier League. They are the worst team. Here's a question. They are the worst team in terms of form, the way teams should play. Because they have absolutely no clue. Ugo Tudor as well is coming. And straight away, he's seen that the problems is way bigger than he thought.

48:14John Obi Mikel:It's way bigger than he's imagined. And he's looking at it thinking now, what the fuck have I got myself into? Yeah, yes.

48:20Salomon Kalou:But you don't call that out. I'm not a manager. But two weeks in and you start questioning. Chris, what can he do?

48:26John Obi Mikel:He feels that's the only way to get the best out of this squad. because he's gone in there and he see that this is a spoiled, spoiled kids. After the game, this first game against Arsenal, he came out, what did he say? He said there's a lot of players that have to change their attitude. It's an attitude thing. It's bad attitude. Players need so much money thinking, oh, fucking hell, I've got a contract. I don't give a shit. I don't care about the football club. You're going to pay me anyways. That is the attitude. Players not willing to sacrifice for the football club, not willing to do enough for the football club, not willing to sacrifice for the fans that are coming week in, week out to watch them.

49:08John Obi Mikel:The fans are the football club. When your fans come week in, week out and watch you play the way you play week in, week out, losing every single game, they have a right to question. They have a right to boo you. And when you see the players week in, week out, when the fans are booing them, they go and they're having a fight with the fans. Yeah, they've done that a lot this season. You forget that those fans are the ones fucking paying your fucking wages, man.

49:33Salomon Kalou:Correct, that's true. You know who I make comparisons to? And whether this is right or wrong, and listen, you've been in the game. I look at Igor, you're saying this is the route he wants to take to try and elicit a response. I'm just giving my opinion. I think it's the wrong way. I think it's an incredibly bold step to start calling out people two weeks in when you're in a relegation battle. The last manager, interim manager to do it, and he's a good mate of yours. He did it at Chelsea. When he replaced Graham was Frank Lampard. What happened? Chelsea meandered to the end of the season. He came in very quickly, did Frank.

50:06Salomon Kalou:And Frank, if you're watching, I'm just saying how I see it. He came in and went, this is quickly not my fault. There's a lot of problems here. I'm only here. I'm here till the end of the season. And he started distancing himself. I'm watching that going, hold on a second, Frank. You're in there to get a response. Igor's going in there and very quickly, John, he's done one of them. The hands are up going, attitude stink, mentality's not right at this football club. Hold on a second, Igor. Your job is to go in there and get results. And he ain't doing it.

50:36John Obi Mikel:Yeah, the only place where I can say that is that before he took this job, he must have called a couple of the managers, because this happens. You would think. He must have called maybe a couple of the managers that's been there before and asked, try to get their opinion. What is this football club like? I'm sure he did that before taking over. He knows exactly what he's coming into. And that's the problem with these managers. They know. Sometimes they do know what they're getting themselves into. And then when they come into that job, after a couple of weeks, they start complaining. But hold on a minute.

51:05John Obi Mikel:You knew what the fuck you were getting yourself into before taking the job. But how do you blame him? How do you get the best out of this first team? How do you get them to fucking have a desire? Jose Mourinho used to say it. sometimes i don't care how you fucking play i don't care if you did play well or not the minimum of the i don't ask from you fucking run fucking go there and kick the shit out of somebody show that you care run do the dirty job do the dirty side of the job i don't expect you to play pretty every week in week out i don't expect you to be the man of the match every week but what I expect from you every week is the desire to come week in week out step on that pitch and show the fans show the football club you care that you care yeah that you are proud to wear the badge of the football club that's the minimum the fans expect from you that's the minimum that I expect from you that's what I expect from you and at this point in time none of these best players are doing absolutely the basic the basic which is run yeah

52:21Salomon Kalou:fucking run

52:23John Obi Mikel:that's it

52:24Salomon Kalou:I love it they're not doing it that's the slogan never became a manager run fucking run I love it and listen this is going on and I'm conscious there's loads we can still discuss I've got to ask very quickly a lot of people listen and watch this podcast Man United fans is Carrick the right one John are you starting you're laughing you're smiling at me am I drinking from the this is your cup isn't it am I drinking from the Carrick Kool-Aid is Paul Scholes has come out to say he wants Carlo Ancelotti man that you know that we know I don't know him well but we've had him on the podcast of course you know him very well Carlo, Michael where are you at with United do you like what you're seeing I like what I'm saying they are effing running

53:01John Obi Mikel:they are effing running they are fucking running even Casemiro that we thought his leg is gone he's running he's running right now but you can say that he's gone at the end he's gone at the end of the season but then he's got a young Kobe Miner who's covering his fucking ass so yes he's covering his ass he's been brilliant he's been brilliant we give him that since Michael Carradine is coming he's been brilliant it looks like he's gone to the doctors and he's got fresh pairs of legs Garcivino he has been brilliant he has been brilliant give him his tune it's incredible what a manager does isn't it sometimes oh what a change a manager does you know what I mean it just leaves the whole place up, you know.

53:45John Obi Mikel:You know, new list of life, you know, fresh positivity and everything. And Michael Curry looks like that guy. He looks like that geezer that I can just give people, you know, just go out there and do your thing. You know, I don't think Michael Curry is that type of manager that coaches and knows exactly. But the good thing, what I like about him, he's brought in Steve Holland, a manager that I worked with. Yeah, at Chelsea. Brilliant. Brilliant.

54:12Salomon Kalou:Because I'm hearing Steve McLaren recently has come out to say he is... Steve Holland. Top coach. Top, top coach. Is he? Top, top, top coach. What's he like, John?

54:20John Obi Mikel:Yeah. I mean, not only that he knows how to bring out the best of players, you know, top players. He knows how to manage top players, the ego. He knows how to massage the ego. And he also knows how to get the best out of the young players. So he has the blend. He has the mixture of both. He's an absolute fantastic manager. His sessions are good. His sessions are really, really good. And that's one thing I must give to Michael Carrick. He's gone out there and he's thought, you know what? I need an experienced manager, coach, somebody that can help me out. And what he's done really well is to get Steve Holland with it.

54:53John Obi Mikel:Yeah, that's good. But saying that, yes, credit to Michael Carrick. You know, he's coming to the football club. He's done well. He's settled the ship and he's got them playing some fantastic football. You know, the club looks like a different, you know, team. The players look like a whole different place, players that we never saw before in the Premier League. You know, Cescou as well. He's got the best out of Cescou. He's scoring goals now. Harry Maguire looked like a different player. 100%. Kobe. You know, just Kobe Maiano is getting back in the team, which for the life of me, I don't understand why.

55:27John Obi Mikel:Again, Ruben. Robert Amoron was just absolutely, I don't know what to say about him, But a manager that wasn't ready to change, wasn't ready to listen to anybody, wants to die with his own beliefs, his own way or the highway. Sometimes top managers, not sometimes, top managers do adapt. They evolve. And that's why even Pep Guardiola, as much as he's won, like I said so many times, he's gone out, he's brought in Pep Lenders because he's seen where the game is going. and he wants to continue to learn and continue to evolve. And that's something that I was surprised that Rue and Amron didn't do. Didn't want to change.

56:06John Obi Mikel:Didn't listen to anybody. It's either malware or the fucking highway. Well, it's your highway now. You fucking gone. So it's good to see Michael Curry coming and he's doing well. He's doing well. He's the manager that knows the place. He's played for the football club. He knows what it means to wear the shirt. He knows what it means to be the manager of the football club, a club as Manchester United. the culture of the club, what it means for the fans, you know, the size of the football club. He knows everything about the football club, which is nice to see. And I think that's going to be his message to the players.

56:38John Obi Mikel:We can week, I don't see him as a fantastic, you know, genius. No, I think week in week out, he's reminding the players what it means to be a Manchester United player. What it means to wear the shirt of this football club. How long does that stick last? Yeah, we'll come in there. He's done well. What is it? five games, six wins. He's done really well. He's settled. They're playing some good football. But again, this is a honeymoon period. It's a honeymoon period for every manager, top top manager, young manager that's gone into a top top football club and he's doing well and he's winning games.

57:17John Obi Mikel:It's a honeymoon period. When we judge you is when it's going wrong. Because it will go wrong. It will. It will absolutely go to shit. What do you do? How do you get out of it? How do you manage when it's all going wrong? When you see the players coming every day with long faces, you know, negativity around the place. How do you deal with that? How do you bring out the best out of them again? When you're winning football games, it's all well and good. The smiles all around the football training ground. Everybody's smiling. Oh, everybody's happy. when you are not losing when you start losing games when you lost one or two and you get into that losing pattern how do you get out of it?

58:02John Obi Mikel:This is the Premier League how do you get out of it? And that's where I believe that I think he's the manager to end on the season you give him that and then and then I've always said it that I think the manager that is best suited for this Manchester United team football club is Thomas Tuchel but he's gone now and he's signed I think the England Federation were listening to the rumors and they could see what was going on. You know, I met him a couple of weeks, you know, in Brussels when he just signed. I met him, you know, congratulated him. I know what he told me, but this is between us, you know, and he's happy to sign again and be the England man.

58:44John Obi Mikel:But for me, I think I thought Tomasuku would have been the guy. But now that he's signed his new deal, I believe, yes, Carlo Ancelotti can be that guy. Because I know Carlo is absolutely superb in terms of man management and getting the best out of place as well. He is superb. For me, one of the best managers that I've played under in terms of man management. Yes. He knows how to manage the whole institution. He knows how to speak to people, how to talk to players, how to get the best out of place. But I think if they don't get him, the other manager that I think that might be able to do well.

59:21John Obi Mikel:I know a lot of people won't like this. Where are you going, John? He deserves you. Is he deserves you? Deserby. Deserby for me. I think Deserby is the guy. I like the way he plays, the style of play that he always adapts. He got right and played some fantastic games. He's a lunatic. He's a lunatic, yeah. Sorry, Roberto. He knows that he is. But I think that's what you need at this football club right now. You need a lunatic that can come in and that is strong, personality-wise, that is strong. And that's something that Carlo Angelotti has. What can you tell Carlo Angelotti that he hasn't won?

59:55John Obi Mikel:Well, this is it. You can't tell him nothing. You can't tell him. Because he's won everything. He will tell you how he's done. You have no, you can't question it. No. You just have to do what he's told you to do. And I think if you get another manager that hasn't been there, done it, you have to get a manager that's got a strong, strong personality. And for me, I think Roberto

1:00:14Salomon Kalou:is that guy. So, Angelotti, number one choice. He's 66 now. If he doesn't take it, you go for Roberto Di Soppe.

1:00:21John Obi Mikel:Interesting. I think he's the guy to get the best out of this Manchester. But, I mean, not saying that. I think Michael Carrick has done really well to put his name on top of the list. He's done really, really well. He's cool. He's very calm on the touchline. I like the way he conducts himself, the way he speaks to the press, the way he answers questions. He's a very, very smart guy, you can tell. Yes. So for me, make no mistake about that. You can argue as much as you want. He's put his name right at the top. Right at the top. You can't come in, beat City, beat Arsenal the way he did, score goals, play attacking football, the Manchester United way, getting the wingers to, you know, to put in those crosses.

1:01:05John Obi Mikel:We can see the best of Sesko. Benjamin Sesko, the player we're thinking, what the fuck is he doing here? He now looks, he's now he looks a player. Yeah, he does. He's an animal.

1:01:13Salomon Kalou:He's got it all.

1:01:14John Obi Mikel:You look at the goal he scored against Crystal Palace. That is a player full of confidence. The second goal that they scored. Great header. Great header. Seen the ball coming and knew he was in the back post, but to run and come in front of the defender. And what a header. Yeah, really. That is a player that's full of confidence. That is a... When you want your spring break to feel like...

1:01:37Salomon Kalou:And your kid's pool day to feel like... and your hotel bed to feel like, ooh, and room service to feel like, because at Hilton, hospitality feels like, your cabana's ready. Would you like fresh towels?

1:01:53John Obi Mikel:It matters where you stay. Book now at Hilton.com. Hilton, for this day.

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1:02:32John Obi Mikel:A player that's improving. And it's good to see that what managers can be able to get, How managers can be able to get the best out of, you know, players. And that's something that I think we're lacking right now at Chelsea. I just think we've taken five steps backwards.

1:02:45Salomon Kalou:Can I lob in another name for you? Eddie Howe.

1:02:51Salomon Kalou:He's the one I would take. Truthfully, Eddie. I love what he's done at Newcastle. I love, they've struggled a little this season. Eddie Howe is a fantastic manager.

1:03:00John Obi Mikel:When they're at it. I just think, stagnant isn't now. They are a little. He's just stagnant with what is happening with him. But I think he's hit the ceiling, John. He's hit the ceiling. I don't think there's any more. That's why. He can't go any higher. There's nowhere else he can go anyhow. He can't take this football club any higher. I don't disagree. He can't spend money. He can't bring in players. We thought when the Saudis took over the football club, they're going to go out there, splash money, bring the likes of Ronaldo, Messi. Everybody was thinking they're going to bring out Mbappe. but he's done a great but he's done a fantastic fantastic job Eddie Howe I'm a big big fan of Eddie Howe I like what he's done with this Newcastle side but I just feel right now it's just it's hit the ceiling it's just there there's no he can't go any high with this team you can feel you can feel his frustration week in week out when I watch him on the touchline there's nowhere else for him to go he's won a title for them in 50 or 70 whatever he is he's won a title for them he's done what he can do Does he need to move on?

1:04:09John Obi Mikel:Maybe. That's what I feel because he's a fantastic coach. How much more can he just stay stagnant without moving forward? You know, it's a question that he needs to ask himself. How much more can I take this football club,

1:04:23Salomon Kalou:this place? If United are going to do an interview process, I'm sure his name will be on the list. I'm told from what I understand of the situation, United are still planning on doing a robust recruitment process. It's not a simple case of, well done, Michael, the job's yours. They're still going to speak to candidates and they'll make a decision. Conscious of time, John. Other bits and pieces. You've talked about the fact that Chelsea, one step forward, five back. We started talking about Arsenal-Chelsea. It's taken a long way around. Sorry for that. Defeat, again, it's now three games against Arsenal, three defeats with Liam Resignor.

1:04:57Salomon Kalou:He's still giving off vibes. I know you're not too keen on me to criticise him, but he's an interesting character. to say the least. They've got a big couple of weeks coming up. Villa now on Wednesday is massive for Champions League next season.

1:05:16John Obi Mikel:Liam. Liam, mate. I don't know if you're listening but I mean all I can say listen first thing I have to say I'm all for young coaches. I'm all for giving opportunity to coaches. Young coaches coming up they can showcase their talent especially I've said it so many times black coaches to give them opportunities to do well. But again, if you come in and you are not doing well, I'm not going to sit here and say, because, you know, you got the opportunity, you're a black coach, I'm not going to criticize you when there's something to be said. You know what I mean? Yes, he's coming and he's won games.

1:05:59But the games we've won are teams that we should beat. Yep, agreed.

1:06:05John Obi Mikel:The games that he's lost is the games that we can be competitive. We can compete. And it's always Arsenal. Yeah. And he's started to beat us what? Three times. Three times. And we've played with Navu. We haven't played well. We haven't played well. Why are you playing Cole Palmer? Cole Palmer out of his position. So many times I've said it here. So many times I've hinted it. Cole Palmer is our best player. Yes, he's come back from injury. Yes, he hasn't hit the heights, the standards that we're accustomed to him playing. The level that we're accustomed to him playing. The creativity that we know that he can bring to the squad.

1:06:51John Obi Mikel:The ability that he has. We know he hasn't hit the heights yet because he's been in and out, in and out with injuries. He's played so many games last season, of course. In mom? You can expect him to, at some point, break down. He's only a human being. And that's what's happened. But he's come back to the team now. Build a team around Cole Palmer. In his best position. In his best position. Play Cole Palmer as the number 10, which is where every Chelsea fan, me included, we want to see Cole Palmer because that's where you get the best out of him. That's where the first touch that he has, the ability, the creativity that he has, He can affect games playing that position as the number 10.

1:07:33John Obi Mikel:When you have Caicedo, they can play the ball through the lines to him. And he has that ability to do the first touch, the first turn, and slip the first two pass to the strikers. Creating chances. When you're playing wide, it takes away so much of his game because he then has to cut in. Try to go around so many players. Not only that he's dealing with the fullback, he has to try to cut in and deal with the midfield. with the midfield players. It's taking away so much from him. Play him in his right position. Let him be involved because when he's involved, when he's constantly involved with the ball, touching the ball, getting involved, that's where we see the best of Cole Palmer.

1:08:12John Obi Mikel:That's where we see his ability shining through because he's that guy that wins those games. Don't play him on the wide position. So if Liam Rossini is listening, please and please start by playing Cole Palmer in his favorite position. Yeah. you have two of the best midfield players in the Premier League, Enzo and Caicedo. Why are you trying to accommodate Andres Santos? Please. Again, I'm not here to knock young players down. He can come in second half. He can come in with Caicedo or Enzo. Where do you have to make changes? Tell me what is it he can do in that holding role that Caicedo can do 10 times better.

1:08:58John Obi Mikel:play kaisedo there he's been that guy that plays that position he is the best in that position play kaisedo enzo fernandez and cole palmer central pedro netto and maybe ganacho or whoever you want to play in that position there wide left wide left please play cole palmer in his best position and then we can build from there you know we talk so much about how we need to go forward You know, I believe that if Enzo Maleska, the way we played, the way we competed against big teams, we wouldn't lose to Arsenal three times in a row. We haven't yet beaten Arsenal in four or five years. It's absolutely a disaster.

1:09:39John Obi Mikel:It's a disaster. A club that we used to, you know, beat... You're coming back to Arsenal. No, honestly. It pains me. It pains me to see us becoming a yo-yo team. We're not a yo-yo team. And we don't want to be a yo-yo team. Yeah. We are Chelsea Football Club. We are the biggest club in London. And we should act that way. We should play that way. We should progress that way. We should run the football club that way. A way that we keep progressing. Keep the culture of the football club going. Which is improving. Winning titles. Competing to win titles. We don't want to spend 20 years without winning the Premier League.

1:10:20John Obi Mikel:Because right now, I can see us sliding and declining. It looks like that's where we're declining to. We don't want to be a national. We've not talked about your date, but that's not our problem. Exactly. We don't want to be that. Since we started this poll, we said two or three years we should be competing to win the league. If you ask me now, do I see us winning the Premier League in the next two or three years? Absolutely not. Absolutely not. I don't see us winning the title in the next two or three years. Not to talk about the keeper that we have. the keeper that we have so many times we talked about it not just me every fucking pundit all around the fucking world knows that yes he does make saves right here and there here and there and sometimes you forget about you forget about it no to win a title please you need a dependable goalkeeper you need a dependable goalkeeper check the look at the two top teams right now in the Premier League Donnarumma Donnarumma The saves that he made.

1:11:23John Obi Mikel:Ridiculous. Ridiculous saves. And Raya. The game against Liverpool where he made that save. Even Pep Guardiola was like Yeah. Jumping. Excited. For the goalkeeper that he's gone out and brought in. Yeah. Making those saves. And then Raya's people. And David Raya. Arsenal Football Club wouldn't be where they are today. If it were. Back by word. Yeah, you're right. We can talk about Saliba Gabriel all the cheat code of the set pieces. But But David Raya, my word, the saves that he makes, absolutely brilliant. Absolutely superb goalkeeper. Superb goalkeeper. And he's only getting better and better.

1:12:01John Obi Mikel:Week in, week out, I watch David Raya. He's getting better and better, better and better. You need a top, top goalkeeper to win titles. And right now, Chelsea Football Club, we do not have a top goalkeeper to go out there and compete to win the Premier League or the Champions League. We don't have that. I watched the game the other day. He was all over the fucking place. He was. Giving the ball away, putting the team in dangerous situations. Pressure, inviting pressure to us. You know, kicking the ball away, giving the ball to Arsenal. He was all over the fucking gaff. All over the place. And then the goal.

1:12:37John Obi Mikel:I was watching it thinking, how in the hell are we going to win the Premier League like this with this goalkeeper? It's impossible. It's impossible. During our time, we have one of the best, the most dependable goalkeeper Peter Cech week in week out you look at your goal keeper and you know fucking hell we've got a brilliant goalkeeper top top goalkeeper can make saves

1:13:00Salomon Kalou:can save us

1:13:01John Obi Mikel:they can win you games and he did they can win you titles we have that yeah and that's something we don't have now and again centre backs Levi Kowe I don't know how long he's going to be out for you know all these young players we're bringing in Saar from this from this from all these places. Young boy, but he looks up there. Young boy, but again, Chris, we need experience. We need experience center backs. We need experience players. You know, in that back line, we need that. Yeah, it's all good. All the inconsistency. Yes, we can win games right here and there, here and there. But to be consistent, you need experience.

1:13:43John Obi Mikel:Experience brings you consistency. And we don't have that. We don't have players that can say, fucking hell guys, let's go on a fucking run here. Two, three, four, five games we win. They can pull you through games. They can see you out through games. They can say, you know what, let's sit this one out. Let's all come together. Suck the pressure and then we can go. When we have the ball, our quality can show through. We don't have that spokesman. We don't have those leaders in the team that can be able to get this young team that we have to be able to be consistent. And that's what we're seeing with the results.

1:14:19John Obi Mikel:And of course, with the silly indiscipline, the stupid, stupid indiscipline that we're seeing with the red cards that is costing us. Too much. And has cost us top four right now. Because right now, we're in this position. We are not in the top four, top five now in the Premier League. And if we do not qualify for the Champions League, it's a fucking disaster.

1:14:41Salomon Kalou:Yeah, it'll be a big problem. Listen, final one, because we've been here seemingly half a day. I've got to ask, just because I want to rile you one last time. You know, you're talking about Arsenal cheat codes and they're on the cusp of maybe a quadruple. And the last time they won the Premier League was, of course, the famous Invincible team. Just thinking out loud here, how many of this Arsenal team, John Truly, would get in that Invincible team? Not too many. I just want to annoy you for the final part. How many, Truly? Not too many.

1:15:13John Obi Mikel:Not too many of this Arsenal team right now can get into that invincible side. You know the problem right now with this new Gen Z's and everybody? We're so quickly to forget about what our legends have done. We're so quickly to forget about everything. This new Gen Z's, the Instagram, the iPads and everything. So quickly to forget what legends, the word legends. I am.

1:15:42John Obi Mikel:have done in a football club. Yeah, you're right. That have built the football club. The culture that they created. And that's why you're there today. It's so quickly that people, the fans are so quickly to write up what the legends have done. So if you're asking me that question, how many of these players right now in this Arsenal team can we be able to get into the Invincibles? I'll tell you, maybe...

1:16:06Salomon Kalou:So very quickly, I want to just remind everyone, Yance Lehmann in goals, Laurent, Ashley Cole, Saul Campbell, Cole O'Tori, Freddie Younberg, you had Robert Perez, Gilberto Silva, Patrick Vieira, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry. That was the kind of de facto starting 11 of the Invincibles. Ray Parler was there or thereabouts. Yeah, in and out. Martin Keogh, there was others. But that was, if I think of it, I actually think controversially, John, there's maybe four that get in. Which four? Start from the goalkeeper. I think Raya would get in ahead of Lea. As much as Lea man, a bit like Roberto De Zerbi, a lunatic.

1:16:42Salomon Kalou:Yes. Don't think he quite gets the credit. But he had one of his best seasons, that season. He did. He made some absolutely incredible saves. But to your point, Arsenal are where they are in a large part due to Raya. I think Raya gets in. This is where we're going to have it. But until they win that though,

1:16:57John Obi Mikel:I'm not going to say Raya gets in. So Lea man still. Because they did win. If you go, if you go in the Premier League unbeaten, unbeaten. So you're saying that no one gets in? until the... I'm telling you right now, with the season that Lehman had, that season, he's the keeper. I'll go Lehman. I'll go Lehman. Because I know how it feels. Listen, take nothing away from Raya. Take nothing away from Raya. He's been absolutely superb. He's been absolutely superb. But if you watch some of the saves that Lehman did in that season, in that season, it was something...

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1:18:01John Obi Mikel:Incredible saves. And he kept that. He won them game. He kept that in games. And so for me, I might just go, Lemon. Right, we'll disagree. I'll stick Mariah. Right back, fellow African, Laurent. Oh, I'll go Laurent all day. Super, super player. You know, going forward, he was incredible. Going forward, the crosses he was bringing in, you know, the tackles and everything. He was absolutely a machine. Laurent was an incredible player. And that season, he was absolutely, not just that season, his season at Arsenal. Laurent was incredible. He made that position his position. He did. He was really, really good.

1:18:37John Obi Mikel:So if you are going to ask me between Timber and Laurent, I'll go along.

1:18:41Salomon Kalou:I want to get more followers from the Gen Zers. I'm going to piss you off here. I go duty in Timber. I think Timber is vastly underrated for what he does. Inverted. He's phenomenal at coming in. Really, I mean, you're going to hate me for saying this. It's set pieces. He's as vital as Saliba and Gabriel for what they're doing. I think Timber, had it not been for the serious, cruciate knee injury that he's got, I think he deserves a lot of credit for coming back to the standard that he is. I'd give, maybe this is recency bias, I would give it to Timber. So that's us. I mean, already I've got two of the current after team.

1:19:17Salomon Kalou:Saul Campbell, Kolo Torrey. Do we break up those two? Remember Saul on this podcast said he doesn't feel he gets the credit. And that's true.

1:19:25John Obi Mikel:That's true. I agree with him. And then he said Kolo doesn't either. Oh, Saul was a machine. Saul was an absolute beast. He would get in mind. Sol was an absolute beast. So for me, Solin. Solin. Torre, Soliba, or Gabriel. Solin.

1:19:41Salomon Kalou:We agree on that.

1:19:42John Obi Mikel:I would stick with Sol. Listen, Colo Torre as well is somebody that doesn't get as much credit as he deserves. Colo Torre was, was again a machine. He was quick. He was good on the board. He was physically very, very strong. Yeah. So if you ask me between Sol Campbell and Gabriel, I'll go Sol Campbell.

1:20:00Salomon Kalou:Right.

1:20:00John Obi Mikel:If you ask me, Sol Campbell, I go Colatore. What about Tori or Gabriel? That's a different question.

1:20:09Salomon Kalou:I knew you were trying to pair Gabriel with Campbell. I think, again, it's much cooler.

1:20:15John Obi Mikel:You have to choose between ball. So you go Colatore or Saliba. I go Colatore. So Campbell or Gabriel. I go So Campbell.

1:20:25Salomon Kalou:You've done me dirty there. If you gave me the proper choice, I'd go Campbell, Gabriel. But because you paired them, Oh, Saliba Arturi.

1:20:35John Obi Mikel:When I look at Saliba, Saliba, yes, he's incredible. But he's not really, really good on the ball when I look at him. Sometimes he's a bit not sure. He gives the ball away pretty, pretty easily. You know, yes, you can see that teams let him with the ball. They leave him with the ball. They go to Gabriel. They stop Gabriel from playing out. But they leave Saliba with the ball because they know, you know. He's the weaker of the two. He's the weaker of the two in terms of, you know, playing out from the back.

1:21:01Salomon Kalou:If you're bullying me into it, Campbell-Toury, but I'd love to put Campbell-Gabriel. We all know who we're picking at left.

1:21:07John Obi Mikel:Oh, left back. There's no question about that.

1:21:09Salomon Kalou:We can move on quickly. Ashley Cole.

1:21:10John Obi Mikel:Ashley Cole.

1:21:11Salomon Kalou:Right. This is where it gets interesting. Midfield four. Does Saka get ahead of Jumberg? You've still not. What have you? You've picked one of the current team. Or have you picked anyone? You've picked Laurent? No, you've not picked one of the current team yet. No, I haven't. Does Saka get in ahead of Jumberg?

1:21:29Salomon Kalou:Are you talking about this season? I'm talking about this Arsenal team, these players. Saka, come on, John. As much as I loved Freddie.

1:21:39John Obi Mikel:But Freddie, again, was absolutely... Freddie was... Freddie Lumbag was... Watch the clips. Freddie Lumbag was quick. He was... Great finisher. Great finisher. He was quick. He was so... He was so good. Saka hasn't done anything. He hasn't won anything. He hasn't won anything for this football club. We can stop this now.

1:21:57Salomon Kalou:Are you just picking the invincibles? You are. because you're going to come back to it. They've not won anything. Player on player, John. Saka or Jumbo?

1:22:08John Obi Mikel:This one, I might. Might. Just a slight, slight, slight chance. I might go Saka. Okay. I might just. Just. Just. But Freddie Lundberg was a brilliant player. Freddie Lundberg was a brilliant player. He looked the bloody part as well, to be fair.

1:22:23Salomon Kalou:Midfield two. Vieira and Joberto. I think the only one that maybe comes into the conversation here is Declan Rice.

1:22:31John Obi Mikel:So who are you pairing Declan Rice with? Patrick Vieira? Yes. So in your opinion,

1:22:35Salomon Kalou:In my opinion. Who do you go for? I'm going Declan and Vieira. You're having Joberto Silva over Declan? No, I'm having Patrick Vieira. Oh, sorry. Are you pairing those two? No, Paddy Vieira. Patrick Vieira all day? Over Rice, yes. But what I'm saying is...

1:22:51John Obi Mikel:Patrick Vieira all day? Patrick Vieira was a... Oh my God, please. Don't even go there. Patrick Vieira was an absolute machine. You know, the tackles, the goals, he was the leader. Yes, he was. If you want to come to Arsenal back then, you have to come to Patrick Rivera. He was the guy. He was the face of the team. Wasn't scared of anyone. No. Stood up to Roy Kane. To Roy Kane, sorry, Roy Kane. Stood up to him so many times. The battles that they had with Manchester United back then. Roy Kane was the face of it. He was the man that stood up to everyone. He was the face of the team. and what he gave week in week out he was chipping in with goals creating chances you know Patrick Vieira was an absolute machine so if you're asking between Patrick Vieira and Declan Rice

1:23:37Salomon Kalou:I'm not asking between that

1:23:39John Obi Mikel:what are you trying to do? I'm trying to both of them are

1:23:41Salomon Kalou:same position Declan Rice and Patrick Vieira okay can I can I pair Declan with Gilberto Silva will you allow me to do that or no? you're trying to find a way for this new team

1:23:50John Obi Mikel:but you have to pair them with they're playing the same position central midfield

1:23:55Salomon Kalou:Declan could do what Gilberto did or who are you

1:23:58John Obi Mikel:pairing with Gilberto? But I said number six Patrick Rivera was a number six

1:24:00Salomon Kalou:Declan Rice is a number six What was Gilberto in that team? Him and Paddy were both Both yeah So I'm saying I think Patrick without a question Arsenal fans he's in Is it Declan? Is it Gilberto? Is it Odegaard? I would pick Declan but maybe again I'm doing Gilberto Silva a bit of a disservice He was an incredible player He was an incredible player

1:24:23John Obi Mikel:World Cup winner World Cup winner Incredible Incredible player

1:24:27Salomon Kalou:But yeah

1:24:28John Obi Mikel:Yeah

1:24:29Salomon Kalou:In Declan's corner

1:24:30John Obi Mikel:Kick

1:24:32Salomon Kalou:It's too good I need that in my team I'm stirring Let's get Declan in Because of his corner Yes Left hand side I think we all agree Robert Perez Robert Perez And then to be fair This is pretty quick Robert Perez Beercamp Henry Beercamp Henry So At a push John Declan 100 % Saka's a maybe

1:24:49John Obi Mikel:Saka's a maybe Saka just in Just in You've got I've just got two of those players.

1:24:55Salomon Kalou:And how many have I got? I think I've got five.

1:24:57John Obi Mikel:Yeah, yeah. No, no, no. I've got two.

1:24:59Salomon Kalou:I might piss off.

1:25:00John Obi Mikel:Yeah, I'll go Laurent. I'll go Saul Campbell. Toure. Colatore. Ashley Cole. Patrick Vieira. Declan Rice. That's the two. Saka. Saka. Perez. Perez. Bergkamp. Oh, Dennis Bergkamp. Oh, what a player. And of course, for me, the greatest player that's ever played in the Premier League. Thierry Henry.

1:25:18Salomon Kalou:Right. This Arsenal love it. Comes to a conclusion. A natural end. I say it's an Arsenal loving this man ain't an Arsenal fan it's been the longest taking the Mikel on record and there's been an awful lot of coverage on Arsenal are cheats that's what I'm taking away from this I tell you what if Arsenal do win the league you've got to be tuned in for that episode this man's going to be having kittens

1:25:40John Obi Mikel:yeah another player and I just want to give him you know Man City you know Semenya that's just coming to that Man City team and he's just he's just taking the team to another level yeah he has you know Semenya what an absolutely Absolutely fantastic. For me, it looks like a steal, isn't it? What, for 60 million or what they paid for him? Incredible player. Hemingway in January could be the difference. Incredible. If City go on to win this title, you know, credit to both of those guys. Semenyo, you know, left, right, it doesn't matter where he plays. Up front, he plays as a striker, he plays as a left wing, right wing, you know, plays in that little pocket.

1:26:13John Obi Mikel:And it looks like he's been in that football club for such a long time. And it's just coming in January. It's incredible what a player he is. Absolutely fantastic player. You know, now, before when Haaland is not in the team, you know, you can look at things, oh, hold on a minute here. How are they going to win the game?

1:26:29Salomon Kalou:I did it the weekend. I went...

1:26:30John Obi Mikel:Now, when you look at it, without Haaland, it looks like, you know, it looks like he's going to get them out of any troubles. You know, look, he's the guy to get them out of jail. So he's been absolutely fantastic, Semenyo. And again, a manager to go out there, get the players that he believes that can come in, strengthen and improve the squad. And that's what Pep Guardiola does year in, year out. And he looks as hungry as ever. You know, he looks motivated against Pep Guardiola. He looks like he wants it more than ever. He looks like he wants to, again, beat this Arsenal team. And the way they're playing, they're playing some brilliant, brilliant football.

1:27:06John Obi Mikel:You know, Semenyo in that pocket on the other side. You have Cherky. And Phil Forden can get in the team right now. Phil Forden is struggling. It just shows that the quality that Pep Guardiola demands. We can work out from this place. If you're not doing it, you know, he has a lot of players that can come in and do the business. And Cherky, from the player that started the season, he looks fit. He looks leaner. He looks more ready for the Premier League. He's faster. He's quicker. The way he drives the ball going forward. And, of course, Rodri back again. They look like the old city, you know, the way they play with the tempo that they play.

1:27:40John Obi Mikel:He looks. You know, they look like a team now. And Ruben Diaz and Gueye, you know, they look like a really good team. Ed Norrie again, you know, a player that, you know, when they signed him, we didn't think he was going to be this good, you know, with defending. It's taking a little bit of time. But now when you watch Ed Norrie play, you know, he's defending really well. He's going forward. He's creating chances, scoring goals, good on the ball, as we know from Wolves. So City look like a proper team right now. And I think this can go all the way to the wire. But again, if you're asking me, you know, who's going to win the Premier League?

1:28:18John Obi Mikel:Week in, week out, we keep changing our mind, don't we? I don't, I don't.

1:28:22Salomon Kalou:I'm sticking with Arsenal. The corner cake masters.

1:28:25John Obi Mikel:The cheat code.

1:28:26Salomon Kalou:The cheat code. I can listen to you. You definitely think City are going to do it. You do, John.

1:28:33John Obi Mikel:If City can take Arsenal to the last two games. They'll choke. The last two, three games. I think Arsenal will choke. if City can be able to take Arsenal to the last two three games the last three games of the Premier League and they are still a couple of points away I think Arsenal will bottle it I think they will bottle it and whoever wins that league cup final is a psychological yeah I agree with that massive psychological advantage to whoever goes on to win it

1:29:00Salomon Kalou:yeah I agree with that

1:29:01John Obi Mikel:massively so that is a big big game

1:29:04Salomon Kalou:oh yeah big game right I need to go and lie down John jeepers I'm knackered right do leave us some comments I think there's going to be an awful lot of comments on this particular edition of Taking the Mikel with our good folk at Betwinner well done John you need a lie down as well pal we'll catch you next time on Taking the Mikel