Jordan Ayew To Battle Mikel Obi For EPL African Player Of The Month Award

Ghanaian international Jordan Ayew of Aston Villa, Chelsea’s Nigeria midfielder Mikel Obi and Senegalese star Cheikhou Kouyate of West Ham are the final three in the shortlist for the African Player in the English Premier League of January.

The statement signed by awards director Tunde Adelakun explained that the month showed signs of a long and hard season for the Premier League players so far with players like Odion Ighalo and Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez still proving doubters wrong as they continued sparkling form.

But, according to Adelakun, this month is ‘a tribute to the Africans who are making their own contribution in their own way, in their clubs’ trying times’.

Apart from Kouyate, whose West Ham are certainly riding high, getting impressive results against the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City, and an impressive away win at Bournemouth, the other two nominees are having a season to forget in their respective clubs.

Chelsea, champions of England only last season, are not having the best of times. But, as Adelakun pointed out, ‘things have taken a turn for the up for the champions, unbeaten in eight games since the departure of former manager Mourinho, but more importantly, a restore to starting eleven duties for Nigerian Jon Obi Mikel”.

Continuing, he said “Mikel has put an air of settlement in the Chelsea midfield and we thought we should recognise his input by shortlisting him for January’s award”.

The same can be said of Ghanaian Jordan Ayew, who is having a torrid season with Aston Villa, seemingly unable to pick points to take them off the bottom of the table.

However, Ayew has been playing really well, showing signs of why he was highly rated and picked up by Villa in the summer.

In the statement, Adelakun was quoted as saying “the quality of Ayew’s skill, ability and work rate belies the position his team is on the table, but that is football”, he concluded.

Jordan Ayew To Battle Mikel Obi For EPL African Player Of The Month Award

Revival: "Obi Mikel Is Our Key Player" - Chelsea Boss

Chelsea Find ‘New Star’ In Nigerian Midfielder

Jose Mourinho was sacked as Chelsea boss after guiding the Blues to their fifth premier league title in the club’s history and Guus Hiddink like Mourinho returns to Chelsea for the second time as Interim boss but it is neither managers under the spotlight or receiving the praise for the teams revival, but rather Mikel Obi.

 

Many have asked why Mikel is or has still been at Chelsea with limited game time thrown at him and questioned why his talent has been wasted with a change in his favoured attacking position to a defensive midfielder. Mikel Obi was once touted to rule the world of football along with perhaps the best player the game has seen – Lionel Messi, during the Fifa Youth world cup in 2005.

The 28 – year old Nigerian international had firstly changed from the attacking player that got Manchester united and Chelsea fight over his signature as a teenager to a defensive midfielder. Mourinho signed Obi to Chelsea in 2005 under controversial circumstances after Manchester united had unveiled him and this cost Chelsea to pay compensation to United for forcing the Nigerian to terminate his contract.

 

Mikel Obi has undoubtedly played his best games at Chelsea under one manager and one manager only and that’s Guus Hiddink. The Dutch manager’s appointment after fans favourite Mourinho was sacked was well and truly appreciated by Mikel when he asked team mates to put a poor defense of their title behind and focus on the future.

 

The Nigerian international has started all games under Hiddink and has spearheaded a Chelsea revival, thanks to a much needed defensive shield for the Blues defenders. Chelsea have leaked goals and since Mourinho’s ninth defeat in the league are yet to taste one under the Dutch boss.

Chelsea put in their best performance of the 2015/16 season away to Crystal Palace. The defending league champions defeated their London rivals by 3 – goals to nil and moved from 16th place to 14th on the league table. Mikel Obi won the man-of-the-match with a spectacular showing and team work that got the praise from his manager Hiddink.

Guus Hiddink, the man responsible for Mikel’s revival

In his post match interview, the former Dutch national team manager said, “He played very well but also in the previous game. He’s the ideal player in my opinion to bring balance to the team. If the team is not willing to defend well, or hasn’t got the right balance, then you’ll concede a lot of goals.

”I think John Obi can be one of the key figures in bringing back that balance. On this podium very talented players can explore their qualities.”

He added, “he (Mikel) can recover his radar, he reads the game very well, he knows where the strength of the opponent is and knows how to combat that. He has very good sense, he doesn’t do it in a brutal way, he’s very elegant. Someone who can defend so smoothly is very beautiful. I don’t expect the decisive final pass from him – he can (do that), but he can also let the other players (play).”

Mikel will hope to improve upon this performance and form to enable him keep his immediate competitor and out-of-form Serbian international Nemanja Matic warming the substitutes bench.

Revival: "Obi Mikel Is Our Key Player" - Chelsea Boss