Essien absence makes a man of Mikel

4th December 2008

John Mikel Obi is relishing a role at the heart of the Chelsea team - and is determined to keep his head this season.

The 21-year-old has made the most of the opportunity presented after a serious knee injury ruled Michael Essien out until the latter stages of the campaign. Mikel chalked up his 100th Chelsea appearance in the defeat by Arsenal last Sunday.

The Nigerian midfielder, who headed to Stamford Bridge two years after initially agreeing to join rivals Manchester United, had been criticised for a perceived discipline problem in the past - he was sent off in the closing moments of the 2007 Carling Cup final against the Gunners at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and then again twice last season. However, Mikel is very much now focused on the future.

"I thought about everything coming into this season - about how to improve my game, how to get myself in the team, and I thought about how to get the cards right," Mikel said on the club's official website, www.chelseafc.com.

"This is a season where everything I thought about beforehand is happening. I am happy with myself, I am happy about not getting cards because before by this time in the season I would have had one or two reds. So far it has been going well."

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3:00, Sat 6th Dec
Bolton	v	Chelsea
4:00, Sun 14th Dec
Chelsea	v	West Ham
8:00, Mon 22nd Dec
Everton	v	Chelsea
1:00, Fri 26th Dec
Chelsea	v	West Brom
2:00, Sun 28th Dec
Fulham	v	Chelsea

4:00, Sun 30th Nov
Chelsea	1	v	2	Arsenal
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Chelsea	0	v	0	Newcastle
5:30, Sat 15th Nov
West Brom	0	v	3	Chelsea
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