Chelsea coach, Guus Hiddink, has applauded the impact of Nigeria midfielder, John Obi Mikel, in his new-look Blues team.
The much-maligned midfielder was a fringe player under Jose Mourinho and nearly made a move away to Turkey last summer.
However, since Hiddink’s arrival at Stamford Bridge the 28-year-old has been drafted back into the side, helping keep clean sheets against Crystal Palace and Manchester United.
And the Dutchman is certain Mikel is the “ideal player” to bring balance back to the defending champions and get their season back on track.
“He played very well but also in the previous game. He’s the ideal player in my option to bring balance to the team,” he said.
“If the team is not willing to defend well, or hasn’t got the right balance, then you’ll concede a lot of goals.
“And 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.”
Chelsea were 3-0 victors against Palace on Sunday – with Mikel brilliant in the game and looked a different player altogether.
According to Squawka, the former Lyn Oslo man made 96 percent pass accuracy, three tackles won, two blocks and one interception.
But his manager was particularly impressed with his recovery rate, his defending and ability to bring other players into the game.
“He 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, but he can also let the other players play.”
Mikel has so far made nine appearances this season in the league and 12 in all competitions for the London side.
