John Obi Mikel: The Control Variable

In chemistry, there is something referred to as the control variable. Essentially, the control variable is what is kept the same throughout the experiment. It is not the primary concern in the experimental outcome and it is said that any change in a control variable in an experiment would invalidate the balance of dependent variables, thus skewing the results. This variable is also known as the constant variable or simply as the “control."

When it comes to basic living, which primarily involves sleeping and waking up, we have two control elements, the Sun and the Moon, and these regulate essential existence. They dictate when we work, eat, sleep, and even party. Likewise in football, especially modern football, the element of control is becoming increasingly important as managers strive for a controlled attacking approach or a controlled defensive approach.

With teams like Pep Guardiola's Barcelona and Maurizio Sarri's Napoli, among others, being synonymous with controlled attacking styles of play, and with the likes of Diego Simeone's Atlético Madrid and Antonio Conte's Chelsea being synonymous for controlled defensive sides, 'control' itself is at a premium. Several teams, such as Juventus and Sevilla, have oscillated between the two, becoming a hybrid of both styles. These teams need a player in the side that is an epitome of control, comfortable in possession, and assured without it.

These players usually play in the center of the pitch, they are the metronomes of their managers' systems, they almost have a bird's-eye-view of the pitch. Whether it be Fernandinho, Sergio Busquets, or Xabi Alonso, these players have linked defense and attack, controlled the system, but they've never quite gotten the praise they deserved. John Obi Mikel sits pretty in this A-list setup. He is regarded as the greatest non-hero of Chelsea’s most successful period, the control variable that allowed Chelsea's flashier superstars to flourish and hog the limelight.