Changing of guard is bad news for Makelele

Mikel John Obi took a significant step forward last night, writes Matt Scott

A mere couple of miles from Buckingham Palace, there was a changing of the guard last night. Claude Makelele, who has stood sentry in front of Chelsea's defence over the past four seasons, was relegated to the bench as Mikel John Obi stepped up to replace him in the starting line-up.

The significance of the omission for so important a match of Makelele, who stands alone in Premiership football for being the eponymous player for a specialist position, cannot be underestimated.

But it is no surprise that Mikel is beginning to outgrow the smaller man's shadow and history suggests he will have the mental strength not to be overawed if he consigns Makelele to Chelsea's past. Voted the second-most influential player at the 2005 World Youth Championship, where Nigeria lost out to Argentina in the final, he was the subject of a transfer tug-of-war involving England's two richest clubs.

He was on trial at Chelsea's Harlington training ground in Jose Mourinho's first summer but Manchester United subsequently stole a march and unveiled him as their player. Amid claims he had been forced into the agreement, Mikel absconded from his Norwegian club, Lyn, to London, with reports that the teenager had been the subject of death threats.

A Fifa inquiry ensued, though Chelsea chose to settle the matter with a £16 million payment, £12 million of which went to their Premiership rivals though he had never kicked a ball for them. To have come through so much so young means Mikel has the maturity to shape for himself a champion's future.

Mourinho would not have taken lightly his decision to place the older man on the bench. On his arrival in 2004 it had been the Portuguese's decision to do away with the 4-4-2 system he inherited from Claudio Ranieri and to give Makelele the holding role that did so much to transform Chelsea's fortunes from Premiership also-rans to two-times champions.

But Mikel is to the manner born. Six feet two inches, his physical stature if not his reputation exceeds that of the man he displaced. That in itself would reassure Mourinho, who favours tall men with a presence capable of intimidating opponents, and there were a few shuddering challenges doing just that last night.

Mikel added further value with aerial ability that ensured Valencia's high balls were cut out before being flicked on to David Villa. It is questionable whether Makelele might have managed so adroitly to compete with the strikers and Quique Flores responded late on by introducing the taller Miguel Angulo to compete.

But it is with the ball at his feet that Makelele is the master, his economy of possession marking him out as among the Premiership's most proficient passers. Last night Mikel displayed a similar skill, seldom relinquishing the ball and never in a dangerous position.

He was not, however, above criticism and Mourinho might have questioned why the Spain international David Silva, who had been operating in the hole that was Mikel's territory, was permitted the space and time in which to craft his exquisite goal.

But he was not the sole culprit in failing to close down the forward.

Where he scores higher than his team-mate is with the forward surges with which he imposes himself.

Mourinho's faith was being fairly repaid by Mikel and, when he was replaced by Joe Cole, after 75 minutes, his work was well done. Makelele, meanwhile, was slinking under a woolly hat, rarely rising from his low viewpoint in the dug-out. Both men might remember this match as a milestone in their careers. But with the older man in the midst of contract negotiations it was an unwelcome reminder of his advancing years.