Former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel has bluntly stated that his old club cannot win the Premier League with their current crop of defenders, following a disappointing 2-1 loss to Sunderland.
Mikel’s Blunt Chelsea Verdict: Current Defenders Cannot Win Premier League
The Blues started strongly last Saturday, with Alejandro Garnacho scoring within four minutes.
However, they failed to extend their lead and were ultimately punished as Sunderland fought back to secure a victory.
On his podcast, The Obi One, Mikel did not hold back in his assessment, directing sharp criticism at the team’s defensive line.
He expressed particular frustration with the manner of the winning goal, calling the defending “absolutely awful.”
He said: “The way we conceded the last goal was just absolutely awful defending. Awful defending. And you know, I mentioned it so many times, we can’t win.
“We just don’t have good enough defenders. We don’t have good enough defenders.
The defenders that we have right now, the centre-backs that we have right now, we can’t win the Premier League with those centre-backs. We can’t win the Premier League.
“And you can see it with Arsenal, isn’t it? Defenders, win you the title. Yes, the strikers win games, but defenders do win you the title.
Defenders win you the league. And now Arsenal have conceded just three goals in the Premier League in nine games. Absolutely brilliant.
We’ve said it so many times. If anybody can win this Premier League this season, it’s got to be Arsenal. They have the best team.”
Mikel emphasized that strong defences are what ultimately secure titles, using London rivals Arsenal as a prime example.
He praised the Gunners for conceding only three goals in nine games, suggesting their backline makes them genuine title contenders this season.
The former midfielder’s concerns are backed by the statistics. After the Sunderland defeat, Chelsea have now let in 11 goals in their first nine league matches.
Among the current top five teams, only Bournemouth have conceded as many.
This defensive frailty appears to be a key focus for the club’s future plans. Reports indicate Chelsea are already exploring options to strengthen their backline.
The club has been offered Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and has shown interest in Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa.
Furthermore, a move for Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano, who could be available on a free transfer in 2026, is also a possibility.
For now, however, Mikel believes the existing personnel are not up to the standard required for a championship challenge.
