With new management comes new tactics, new approaches and new ways of playing and with Maurizio Sarri coming in at Chelsea, they are already embracing many changes.
One of the changes that will have a large scale effect on Chelsea is N’Golo Kate’s advanced role.
N’Golo has mastered the technique of a defensive midfielder and is regarded by many as one of the best DM in Premier League but he has a new role to master now, a role further up the field and N’Golo is up for it.
“It’s a new manager and a new system. I played a little bit further forward. I need to adapt to this role but I will give my best in this position for the team and I hope we can keep doing good things in the future. I try to find the striker, to be more offensive and cause problems for the opponent and I think it went well.” – Kante
Now Kante is not known for his attacking threats, he is someone who controls the game from middle of the park – connect the defence with attacks. He has played a vital role in controlling the game not only for Chelsea but also with Leicester City as well as France.
Antonio Conte achieved big with the midfield Chelsea possessed, but when Maurizio Sarri arrived he neither wanted to change that ‘organized defence’ nor ‘under performed Alvoro Morata’. He wanted a new midfield straightaway and backing the same he brought in Jorginho followed by Mateo Kovacic.
Arrival of Jorginho indicated that Chalsea’s play will no loner revolve around Kante and everybody was talking about ‘Where will the World Champion fit at Chelsea?’ – Sarri already had Kante’s new role summed up, and it turned out to be something very few would have thought of.
N’Golo Kante also commented upon the new role, suggesting his likeness towards it. – “That is something I used to play at my old club, Caen,” Kante said this week. “I like it.”
Kante’s new role could pay dividend in multiple ways.
Firstly, get used to N’Golo Kante getting on the score-sheets more often and his goal tally s certainly going to help Chelsea get some valuable points. Not only his goalscoring tally but it also helps other offensive players, Kante can make some late runs into the final third catching the defenders off-guard and there you get some space in front of goal and with quality of striking force Chelsea possess..umm..opponents got some real thing to worry about.
Kante can also help with pressing when Chelsea are being dominated against one of those top six of the Premier League. As rightly pointed out by The Sun’s Danny Higginbotham:
“N’Golo [Kante] played much higher than usual — and took his goal really well,” Higginbotham wrote in his column for The Sun.
“Our heat map shows the difference from last season.
“But the French star is not there to contribute 10 goals.
“More than anything, being more advanced helps Chelsea with the high press.
“Kante’s energy levels are so good that having him on one side and Ross Barkley on the other affords Jorginho time and space to play the quarterback role. And the system is flexible.”
“If they are playing one of the bigger sides away from home or find themselves under the cosh, Kante can turn into one of two sitters immediately.”
The arrival of Jorginho has laid Kante with a new role to master
Kante will need to improve on many aspects of his game offensively, but this is exciting not only for the management and the players but also for the fans.
Kante’s quality will be tested to is depth when Arsenal visit Stamford Bridge this Saturday. He will have to fool the likes of Nacho Monreal, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (if he plays on the left flank) back on him and Henrikh Mkhitaryan (who is expect to don the left side if Aubameyang starts upfront).
But Kante is someone Unai Emery & Co. needs to do their homework on, coz bang on this guy can make the difference not only defensively as he used to but also offensively if he is given some space and chances.
