N'Golo
Kante may have been quick to quash any comparison between himself and Claude
Makelele, but his performance against AC Milan suggests Chelsea have signed
another pivotal midfield anchor, writes Pete Hall.
In the first-ever match at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Chelsea
signed off their International Champions Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory,
but it was anything but plain sailing. The game proved to be a real
spectacle for the bumper crowd, with both sides' vulnerable-looking defences
contributing to the excitement in the opening 45 minutes.
With the score 1-1 at the interval, Conte elected to stick with his 4-4-2
and starting XI for the second half, but quickly changed his mind, with the
Blues still looking fragile.
It was time for a new system and the introduction of £32m summer signing
N'Golo Kante.
The France international was parachuted into a holding role in front of the
Chelsea defence, with Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas ahead of him in
central midfield as part of a 4-1-4-1.
Kante led the Premier League standings for tackles and interceptions during
his incredible 2015/16 season with Leicester, and immediately provided his
new team-mates with the perfect platform from which to secure a
confidence-boosting pre-season success.
Kante gives Conte flexibility to tinker with his formation. Notoriously
conservative, questions have arisen as to whether Nemanja Matic and Kante
can work in tandem, and whether or not deploying both in the same side is
simply too negative.
Yet, reverting to a more defensive 4-1-4-1 from a 4-4-2 actually saw Chelsea
offer more of an attacking threat in Minneapolis, with more attack-minded
players willing to get forward, safe in the knowledge there was adequate
protection behind.
Oscar was often restricted in his forays forward last season, but on
Wednesday night he was allowed more freedom after coming off the bench
against Milan and the 24-year-old helped himself to a double.
So many other players will benefit from an improved midfield core. Eden
Hazard again looked lively, and with two defensive midfielders happy to sit
back, he becomes less responsible for covering defensively.
Matic himself can get further forward as a result, whilst still slotting in
alongside Kante when required. After Kante's introduction, Matic found
himself harrying and chasing down opposition players higher up the pitch -
adding another facet to Chelsea's defensive unit.
It remains to be seen whether Fabregas can also benefit from Kante's
inclusion, just as Oscar did against Milan. The former Arsenal midfielder's
effectiveness in the final third dwindled last season, but with Matic and
Kante doing the legwork, the Spaniard could certainly focus on dominating
the assist table once more.
It is very early days, but judging by the way Conte is protecting Kante
after his Euro 2016 efforts, nursing the midfielder back to fitness and only
giving him limited minutes as he gets up to speed, the Italian tactician is
seemingly aware of the asset he has at his disposal.
The win over Milan could well be a taster for things to come. Chelsea's
cataclysmic decline last season shocked so many, but sometimes all it takes
is one player in the right position to reinvigorate a group, and Kante could
be that man, with his sidekick Matic in tow.
Game changers rarely come in the form of defensive midfielders, but just as
Makelele did a decade ago, a solid Chelsea engine-room could well be the
glue that forms a title-winning unit.
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