In recent years, N’Golo Kanté has rightfully earned himself the reputation as one of the world’s best defensive midfielders. Yet, new Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has given the Frenchman a different role this season, a decision which may prove crucial to his side’s success.
N’Golo Kanté’s New Chelsea Role Could Make Perfect Sense
If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It – Right?
Watching Kanté guide France to World Cup glory this summer, it would have been hard to believe that just four years previously he was preparing for his first season of top-flight football with French side Caen. Today, he not only has a World Cup to his name, but two Premier League winners medals, an FA cup, a PFA Players’ Player of the Year award and a Ballon d’Or nomination.
Despite his success as a defensive midfielder, Sarri has used the Frenchman as a box-to-box player this season, a decision which may seem counterproductive given that he has been one of Chelsea’s most valuable defensive assets over the past few years.
Removing Kanté from his traditional position has predictably had a considerable impact on Chelsea’s defence. In the victory over Arsenal, their London rivals had countless successes cutting the ball back from the right wing to a free man just outside the six-yard box, a pass which, in previous seasons, the Frenchman would likely have cut out. While Sarri’s side may have made an impressive start to their league campaign, winning all five games so far, the manager recognised after their recent victory over Cardiff that defensively his side have appeared far from convincing.
A Crucial Piece of the Jigsaw
Yet Kanté’s new role is essential if Sarri is to succeed in implementing his own brand of football at Stamford Bridge. Labelled ‘Sarri-ball’, his attacking, high-pressing and possession-based system is a bold move away from the more defensive brand of football which has given Chelsea so much success in recent years. But given that Sarri’s Napoli had the most shots on target, chances created and total passes of any team in Serie A last season, achieving a club record 91 points, Chelsea’s faith in him seems more than warranted.
Crucial to the success of his football is the three-man midfield, each player with their own specific role. Operating at the base is a deep-lying playmaker, who demands a lot of the ball and orchestrates play. Just ahead of him, the functional yet effective box-to-box player is principally used as a ball winner and expected to launch attacks. And at the head of the midfield, the creative spark regularly playing off the striker in a number ten role.
Box-to-Box Role the Logical Step
It is no coincidence that just three hours after revealing the new manager, Chelsea also announced Jorginho from Napoli as their first summer signing. Fulfilling the deep-lying role within the midfield three, Jorginho has been pivotal to the success of Sarri’s possession-based football for over three years, completing more passes than any other player in Serie A last season. This year he has seamlessly picked up from where he left off at Napoli, achieving 418 passes in his first four Premier League games, more than anyone in Europe’s top five divisions.
With the deep-lying midfield position already occupied by the perfect candidate, and Sarri deciding not to play a traditional defensive midfielder, the Italian has turned to Kanté to fulfil the crucial box-to-box role.
Defensively and Physically Ready
Expected to cover every blade of grass, constantly press and win the ball off the opposition and contribute to the attack, it is arguably the most demanding and pivotal position within Sarri’s system.
Averaging a distance of 11.6km per game last season, the fourth highest of any player in the Premier League, Kanté unquestionably has the stamina succeed as a box-to-box player. His tackling is equally well suited to the role, winning the ball 81 times in the league last season, third only behind Wilfred Ndidi and Idrissa Gueye.
Doubts Over His Attacking Ability
But having only scored 12 goals in his professional career, proving more adept around his own penalty box than the opposition’s, it is the offensive responsibilities which are likely to be the Frenchman’s biggest challenge. And with the third midfield position currently being filled by a player in Mateo Kovačić, who is certainly not a recognised number ten, Sarri is demanding more going forward from his box-to-box player than he ever did at Napoli.
Yet, Kanté is more capable of fulfilling these expectations than his goal scoring statistics may suggest. With over 80% pass completion rate in each of the past three seasons, it would be easy to assume that he is happy just shifting the ball sideways whenever he receives it. However, last season he made more key passes and completed more successful dribbles than any other season in his career, demonstrating that he is becoming increasingly comfortable advancing with the ball at his feet, challenging defenders and setting up chances for his attackers.
So far this season he has also shown a knack for making decisive late runs into the box, almost reminiscent of Chelsea’s record goalscorer and legendary number eight, Frank Lampard. With a goal to his name already, Sarri will hope that as long as Kanté continues to make such runs, his finishing will only improve.
Though it may seem strange not playing one of the world’s best defensive midfielders in his preferred position, Sarri’s decision to convert Kanté into a box-to-box player is not only essential to the success of ‘Sarri-ball’ but also logical given the Frenchman’s qualities. While we are already seeing a different side of him this season, he continues to prove his worth to a Chelsea side hoping of making it six wins out of six away at West Ham this Sunday.
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