This summer saw an influx of talented central midfielders to the Premier League. Liverpool brought in Naby Keita and Fabinho, Arsenal signed Lucas Torreira and Manchester United acquired Fred. However, of all the talent brought in, Chelsea may well have done the best business. Last Word on Football looks at the men in the middle for Chelsea and whether Maurizio Sarri will be able to keep them all happy.
Is Chelsea’s Midfield the Strongest in the Premier League?
Kante’s New Role
A member of the PFA team of the season in two of his three seasons in England, N’Golo Kante remains one of the most important players in the league. Kante, who was vital in France’s World Cup success, has been asked to play a different role under Sarri. He has established himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world; his tireless work ethic and football intelligence allowing him to cover an enormous amount of ground and frequently break up counter attacks.
However, in the opening two games of the season, Kante has played a far more advanced role. This was evident against Arsenal on Saturday, as the Frenchman found himself making runs behind the Arsenal defence on several occasions. Whilst this allows Kante to press higher up the pitch, his creativity and final product has previously not been good enough to capitalise on opportunities in the final third. Kante has improved significantly in this department; he created 37 chances last season, compared to 22 the season before. If he can continue to develop in this area then he could become the world’s best box to box midfielder.
Jorginho Quick to Settle
The reason Kante is being asked to play further up the field is because of the signing of Jorginho. Jorginho followed Sarri to Chelsea from Napoli and already has the manager’s complete trust. His playing style requires him to sit deeper and dictate the tempo, playing in a quarterback-style role. Jorginho and Kante’s differences are evident in last season’s stats; in 29 Serie A games, Jorginho managed 2788 total passes, significantly more than Kante’s 2059 Premier League attempts.
Jorginho has adapted quickly to the Premier League, looking comfortable in both games. Maurizio Sarri knew exactly what he was buying when he brought Jorginho in and it would appear unlikely that he will expect a change in style. This may require Kante to continue playing further forwards.
When Will Kovacic Start?
Mateo Kovacic oozed class when he was brought on for his debut after an hour against Arsenal and was involved in the winner, completing 100% of his 43 passing attempts. Impressively, he looked to have already struck up a good relationship with Eden Hazard. Particularly impressive was his energy, as he covered ground to break up Arsenal attacks on numerous occasions. He was comfortable on the ball in tight spaces and showed why Sarri was keen to add him to an already stacked midfield.
One of Kovacic’s biggest strength’s is his versatility, although it was in part this strength which prevented him from establishing a clear role at Real Madrid. His passing accuracy and sharpness allow him to play in the deeper role, similarly to Jorginho. However, Kovacic excels when given a freer remit and the ability to press high up the pitch. His impressive energy levels and reading of the game enable him to win possession back in dangerous areas. Surprisingly, he averaged more successful tackles per 90 minutes than both Kante and Jorginho last season. His main strength is undoubtedly his ball carrying, averaging more than three successful dribbles per game last season. His strength, balance and close control make him a dangerous opponent both when driving from deep and in and around the edge of the area.
It would seem likely that Kovacic will take Ross Barkley’s place in the side. His strong debut off the bench and high profile suggest that this is something that he will do sooner rather than later.
Can Ross Barkley Continue to Earn Playing Time?
Ross Barkley has impressed in the season’s opening two games. He has started alongside Kante and Jorginho and shown flashes of the talent he demonstrated regularly at Everton. Barkley only appeared twice for Chelsea last season after his £15 million January move but worked hard during the summer to regain full fitness. Barkley was plagued by hamstring injuries last season, but reported going into this season that his body feels “as good as it has ever felt before”. In the season’s opening two games he has looked sharper than last season. Playing on the left of the middle three, he spent much of the Arsenal game coming deep for the ball. However, he appeared at his most dangerous when receiving possession on the edge of the area. Barkley twice came close to scoring from range and against weaker opposition will likely be encouraged to play closer to the lone striker.
Barkley’s early season form coupled with Kovacic’s arrival will have given Sarri a selection headache. With 21 league goals and 18 assists for Everton, the 224-year-old is a dangerous weapon. Like Kovacic, his quick feet and power make him lethal on the edge of the area. Barkley’s biggest barrier could be fitness; hamstring injuries are notoriously frequent to reoccur and slow to recover from. If he can remain healthy then he should continue to compete with Kovacic for a starting place.
The Odd Ones Out
This, however, may make playing time tough to come by for Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Danny Drinkwater. Loftus-Cheek was instrumental in Crystal Palace’s successful relegation battle whilst on loan last season. Going into this year, Sarri was keen to work with Loftus-Cheek before making a decision on his future. However, the attacking midfielder was left out of the squad on Saturday. Sarri explained in his press conference that this was due to a preference to have two wingers and only one midfielder on the bench. This bodes poorly for Loftus-Cheek’s chances of first team football at Chelsea this season and he is expected to seek a loan move away. With the English window now closed, this would be to Europe, with Schalke reportedly interested.
Sarri’s quotes also cast doubt over Danny Drinkwater’s Chelsea future. Drinkwater, who was vital to Leicester’s title win, made only twelve appearances in his debut season at Stamford Bridge. Of all of the options at Sarri’s disposal, Drinkwater has little in way of style of play to separate himself from his team-mates, and a loan move to the Championship seems likely.
Cesc Fabregas – The Forgotten Man?
Cesc Fabregas was an integral part of the Chelsea side last season, making 32 league appearances. However, with the additions of Jorginho and Kovacic, he may find himself surplus to requirements. At 31, Fabregas is four years older than his team-mates and may be a victim of Sarri’s demand for pressing up the pitch.
Interestingly, statistically, Fabregas holds up well compared to the new arrivals. Last season he created more chances per game and had more key passes per game than either Jorginho or Kovacic. Much of this may be due to Jorginho’s deeper role and Kovacic’s largely substitute role. Nevertheless, Fabregas may prove a key piece to Sarri’s plan, particularly against sides who are compact and tough to break down. Fabregas is the Premier League’s all-time second highest assist provider with 111, although his productivity dropped significantly last season. Fabregas missed the opening two games with injury but is expected to return soon; whether he is able to earn playing time is to be seen.
Conclusion
Chelsea rival Manchester City for the deepest and most talented midfield core. New signing Jorginho has settled in quickly and stamped his name on the holding position within the starting trio. N’Golo Kante has begun the season playing in a more advanced role. This has has added a more proactive pressing style to Chelsea’s game. Ross Barkley, Mateo Kovacic and Cesc Fabregas may be forced to battle for the other starting position. With Europa League football this season, there will likely be a degree of rotation throughout the three spots. However, keeping all three happy could be a difficult task. Despite a positive campaign last season, Ruben Loftus-Cheek could once against find himself out on loan.
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