Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has a tough job on his hands but the former Blues midfielder also has a few difficult choices to make as in which positions to play his best players. One player that needs to be fit in at the right position is World Cup-winning French midfielder N’golo Kante who seems to be extremely flexible without any complaints but Lampard needs to get the most out of his resources that are available at his disposal.
There was a reason Kante has been such a prominent figure for Chelsea over the past few seasons since his arrival from Leicester City back in the summer of 2016. The combative defensive midfielder was exceptional for the Foxes and played a pivotal role for them when they won the Premier League under Claude Puel in one of the most unexpected title-winning seasons.
Following his move to Chelsea in a £32m deal, Kante won the Premier League in his first season with the Blues under Antonio Conte. But following Conte’s departure the next season Maurizio Sarri had a different role for Kante. Sarri brought his understudy Jorginho from Napoli along with him to Stamford Bridge and the Italian midfielder was deployed in Kante’s original position which meant that Kante was displaced from his defensive position. Kante was then used as a box to box midfielder and slightly higher up the pitch and the humble Frenchman did his job exceedingly well considering that he wasn’t a natural in that position.
But with Lampard’s appointment, it seems that the 41-year-old prefers playing with two defensive midfielders meaning he can get the best out of both his key players in the center of the pitch due to the formation that he chooses.
While speaking to reporters, Lampard was asked which position is best suited for Kante and the Chelsea boss replied by saying, “Well, in midfield obviously. I think it is been a discussion that is probably been over-talked at times last year and that was me watching it from the outside. But when I think of N’Golo Kante, the important thing for me – and all my midfield – is that we have the flexibility and nobody is pinned down to an absolute structure. “
Kante was phenomenal against Liverpool in the UEFA Super Cup and against Leicester City is well putting in a commendable shift in the center of the park and Lampard further explained, “I think we saw elements of that against Liverpool where the players have the freedom to use their attributes. So the idea that he wins the ball probably as well as anyone in world football does not mean he has to sit in front of the back four and do that. He also has too much in his game, to drive forward with the ball, to leave midfield areas to win the ball back high up the pitch. So that’s what I want to give him the freedom to do.”
Chelsea travels to Carrow Road on this weekend as they prepare to face Championship winners Norwich City.
