Nemanja Matic faces challenge of a midfield without N’Golo Kante

Nemanja Matic’s pairing with N’Golo Kante in Chelsea midfield revived Matic’s play after his disappointing 2015/16 season. With Kante suspended for the Bournemouth match, Matic will have the chance to show what he can do when he is the key man in the middle.

N’Golo Kante has played every minute of Chelsea 2016/17 Premier League campaign. He will miss the next 90 minutes after picking up his fifth yellow of the season against Crystal Palace. Kante’s absence will test Nemanja Matic’s ability to control play through the midfield as he did during Chelsea’s last run to the title.

At his best in that 2014/15 season, Nemanja Matic was the pivot point of Chelsea’s play. Whether he was disrupting and dispossessing the opponent’s attack or taking a pass from deep and laying it across midfield, little happened out of his reach.

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N’Golo Kante is responsible for much of Matic’s resurgence this season. Kante’s energy gives the little Frenchman near omnipresence in the middle third. He harasses and confounds the opposition, while Matic plays more of a true holding midfield. Kante lightens Matic’s workload, and creates opportunities for Matic to intervene, overload and clean up around the opponent. Kante also makes Matic look good simply by keeping the midfield so thoroughly Blue.

Matic is three years older than Kante and has been with Chelsea several years longer. Even so, Kante is the dominant member of the duo. With Kante out against Bournemouth, Matic will be the midfield commander for the first time this season. Matic will need to do his own job without Kante’s assistance. He will also need to guide and take responsibility for his likely partner, Nathaniel Chalobah.

Chalobah has six Premier League appearances this season, all off the bench. With Oscar packing his bags and Mikel John Obi nowhere to be found, Chalobah is almost certain to start against the Cherries.

Antonio Conte would probably have preferred to blood Chalobah alongside Kante. Kante could better cover for any of Chalobah’s mistakes, and would set a better example of how to succeed in the role. Matic will have to balance his own duties with providing back-up to Chalobah. Depending on how well Matic handles the former, Chalobah may well find himself leading Matic.

Claudio Ranieri said that N’Golo Kante “played as two players.” Even if Antonio Conte wanted to replace Kante with two holding midfielders, he probably does not have the personnel to do so (although it would be great to see Mikel again). Cesc Fabregas may join Matic and Chalobah as part of a five-man midfield. But for all his recent top form, Fabregas will not take on any of Matic’s defensive responsibilities.

Chelsea will also be without Diego Costa on Boxing Day. Although the Blues will clearly miss their top scorer, Conte has many more options to compensate for Costa’s absence. Michy Batshuayi is a talented striker, Eden Hazard is on strong form and the Blues are creating goals across the lineup.

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N’Golo Kante is much harder to replace. His attributes are less tangible and rarely found together. Nemanja Matic should not try to emulate Kante. He can’t. He should, however, build on his season so far to recapture his play from two seasons ago. That will position Chelsea well for a win against Bournemouth and give Nathaniel Chalobah the best opportunity to excel in his starting XI debit.