Chelsea: Frank Lampard will not restrict N’Golo Kante to “just” anything

No role is big enough for all of N’Golo Kante’s talent. Flexibility is the key to Frank Lampard’s tactics but also getting the most out of all of Chelsea’s midfielders, especially Kante and Jorginho.

The trend-setting hipsters on ChelsTwit are constantly saying N’Golo Kante is not a defensive midfielder, thus proving their hero leader correct in his decision last season to shift him further forward. In some ways they are right. They are simply missing the adverb “just.”

Kante’s role under Frank Lampard – as shown in the Liverpool game – saw him start further forward of Jorginho. However, there were many occasions when he was back mopping up in front of the back four. It’s a flexible approach that can only enhance his worth to the team.

Kante joined Chelsea from Leicester City following the Foxes’ run to the Premier League title in 2016. In any market, the £32 million transfer fee was good. Compared to the £35 million the Blues paid the Foxes for Danny Drinkwater just over a year later, it was daylight robbery.

Under Antonio Conte, Kante (annoyingly, both pronounced the same way) played in all but three Premier League games.

A consecutive Premier League title for the Frenchman followed with Chelsea, and Kante was likened to former Blues star Claude Makelele. It was a lazy comparison to make and Kante has gone on to prove his worth further up the pitch.

Ahead of the Leicester game Blues boss Frank Lampard spoke about Kante’s value to the team and where he believed his best position was.

"Well, in midfield obviously. I think it’s been a discussion that’s 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 a flexibility and nobody is pinned down to an absolute structure. – Chelsea FC"

No place for the ridiculously named “regista” then. That’s not a dig at Jorginho either – just the moniker the hipsters cling to like a comfort blanket as they pine for the club’s previous manager.

Super Frank’s right, though. To pigeon-hole a player of Kante’s ability and restrict him to one specific area of the pitch is to stunt his growth. That’s the last thing the little man needs. The same goes for Jorginho. Why waste his talent in the holding role?

It looks like Lampard’s approach is to give the players the opportunity to make their own decisions.

"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 doesn’t 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."

Giving his team a degree of responsibility during a game can only be a good thing moving forward. There must be more than one game plan.

Despite having not yet won as Chelsea boss Lampard can be confident that he’s putting in place a mindset that encourages risk-taking and making mistakes. That’s all part of the development process for both him and the squad. They will all get better.

So Maurizio Sarri may well have been correct in playing N’Golo Kante further forward, but restricting him and Jorginho to his one-dimensional game plan helped no one.

Kante is undoubtedly a world-class player and capable of playing anywhere on the field of play.

In fact, he’s so good you could probably put him in goal and he’d still do a good job… maybe.