Analysis: Kante’s Change and Chelsea Players Sacrifice

DBasia.news – Maurizio Sarri’s arrival in Chelsea changed the whole playing style compared to the Antonio Conte era. There is no more careful style, tight and organized defense, and efficient counter-attack changing the goal to be an opportunity.

Chelsea have more initiative in possessing the ball, set the playing phase, and won’t give the opponents time to breath in building the attack by giving high pressing. This change alters all the role of Chelsea players involved in Sarri’s playing strategy, including N’Golo Kante.

When he was still under Claudio Ranieri (in Leicester City) and Conte, Kante seldom left the central line and entered opponent’s defense because he had the job to guard the back line of the team, also the first protection. Now, the 2018 world champion player with France national team becomes the box to box midfielder.

 

Maurizio Sarri

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Kante’s moving area within the match against Huddersfield Town in the first week of Premier League mostly in the opponent’s area. He scored one of 3 goals of The Blues. His goal was the third in the Premier League. Kante admitted the Chelsea players are now sacrificing in order to understand Sarri’s desired style.

“Now the system is ­something ­different, especially the way we play now. So, even during the ­holidays, we were thinking and talking about how to adapt. It will require a lot of sacrifice from us all, so that is why I have to continue ­moving forward as a player,” Kante told Mirror.

“I have worked with ­different managers in the past and different systems. The best way to always keep your position (in the team) is to ­remain focused and have the same attitude towards ­everyone,” he emphasized.

Kante is the key player in Chelsea’s central field within Sarri’s favorite scheme 4-3-3. In the middle, Kante plays with Jorginho and one more vacant position for Cesc Fabregas and Mateo Kovacic.