N'Golo Kante | Chelsea Player

amolbhatia50k

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Because he's never been truly fit. How do you guys expect players to be at their best if they keep struggling with injuries ?
He's been average ever since Sarri went to Chelsea. It's not merely down to fitness and the systemic issued do play a large part IMO.

For me Kante is an excellent player. But he's mostly a Mourinho player. A Conte player. A Leicester player. A Deschamps player. He didnt fit in too well in Sarri's possesion, and Lampard's preferred system also appears to be heavily reliant on possesion and short passing interchanges. And I think Kante, while being someone who can do a job in any system, just feels a little out of place. So it's up to him to prove his versatility or eventually move to a manager who suits him.
 

kouroux

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He's been average ever since Sarri went to Chelsea. It's not merely down to fitness and the systemic issued do play a large part IMO.

For me Kante is an excellent player. But he's mostly a Mourinho player. A Conte player. A Leicester player. A Deschamps player. He didnt fit in too well in Sarri's possesion, and Lampard's preferred system also appears to be heavily reliant on possesion and short passing interchanges. And I think Kante, while being someone who can do a job in any system, just feels a little out of place. So it's up to him to prove his versatility or eventually move to a manager who suits him.
I disagree completely with this. I though he was one of their rare good players last, with Hazard obviously, playing in that weird advanced role which took him time to settle in.
 

Pexbo

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I'd have him in an instant, wouldn't even need a second to think about it. He's been mismanaged last season or two, and its showed, but he's still class.
Would love him here, can’t imagine us mismanaging him at all.
 

Champ

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Because he's never been truly fit. How do you guys expect players to be at their best if they keep struggling with injuries ?
I was merely highlighting how he has been playing, which is mediocre.
As to why he has been average, that's a different question, but I would go so far to say he hasn't been great for a while now.
 

bond19821982

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Never thought I would say this but we have Fred who has the potential to be better than Kante. So, no I wouldn't buy him . Kante and Fred will be too much of an overkill not to mention his salary demands of above 200k at least.
 

kouroux

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I was merely highlighting how he has been playing, which is mediocre.
As to why he has been average, that's a different question, but I would go so far to say he hasn't been great for a while now.
I don't disagree with your assessment, just tried to give context. We (French national team) are doomed for the Euros, the entire midfield is struggling with fitness, even Tolisso at Bayern isn't playing anymore. Somebody jinxed us
 

Champ

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I don't disagree with your assessment, just tried to give context. We (French national team) are doomed for the Euros, the entire midfield is struggling with fitness, even Tolisso at Bayern isn't playing anymore. Somebody jinxed us
Whilst I am generally a sympathetic person, I struggle to feel for you on this one :lol:
The French National team has strength in depth all over the field, I'm sure you'll be just fine!
 

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He's been average ever since Sarri went to Chelsea. It's not merely down to fitness and the systemic issued do play a large part IMO.

For me Kante is an excellent player. But he's mostly a Mourinho player. A Conte player. A Leicester player. A Deschamps player. He didnt fit in too well in Sarri's possesion, and Lampard's preferred system also appears to be heavily reliant on possesion and short passing interchanges. And I think Kante, while being someone who can do a job in any system, just feels a little out of place. So it's up to him to prove his versatility or eventually move to a manager who suits him.
Not being Sarri player is hardly a bad thing. Sarri hasn't proved he is some great manager at all.
 

kouroux

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Whilst I am generally a sympathetic person, I struggle to feel for you on this one :lol:
The French National team has strength in depth all over the field, I'm sure you'll be just fine!
In midfield we really don't. Pogba has been hurt all season, Kanté has been struggling, same with Matuidi. Tolisso is frozen out, Rabiot has no chance to be called up, N'Zonzi has become crap. Not looking good at the moment but there is still a little time
 

amolbhatia50k

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Not being Sarri player is hardly a bad thing. Sarri hasn't proved he is some great manager at all.
I didn't imply that he was a great manager. But Kante doesnt appear suited to possesion football that relies heavily on short passing interchanges in tight spaces. It's something Lampard has also focused on heavily, as do plenty of managers.
 

Champ

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In midfield we really don't. Pogba has been hurt all season, Kanté has been struggling, same with Matuidi. Tolisso is frozen out, Rabiot has no chance to be called up, N'Zonzi has become crap. Not looking good at the moment but there is still a little time
Tolisso will be fine, you also have Ndombele and Gendouzi who will be absolutely fine against majority of opposition, although they both seem to have an attitude issue!!
Kante will be back soon i'd imagine too!
 

Amar__

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I didn't imply that he was a great manager. But Kante doesnt appear suited to possesion football that relies heavily on short passing interchanges in tight spaces. It's something Lampard has also focused on heavily, as do plenty of managers.
I am pretty sure good manager would make him work in any system. He did completely fine in title winning team, and a team that won World Cup.
 

MackRobinson

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I am pretty sure good manager would make him work in any system. He did completely fine in title winning team, and a team that won World Cup.
Two title-winning teams. Back to back.

You exactly right but this just displays the short-termism of football fans. Kante has struggled with injuries, but over the last 3-4 years he has shown he is an elite center mid. Just wait until Fred has a dip in form and the same posters applauding him will be calling him shit. Kante still walks into most teams in the world.
 

dev1l

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I would think twice about signing someone like Kante. His game is reliant on the physical side of it and he may have already clocked too many miles.
 

Dancfc

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Gutted on a personal level to see Kante injured but I'm quite excited to see the Jorgi, Kova and Mount midfield again for an extended period, they compliment each other very well.
 

harms

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Gutted on a personal level to see Kante injured but I'm quite excited to see the Jorgi, Kova and Mount midfield again for an extended period, they compliment each other very well.
Why not Mou?
 

kouroux

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Tolisso will be fine, you also have Ndombele and Gendouzi who will be absolutely fine against majority of opposition, although they both seem to have an attitude issue!!
Kante will be back soon i'd imagine too!
I'll be surprised if Guendouzi takes part of the tournament. Ndombele needs to step up, his talent is incredible for me but so far he hasn't shown consistently.
 

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Gutted on a personal level to see Kante injured but I'm quite excited to see the Jorgi, Kova and Mount midfield again for an extended period, they compliment each other very well.
I forgot Jorginho was playing last night. Strange player. Has his uses, Arsenal away for instance. But those performances are few and far between.
 

ivaldo

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He's been underwhelming for about a season and a half now. He's a great player, but he was always overrated, and there's a reluctance to accept that.
 

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Wasn't he linked to Real earlier in the season? Now being linked to Inter...of all clubs. I know he's 29, but if Chelsea are selling we should be buying.
 

charlenefan

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He's a shadow of his former self and has been injury stricken this season, if Chelsea were willing to sell that in itself says to stay away
 

MikeKing

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Wasn't he linked to Real earlier in the season? Now being linked to Inter...of all clubs. I know he's 29, but if Chelsea are selling we should be buying.
I want to say yes, and right now we could probably just slot him in with Matic going out, but McTominay and Fred is pretty similar players, and sooner or later Kante will decline which will mean at that point he'd not bring much value to us in any position whatsoever. I don't think he can play deep in midfield when his physical attributes is gone.
 

TheMagicFoolBus

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Wasn't he linked to Real earlier in the season? Now being linked to Inter...of all clubs. I know he's 29, but if Chelsea are selling we should be buying.
Well, Conte adores him and arguably got more out of him than any other manager along with Ranieri. If Barca spunk €111m on Lautaro Martinez's release clause then I could easily envision them turning around and giving ~€85m to Chelsea for Kante.

Perhaps I'm in the minority among Chelsea fans but if we get an offer like that I'd absolutely take it. Given the way he plays I don't see him aging well (unlike someone like Makelele who was far cannier with his positioning) and he's missed huge chunks of the past two seasons with niggling recurrent injuries.

He's a shadow of his former self and has been injury stricken this season, if Chelsea were willing to sell that in itself says to stay away
I think this is a bit of an overstatement and somewhat unfair to Kante - the reality is that he will always be an awkward fit in a 3 man midfield. The biggest reason why Kante is an elite player is that you can play him in a midfield 2 and still compete with a 3 man opposition midfield. His best stretches of football have always come in a midfield 2 - Leicester when they used 4-4-2, Conte when we played 3-4-3, hell even France had to put Matuidi on the left wing in order to switch to 4-2-3-1 to get the most of Kante at the last World Cup.

He just doesn't fit perfectly into any role in a 3 man midfield - Sarri used him as a high pressing 8, Lampard (since the restart) has used him as a 6. Neither is ideal - as an 8 he lacks composure & ability in the final third but is still a menace in the high pressing game / is rapid enough to recover his position; as a 6 you lose out on his verticality out of possession & he isn't a top top tier distributor of the ball (though his passing has improved markedly over the past 3 seasons).
 

Amarsdd

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Well, Conte adores him and arguably got more out of him than any other manager along with Ranieri. If Barca spunk €111m on Lautaro Martinez's release clause then I could easily envision them turning around and giving ~€85m to Chelsea for Kante.

Perhaps I'm in the minority among Chelsea fans but if we get an offer like that I'd absolutely take it. Given the way he plays I don't see him aging well (unlike someone like Makelele who was far cannier with his positioning) and he's missed huge chunks of the past two seasons with niggling recurrent injuries.
maybe for Leicester's or Conte's title winning Kante but not even close for the current Kante.
 

TheMagicFoolBus

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maybe for Leicester's or Conte's title winning Kante but not even close for the current Kante.
That's the going price mate - even on TransferMarkt they have his value at €80m (and they are generally very conservative with their model). Real were rumoured to be bidding somewhere in the region of €100m earlier this year (granted this was prior to COVID).
 

Amarsdd

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That's the going price mate - even on TransferMarkt they have his value at €80m (and they are generally very conservative with their model). Real were rumoured to be bidding somewhere in the region of €100m earlier this year (granted this was prior to COVID).
I don't know about their model but I wouldn't trust that just based on this.
You guys should be snapping up anything above 50m for him.
 

TheMagicFoolBus

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I don't know about their model but I wouldn't trust that just based on this.
You guys should be snapping up anything above 50m for him.
€50m is a bit low; anything about €70-75m I'd think long and hard about.

Also sorry not sure what is totally out of line with the model in that image?
 

Bastian

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I guess the Caf has decided his ill fit with Sarri's unsuccessful spell and Lampard's experimental side means he's over the hill.

Doesn't change my mind though. He'd be an outstanding player to have.
 

Champ

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Stay far away from him.


Declined and constantly injured.
He hasn't declined, he has just reverted to type.
Had a good two seasons, one with Leicester, one with Chelsea, the rest has been average.

Injury prone with a tendancy to drift through games only to catch the eye of the commentators and fan with the odd tackle here and there.
Fred is by far the better option, so I agree, we should definitely stay away!!