N’Golo Kante, who has been an instant starter for Chelsea since arriving from Leicester in the summer, came to the attention of the public last year on a slew of stats surrounding the astonishing statistics he recorded for tackles, interceptions and blocks.
But playing a new role in Antonio Conte’s Chelsea midfield, the Frenchman is having to add a new dimension to his game. With Cesc Fabregas not starting, the onus falls more on Kante to pass the ball than we are used to seeing it. At Leicester he would play it short to Danny Drinkwater or Riyad Mahrez, and sit deeper than them.
With Nemanja Matic able to cover for Kante, he’s freed to roam forward and get involved in the game higher up the pitch. Against Hull, who were generally sitting deep, Kante was Chelsea’s top passer with 77. He also hit two “key passes” for the Blues attackers. Meanwhile, he didn’t make a single tackle in the game. These statistics show just how decisively the new signing’s role has been changed in recent games.