Thursday 4 August 2016 18:52, UK
N'Golo Kante may have been quick to quash any comparison between himself and Claude Makelele, but his performance against AC Milan suggests Chelsea have signed another pivotal midfield anchor, writes Pete Hall.
In the first-ever match at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Chelsea signed off their International Champions Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory, but it was anything but plain sailing. The game proved to be a real spectacle for the bumper crowd, with both sides' vulnerable-looking defences contributing to the excitement in the opening 45 minutes.
With the score 1-1 at the interval, Conte elected to stick with his 4-4-2 and starting XI for the second half, but quickly changed his mind, with the Blues still looking fragile.
It was time for a new system and the introduction of £32m summer signing N'Golo Kante.
The France international was parachuted into a holding role in front of the Chelsea defence, with Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas ahead of him in central midfield as part of a 4-1-4-1.
Kante led the Premier League standings for tackles and interceptions during his incredible 2015/16 season with Leicester, and immediately provided his new team-mates with the perfect platform from which to secure a confidence-boosting pre-season success.
Kante gives Conte flexibility to tinker with his formation. Notoriously conservative, questions have arisen as to whether Nemanja Matic and Kante can work in tandem, and whether or not deploying both in the same side is simply too negative.
Yet, reverting to a more defensive 4-1-4-1 from a 4-4-2 actually saw Chelsea offer more of an attacking threat in Minneapolis, with more attack-minded players willing to get forward, safe in the knowledge there was adequate protection behind.
Oscar was often restricted in his forays forward last season, but on Wednesday night he was allowed more freedom after coming off the bench against Milan and the 24-year-old helped himself to a double.
So many other players will benefit from an improved midfield core. Eden Hazard again looked lively, and with two defensive midfielders happy to sit back, he becomes less responsible for covering defensively.
Matic himself can get further forward as a result, whilst still slotting in alongside Kante when required. After Kante's introduction, Matic found himself harrying and chasing down opposition players higher up the pitch - adding another facet to Chelsea's defensive unit.
It remains to be seen whether Fabregas can also benefit from Kante's inclusion, just as Oscar did against Milan. The former Arsenal midfielder's effectiveness in the final third dwindled last season, but with Matic and Kante doing the legwork, the Spaniard could certainly focus on dominating the assist table once more.
It is very early days, but judging by the way Conte is protecting Kante after his Euro 2016 efforts, nursing the midfielder back to fitness and only giving him limited minutes as he gets up to speed, the Italian tactician is seemingly aware of the asset he has at his disposal.
The win over Milan could well be a taster for things to come. Chelsea's cataclysmic decline last season shocked so many, but sometimes all it takes is one player in the right position to reinvigorate a group, and Kante could be that man, with his sidekick Matic in tow.
Game changers rarely come in the form of defensive midfielders, but just as Makelele did a decade ago, a solid Chelsea engine-room could well be the glue that forms a title-winning unit.
