{"id":1101513,"date":"2019-08-13T18:15:45","date_gmt":"2019-08-13T17:15:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1101513"},"modified":"2019-08-13T18:15:45","modified_gmt":"2019-08-13T17:15:45","slug":"chelsea-boss-lampard-urged-no-brainer-midfield-decision","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/chelsea-boss-lampard-urged-no-brainer-midfield-decision\/","title":{"rendered":"Chelsea boss Lampard urged to make ‘no brainer’ midfield decision"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin has urged manager Frank Lampard to restore\u00a0N\u2019Golo Kante back to his original defensive midfield position.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kante was utilised in a more advanced role under\u00a0Maurizio Sarri last season, much to the chagrin of a large section of the match-going Chelsea fanbase.<\/p>\n

Kante’s best position: Five things to know…<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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  • Kante is largely considered one of the best defensive midfielders in world football.<\/li>\n
  • However, last season Sarri repositioned the Frenchman further up the field.<\/li>\n
  • This drew widespread backlash from fans and pundits alike.<\/li>\n
  • Former assistant\u00a0Zola has since explained that\u00a0Kante was pushed further forward because he \u201cis not a sitting midfielder\u201d<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  • But, Nevin has now urged Lampard to deploy Kante in his habitual deep-midfield role.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    https:\/\/audioboom.com\/posts\/7336082-10-predictions-for-the-2019-20-premier-league-season<\/p>\n

    This proved a huge bone of contention among pundits as well, with many questioning the Italian’s decision-making, though his assistant at Chelsea,\u00a0Gianfranco Zola, has since explained that in Sarri’s 4-3-3 formation, the deepest-lying midfielder must be the most comfortable on the ball, which they believed was Jorginho.<\/p>\n

    However, in Lampard’s 4-2-3-1 the system requires two deep-lying midfielders, and Nevin believes placing Kante in one of those two slots is an \u00a0absolute “no-brainer”.<\/p>\n

    In his column for the Chelsea website<\/a>, he wrote: “The other massive decision for Frank going forward in the short term will be the defensive midfield area.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a>

    READ MORE:<\/span> Man Utd 4-0 Chelsea: Full player ratings \u2013 start getting excited about Solskjaer\u2019s two new 8\/10s<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

    “With a fully fit N\u2019Golo Kante I am sure he will want to stick him back in his original position, just to give a little more protection for those centre-backs.<\/p>\n

    “We probably all know that Frank would have done that at United in the first place had he been fully fit.<\/p>\n

    “A 4-2-3-1 with our unassuming French superstar would certainly look more solid, but then any midfield in the world would look more solid with him in there.<\/p>\n

    “I grew to love N\u2019Golo further forward last season, but in a different system with two deeper in midfield, it is a bit of a no-brainer and I am sure he will be back there soon enough.”<\/p>\n