---
title: "How can a player like Kante lack a footballing brain?"
canonical: "https://readchelsea.com/2017/04/01/can-player-like-kante-lack-footballing-brain/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Luke Osman"
section: "Chelsea Features & Analysis"
published: "2017-04-01T10:33:24Z"
modified: "2017-04-01T10:33:24Z"
---

# How can a player like Kante lack a footballing brain?

When the stumpy, energetic character that N’Golo Kante is burst onto the English footballing scene back in the summer of 2015, little did any of us know just how big an influence he would have on the Premier League.

Signed for a lowly fee from Ligue 1 underdogs Caen in Claudio Ranieri’s maiden season with Leicester City, Kante was brought in to provide a different dimension to the Foxes’ midfield and to add that extra spark to their survival hopes.

Fast forward 20 months and here he is, an established central midfielder for the dominant force in English football with one, soon to be two, Premier League titles to his name. Luck played no part in this, only influence and hard work. The effect that Kante has had on English football in the last two seasons has been astounding.

![Michael Regan/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/515590386.jpg)

In the recent weeks, praise for Kante has been at an all-time high and people have been rushing to their phones and laptops to wax lyrical about the enigmatic Frenchman all across social media.

Chelsea legend Frank Lampard even insisted on live television that he thinks Kante is currently the best central midfielder in the world, and has even more to his game than the previously effervescent Claude Makelele.

The game against Manchester United was strange one. Kante took all the plaudits from the contest and was the standout performer on the night, producing a typically tenacious and dominant display in the middle of the park. Perhaps the attention was drawn towards him because he popped up with a rare, well-taken goal.

However, despite the ever-awesome display he turned in, it probably wasn’t even his best performance so far this season. It’s a measure of just how special a player like him is, and how incredibly scarce players of his qualities are to come by.

![Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/617453282.jpg)

Fast-forward a few weeks and Kante was present on international duty with his native France; a footballing nation that has suddenly emerged as an exciting proposal, both through the quality of player and the recent emergence of domestic club teams such as Monaco and PSG turning it on.

Didier Deschamps men took on Spain in a midweek friendly and were put to the sword by Julen Lopetegui’s men in a 2-0 defeat. Kante started and finished the match but wasn’t quite used in a way that would maximise his capabilities and work to his strengths. He started at the base of a three-man midfield, with Corentin Tolisso and Adrien Rabiot either side of him; two inexperienced players playing in their natural roles, whilst Kante sat behind in a sense of uncertainty.

Spain set up with their archetypal three-man midfield, with Sergio Busquets playing as the six and Andres Iniesta and Koke playing just to the side as eights. To be quite bluntly honest, it was as dominant a midfield performance as you’ll see nowadays, and Spain played France off the park through the middle.

Who was largely held accountable? Kante.

![Dan Mullan/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/659267706.jpg)

Spain used the ball incredibly well through the middle and were able to bypass France’s relatively disorganised press through the middle. For all of Deschamps’ men’s endeavour, the old saying that the ball will always move quicker than the feet rang true.

Kante didn’t have a particularly bad performance and although he was admittedly not at his best, was consistently occupying a foreign role. At both Leicester and Chelsea, he’s flourished as a central midfielder, not a central defensive midfielder. As an eight, and not a six.

So, why did Deschamps play his most effective, influential midfielder out of position? It heavily restricted Kante and enforced more discipline than it did freedom. In any role, there has to be discipline and responsibility, but some require more than others. Kante is superb at breaking up play, counter-pressing and pushing his team forward. He is not superb at orchestrating the play from deep, being the man to receive the ball from the defenders and turn.

![Dan Mullan/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/659347154.jpg)

This game and I must stress, just this one game, has led to a lot of criticism for Kante. Many have questioned the Frenchman’s capacity to even be held in comparison to the elite midfielders in European football.

No-one can ever question his work ethic, nor can his superhuman stamina and tenacious attitude. However, several have shown skepticism as to whether Kante’s footballing brain and technical ability are in fact up to the standard needed to succeed at the top level.

Firstly, I’ll go back to an initial point. He is not in the Chelsea, nor should be in the France team, to harmonise the play. He will not dictate from deep like Busquets. He will not produce staggering 60-yard diagonal passes like Toni Kroos. But what he can do, as well as anyone in the modern game, is anticipate. He is an incredibly intelligent asset.

For me, the statement that Kante has a low footballing IQ is lunacy. It’s a laughable, reactionary take at one of the most impressive talents we’ve seen in the last year or two.

![Michael Regan/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/648783354.jpg)

I’m not sure I’ve seen a player this season show as much intelligence in midfield as Kante has. He’s erratic but he thinks. He’s two seconds ahead of everyone else and that’s why he’s so good – he’s an instinctive player with a sublime ability to read the game. There is no better player in the Premier League at covering the space between two players and judging just how the opposition will shape their play.

The claims that he runs around aimlessly for 90 minutes are mythical. If running around a lot and having little else to your game got players to top clubs, Mark Noble would be plying his trade with Real Madrid right now. Kante is a superb footballer, not just a superb athlete.

Then follow the inevitable comparative questions and queries surrounding Kante. Is he really that good? How does he rank in comparison to the top midfielders? Is he in the top five?

![Richard Heathcote/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/632415532.jpg)

Perhaps he isn’t in the top five midfielders in the world. It’s no secret that he isn’t as technically refined as others, and many wouldn’t think twice about picking the likes of Thiago and Luka Modric instead of Kante for a dream team, for example.

However, he really isn’t a million miles away. Next season will be an excellent measure not only of Kante’s progress and journey since his departure from Caen, but to see how he mixes with the very best in the Champions League. It’ll be excellent to see the 26-year-old in a new, European adventure for the first time and he has all the tools to replicate his exceptional displays on the biggest stage of them all.

Players have bad games, and midfielders in particular. To question Kante’s ability is laughable and reactionary. To even question whether or not he’s got the capacity to become world class would be silly, because he already is. He’s been the best central midfielder in the Premier League for the last two seasons and has barely put a foot wrong.

![Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/624612262.jpg)

Kante is in the form of his life and is a special, special player. He’s absurdly clever, deceivingly powerful and has been worth his weight in gold. Since arriving in England, he’s won more points (146) than Tottenham, Manchester City and Arsenal all respectively have. Say no more.

In years to come, we’ll look back on Kante and only then will we appreciate just how good a player he was, so we should enjoy his performance and intelligence whilst it’s in front of us.