FA Community Shield: 3 things we learnt as Manchester City beat Chelsea

#2 Chelsea are half the team without N’Golo Kante

Kante was sorely missed against City

Chelsea missed the services of their midfield rock, N'Golo Kante in the Community Shield. Kante, who was signed two years ago, has become one of Chelsea’s most important players. In the game against City, Chelsea looked a pale shadow of themselves in midfield and Kante’s absence was a major contributor.

Chelsea fielded a midfield three of Barkley, Fabregas and Jorginho with Jorginho playing as the holding midfielder. While Jorginho is exceptional with the ball, he lacks the tactical nous and athleticism to function as the sole defensive midfielder. Chelsea conceded the first goal when Foden ran past Barkley with ease. The second goal was conceded after a sweeping counter-attack by Manchester City.

The most ominous sign for Sarri would have been the ease with which City’s midfielders got on the ‘wrong side’ of Chelsea’s midfield. Sarri would hope that Kante’s return would galvanise the midfield and help him control games.

While Conte liked his two central midfielders to be ‘destroyers’, Sarri likes his midfielders to be very mobile and support the attack at all times. Barkley would most likely be tasked with performing a role similar to Marek Hamsik. Jorginho would play as a deep-lying midfielder with Kante entrusted with breaking up the opposition’s play and putting Chelsea on the front foot.

Chelsea would want to wrap Kante in cotton-wool and keep him fit and fresh for the entirety of the season. Though Kante is irreplaceable, they should still be on the look-out for a midfielder with similar attributes. On the back of today’s evidence, it seems that the lesser Kante plays, the further Chelsea would be from the Premier League crown.