KnowItAll

“Good/better/best” are not useful terms for describing football players. I would instead suggest words such as “influential/important/impactful” for evaluating players in a free-flowing game with a great deal of positional interchange. Both Kante and Lewandowski are world-class in the latter set, despite very few similarities in technical skills. What they share mostly is positional genius. The most memorable image for me in the CL final was not Kante stripping the ball from Mahrez or De Bruyne, but leaping in City’s box to take a header between two, count ‘em two, much taller defenders. That wasn’t skill, it was smarts (and effort and stamina).

Today, Kante’s defending begat the crucial counter, as his interception of a pass went straight to Ziyech to Werner to ... to Giroud.

Yes, and that appears to be the burden assumed by Hazard, who far too often dribbles first and asks questions later (usually after he’s been surrounded and dispossessed), in complete contravention of Sarri’s oft-stated princilples of vertical one-touch attacking football. Why that behavior continues is beyond me. I’m not sure Messi could cure what’s going on out there.

They both play it, but Cesc sees the opening more often and is more accurate. Late against Leicester, for example, Cesc would have put Kante in alone with a long arcing pass if Giroud hadn’t put his beautifully coiffed head in the way.

Yes, and that appears to be the burden assumed by Hazard, who far too often dribbles first and asks questions later (usually after he’s been surrounded and dispossessed), in complete contravention of Sarri’s oft-stated princilples of vertical one-touch attacking football. Why that behavior continues is beyond me. I’m not sure Messi could cure what’s going on out there.

Have a butchers at this little vid and make your own mind up after re is Kante been moved positionally just for the sake of accommodating Jorginho