By Nathaniel Kay

Chelsea fans react to Thomas Tuchel's plan for N'golo Kante

Chelsea fans could not contain their excitement after Thomas Tuchel admitted that N’Golo Kante’s best position was a double six.

Tuchel delivered his first press conference as Chelsea manager via the club’s YouTube channel and was asked where he saw Kante’s most profitable role on the pitch.

“I think he is strongest in the double six,” he stated.

“The double-six is the best role for him because it gives him more freedom than when he plays a single six, which demands more discipline on the position and cuts his wing a bit.”

Fans were sent into a frenzy after hearing the manager’s verdict and believed this was the second coming of their beloved Kante.

Kante created a legacy of being one of the finest defensive midfielders in world football whilst at Leicester City and subsequently at Chelsea.

Maurizio Sarri and Frank Lampard tried to transform him into an all-action player by deploying him further afield or in a three.

But based on Tuchel’s latest confession, the new manager felt the 29-year-old benefited from playing alongside another body as he did under Antonio Conte.

Kante’s most prolific campaign was with the Italian. He won the Premier League and scooped the FWA Footballer of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season award among other accolades.  

Conte deployed Kante next to Nemanja Matic as a two in a 3-4-3 formation, similar to Ranieri’s method of playing him alongside Danny Drinkwater in a 4-4-2 at Leicester.

Despite his diminutive 5ft5 figure, his presence on the field was always felt.

Many on social media thought they were going to this version of the Frenchman and wanted to show their gratitude towards Tuchel for potentially unlocking it.

He has been unable to retain that level of performance due to consistent injury problems over the past two years.

Having missed the past four fixtures through a hamstring issue, Kante was back in training and Tuchel will hope he can soon unleash his double pivot fantasy.  

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Maybe we are going to see the resurrection of Kante. It’s clear he hasn’t been at full capacity recently and its probably down to his rotation between jobs.  

Hopefully, Tuchel can take the weight of his small shoulders and convert him back to the Kante of old.  

Nathaniel Kay

Nathaniel is a football journalist who graduated from the University of Derby. He has worked at Burton Albion as part of their media team for two years. Nathaniel produces regular articles for the club’s official website and match-day programme. He covered the 2018 U20 Women’s World Cup in Brittany and has reported from grounds ranging from non-league up to the Premier League.