David Seaman suggested that Chelsea suffer anytime N’Golo Kante is out of the team.
Speaking on his own podcast, the former Arsenal goalkeeper highlighted Kante’s repeated absence as a major Achilles heel to the Blues.
The miniature midfielder has suffered far too frequently with injuries in the past two-and-a-half seasons.
Prior to the 2019/20 campaign, the France international had only missed 11 games (Transfermarkt) for Chelsea and Leicester City combined due to fitness issues or illness.
Since Frank Lampard’s debut campaign in charge at Stamford Bridge, that tally has at least tripled in size.
Big impact for a little guy
Kante is currently nursing a knee problem he picked up against Juventus last month.
During his period of medical leave, Chelsea have drawn with Manchester United and Zenit Petersburg, lost to West Ham United and narrowly beaten Watford.
“It just shows you how much of an influence those two players are, especially Kante,” said Seaman on Jorginho – who has been struggling with back pain – and the Parisian prince.
“I met him (Kante) at an awards ceremony just before covid, he looked like a ball boy he was that small!
“But, he is a brilliant player. He showed that at Leicester and he’s showed that even more so at Chelsea.
“How he links play up, not just the attacking side of it, but he links the defence to the midfield, the midfield to the attackers.
“He’s one of the players, he’s a bit like Gilberto Silva, who doesn’t get a great deal of coverage but he’s always there linking everything up, then all of sudden pops up with a nice goal now and again.”
Welcome return
It is not clear yet how long Kante will be out for.
Which is a real worry, considering the congested fixture list that awaits Chelsea.
On Saturday, they host Leeds United in the Premier League, swiftly succeeded by a Thursday night encounter with Everton.
Three days later, a trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers, then the Carabao Cup quarter-final battle against Brentford that following Wednesday.
A mountainous amount of matches that could really do with a sprinkling of Kante at some point.
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