Ian Wright has likened Tyler Adams’ display for the USA against England to that of Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante in his prime.
Speaking on his own podcast, Wright spelled out the similarities between Adams’ latest outing at the World Cup and that of the France international in full flow.
The United States skipper delivered a captain’s performance on Friday in the face of Gareth Southgate’s men.
He was a bit of a one-man machine in the middle of Gregg Berhalter’s midfield.
Adams announces himself at the World Cup
According to WhoScored.com, Adams made one tackle, interception, two clearances, took 60 touches and won an aerial duel.
Leeds United’s £20m summer signing was very much what England fans expected of their midfield trio.
Instead, Mason Mount, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice failed to reproduce the successful formula that caused Iran such irritation in the opening fixture.
As a result of their inability to get a grasp on the game, and USA’s wasteful finishing, the score concluded 0-0.
But the man wearing the armband for Stars and Stripes certainly did not warrant being on the end of a stalemate.
“When he went to Leeds, you see him play a little bit and you think: ‘yeah, this guy can handle it here’,” said Wright.
“I watched him in the first game against Wales and it was a very easy game for him.
“In that game yesterday (vs England), I got Kante vibes in the way he was snuffing, intercepting, tackles, that kind of vibe.
“People are going to say: ‘you are comparing him to Kante’. I’m not. I haven’t seen someone be that good at what he was doing for a long time in that position since that Kante vibe.
“He was like how Kante was: he was a like a magnet to the ball, where the problems are going to come then bam, he snuffs it out.”
Kante is the OG enforcer
Anybody being mentioned in the same breath as the ultimate version of Kante is one major compliment.
When the Frenchman was at maximum capacity, there weren’t many more pleasing, or devasting sights in football.
He engulfed the turf and the opponents on it with speed, style and steel.
Any loose ball or possibly danger would be consumed by the 31-year-old.
Sadly, Kante hasn’t been gulping back footballing threats due to a string of injury absences.
His latest wound forced him to miss the World Cup, having only played twice for Chelsea all season.
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