Chelsea news: Maurizio Sarri is ‘stupid’ to keep playing N’Golo Kante out of position, says Tony Cascarino
The World Cup winner has been playing in an unfamiliar left-sided role for most of the season - and it's baffled fans and pundits alike
Tony Cascarino has said it is ‘stupid’ for Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri to keep playing N’Golo Kante out of his best position.
The World Cup winner has been shifted out from his favoured holding role to a more advanced role on the left side of midfield this season by the new Blues boss.
And it’s had a dramatic impact on his performances and influence on the Chelsea team.
Sarri has practically built his team around £57million summer signing Jorginho playing in the holding role. The manager has said he wants a more technically gifted player in that position, but the absence of Kante’s physical presence in the middle of the pitch has been obvious and Chelsea’s defensive stability has suffered as a result.
The Frenchman has been widely hailed as the best holding midfield player in the world, and Sarri’s decision not to play him there has baffled supporters and pundits alike - Cascarino included.
“The Kante one is stupid, I can’t describe it any other way,” the talkSPORT pundit and former Blues striker told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast.
“Playing the best holding midfielder on the left… it’s like playing Alan Shearer as a winger!
“Whether Sarri is being stubborn or not… none of us can get it, and I think we’ve been proven right.
“N’Golo Kante is not playing in the position where he is the absolutely stand-out player.
“He’s won back-to-back Premier League titles, got a World Cup medal and about 100 man-of-the-match awards [playing in that role].
“He’s a fantastic athlete. Is he technically a magician on the ball? Of course he’s not.
“He’s in the team to do the job, to win the ball and be a spoiler and he does that brilliantly.”
Listen back to Tony Cascarino on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast IN FULL above!