Looking back at Chelsea's Champions League exit against Real Madrid, a burst of energy off the bench would have been nice.
Carlo Ancelotti was spoilt for choice having the likes of Eduardo Camavinga on the bench to replace Toni Kroos. On the other end of the dugout, Thomas Tuchel wasn't so lucky. Going into extra time is never ideal for a tired team, and as we are now learning, a tired N'Golo Kante is even worse.
There's a reason why Liverpool and Manchester City are proving to be ahead of the Blues, and the Champions League showed us why.
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It's not often that you put the term 'tired' next to the name of Kante. The term 'energetic' usually comes to mind. The Frenchman's first half against the Los Blancos was absolutely admirable. He excelled in doing exactly what he does best, pestering the opposition. He was absolutely everywhere. However, his season of frustrating injuries caught up to him, and his form was no longer effective going into the end of normal time.
Looking to the Bench, Tuchel had Saul Niguez and Jorginho to fill the void in midfield. The Blues were chasing a goal, and history dictates that neither option would deliver on that need. Instead, the German went for Hakim Ziyech.
Having Kante in your team is a cheat code, but having someone who can deliver at least half of the energy he brings to come off the bench would be a dream. Jurgen Klopp has built an army of energetic midfielders who, when called upon, make seamless transitions into the game. In a game where Liverpool are chasing, the likes of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, James Milner, and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain can all perform different roles but bring that same energy into the midfield.
As good as Jorginho is, he is not a direct substitute for Kante. He dictates the pace, but he is much slower, and consequently, the fans feel less urgency from him.
It's been a long time that Chelsea fans have been yearning for a player such as Aurelien Tchouameni, who can bring that energy and class into the midfield. As difficult as it is to hear, he probably would have contributed massively towards tiring out the likes of Luka Modric, who, in the end, got the best of Kante and made the difference.
It's all wishful thinking at this point, but a mix up in midfield options is necessary. I see Mateo Kovacic as the closest player in terms of ability to Kante. There are still differences between the two players, but the work rate is similar. A third hard worker is all that we are missing. Or maybe I am reading into this a bit too much?
With Kante and Jorginho's contracts expiring in the summer of 2023 the club just start to put in plans to cover or replace them both in the future. Could that be from signing a new midfielder or could that be returning loanees like Conor Gallagher and Billy Gilmour?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
