Last season, N’Golo Kante, once again, repeated the feat he achieved with Leicester City in the 2015-2016 campaign; once again, he won the Premier League and emerged the best midfielder in the division. Chelsea has gone ahead to recruit another Kante-like midfielder in Tiemoue Bakayoko, their pairing that should be feared.
If Chelsea already had a devastating midfield with a tireless N’Golo Kante running things, then, that midfield just became all the more frightening following the acquisition of another midfield destroyer in Tiemoué Bakayoko. Both men are French and both midfielders had an amazing last season.
With two astounding tireless workers in midfield, Chelsea boasts a midfield that can easily overwhelm opponents, shutout and stifle opposition attack with guile and panache. Both of this midfielders are still brimming with youthful energy and exuberance; they’re still in their twenties, Bakayoko is just 22 and Kante turned 26 this year.
Tiemoué Bakayoko a massive upgrade on Nemanja Matic
Twenty-two years of age, over six foot tall, spotting a goatee and a blonde hair, Tiemoue Bakayoko cuts the figure of a midfield giant; a Yaya Toure of some sort; in reality, his parents actually hail from the same country as the Manchester City star who Bakayoko idolizes.
Nemanja Matic is a really strong midfielder, with impossibly long limbs which help him stride forward with ease. Matic is also a good passer, he created 27 Premier League chances last season. However, he’s not the all-action midfielder that suits Antonio Conte’s style. He put in a good shift last season but Conte was always going to seek an upgrade of the Serbian in the summer.
Enter Tiemoué Bakayoko. The Frenchman was astute in the Monaco midfield, forming an enviable partnership with Fabinho. As opposed to Matic, Bakayo is an all-action midfield powerhouse, impressively athletic and a joy to watch with the ball at his feet. Antonio Conte needed a man who could cover ground more quickly to reduce the workload on N’Golo Kante – Matic lagged behind in this regard, whereas it’s a commodity Bakayoko can effortlessly offer.
Bakayoko is younger, stronger, faster and more robust than Matic; his acquisition has no doubt made an already strong Chelsea midfield much stronger.
Bakayo-Kante partnership – what it means for Chelsea
With two outstanding midfield destroyers, Antonio Conte can sleep with both eyes closed having the assurance that his team won’t get their pockets picked by midfield runners. Bakayoko’s ability to read the game coupled with Kante’s physical prowess will count for plenty when Chelsea compete in the Champions League where skill, strength, and experience is a prerequisite.
Expect to see a Chelsea team that wins back possession with relative ease next season; primarily this was the job of Premier League MVP, Kante last term, and he did it excellently. Nonetheless, with a taller and equally athletic version of Kante now in the mix, the statistics are sure to shoot up.
Having two no-nonsense men deep in midfield can be the game-changer in the Premier League where strength, physique, and pace usually make the difference – Chelsea has the men in Tiemoue Bakayoko and N’Golo Kante. With these guys, the Blues can successfully mount a title challenge.
Antonio Conte has successfully built a rock in the Chelsea midfield; they’ve got two scary giants who can bring down hell on any team. Watch out for the Bakayo-Kante partnership next season.
