WHO SAYS HE KANTE PLAY WELL FOR SARRI?
N’Golo scores another goal-o as Chelsea take points
FOR Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri, the vindication lay in the winning goal. Camped inside the Crystal Palace half, Chelsea rapidly pinched possession and the ball was moved swiftly across to David Luiz.
The Brazilian made a vital contribution, lifting his head, picking his pass and flighting a sublime pass over the top. And here came Sarri’s crowning moment. N’Golo Kante sprinted in from the outside right position, on the inside of Patrick van Aanholt, and chested the ball down with composure before rifling in the finish. This is what Sarri imagines Kante to be and it was a shot in the arm for those who believe the Frenchman is being wasted in his remoulded position this season.
For the first time in English football, Kante has three goals in a season. Frank Lampard he is not, but these are positive signs.
Sarri said: ‘Today his movement was very good and well-timed. It’s important when we have to play against opponents where the strikers and wingers find it hard to find space. It’s about the movement of the midfielders.’
For Sarri, the goal had broader significance. Chelsea have lost three Premier League games since late November but back-to-back away wins at Watford and Crystal Palace ensure a five-point gap over fifth-placed Arsenal. The Italian can look to the New Year with confidence.
This was not a swashbuckling Chelsea display and, in truth, few victories have been under Sarri. But Kante’s goal will consolidate belief in ‘Sarri-ball’ both on the terraces and in the dressing room.
The Italian (right) had been forced to shuffle his pack due to injuries. Having deployed Eden Hazard as a centre forward for the previous four Premier League games, injuries to Pedro and Ruben Loftus-Cheek meant a return to the left flank for the Belgian, while Olivier Giroud stepped in as the frontman.
Alvaro Morata, left out at Watford, returned to the bench and in the second half replaced the injured Giroud. The French striker left the ground on crutches and will have a scan on his ankle in the next 24 hours.
For much of this game, Chelsea’s play was ordinary. The first half was low on quality and opportunities were scarce. More than halfan-hour passed before either goalkeeper had a save to make.
It was a period that exposed the enduring weaknesses of two teams overly reliant on their star individuals.
Crystal Palace’s gameplan seemed to hinge on holding out and hoping Wilfried Zaha might provide the inspiration, while Chelsea’s possession was too often slow.
Yet again, they seemed to be waiting for Hazard to do something, anything, to make the difference.
There were signs of tetchiness from Chelsea. When a cross-field pass eluded Marcos Alonso, the Spaniard picked up the ball and forearmed it into the ground to pick up a needless booking.
Chelsea were unusually careless, with Luiz and Jorginho both gifting the ball to the opposition. A more ambitious side than Palace might have capitalised.
Instead, Palace remained penned in, content to contain Chelsea. Palace have now failed to score in seven of their Premier League home games this season and have scored only five goals at Selhurst Park.
It is a miserable record and one that will keep them in a relegation battle. Might Palace have been adventurous? ‘If we’d have wanted to be beaten 4-0 or 5-0, possibly, yes,’ Hodgson’s replied curtly.
Late in the first half, Chelsea raised themselves and struck the woodwork twice in quick succession. Willian whipped a delightful free-kick against the post and then fired low from distance to test Vicente Guaita. From the corner, Ross Barkley adroitly hooked an effort against the post.
Barkley was making his first league start since the fixture between these sides at the start of November. He excelled.
His directness troubled Palace and he showed defensive awareness when tracking back to slide in on Zaha and prevent a rare Palace shot on goal.
After Kante’s opener, Willian came close once more, bringing another fine save from Guaita and Barkley’s follow-up was deflected wide. Hodgson sought to inject life into his team from the substitutes’ bench, as Connor Wickham and Max Meyer arrived.
In the closing moments, Palace provided a set-piece threat as Wickham blasted over from a James Tomkins knockdown, but as the final whistle blew, the home side were still to force a single save from Kepa Arrizabalaga.