Lampard fury at France over Kante injury
Chelsea manager critical as midfielder ruled out Pulisic told he will have to be patient for chance ‘Nobody would have benefited from Kante going. We have to think about the long-term’
Frank Lampard has criticised the treatment of N’golo Kante by Didier Deschamps after the midfielder was ruled out of Chelsea’s match with Newcastle United today because of a groin injury that flared up while he was with France last week.
Kante has had a stop-start season because of injuries but played in the two Chelsea matches before joining up with France for their Euro 2020 qualifiers. He missed out against Iceland with a recurrence of a groin issue and, instead of returning to Chelsea for treatment, was an unused substitute against Turkey this week.
Lampard says Kante will not be fit to face Newcastle and criticised the way France dealt with the issue.
“I think it could have been handled better,” the Chelsea manager said. “N’golo had a small groin issue in the warm-up to the first game for France. We didn’t get him back until after the second game and he’s not fit for Saturday.”
Previously, Deschamps had questioned the lack of game time given by Chelsea to Olivier Giroud, the France striker, and Lampard responded: “Before the international break, Didier mentioned in jest about Olivier and that was obviously quite light-hearted and I get it. We all have selection problems and he had his in the two games.
“But the Kante one was not a laughing matter. We communicated before the last international break because he was injured so shouldn’t go. After the first game when he pulled out, he then had a fitness test the day before the second game and it was clear that he couldn’t play. He then sat on the bench on the evening of the game, so that’s not communication. Kante is not an inexperienced player, he’s been around the block, he’s won a World Cup.
“Our doctors were speaking and there were some times when things weren’t coming back to us when I would expect them to come back – that’s what I mean about communication. I understand when players are on international duty, they are their player, but it was quite clear he wasn’t fit to play.
“From our point of view we would have wanted him back to work on, but it’s been and gone now. With Kante, nobody would have benefited from him going – me, him or France. We have to think about the long-term and the care of the player as well, so that’s sometimes a bit of a grey area.”
Lampard has six players injured for the visit of Newcastle. Defender Andreas Christensen is the latest, with a hamstring strain that could keep him out until November.
The situation is still unlikely to create a chance for Christian Pulisic to start, however. The American winger, signed from Borussia Dortmund for £70 million in January, has played fleetingly since arriving in the summer, but Lampard says he has to be patient and has ruled out a move away on loan in the new year.
“Christian came to us in a big move, and has just turned 21,” Lampard said. “We’ve got a competitive squad and I always have a problem who to pick. At the minute, with us winning four on the bounce, I need the edge of staying in the team and keep performing. Christian, like every player in the squad, needs to work hard in training, keep improving, see the direction we’re going, be a part of it, and show what you can do on a match day. All the players are the same there.”
Lampard sympathises with Pulisic – “and with every one of my players” – and says it is easy to forget he is young and finding his feet.
“You can look beyond that because he came through at a very young age and was playing in a toplevel team at Dortmund. There were times when he was in the team, times when he wasn’t. That’s part of development. I was fortunate when I came through in my day because West Ham didn’t have too many players in front of me, so I got opportunities. The pathway was open.
“With Christian, huge credit to him for coming through at a young age, but then it brings other difficulties where sometimes you’re out of the team. At Chelsea, it’s a similar situation. The demands are huge. The interest from outside is huge and he’s a young boy. I have no problem. I see the big picture with Christian and I see it with all the young players.”