The Blues boss will leave his star man out this weekend and he won’t meet up with his international team for the upcoming France games
Frank Lampard will leave N’Golo Kante out of Chelsea’s next match against Sheffield United as he wants to see his midfielder get more rest after suffering his second injury in quick succession to start the Premier League season.
Kante suffered an ankle injury after coming back from a long-term knee problem, one that he played through with painkilling injections in May’s Europa League final win over Arsenal.
Lampard has spoken to France boss Didier Deschamps who has agreed to allow the 28-year-old to rest for the upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers.
The Blues head coach admits to pushing Kante for the Super Cup against Liverpool but says that he won’t be doing it often as he looks to manage his fitness.
“We were close with the Super Cup. We had a fitness test on the morning of, because I felt he was so important for the game we had coming,” Lampard told reporters at Cobham Training Centre. “I appreciated his desire to stay in the game and play the game.
“But in the end, no. It wasn’t a case of having to say anything. It naturally got to the point where he needs the break. There was an element of that [needing to hold him back]. Because he’s such a good lad as far as I’ve seen, he’s really easy to work with – he just wants to work and do the business.
“The Europa League final, I wasn’t here for that obviously, but it was hugely impressive that he got through that game and had the impact that he did. But he then carried the injury into pre-season, everything came on top so we all decided, him and me first and foremost, that it was time to get this right and move on from here after the break.
He added: “I’m not worried at all about any of the long-term effects. It’s more can we show him a little bit of TLC? In terms of he’s got a problem, he’s got a pain in his ankle. It’s not a huge injury but can we get that right and then start anew?
“He missed pre-season but the international break falls at the right time for him. I don’t expect any issues unless there is something I don’t know coming up. A lot of his qualities will help the way I want to play, for sure.”
In Kante’s absence, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic have suitably filled in as defensive midfielders. They have been playing alongside either Mason Mount or Ross Barkley in Lampard’s increasingly preferred formation which is a 4-3-3.
Jorginho’s continued role despite losing his previous manager of four years in Maurizio Sarri is a surprise to some, particularly after he was booed by sections of the Blues fan base last season due to the perception that he was the unpopular manager’s favourite player.
The former Napoli man has since come out and described himself as ‘Chelsea’s Jorginho’ and he had his name sung by away fans at Norwich City last weekend for the first time. Lampard admits he is pleased to see his midfielder earn praise from supporters.
“I was delighted to hear that myself,” Lampard added. “I’ve said it a lot now: he’s been a pleasure to work with. I do think that with fans, they are generally pretty honest.
“What they’re seeing is a player – I don’t want to talk about last year – but what they see now is a player who has a drive, has a determination as a team player. I certainly see that.
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“He also has quality. He can change a game, lead a game, own a game from midfield areas. I’m delighted with that. I see day-to-day what playing for this club means. He’s just a fantastic sportsman who cares deeply.
“When you have a training session that might fall below a standard or drop for a moment, he’s the one who drives it up again. When the fans see that on the pitch, as they did at Norwich, that’s why they sing his name. I’m delighted with that.
“The thing I noticed from the outside last year is that he never hid. He never hid from receiving the ball on the edge of his box or a tight area. He was always there to receive it. And he played really well during the run-in, I thought, for Chelsea.
“That’s a sign of his character and, again, that’s what the fans will applaud and long may it continue. I love them singing every player’s name because every player should be giving them a reason to.
“All I see now is a really good player who is a leader in the group. Yeah, I’m delighted the fans sung his name in Norwich. Hopefully, it continues at the Bridge and we hear it every week.”
Chelsea will look to sell players ahead of the European transfer window closing on September 2. Kenedy and Tiemoue Bakayoko look like they will leave as Monaco negotiate a deal for the latter to return to his former club.
Baba Rahman will also likely leave with less than a year left on his deal and Lampard explained his situation ahead of deadline day.
“At the moment he’s not training with us in the matchday or the first-team squad,” Lampard concluded. “In terms of his future, we are at the middle of the conversation it’s about finding the right path for him individually.
“Maybe for him, it is to go on loan to play regularly. He’s not training with us at the moment. He’s training with the loan players and the under-23s. His path remains to be seen while the window is open.”